Author Archives: hannahbryan91

Burpee breakfast tarts

Posted in Recipes by

I ❤ weekend breakfasts and these baked egg tarts are the perfect start to fuel a Sunday Funday.

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The eggs are baked in a basket of bacon and mushrooms and after you’ve tried making them once why not add other ingredients like tomatoes, spinach or kale. If you’re vegetarian just switch the bacon for half a pepper to create the basket effect.

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I didn’t follow a recipe for these tarts and sadly I can’t take all of the credit for them as it was a joint creation between my boyfriend and I. They are a great low carb breakfast for someone who is following a Paleo plan and are high in protein thanks to the eggs. More calories are used to digest protein rather than fat and carbohydrates so these burpee tarts will keep you full until tea time.

If that’s not reason enough to give them a go then listen to this highly scientific (kind of!) piece of evidence.
Dane and I are currently doing the 100 burpees a day challenge in the run up to Christmas- yes, even including 100 burpees on Christmas day- which is how the name for this creation came about.  After eating these tarts Dane managed to bash out 100 burpees in an amazing 4mins 32 seconds after already completing 150 just a few minutes earlier!

I think the burpee breakfast tarts should take credit for that…

Proof of Dane's 100 burpees in 4:32 after completing 150 beforehand!

Proof of Dane’s 100 burpees in 4:32 after completing 150 beforehand!

You will need: (makes two tarts)
8 eggs (or 3 whole eggs per tart and one egg white)
Bacon rashers
Mushrooms
Seasoning
Butter to line tart dishes

To make:
– Grill the bacon and whilst that is cooking line the tart dishes with some butter.
– Once the bacon is cooked preheat the oven to about 180 degrees and then line the dishes with the bacon and finely chopped mushrooms. The idea here is to create a lining at the bottom of the tray so that the egg doesn’t leak through.
– Add some seasoning and then crack the eggs in to the tarts before putting in the oven to bake for about 15-20 minutes.
– We added a muffin to ours but they’re great on their own or with avocado or spinach.

Enjoy! 🙂

An advent calendar with a difference

Posted in Fitness & well-being, Running by
Photo credit to Advent Running

Photo credit to Advent Running

Since the Plusnet Yorkshire Marathon – which was almost two months ago now – I am ashamed to say that I have really struggled to get back in to running. It is partly because of niggling injuries and partly because it’s that time of year when the motivation to jump out of bed on a cold, dark and wet winter morning can start to dwindle.

It was by chance that I spotted the Advent Running Challenge on Twitter which involves running every day for at least 30 minutes for 25 days, ideally starting on December 1.

With the Central Lancashire New Year Half Marathon fast approaching I thought that this would be the perfect time to get back in to the swing of things and make time for running in what usually promises to be a busy month full of Christmas shopping and festive fun. Not to mention that more running equals more mince pies!

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I will be starting my challenge tonight and will finish my last run on Boxing Day.
Get involved and check out the challenge online or Tweet Advent Running to share your pictures and running experiences. There will also be a spot prize each day for the best photo, video or written description of the day’s run shared on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

2014 has been a great running year for me and I want to make this final month a good one! Happy December running everyone!

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Mission complete : homemade energy bites

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With nothing but a weekend of eating and running ahead it was time to rustle up a new recipe.

I gave them the name Mission Balls due to the absolute mission my friend and I had making them – there was a lot of smoke coming from a borrowed blender at some point! Yet despite that slight mishap, these energy bites turned out well are are a great pre or post workout snack.

I am a snack monster and I am constantly on the lookout for new, healthy snacks that I can grab as I’m leaving the house and take to work ready to eat before training later that day or just to nibble on during the afternoon slump.

These bites fit that bill perfectly and are a much more economically friendly version than buying a bar every day or even a multi-pack box of cereal, energy or protein bars.

They are also ridiculously easy and quick to make and don’t take up much room in the fridge either. Another great thing about them is that you can customise them depending on what fruit/nuts you fancy.

You will need: (makes about 14 energy bites depending on how big you make them)

125g dried apricots
100g raisins
100g cashew nuts
125g dates
25g raw cacao powder
4 heaped tablespoons of honey
3 heaped tablespoons of Meridian smooth peanut butter


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Method:
I found the best way to make these energy bites is to put the mixture into the blender a little bit at a time.
So basically – and this shows just how simple they are to make – put a portion of all of the ingredients into the blender and whizz around until they are well combined.
If the mixture is looking a little dry add more honey or peanut butter.
Keep blending the mixture until it is all combined and then tip out of the blender and into a bowl or on to a plate.
Now you can get your hands involved and form the bites in to whatever shape you desire. I went for balls but bars work just as well. Form them in to the desired shape and then sprinkle them with a bit of cacao powder and pop into the fridge to set and voila, homemade energy bites.

 

Sunday Funday: Robin Hood’s Bay to Whitby coastal run

Posted in Fitness & well-being, Running by

I’m pretty sure that this is exactly how weekends are meant to be spent; outside in the fresh air, exploring the great outdoors and of course running.

The view looking back towards Robin Hood's Bay

The view looking back towards Robin Hood’s Bay

A late one on Saturday night resulted in a slightly lazy morning on Sunday before Dane and I headed out to Robin Hood’s Bay to breathe in the fresh sea air and tackle the 10K trail run to Whitby.

Considering the weather in York had been horrendous on Saturday we couldn’t have asked for better weather on Sunday as we arrived at Robin Hood’s Bay. It was crisp and cool but the sun was on our backs as we had a little wander around the village and a mini warm up on the beach before we set off.

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The route is about 6 miles if you follow the coastal path but you can also opt for a shorter and less hilly route along the cinder track. After a brisk walk to the start of the trail we were soon running along the coastline which offered fantastic views over the bay and out across to Whitby, I genuinely felt like I was on holiday!

I’ve not done much running since the Yorkshire Marathon so hitting the trails was more forgiving on the knees and provided plenty of entertainment along the way…but more on that later.

As well as offering stunning views along the coast the route also kept our legs guessing, with rocks, hills and even the occasional stair sprint too. The only aspect that did prove difficult was going downhill in the mud. We were taking bets as to who would be the first to go down and luckily for me it was Dane – much to my amusement!

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If you’re going to do this run I would definitely recommend donning your trail shoes as the uneven ground can try and claim your ankles if you’re not wearing the right trainers.

We reached Whitby after about an hour and a half and that was running at a steady pace, stopping to take pictures and walking down hills to avoid any more mud slides.

When you get to Whitby you run down past the abbey and then down the infamous Whitby steps before you arrive right in the middle of the town. Once we got there we headed to Trenchers in our lycra to refuel.

I had an amazing poached salmon salad and I’d even go as far to say that it was one of the best salads I have ever had. The salmon was full of flavour and it came with coleslaw, mixed beans, egg, mixed salad and even a mini fruit salad complete with a star fruit – it was yummy.

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Dane had fish, chips and mushy peas which looked equally as good and neither of us could resist having a pudding afterwards.

I opted for the homemade apple crumble with vanilla ice cream which was divine and Dane’s sticky toffee pudding came with an incredible hot toffee sauce.

We left Trenchers full of great food and warmed up after the run before we made our way back to the car at Robin Hood’s Bay (by taxi – we didn’t fancy running back in the dark on a full tummy!)

So yes, I’m pretty sure that is exactly how weekends are supposed to be spent; getting outside, getting muddy and rewarding yourself at the end. We headed back to York pretty sleepy but not too tired to start thinking about the next adventure.

Race report: Guy Fawkes 10

Posted in Running by

Jim Coldwell is a City of Hull AC runner and a member of CrossFit Hull.
You can follow him on Twitter @J_Coldwell

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Remember, remember, six Yorkie bars, four KitKats, an Aero and a Milky Bar wait for you at the finish.

The build up

I had heard the Guy Fawkes 10 was a tough, hilly, we-don’t-have-hills-like-these-in-Hull kind of race – ideal for my first competitive race back from injury then.

Or maybe not.

This was my first race representing City of Hull AC (CoH) since joining the club a few months before. Training with CoH as well as attending weekly track sessions had an instant impact on my running – I ran a PB at the Vale of York half marathon by four and a half minutes.

The evident improvements made the frustration of being struck down with tendonitis just the week after even more frustrating. As any runner would tell you, putting your feet up for a few weeks is as challenging as completing a race, irrespective of distance. But, reluctantly, rest I did and I was fit and raring to go on race day.

Anyway, with it starting and finishing in Ripley, North Yorkshire – just a stone’s throw away from my hometown of Knaresborough – and safe in the knowledge that there would be the mother’s Sunday roast waiting for me after, I would have been hard pressed to convince myself to withdraw even if the injury hadn’t subsided.

The race

I am definitely a runner that enjoys the smaller, club organised races compared to the larger, more commercial, mass participation ones – not to say there is anything wrong with those, of course. But, you get the feeling the former are organised by people who care about runners’ experiences, not just the state of their cheque book.

Guy Fawkes 10, organised by Nidd Valley Road Runners, is the epitome of this. For a measly entry of £12, you get an extremely organised event from start to finish – ample parking, efficient race number collection, a well marshalled course, two drinks stations and every runner’s real reason for racing, a well-stocked goodie bag and a t-shirt!

And the positives don’t stop there.

The start is in the shadow of the stunning Ripley Castle, the finish in the courtyard of the castle, the three climbs are quirkily named – Birstwith Brute, Swincliffe Swine and For Fawkes Sake (enter and you’ll find this is aptly named) and the scenery along the route is stunning.

So, what’s the course like?

It’s hilly, very hilly.

The first mile and a half is slow as the route is narrow and mix of Tarmac and trail. Once this part has been safely negotiated, the race opens out.

A couple of steady climbs takes you to Burnt Yates before dropping down Clint Hill into Birstwith. Around mile four, the first of the three main climbs falls. Birstwith Brute is a steep ascent but relatively short, around 300m.

The remainder of the first half of the race is a steady descent, a perfect chance to recover from the Brute!

The respite doesn’t last long though as, around mile seven, you are faced with Swincliffe Swine. Again, not a long climb but sharp and breath-taking.

Recovery this time isn’t as easy as your legs tire, although the stretch through Hampsthwaite and over the river helps to take your mind off that.

Now, the finish line is in sight, just over another hill!

At mile eight, For Fawkes Sake kicks in. For me, the toughest of the climbs. Winding up a narrow country road for around 400m, the name couldn’t sum up every runner’s feelings better.

After conquering the final main climb, it’s time to release the handbrake and let the legs take you where they want – you’ll have no choice, trust me.

From the outset, the Guy Fawkes 10 felt like a proper runner’s race. And the finish emphasised just that. With just 200m to go, one last challenge awaits – a sharp 100m climb right to the tape.

If you didn’t enjoy running, if you didn’t understand the challenges that every runner faces in each race, irrespective of distance, and if all that went before you at this race wasn’t to the standard it was, you could be forgiven for thinking this was a cheap shot from the organisers. However, despite my legs being ridden with lactic acid, it brought an approving smile to my face!

Crossing the line in a time of 1:13:20 and with a negative split of just over three minutes was a pleasant surprise given the lack of training leading up to the race. To be honest, this was probably more pleasing a result than the half-marathon PB a month or so before.

The race was over but the event…far from it.

The goodie bags handed out at the castle were filled with Nestle, one of the race sponsors, chocolate – six Yorkie bars; four KitKats; an Aero and a Milky Bar. A great haul!

The next job was to collect a finisher’s t-shirt before cracking open the complimentary bottle of water and taking in the picturesque surroundings and walking back through the village to the car park.

This was my first experience of the Guy Fawkes 10 but it definitely won’t be the last.

Remember, remember, the first Sunday in November.

race report 1 Race report 2

 

Food cravings: what they really mean

Posted in Fitness & well-being, Nutrition by

Whether it’s that chocolate bar during the post lunch slump or the urge for a cool glass of Pinot on a Friday night, we all get cravings.

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t give in to our cravings but it’s all about balance and it wouldn’t be healthy to give in to them every single day.

I decided to write this post after I began craving some odd things. When I started CrossFit for example, all I wanted to eat for breakfast lunch and dinner was pineapple. After a quick internet search I learnt that my body was craving pineapple because my muscles were inflamed. They weren’t used to being worked in the way that CrossFit was working them and that craving was the result.

Ever since then I have been fascinated to learn about what particular food cravings mean. Often when we crave chocolate or something salty our body doesn’t actually need these things, it needs something else.

Research conducted by vouchercodespro.co.uk found that there are more nutritious ways to satisfy these cravings. For example, you might be interested to learn that when you think you’re craving a bar of chocolate your body actually needs magnesium which can be satisfied with a small handful of nuts. Similarly, when you fancy a glass of wine that craving can be satisfied with a serving of protein.

Check out their helpful infographic below:

Research from vouchercodespro.co.uk

Research from vouchercodespro.co.uk

Now that’s not to say that every time you crave something you should reach for an alternative but if you’re craving the same thing every day it might be a good idea to see if you are lacking in certain nutrients. A sign of low iron for example is when you are craving a good steak or any kind of red meat.

Aside from that, here are five of my tips to tackle unhealthy food cravings:

  1. Distract yourself – When we have food cravings it can often be because we are bored. If you find yourself craving something, start doing something else. Keep yourself busy and I guarantee that with your mind on other things it will soon pass.
  2. Have a drink – Often when we think we are hungry it’s actually because we are thirsty. When a craving hits, head to the kitchen for a glass of water or juice instead.
  3. Pay attention to what you’ve recently eaten – I always find that if I eat something sweet I then start craving other sweet foods for the rest of the day. Make a note of when cravings hit and you’ll soon start to see a pattern.
  4. Have healthy alternatives on hand – Keep nuts, fruit or carrot/celery sticks at work so that when you start feeling like you want to give in to a craving you’ve got healthy alternatives on hand.
  5. That said, giving in to a craving is fine – Why not try just having a quarter of what you would usually have though. If it is chocolate you really want, have a couple of squares of dark chocolate rather than a whole bar.

Officially a sub-4 marathon runner!

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I am officially a sub-4 marathon runner!

I can’t actually believe I’m writing that and I know it’s a good few days since I completed the second Plusnet Yorkshire Marathon but I feel as though it is just beginning to sink in. As I begin to lose some of the tenderness in my aching muscles and return to training tonight, what I achieved has finally hit me.

Actually, I think it hit me as I drove home from work yesterday and pressed play on my I-pod. Conor Maynard’s R U Crazy came blasting through my speakers and I began to cry. I realise how ridiculous this sounds, and how equally ridiculous it is for me to enjoy that song (it does have a good beat though), but during those 26.2 miles that song became somewhat of an anthem for me.

So I drove home teary eyed and got straight back into bed with my medal on to sleep it off. 12 hours later and I can safely say that I’ve passed the emotional stage and I’m ready for my next challenge!
But before that here’s a bit about the day.

I had three goals for the race:
1) The dream goal: to run the marathon in under four hours. (Incredibly ambitious and I started to think it was going to remain a dream for this race after a couple of weeks of difficult training due to a calf injury.)
2) The realistic goal: to run the marathon in about 4.30 (this was the most likely option given the calf setback.)
3) The ‘it has to happen’ goal: to finish in one piece (failing to finishing wasn’t an option.)

On the morning of the race I had my best friend Liana by my side and after a breakfast of toast and Meridian Foods smooth peanut butter and porridge with yet more peanut butter we headed to the event village along with my friend Dane. After I was taped up with my new pink Kinesio Tape and put on my CEP progressive compression socks (more about those babies later!) I was good to go.

The atmosphere was amazing and despite a foggy start the race got off on time and I was thrilled to see that the people of York were still out in force. After the first couple of miles I realised I had gone out a good 30-40 seconds quicker than my 9 minute 9 second mile pace to come in at four hours but I was still feeling good so I decided to just go with it.
After the first 10K I developed a strategy of drinking water at every station and having one of my strawberry flavoured Shot Bloks every 30 minutes.

The crowds at Stamford Bridge, which was just over the halfway mark, were incredible and I actually ran one of my fastest miles through there thanks to the support. Liana and Dane were also there which gave me a huge boost.

However when I reached mile 16 I felt like my legs were moving through treacle, something I didn’t expect at all as I was used to running up to 20 miles in my training. It wasn’t until mile 19 that I got back in to my stride and started to feel good again.
By this time I realised I was on track to run the marathon in less than four hours but for some reason didn’t let myself believe it just in case I jinxed it. Luckily, my legs powered me through – I’d like to thank Crossfit for that and those amazing CEP compression socks – my calf didn’t hurt once!

At about mile 25 and a half I was in for a real treat. My friend Jim, who I had run the Adidas Thunder Run 24 Hour with, had recorded our anthem from the race, an R Kelly song, on the megaphone he was carrying.
As I raced to complete my first ever marathon all I heard was “my minds telling me noooo...” Check out the video on my Instagram.

That final hill before the downward sprint to the finish was cruel but made that last leg of the race so much more rewarding.
I managed a sprint finish as I spotted Liana and Dane at the finish line and was amazed to see that I had come in at 3.53! I was beyond ecstatic and still felt as though I had fuel left in the tank.
The organisation of the race was spot on, as was the goody bag (those two Rocky bars went down a treat!) and the medal was also great.  I was particularly impressed with the engraving service which took 30 seconds to have your medal personalised – such a nice touch.

All in all, one of the best days of 2014 and I’ve already signed up to next year’s pre-sale!

Celebrating after with Liana

Celebrating after with Liana

At the start line ready to go

At the start line ready to go

Still smiling at mile 14

Still smiling at mile 14

Marathon mania

Posted in Running by
marathon outfit

Hoping I can keep this smile for the full 26.2 miles

So today it hit me that on Sunday I will be running a marathon.
A MARATHON. 26.2 miles.
I feel like it is finally starting to sink in. Well, either that or marathon mania has set in. There are so many thoughts whizzing around my head at the moment. Will my calf hold up, will the weather hold up and will I be able to spot my friends cheering me on when I’m struggling the most –  but I’m hoping I won’t be struggling that much!
I know that come Sunday when I line up at the start for the second Plusnet Yorkshire Marathon, these worries will evaporate and I’ll just try and do what I came to do; run.
But until then my race week has so far been filled with peanut butter, nerves, more peanut butter and more nerves.
Don’t get me wrong, I am seriously excited about the challenge ahead but as the day nears the enormity of it has dawned on me and I’m just hoping that more than anything, nothing will stop me from completing it.
This probably goes back to last year when I was lining up at the start line for the Robin Hood Marathon against advice from the physio and mainly my mother. I had been told, due to an injury to my knee, to either forget about the marathon or to power walk it.
I’m a bit of an all or nothing kind of girl so power walking 26.2 miles was never really an option for me, nor was bowing out completely. So off I went and for the first six miles I felt great. Mile 14 came and I was seriously struggling as the pain got worse. Mile 18 arrived and I knew my race was over as I was forced to pull out. Was it a stupid decision to run? Absolutely, and ever since then I have listened to the physio and to my body.
This time – touch wood – I have remained injury free apart from a slight niggling in my calf which I am 100% sure will hold up on Sunday – positive thinking works wonders you know!
So far this week I have done one short run which was slower than marathon pace and tonight I will hit the pool and do some stretching. Tomorrow I’ll jog to work and back.
Over the next few days I will no doubt drive my friends and family mildly crazy with my plan to make plans (I’m not ashamed to say that I have written a plan of what I need to plan before Sunday) and bore them with details of my outfit and my expected split times.
The marathon playlist is on its way to being finalised, I’ve planned how I’m getting there, now I just need to remember to enjoy it and give it my all.

Marathon prep: just get it done

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“Grind it out, Hannah, just grind it out.” Those were the words I was repeating out loud to myself like a madwoman on my final long run before the Yorkshire Marathon.
With less than two weeks to go I took to the roads at the weekend to complete my final long run and it was definitely a tough one.
Knowing I was about two weeks behind where I should/wanted to be due to a bit of an iffy calf I was apprehensive about how far I’d make it on Saturday.
22 miles would’ve been the dream but I think deep down I knew that wasn’t going to happen having not ran more than eight miles in the past two weeks. So I settled on doing anything between 16-22 miles – I’m not one to give up easily!
Everything was fine to start with, I felt strong, my Shot Bloks were slipping down like I was eating fruit  pastilles in front of the X Factor on a Saturday night and I was running a good 30 seconds quicker on each mile than my estimated marathon pace. Until mile 18 that is.
I think my mind gave up before my legs did, which is usually the case, hence why I began chanting to myself whilst Eminem Till I Collapse was on repeat.
I reached 20 miles and decided that was enough, disappointed that I hadn’t managed to hit 22 but pleased that my calf looked like it was going to hold up for the race – and that’s the most important thing, I kept reminding myself.
So with the countdown officially ON (I say that, I’ve been counting down for the past 70 odd days!), it’s finally time to taper.
I’ve been reading up on how to taper and have found that most blogs are suggesting to reduce mileage by another 20-25 per cent during the final two weeks and to run everything easy. So that’s exactly what I’ll be doing.
I’ll be doing three/four runs this week and two/three CrossFit sessions to keep my strength up but if my calf starts playing up I’ll swim instead of run and will take it easy with CrossFit.
I’m in the process of planning my final week now (eek!) and have stocked up on different flavoured Shot Bloks for the race and have almost finalised my race outfit – priorities ey!
Yorkshire Marathon – Let’s do this!!