Tag Archives: Exercise

Overcoming the fear

Posted in Running by

  The fear – that irrational feeling ahead of a run you just can’t shake for some reason.
Leads to excuses, skipping runs and being a general wimp! 

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Taking in the scenery on a weekend long run

I admit, I’ve had the fear recently but it’s about time I shook it off and got my legs moving again! I’ve still been running but one thing’s for sure is that at times I’ve definitely been wimping out of my long runs.

My knee hurt, my calf hasn’t been 100%, I’ve got too much work to do or it’s too late in the day to do it now. ALL excuses and all ridiculous ones. (Obviously don’t run if you’re injured but I’m not – touch wood!)

I’ve slowly been recovering from a knee injury which is why I think I’ve had the fear. It has made me reluctant to get back in to things and to really push myself. I fear that if I start, having told myself I’m going to do 11 miles and have to stop at 4, I’ll be gutted and grumpy for the rest of the day or worse still I’ll have to admit that I’m not recovered and have to rest!

So I’ve taken on the most illogical tactic ever of avoiding long runs and just sticking to shorter ones. But I pushed that to one side – finally!! – and headed out on a surprising 15 miler – see you later fear!!

Here’s how it went down:

Total  miles: 15.01mi
Total time:2hours 10 seconds
Av min mile pace: 8:00/mi
Mile splits:

1- 7.18 (oops started out too fast!)
2- 7.53
3- 8.06
4- 8.11
5- 7.48
6- 7.49
7- 8.07
8- 8.12
9 – 7.51
10 – 7.58
11 – 7.59
12- 8.12
13 – 8.08
14 – 8.24
15 – 8.05

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What I found, not surprisingly, was that my legs were fine, it was my mind that had been struggling and all I needed to do was pull myself together and get out there and enjoy it!

Whether it’s that you’re going to finish last, you’re too self-conscious to run in front of people or you’re worried that you’ll have to walk, there’s always an excuse you can find to get out of running.

There’s nothing wrong with a bad run though. If you do have to walk, don’t beat yourself up about it – you’re still out there moving and logging the miles! Letting go of bad runs is something I need to work on. If you have a bad one, take it in, think about what went wrong and why but only do this for five or ten minutes. Then, put it to one side and move on from it. Don’t give it a second thought or else the fear takes hold as it did with me and it made me annoyed at myself and my progress, or lack of it.

That said, I’m putting the fear behind me and I’m going to crack on and get on with it – starting with a lunch time run in the sun today. If I go slow, fine, if I have to walk, fine, at least I’m out there doing it and won’t get home tonight thinking “I should’ve gone for a run today.”

More self-loving and less self-loathing! Run because you love your body!

🙂 Go and find your happy pace!
#hannahshappypace

Refusing to let injury stand in my way

Posted in Running by

 “I don’t think there’s such a thing as the perfect marathon training plan.”

My physiotherapist said this to me at a recent session and I couldn’t agree more. We can spend time devising detailed training plans suitable to our goals – I’ve got a pretty good one drawn up for April’s Manchester marathon – but at the end of the day marathon training is really about taking it all in your stride, no pun intended.

Even if you’ve got the best plan drawn up, external factors can halt your plans such as work commitments or a niggling injury.

It’s the latter which has temporarily derailed my schedule but after a long awaited visit to the physiotherapist I’m here to tell you that if your marathon training is halted because of injury don’t panic, don’t hit the peanut butter and certainly don’t think that you’re out of the race. It can be quite the opposite in fact, unless your physio has advised against racing entirely obviously, but if your injury just requires rest for a couple of weeks then it’s still game on rather than game over.

physio 1

Over the past couple of weeks I have experienced a pain in my knee similar to someone clamping it in a vice every time I’ve reached two miles on a run. It’s not a pain I have experienced from running before and it’s certainly not fun so I booked in to see Jeroen at Jorvik Physiotherapy who was fantastic.

I’ve got to rest for three weeks but luckily not entirely. I’m only allowed to do upper body weight training, cycle or go on the cross-trainer. I can also swim but no breaststroke. I can start running again after three weeks, or sooner if the swelling in my knee goes down before then, and I’ve been given some good stretches to do and told it needs massaging every day.

Jeroen was so positive which really kept me upbeat and he told me ways to keep my strength up without damaging my knee and was confident that I’d be back on track within a month or so. Personally I think that finding a good, positive physiotherapist makes a world of difference.

So even though I’ve been told to rest, I’m lucky enough that it’s not complete rest, which can often be the case with knee injuries. I plan on cycling a lot, getting my swim on (thanks Adidas for my new costume) and still bashing out pull-ups and what not at CrossFit, all the while keeping a mindful watch on my knee.

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I’m also lucky enough to have been drawn up a prehab plan for my knee to hopefully prevent me from getting injured in the future. I’d definitely recommend having a coach draw one of these up for you too if you’re injured. It’s something you can incorporate in to a training plan and eventually doing the exercises will just become a habit.

Here’s a little snippet of what mine involves:

Single leg hip lifts
Seated leg lifts/L-sit progressions
Side plank with leg raise
3 point plank
Glute circuit of glute bridges, clam shells, fire hydrants and glute ham walks.
So, if it’s bad news from the physio don’t view it as bad news, view it as a new way to train. If you can’t run, yes it’s beyond frustrating, but look at what else you can do, talk it through with your physio and find new ways to keep strong, fit and healthy and I promise that when you get back to running it’ll all be worth it and you’ll still be feeling fit and ready to race.

🙂

Ps If anyone in York is in need of a physio visit Jorvik Physiotherapy in Fulford, Jeroen knows his stuff.

10 ways to keep healthy with a busy lifestyle

Posted in Fitness & well-being, Nutrition by

This morning as I opened up my emails an interesting messaged pinged into my inbox with the subject title “failed again.”

What I opened turned out to be one of the most entertaining emails I had ever received.

Here’s a little snippet from it:

“My willpower is zilch, I have had three chocolates. There are boxes up in the staff room with post-its saying “eat me”- leftovers from Christmas where staff are trying to save themselves – obviously they do not know that I am already sprinting up the stairs to help them out – waistband is tightening by the minute, but even that does not deter me – help…………!!!”

I wasn’t laughing at the fact that this person wanted help but if you knew her like I did you too would be amused at her sprinting up the stairs to help her colleagues out with left over Christmas chocolate. My response: well at least you’re getting some cardio in with those stair sprints- ha-ha.

In all seriousness though this got me thinking about the pressures we put on ourselves in January to eat clean, take up the gym or cut out sugar following the indulgent festive period. January is also a really busy month with people starting back at work, paying off Christmas bills and children heading back to school.

I’ve put together a list of 10 ways to help you stay healthy every month even when you’ve got a super hectic schedule.

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  • Water – This is such a simple change to make but one which has major health benefits. Keep a jug or a bottle of water on your desk at work or in your car at all times. Having it there will remind you to drink plenty throughout the day. Drinking lots of water will also improve your skin, help your body to flush out toxins and keep you alert at work as it increases energy and fights fatigue.
  • Snacks – Make the fruit bowl your friend and keep it stocked full at all times. You can also buy nuts such as almonds and take a handful of those with you to work. That way if cakes or treats appear in the office you will have healthy snacks on hand to curb those cravings and satisfy you until lunch time. Eating better makes you feel better.
  • Read an actual book – Take time away from your computer to read a book or the newspaper. You’ll feel as if you’ve really had a break from work and will come back in the afternoon with your brain refreshed ready to take on the rest of the day.
  • Ban phones from the bedroom – This includes iPads and anything else electronic for that matter. Set aside some time each night to really relax and unwind before getting into bed. Read a book, meditate or just take some time without your phone to switch off. The bright lights will interfere with your sleep pattern and getting a good night’s sleep is so important. You will wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and energised.
  • Green tea – It’s absolutely fine if you love a caffeine boost in the morning but why not try and switch to green tea in the afternoon and limit your caffeine intake. Although green tea does still contain caffeine it doesn’t have as much caffeine as coffee. It also has amino acid L-theanine which works with the caffeine to improve brain function and concentration.
  • Eat your greens – as well as green tea make sure you eat your vegetables. Again, it’s such a simple thing and it’s not meant to sound patronising but vegetables are packed full of nutrients and antioxidants which are guaranteed to improve your mood and leave you feeling healthier and happier in general.
  • Get moving – Set your alarm ten minutes earlier and go for a walk or do some burpees before work. HIIT (high intensity interval training) is great if you are pushed for time and if you get it done in the morning you’ll feel the benefits of those endorphins for the rest of the day.
  • PMA – Positive mental attitude! Starting your day with positive thoughts and having a can do attitude will boost your mood and basically sets the standard for a good day ahead. Think positively when you’re faced with a challenge.
  • Write things down – Make yourself an achievable to–do list either on your phone or when you get to work each day. There’s something strangely satisfying about ticking something off your list and getting stuff done.
  • No pressure- leading a healthy lifestyle isn’t a diet; it’s a way of life. Don’t put extra pressure on yourself by stressing out if you have a chocolate or miss a workout, you’re only human! To get back on track forget about it and move on, health is about so much more than just a physical thing it’s about mental well-being as well.

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What are your top tips for staying healthy and happy? Let me know!

You can also Tweet me at @hannahbryan91 or email me at hbryan91@gmail.com