london calling

I'm at Paris airport, London bound.. Now I'm so super excited to see friends & fashion shows over the weekend but quite how I'm going to survive the English chocolate in my face restraint, I'm really not sure. & quite how I'm going to fit in a 20k run at some point over the next few day is beyond me (& that's cutting it short by half from my training plan) my itinerary is chaotic. I have to cover several shows a day, have meetings about retail & trend direction, checking out the designer showrooms & a couple of inspirational exhibition visits, I'll actually cover a few miles running around London to do all that! Except I won't be running I'll be in taxis wearing ridicuolous heels most likely. & then the friends bit, I'll have a have a few wines/cocktails/pints for old times sake! I need to give myself a let off so this weekend might as well be the time! London town here I come..... 

Bonjour, il fait froid!

I've just jumped off the plane on a very VERY chilly Paris morning. It's -1 degree, that little run I had planned along the river this morning has just become less appealing & a yoga session in the room is looking like a safer / warmer option!

& before I get into the dilemmas of travel exercise & make excuses to not run in the now sleet! I want to just ask the air / world... Exactly when are the following considered acceptable on a vegan diet??

Meat sausage & egg omelette
Butter
Cheese on the vegetables (oh but there's a vegetable in the dish it must be VG)
Chocolates
Cereal with yogurt

No Cathay Pacific. None of the above are considered to be in any way vegan, thanks but no thanks for offering me all of the above but I'll just have a bowl of almonds & an apple in business class on a 12 hour flight!
On the first leg - Melbourne to Honkers - the food was ok, bready but ok. Honkers to Paris - shocking! The only thing I could eat was fruit & nuts, feeling pretty nuts right now!

Now one more thing... A more running related psyche topic. I am obviously travelling & completely thrown out of my ultra routine. So I'm thinking about how I'm going to run next & feeling rubbish after 20 hours horizontal & dehydrated & deflated from awful airplane air & feeling guilty about not running my usual 10k's everyday. How do I find some kinda peace with not conditioning my body & by eating white bread on the plane. I'm such a creature of habit / compulsive obsessive / running psycho, I feel all outta sorts. Answer below...

Answer: Arrived at the hotel, saw the sign to the fitness room, 50 mins later have sweated it out on the treadmill, now I HATE treadmills (boring, don't get anywhere, blah blah) but this time it was my saviour. Happy now I can start the day with a clear head & stretched out limbs =) & hello Paris, the city of romance for valentines, luvs xox

'take that' week 3!

"yeah you & me we can run like a star, if you stay with me girl, we can rule the world!" thanks Take That for my best moments of my 3hours50mins run this morning!  I was shamelessly singing along about 21/2 hours in, it was a shining light in the deep dark techno I was listening too!
So happy with my run =) 36k's. Felt really really awesome. Took it slow 61/2 min k's & I reckon I could have run a few more... So here's my weekly miles ~ 

Monday      - rest day
Tuesday.    - 10k + 60mins hatha yoga + 60mins body balance
Wednesday- 10k + 45mins personal training
Thursday.   - 10k run
Friday.        - 5k run
Saturday.    - 14k run + 75mins ashtanga yoga
Sunday       - 36k run & stretch out
Total week. = 85k's 

Pretty pleased with my progress & in my post run euphoria I'm going to treat myself to some pink fizzy booze !!! Note. Fully hydrated & refueled with water, chia seeds in my pink vs green smoothie, bliss balls (x a few!) & avocado & tomatoes on sprouted grain toast, yum. 

Fave rave runs

I really want to rave about running right now I am luving living for running. This morning was so sunny & serene I was dazzled by the beauty of Melbourne as the sun comes up & it is vibrant with lushness. I ran through fitzroy gardens, a pretty park & through the MCG park which is impressive, across the Yarra river & around the botanical gardens, so many awesome views. Which got me thinking about my fave ever runs (not including races) to rave on about, here's my top 5...

1) New York City - central park. Luv in summer when the squirrels are squirreling around with me & all NYC walks of life are out & about loud & proud.
2) Morpeth around Mitford steads. Running alongside medeival castle ruins, in the spring the little lambs are out to play too & it feels like home.
3) London - the Thames south bank. Across tower bridge, along past the Tate modern, Westminster, Big Ben, the London eye & the houses of Parliament even in the rain!
4) Rio - Ipenema beach. Along the infamous beach full of beautiful people & beautiful views of the fascinating favellas.
5) Sydney - Coogee beach to Bondi beach. & have a wave dive in each of the bays, there are stunning ocean views, hot lads, 1 or 2 whales & lots of hellish hills....

So I have done my first 14k this weekend, carb loading with some gluten free gnocchi & a chilli tomato & bean sauce for the next 36k tomorrow ......... 

Luvly lunch ladies...

I am so lucky I have the luvliest lunch ladies at work, we have freshly prepared food everyday (for free!!) & they're always dishing up with delightful banter & caring chat. There's always a veggie option but now I have been vegan (for the whole of 2013, not a choc chip has passed my lip!) I have a delicious decision of salads each day & always have the selection of raw food to get my vits & crunchy bits. So I have carrots, celery, cucumber, peppers & tomatoes =) then some vegan options of the salads are...
chick peas with rocket, radish & carrots
lentils with mint/parsley, tomatoes & green beans
couscous with almonds, apricots, sultanas & parsley
spinach with sesame seeds, harissa, roasted peppers & pumpkin
& that's my lunches everyday! With a fruit selection - bananas, apples, grapes etc. to get me through the afternoon. With some nuts for extra energy or some corn/rice cakes to nibble on & when I'm training in the evening I add in a bliss ball or raw food energy bar to give me a boost. I feel good & think that this diet is working for me so far =)

Tired Thursday & tomato treat!

Today I was a wee bit tired so I cancelled pilates & just did a 5k home.. I felt awesome after I ran home though! This week has been bonkers at work but I think I'm seeing the light now. & I'm kinda looking forward to travelling & having a couple of down training weeks. This weekend however I'm planning 50ks. 15 on sat & 35 on sun. Then I plan to run when I can when I'm away.... I have really got in me groove in 3 weeks, feeling fit & strong, but happy to have a kick back & fun with friends & let loose in London town! Then when I get back I can completely commit to the cause.... 

So for a treat for my tiredness I made tasty tomato quinoa ;) the protein packed grain with a  yummy sweet sauce is so super lush & superfoody. 

Tomato sauce ~
Cup fresh tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
8 fresh basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 cup dates chopped
Tblsp olive oil
Sea salt (i like lots!) & pepper

Blend all the bits together & serve with the quinoa (2 cups water to 1 cup quinoa) boiled for around 15 mins until fluffiness & awesomeness & energy for my morning run & swim. 

Mindfulness morning..

Most mornings I do a meditation, I think this enhances my embracing of the morning run. Once I have sat in silence, focused on my mandala, closed my eyes to centralize on my breath & silently repeat my mantra for around 10 mins each morning I find a moment of pure bliss, of reaching my inner being (& it's really kinda beautiful in there) Then I will happily put on my running gear, throw an outfit for work in my bag & positively bounce out of the door. Running gets me to work but it really is the best way to start the day, I wake up along the way, get myself prepared in my mind or sometimes just glide peacefully & then I'm at work, wide eyed & bushy tailed. 

My morning run mantra, "the perfect way to start the day"

My juice this morning ...

2 carrots
2 apples
1 lemon
10cm cucumber
2cm ginger

For freshness & focus for the day. 
These are my morning rituals & my mind yoga for a busy life in a busy world to keep an inner calm through the day. It's a stunning sunny morning & I can't wait to get out there & live it xo 

Pinky's nutty!!

So today was my rest day (not very restful really) I had the day off from running but was running around work like an ultra elite athlete!! I styled a catwalk show today - for Sportsgirl's national conference parade, around 50 outfits. & just like how I always dress every morning it was 'thrown together' look! I think it will all look awesome & try post some pics next week =) & I've got to shoot the lookbook tomorrow, just another chilled day at the office... Going to start the day beautifully at body balance at the gym, a mix of yoga, Pilates & meditation & 6k run & then I can start my styling & shooting & stress!!! 

Before I can rest though I need to give my mam my nut roast recipe so she can get the ingredients in for when I get home, I know there's still 2 weeks to go but there might be a nut shortage in Morpeth! So for you mam, here's my nut roast recipe. Nuts are full of good fats for vegan runners & this really is the nuts!!!

Pinky's nutty ;) 

125g breadcrumbs (make from home baked gluten free bread if poss)
75g peanuts
75g cashew nuts
50g walnuts
50g hazelnuts
Tblsp pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 garlic cloves
1 onion
125g carrots
125g mushrooms
125ml passata
Fresh herbs - sage, thyme, parley

Crush n toast nuts then mix with breadcrumbs & herbs.
Fry onion, garlic, carrots then add mushrooms & passata & cook for 10 mins until saucy!
Add the nut mix. Put in loaf dish to roast (with grease proof paper) approx 50mins...

Can't wait for family nuttiness xox

2 weeks into the training...

African proverb;
"Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the lion or it will not survive. Every morning a lion wakes up and it knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve. It doesn't matter if you are the lion or the gazelle, when the sun comes up, you better be running."

I sure have been.... Just finished my Sunday morning run, smashed out 28k's + the 14 k's from yesterday (Saturday) morning = I've ran a full marathon this weekend!! So I will have another bliss ball, and another, and...

My training diary for the week 2 ~ 
Monday   - rest day
Tuesday  - x2 5k's runs + 45mins personal training
Wednesday- x2 5k's runs + 60mins ashtanga yoga 
Thursday - x2 5k's runs + 45mins personal training
Friday   - 5k run 
Saturday - 14k's run in 80mins + 75mins ashtanga yoga
Sunday   - 28k's run 
Total kilometers = 77 (alreet, sweet)

Going to try & have a healthy day now, drinking beetroot juice (with apples, carrot, pineapple & mint) having an avocado, tomato & chilli oil salad with corn thins for lunch, then making coriander hummus later to have on a baked sweet potato. & with a few bliss balls bouncing around & post run serenity I think it's going to be a super Sunday =) HAPPY SUNDAY!!

HAPPY HUMMUS...
Tin chick peas
Juice 11/2 lemons
Soup spoon of tahini
11/2 cloves garlic
Fresh coriander (lots!)
Chilli oil (or olive oil)

Blend it up. Lush for dipping. Luv.

Dahlings!

Getting ready for the weekend means getting loaded, not like my old Friday nights, but carb loading for the long runs. I'm trying to be gluten free as much as possible so brown rice is my carb of choice right now. I need to experiment with what is going to work for me carb wise & if brown rice can replace my wholemeal pasta that I used to fuel up on. I'm running for 11/2 hours in the morning then yoga for 75mins so I thought a big bowl of rice with delicious Dahl would give me the energy I need. We will see.. & then an even bigger bowl of rice with Dahl for my 3 hour run fueling for Sunday. Here's my delicious recipe Dahlings...

Soaked red lentils
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
Coconut oil
Tin tomatoes
Tsp turmeric
Tsp smoked paprika
Tsp chilli powder
2 limes juice
3 cm grated ginger

Soften the onion in coconut oil, add the garlic & ginger. 
Add the lentils with water to cover, the tomatoes & spices.
Simmer for half hour. Add the lime juice for zing. 
Blend Dahl deliciousness..... 

Eat whilst watching eastenders Xmas special in February!! Only in oz.. But it has me captivated. How could Kat do that to Alfie with Derek!!! Dear me dahlings.. Good night xo