Clearview yoga retreat

Seems like forever ago, my joyous yoga retreat at Clearview November 8-10th with the yogi Michele from sparkly yoga. My weekend of nurturing in nature, of yoga asana practice, prana breathing exercise at sunrise, observing silence until lunchtime, blissing out on wholesome hearty <3 vegan food, I met like minded souls & laughed merrily with my kindred spirits, had an emotional exchange with some English roses, danced in the magical tea tree forest, made some self observations & affirmations & created good energy that still resonate sparkles in my every day. I'll post my weekend diary soon but here's a few photos for now... Namaste. 

 

the side crow pose!!! check out my arm balance =)

                                   fun times working positions with a partner

                                  giving out good energy to the universe...

shoulder stands on top of the mountain

                                  & straightening it out! My proudest pose ;)

                   dancing posing - disco disco!!

Nature walking thru the tea tree fairy forest. 

kick ass kit

I've just done an interview for 'shop til you drop' magazine on behalf of Sportsgirl & as a PR exercise for our activewear range. I was asked to compile my list of activewear motivation must haves / dos. What is my routine around what I wear when I'm running around. My article is going to be in next month - January 9th issue to be precise (& of course I will blog it!) but here's a sneak peak before I go to press.....

How to make your active wear motivate you for exercise…

• I must have co-ordinating tops & bottoms. I just don't feel right mismatching & when you exercise you have got to feel right, so I buy sets.
• & I wear 2 sports bras!! Always.
• I lay out my exercise outfit the night before so I just have to jump into it in the morning & run out of the door.
• I like bright colours for outdoors, for safety, as well as looking super hot.
• I wear the same pieces for yoga, pilates, running, spin, strength training, whatever the exercise I feel comfortable in leggings, bras & an active top/tank & that's my style.
• It's so important to keep hydrated with all the exercise I do, so I drink lots of water, I carry my new Sportsgirl water bottle with me everywhere now.
• I take my own pink yoga mat to my class, the colour keeps me zen.
• Straight after training everything goes into the washing machine.
• When I want to run a marathon personal best I make a super power cape!!!

Watermelon wonders

I read this little nugget of nutritional advice the other day ... 

A substance in watermelon juice, L-citrulline, has been shown to improve physical performance and relieve muscle soreness. Recommendation is 16 ounces one hour prior to exercise.

& I took heed of said advice after my 20k today ...

A big chunk of deeelicious juiced watermelon with ice. Refreshing & restorative I believe. Plastic margarita glass, flamingo stirrer & monkey optional !!!

pinky's tips for zen running

I DON’T CLAIM TO BE FAST, ELITE, IN ANY WAY PROFESSIONAL BUT I HAVE A PASSION FOR RUNNING & THIS IS WHAT HELPS ME TO BE MOTIVATED & STRONG WITH A HEALTHY, HAPPY MIND & BODY…

·     *** Run in the morning, when you’re fresh as a daisy & the day has endless positive possibilities, the perfect way to start the day.

·    ***  Make a playlist of all your fave songs & shuffle them so each tune is a surprise beat for your feet & you will want to run forever so you can listen to them all!

·     ***Start out slow to warm up your body & when you have got into your groove, ramp it up, smash a hill, sprint a short distance, to make your heart pump & to feel really alive.

·     ***Push past your stopping point, stay strong, keep telling yourself that you’re invincible & you will reap the rewards.

·     ***Speaking of rewards, plan a post run treat – a smoothie of goodness, a bliss ball fest, a long soak in a salt bath, etc.

·     ***Listen to your breath, breathe in the fresh air, look at the nature around you, be at one with the earth beneath your feet, be mindful, have awareness.

·     ***Smile at other runners along your trail & give out the good energy you’re creating. Let go of anything that is weighing you down, feel the freedom flow.

·    ***  Have yourself a goal, something to strive towards, to challenge yourself, to achieve something personal to you, to be proud of you.

recovery rest rehab

Following a few days of delayed onset muscular soreness & a sad face, I realised my intrinsic intimacy with inclinations to run. & when I can't run, woe betide those who wrong me! I am not my most patient & passive persona when I'm not putting one foot in front of the other relentlessly. I also don't seem to function as fabulously at work, my creativity flailing without the moments of flow & freedom for my mind to muse my method. & I've only had 3 days off from my beloved movement & meditation.

When I can't run I find that retail therapy is needed to fill the void, although my wardrobe is already full & there is no void in there. That said, strangely a new Stella McCartney bag just found it's way into my virtual shopping basket & then somehow is actually on it's way to me from the online shopping universe, amazing, I just don't know how it happened but it felt gooooood. & a vegan designer bag too so a purchase with a conscience to be proud of! However a very expensive recovery session I must admit!!!

Then I also find myself having a 'mexican stand off' !!!!! the cocktail !!!!! or a few of. A vodka based drink with lime juice, agave, coriander & chilli. & if this rest from running continues I think I will need rehab from the pesky mexicans!!!

So my plea to my legs. Please can you mend stronger soon, make my muscles feel light & not so tight. Please absorb the constant pressure I put on you like a true friend in a time of need. I promise to look after you with hydration & healthy fuel, with regular massage & that nice natural body oil you like to make you feel smooth & smell sweet. I will, from now on & forever, make sure you get plenty of rest when you need it in return for helping me run 64k next weekend! Help! Pleeeeaaaseee!!!

I was back with my feet on the streets this morning & made small steps in the right direction. With a pilates session thrown in to give me better alignment & core strength I hope to feel stronger & streamlined. & of course I will look fabulous with my new designer bag when it arrives & when the planets align & my legs will be fine. Good times ahead to one & all xox

Adventure running

This weekend I have been on a trail running adventure!! I found a new little runner friend, her name's Eliza & she took me trail running & to meet a real adventurer! 

With a car packed with cashews & almonds, bliss balls, spiced fruit bread & nut butter. More food to follow, the trail run first, mapped out by a great guy called Andrew, in the Yarra ranges. A 32k out & back course taking us deep down through the forest firstly on a grassy hill, then technical & tricky underfoot, jumping branches & the descent becoming pretty steep. It then flattened so I could slip into a comfortable pace & catch my breath & I became aware of the beauty of my environment. Surrounded by tall pines, leafy ferns, sunlight streams & the sounds of nature. Stunningness. 
We hit a road & ignoring the private property signs (naughty) we ran up a winding road to pass a secluded house but there were a big group of young men & there was a weird vibe, one of them told us to turn back, that it was private property, the others were oddly interested in us. So we ran back down the hill, wondering what all these (some semi naked) guys were up to? It was at the very bottom of the hill that we saw the sign for the 'drug rehabilitation' centre!! Guess the boys had been a bit naughty too! 
We returned to our forest trail & as the day got hotter, the hills we had ran down, we had to run back up & running got harder. I tried to take on the hills although it was tough, the terrain took my breath away, perhaps 2-3k of hard uphill, I power marched with cadence, I reached the top finally & the last 2k was a run down on the road track, I ran down pretty fast gaining momentum & I felt fabulous & that was our beautiful run done in 4 hours. We stretched in the sun, fuelled on fruit & nuts, had a lavender oil bucket wash at the side of the road & we were fresh & good to go...

The next chapter of our adventure weekend was to meet Beau Miles 'the adventurer' we had been invited through Eliza although she had never properly met him either, strange circumstances but turned out to be totally cool. I had not encountered Beau's admirable outdoor enthusiast achievements therefore had no preconceptions. But what an interesting man...
So Beau welcomed us with his campfire, home baked bread & pumpkin soup sipped whilst the sun dipped over the paddocks & rolling fields. Eliza had also made lemon pepper pita chips with homemade hummus, balsamic marinated olives & orange blossom cake. & Beau's hospitality was much appreciated & the campfire conversation was resplendent as the Pinot noir flowed freely. It was a fun, random evening with a few strangers from different backgrounds & lifestyles with the very common interest of running. What an amazing sport to create a connection between this quirky concoction of human beings.

Beau made a film of his amazing running adventure across the Australian Alpines, check out beaumilesfilm.com it's pretty inspiring stuff..... 

never too busy to run...

but clearly too busy to blog. 

The main thing is I have been training to run & working to live & doing yoga to breathe & pilates to align & sleeping to rest & eating to fuel. My training diary is packed with body movement & motivation which has given me great mindset.

In the last 8 weeks I have -
been to 14 yoga classes
& 1 weekend yoga retreat 
been to 13 pilates reformer classes
& 9 personal training sessions
with intervals thrown into PT
I've swam 4k & had 4 saunas
& spin classes = 3 (1 a 2 hour power class)
have smashed my marathon PB
& have ran just over 400k's!!!
I've rolled on the power plates 
& I've eaten many vegan plates...

Hoping that all of the above gives me the power to run 64k in 2 weeks time. I made a spontaneous decision to run the 'razorback run' out in the Victorian mountains somewhere... Excited.

I have new super quick recipes for you too... roasted cauliflower with cumin, coriander & almonds. This simple side dish I served with chickpea & tomato curry... mmmmmm

Break the cauliflower into florets & blanche in boiling water for 2 mins. Lay into an oven dish & add olive oil, almonds, ground cumin & coriander. Roast in the oven for 15 mins.

Fry onions & garlic in coconut oil, add a diced red pepper & fry until all softened. Mix in tinned tomatoes, tsp turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, cloves. Then add tinned chick peas & simmer for 15 mins. 

So simple & so fragrant & I served with quinoa. enjoy. 

& I hope to be back soon with tales of my trail running adventure this weekend.....