Book review: This Girl Ran – Tales of a Party Girl Turned Triathlete

One of the things that I’ve been missing most about my pre-baby life is the ability to sit down and read a book when I need some down time. I’ve realised that I’m spending too much time staring at a screen, so I’ve been avoiding the TV in the evening and spending more time reading.

One of the books that I’ve just finished reading is This Girl Ran. This book was only released on February 8th, so it’s hot off the press! I was keen to read this memoir as parts of Helen Croydon‘s experiences resonated with me, in the sense that she went from a relatively sedentary life to becoming an athlete. However, one of the most impressive facet’s of Helen’s story is that she went from being somewhat of a socialite to an age group Team GB triathlete in just two years!

“Four years ago I was a glamorous city girl who wouldn’t even walk to the tube in the rain in case I ruined my hair. Two years later I’d qualified as a Team GB age-group triathlete and was fixing punctures in hailstorms.”

The writing style and narrative really drew me in. I was completely hooked and read the entire book in the space of 4 sittings (and would probably have devoured it whole if I didn’t have a tiny human to look after!)

Helen’s story starts when she joins a local running club after the end of a relationship. Previously, her social life had revolved around boozy nights out with friends, but she realised that something was missing from her life and set about trying to correct the balance. 

A key difference between my story and Helen’s narrative is that despite her initial propensity for late nights and alcohol, her journey started at a much fitter point than mine. She admits that although she’d never done cross country, she did frequent the gym… however, this brings its own challenges as she describes wearing her designer gym kit with gold quilted coat to her first mud-fest. Something that I could empathise with was Helen’s struggles as a novice cyclist – who hasn’t had to deal with a puncture in the rain, or getting lost on a long ride?

Helen tells her story with great humour. The speed with which she took on challenges is impressive with a huge range of single and multisport events in her first two years, culminating in the World Championships triathlon in Chicago.

Helen Croydon competing at London Triathlon

The backdrop of Helen’s story is her encounters with other athletes and a ‘will they, won’t they?’ friendship. 

Until I read this book, I was unaware that Helen had written two other books:

• Sugar Daddy Diaries: When a fantasy became an obsession
• Screw the fairytale: a modern girls’ guide to sex and love

I really enjoyed Helen’s witty style, so I think I’m likely to read these two books, even though they’re not the kind of thing that I would usually read.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a novice triathlete, if you’ve got any interest in multisport events then you are likely to enjoy this book.

I’ve got an exclusive article by Helen Croydon coming up very soon, so make sure you keep checking back (or subscribe), so that you don’t miss it.

Getting back on track for Reading Half Marathon

It was really nice to be back running at Southampton parkrun. I’m feeling stiff, tired and unfit, so I decided to do my best to enjoy my run as I know my fitness will come back when I get into a more regular programme of exercise.

About 500m in, I caught up with my friend Sergio who was running with his daughter in a buggy. We’ve known each other for several years and got to talk quite a lot when we were in Wales for Long Course Weekend. We’ve not spoken much recently, so I took the opportunity to settle into a conversational pace. We had a great time chatting and I didn’t look at my watch, so I was OK with my time:

After running, we headed over to the Bellemoor for a cuppa before running home.

As you can see, I was running with a different buggy. Last year I blogged about using Thule Chariot Lite, and I have to say that after using it at least twice daily 4 times a week for 5 months, I’m still enjoying using it. It is easy to convert, although I invested in a Thule Axle- Mount EZ Hitch, as I was having problems with my quick release undoing every time I removed the trailer. We also bought a second one, so that Stu could have one on his bike. We also bought the Thule baby supporter, which just gives M a little bit more padding. I couldn’t afford the Thule footmuff, which looks really cosy (it has a hood), but I had a spare cosytoes, so we put that in. It’s not the easiest to do up as M sits in a more upright position than in her buggy, but it helps to keep her cosy as it’s been icy in the mornings recently.

M’s nursery is next to my workplace, so I cycle with her every morning. Unfortunately, it’s really awkward for me to get into the bike shed with the trailer, so I go to the nursery and detach the trailer outside. I then store the trailer in the nursery’s buggy park. I could convert it, but as it’s just a short walk through the building, I save time and leave it as a bike trailer. This also saves Stuart time as he collects M in the afternoon, so he’s able to hitch the trailer straight back onto his bike.

Anyway… we’ve enjoyed being able to cycle somewhere with M and then convert the trailer into a stroller, but really we’d like to get back to cycling to parkrun, so we bought the jogging kit. It uses the VersaWing system, so is really easy to install. The only minor frustration that I have is that the documentation all shows the Thule Chariot Cross, so it shows how the jogging kit can be stored. The Chariot Lite is slightly different and I haven’t yet work out how to store the jogging kit when using it as a bike trailer – if anyone knows the answer, please let me know!

We had originally intended to cycle to parkrun this weekend as there are major roadworks and road closures near to where we lives, but then we remembered that we had offered to transport various bits of parkrun kit. It would have been awkward to put take the kit on our bikes, but with a bit of juggling (and some tolerance from M who had a couple of bits stored in with her!) we were able to run down to parkrun. This had the added advantage of adding to my training miles as I’ve really not been doing enough running for Reading Half Marathon recently.

Stu and I took it in turns to run with the Chariot. It feels significantly different from running with the OutNAbout Nipper Sport. An advantage is that it’s easy to see the front wheel, but a disadvantage is that I can’t see M at all when running. She seems very happy in it as the side windows give her a better view, and also there is plenty of room for her soft toys and a couple of books as well as snacks and a drink… and with the front flyscreen down, she is unable to jettison anything!

The large wheels mean that it rolls smoothly and the adjustable handle height meant that Stu and I were both able to find comfortable positions, although we agreed that the shape of the handle meant that we weren’t quite sure where to place our hands. The Chariot is heavier than the Nipper, which is an advantage when going downhill (as long as it’s not too steep), but makes going uphill a more challenging workout. I’d love to have a go with a Thule Glide as that’s often recommended as the best running buggy on the market, so I’d like to know how it compares with these two.

You can also see that I was wearing the GearBunch leggings that I mentioned recently. I’ve now run in them a few times and have been really pleased with them. I absolutely love the colours and am pleased that I can wear almost any t-shirt with them as there are so many hues in them. I slightly prefer the colours on the back (the front is more lime greens and blues), but each leg is made of a single piece of fabric, so although there is an inside thigh seam, there is no seam on the outside.

The fabric is soft and silky. It’s fairly lightweight, but feels reasonably supportive. I think they are fine for spring/autumn activities, but think they probably wouldn’t be warm enough for really cold weather (although I tend to run in shorts all year round). I didn’t think my legs looked too bad in them, but I think that if you have bad cellulite then it might be visible in these leggings. There is no drawstring, but I found that the elasticated waist was enough to hold these tights up. I also thought the length was perfect for me (I’m 5’5″/166cm). These tights have a front seam and no gusset, which has the potential for ‘camel toe’,  but they have a reasonably long body, so shouldn’t need to be pulled up too high.

GearBunch have an amazing selection of designs and colours. If you’re interested in skulls/Day of the Dead imagery, then there is plenty to whet your appetite. There are also lots of themed leggings for events such as Valentine’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, Christmas, Chinese New Year and so on. There are also some realistic human muscles leggings. I’ve seen these in ‘the flesh’ and was a little freaked out by them! Here are some of my favourite designs:

Some of the designs made me feel a little uncomfortable, such as the religious ones (Christian and Hindu). Wearing religious icons on sportswear just doesn’t seem right to me:

I’m also not keen on political allegiance and lycra and I’m guessing that’s common with Brits as there were no Corbyn/May leggings, but there were various American political figures such as George Washington, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. There didn’t seem to be the option to buy Obama tights!

What are the most unusual leggings you’ve seen?

After running 11km on Saturday, I met up with Liz for a run on Sunday. Liz is known as Queen of Selfies, but we both failed to take any photos on our run – probably because we were too busy chatting. I ran down to The Common to meet Liz and had M in her buggy. We meandered around the Common and its environs, managing to cover 14km (8.7 miles). It wasn’t as far or as fast as I’d hoped to be managing at this point in my training, but I have this week off work, so as well as catching up with blogging, I’ll be aiming to rest, eat well and get some quality training in. I’ve managed 25km in the past couple of days, so that doesn’t seem too bad.

What are your plans for this week?

A week where I managed to swim, cycle and run (at last!)

Wow – what a week!

On Monday, I wasn’t feeling motivated to get in the pool. I think M knew that Stu was out with his friends watching the Superbowl on Sunday night, so she decided that she’d also like to be up partying. I got very little sleep and did not feel like going swimming, but I know that ‘you only regret the workouts you didn’t do’, so I agreed with myself that I would go to the pool and then see how I felt.

This perfectly describes M!

When I got in the pool, I decided to do a 20 minute time trial. I swam at a steady pace and was pleased to see that I covered 850m in that time. As long as I can sustain that pace then I should meet my goal of 2.5k in an hour 🙂

This sign on the gym wall seemed perfect

On Wednesday, I was going to run with a work colleague, but we both had a lot of meetings on, so it just didn’t work out in the end.

I’m so excited to have learnt that I’ve got a place in RideLondon again this year. It should tie in nicely with the other challenges that I’ve got lined up.

I’ve also been trying out a few new products, so there will be some reviews posted soon.

I’ve received a couple of products from New Wave Swim Buoy – a supersoft towel and a ‘launchpad’ – a neoprene mat that can be used for triathlons and on pool changing room floors.

I’ve also been trying to squeeze in some reading around the training that I’ve been doing…

 

Plus I’ve been trying out some gorgeous new leggings from GearBunch…

On Friday, I went out for a run with Rachel and her baby. It was great to have a full day to myself. Whenever I get a day without M, I start getting on top of things, but she’s been ill so often that I never seem to catch up.

I ran from my house to The Common and was disappointed by my pace, but I decided to ignore it as I know I’m not as fit as I’d like to be. My training for Reading Half definitely isn’t going the way that I’d planned. This time last year, I was so much fitter. I had originally hoped to be aiming for a PB (sub 1:52:19), but now I’m desperately hoping I’ll be fit enough to run sub 2:00.

I ran around The Common with Rachel and F. We went down every side path to try to make the distance as much as possible. When we stopped, I was horrified to find that I’d only run 5.5km in 55 minutes. I’ve never been that slow before. It just didn’t seem right as I’ve walked parkrun (5km) in 40 minutes.

I then ran home. When I got back, the final distance was 12.5km, which is the longest I’ve run for many months. I had a look at my Garmin data online and was relieved to find that somehow my watch settings had changed and the distance shown was miles, not km. Phew!

I’m now starting to feel like I can get myself back on track and can at least finish Reading Half.  Have you entered yet?

There is currently a fantastic competition on:

Enter Reading Half before 13 Feb to win a great hospitality package for one of Reading FC’s remaining games this season:

Prize includes:

• VIP match seating on the North West corner
• One course gourmet burger menu
• Cash bar facility available
• Matchday programme and team sheet
• Place at a shared table
• Matchday entertainment

I didn’t manage to get a run in this weekend as I was Run Directing at parkrun again. It’s a role that I really enjoy, but I wish that I could be in two places at once as I also love running.

If you’ve ever wondered how difficult your nearest parkrun is, you might be interested to have a look at the Run Britain Rankings. Southampton is a relatively easy run at #38 and Penrose (my local run when I go home to Cornwall) is at #340. How does your local parkrun compare?

As I wasn’t able to go running today, I figured that time on my feet would be a good compromise. I had the most amazing lie in this morning (after several nights of very poor sleep), which has helped me to feel much better. In the afternoon, Stu, M and I went for a walk down to the university and around the campus. M was fascinated by the ducks.

Overall, this week started off badly, but I managed to turn it around an am now feeling totally inspired ready for a new week 🙂

From Blind Man to Ironman – review and giveaway

It’s been months since I’ve been able to read a real book, but Baby M is finally sleeping spending night time in her own room, which means that when I get into bed, I can have a light on and can read. There are lots of things from the last year that I want to catch up with, but I thought I’d start with a book that appeals to me on several levels. From Blind Man to Ironman is a book that fits my aim as it’s an autobiographical account of how a visually impaired man became a record-breaking triathlete.

“My story is about triumph over adversity,” explains Haseeb Ahmad. “From becoming blind in my teens I would never have dreamt that almost 35 years later I would break the World Blind Ironman Record.”

From the start, you know that Haseeb has broken a world record, so the drive of the narrative is about how he got there. I really enjoy reading biographies and autobiographies as you get to know about people whose lives are different from your own… and Haseeb’s life couldn’t be more different than mine. Initially, he discusses his life as a young Pakistani Muslim living life in London, the Midlands and Pakistan. I expected to hear about his talent for sports as a youth, so it was interesting that there was little mention of it, which gives hope to anyone else who hasn’t been a gifted athlete in their youth (or at least has not discovered their talent at a young age).

Haseeb Ahmad running with a guide

Ahmad’s style of writing is fluid, which gripped me and made me read far later into the night than I should have on several occasions. Not only is the book well-written and beautiful printed, but I’ve not found any errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar, which is the kind of thing that keeps the former English teacher in me happy!

Obviously, I have an interest in triathlon, but I am also an advocate for inclusivity in sport. I was interested in the details of how Haseeb worked with his guides. I have been a guide runner with a great chap, Khalid, and have great admiration for anyone who manages to guide successfully – I blogged about my experience and still feel bad that I caused Khalid to stumble into a ditch. I had offered to ride a tandem with him, but he survived that as I found out I was pregnant and thought I’d better not!

Another element of interest for me were references to Chris Goodwin, a Southampton-based paratriathlete who trained with Southampton Tri Club for a number of years. It was interesting to hear about the (friendly) rivalry between him and Haseeb.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was inspirational.

“I want to give hope and inspire anyone who may be struggling with life’s challenges to never give up. Every time I have fallen in life, sometimes literally, I have got back up and kept running – and that is my message to everyone out there… keep on running!”

If you want to learn more, please check out Haseeb’s blog.

I’m offering two lucky readers the chance to win a copy of From Blind Man to Ironman. If you want to be in with a chance of winning, just click on the link below:

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

The giveaway runs from 12:00am on Monday 23rd October 2017 to 12:00am on Monday 6th November. Full terms and conditions are available at the link below:

Fat Girl to Ironman ‘From Blind Man to Ironman’ Competition’ TERMS and CONDITIONS

No purchase necessary. The winner will be picked at random by Rafflecopter and announced on this blog by Friday 10th November.

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Thank you to everyone who’s voted for Fat Girl to Ironman so far – there’s still time to cast your vote in The 2018 Running Awards.

Chariots of fire – my review of the Thule Chariot Lite

It’s coming up to 1 year since Baby M was born and so I’m planning my return to work. In the past, I loved my daily cycle commute – it’s not a long ride, but it’s just long enough for me to feel like I’ve had some exercise and fresh air and for me to unwind. However, I was worried that this would have to change.

I’ve been looking at ways to share my daily ride with M and I thought it appropriate to share my research as it’s nearly Cycle to Work Day. I immediately discounted bike seats. I don’t think that front mounted bike seats are very good – it’s hard for the parent to see and I’ve never seen someone using them without their knees bowing out to the sides. Rear-mounted bike seats can completely alter your balance on the bike and leave your child exposed to the elements. Another option is a cargo bike/trike, such as Bakfiets or Christiania, however, they are prohibitively expensive, difficult to store and often heavy, which isn’t great when you have some tough hills to climb. This leaves me with a bike trailer being the best option.

Swedish company Thule has been around for a long time creating products for travel and outdoor activities. They are a market leader when it comes to cycle trailers, which they have been making for over 25 years. Recently, some of their most popular products have been redesigned and rereleased, so I was delighted to be given the opportunity to road test a Thule multisport trailer, the Thule Chariot Lite.

Although I was interested in the Thule Chariot Lite primarily as a bike trailer, it easily transforms into a stroller. This is a massive advantage over many other trailers. I recently used a cheap bike trailer when on holiday. We were planning to cycle to a nearby tourist destination, but realised that when we got there we would have to carry M around. I hadn’t brought a sling with me, so that would have made the visit hard work. In the end, we decided not to cycle to the tourist destination; if we had had the Thule Chariot Lite, we wouldn’t have had to make that decision.

It is also possible to use the Thule Chariot Lite as a city-jogger or a ski pulk if you choose to buy the conversion kits. This is a great idea. Having a baby is expensive and also requires space as they need lots of kit. Any way that you can pare that down is helpful. Before having M, I thought I had carefully researched running buggies, but I hadn’t realised that it would be possible to buy a bike trailer and running buggy in one. The RRP of the running buggy conversion kit is £110.

As for the ski conversion kit, that’s not something that I would use in the UK, but I would imagine that it’s great for sporty people in Scandinavia or North America (or anywhere else where there is snow!)

There are plenty of other extras which can be purchased. My friend has an older Chariot Cougar 1 with a baby supporter. Her little boy always looks snug and comfortable, so it seems like a worthwhile extra. It can be used from 6-18 months and is a great idea if you have a little one who likes to snooze on the move.

 

Opening the box

The first thing I wanted to know was how easy is it to put together? If the trailer were too fiddly too assemble then it might put me off using it. (I also needed to know how difficult it would be to attach it to either of my bikes or transfer it to my husband’s bike).

There were clear instructions about how to put the trailer together and even with the ‘help’ of an inquisitive 9 month old, it didn’t take me very long. I found that the blue buttons (that you can see in the image above) helped to make assembly really simple. They show you where you need to do something and the red/green indicators (that you can’t see in the photos) make it clear whether you’ve set it up correctly or not. It couldn’t be any easier!

A quick test in the lounge showed the straps needed to be adjusted!

It’s worth bearing in mind that you might need an insert depending on the age/size of your baby/child. Baby M is 10 months old and 10kg. She’s been sitting unaided since she was just over 3 months old and has been walking for 6 weeks, so she’s quite sturdy, but is still small (in comparison to a school-age child who could also use this product). The baby support (6-18 months) would be useful for her; for smaller babies there is a sling that can be used when using the trailer as a stroller.

 

Exploring further – what features are there?

Once I’d set the trailer up, I took a bit of time to explore it in more detail. The first thing I noticed was the stylish colour. I’m not sure what it’s official name is (I think it may be bluegrass), but it’s a lovely jade green colour, which is striking and (if you’re into gender stereotypes) suitable for a boy or a girl. More importantly for me, it doesn’t clash horribly with any of our bikes!

I was pleased to see that there is an adjustable handlebar. I’m just over average height for women and Stu is just below average height for men, so a non-adjustable handlebar wouldn’t be a deal-breaker for us, but it’s nice to have – especially if either of our mums has to use the trailer as a buggy as they are both quite petite.

Behind the child’s seat is a mesh area to encourage airflow. This is good for a couple of reasons: in summer, it will help to keep the trailer cool, also, if I were to use it as a running buggy then it makes it a lot easier to push without it inflating when running into a headwind!

There is also a large fabric and mesh pocket to store items in. This is good as babies come with lots of clutter, however it’s not quite big enough to put a week’s shopping in. I can easily fit my work bag in it as I’d like to use the trailer for commuting. (I usually use fixed panniers on my bike and am not whether I’ll still be able to use these if a trailer is attached). There are also two interior pockets that can hold up to 1kg – these will come in handy for M’s toys or snacks. When we went for a day trip to a local park, I put all of our stuff into a rucksack that I placed in the pocket, along with a picnic blanket and a spare pair of shoes for Stuart and there was still room left in the pocket.

Another feature that I hadn’t expected was suspension. This makes the ride much smoother for the passenger (and makes me much less worried about going over minor obstacles, such as small sticks and stones). Stuart followed me on his bike for most of my rides and he commented on how stable the trailer looked – he said it looked safer than other models that we have tried.

 

Is it safe to use?

Any trailer sold in the UK must meet certain safety standards, however, there are also some optional extras. Any bike trailer must have a safety harness. Cheaper models often have a 3 point belt with an additional lap belt. This trailer has a comfortable 5 point safety harness. This should be more comfortable for Baby M, if she falls asleep when I’m cycling.

One of the reasons that I wanted to have a trailer rather than a child seat on the back of my bike is because it features a roll cage, so in the unlikely event of the trailer turning over, the occupant would be protected. (This is in addition to wearing a helmet).

Something that can put some people off using a cycle trailer is the visibility as the trailer is quite low to the ground. For this reason, I wanted to make sure that the trailer is as noticeable as possible. It comes with an orange flag that is easily seen by car drivers and other road users. It also has reflectors on the front and back. I will be commuting in the dark at times, so will be investigating lights that are rechargeable and easy to attach. This will make me feel happier about using it in the dark. I may also add some spoke reflectors for visibility on the side.

There is also a wrist strap, which is useful when using the trailer in stroller mode (and essential if I use it as a running buggy). It is not as long as the wrist strap on my current running buggy, however, I think it is superior as it is sewn in place, rather than being secured via a knot. This means that I will not lose it.

The trailer has a sturdy foot brake. I found it very easy to use. The foot brake on my Out N About Nipper Sport has not lasted well – by the time it was 4 months old, I was having trouble with getting it to work, which is a known issue. I will be paying close attention to whether any similar issues develop with this trailer over the next few months.

You can see the red foot brake on the right hand side of this photo

 

Protection from the elements

The trailer comes with an all-weather cover, which is important when you live in the UK! It also comes with an adjustable sunshade, which I’m really hoping that I get to try out! I’ve read suggestions that it’s possible to store the rain cover in a pocket on top, but I didn’t think it fitted well and was worried that it would fall out, so I put it in the rear pocket.

Many trailers are just shower-proof and the covers only go over part of them, but the front and top of this trailer are fully covered. The cover was a little fiddly to put on, but I am assuming that it will become easier with use and practice. I’ve seen a review where a sprinkler was been trained on various bike trailers – the Thule ones came top in terms of keeping the water out, which will be really important for me. If you’re choosing a trailer for leisure activities then if it’s raining hard, you can just cancel your ride, but as I’ll be commuting to work, I have to go whatever the weather.

Another advantage of this trailer is that it has a mesh screen which can help to keep insects and road debris out of the trailer (as well as keeping toys in!) When using the trailer as a stroller, I rolled up the mesh screen and tucked it under the flap at the top.

 

How easy to use and manoeuvrable is it?

I’ve already explained how easy it is to set up this trailer and to convert it between different activities, but how easy is it to use it in daily life? One of the frequent battles that I have with M is strapping her into her car seat, so it was essential for me that the safety harness was easy to do up and undo. It was a little fiddly to adjust it to the correct size before using the trailer for the first time, but after that, it was very easy to do up.

This trailer is one of the lightest ones available. It is lighter than the Chariot Cross, which gives it the edge when cycling uphill. This was important for me as I live in a valley, so every ride starts with a hill.

Helmets on and ready to roll!

My usual buggy is the Out’n’About Nipper Sport, which has a fixed front wheel, so I’m used to lifting it up to turn, therefore using the stroller kit on the Thule Chariot Lite seems unusual for me, as it turns very easily. For many people this is a bonus, but I think it’l take me a bit more practice!

When cycling, the trailer was barely noticeable at just over 11kg, which is exactly what I had hoped for.

The images above show the trailer attached to my cyclocross bike on a visit to the park. We were able to lock the bikes up and then quickly convert the trailer into a stroller to visit different areas of the park. The conversion took me less than five minutes and I was pleased to see that the two-hitch could be stowed on the side of the stroller (it’s the metal piece with an orange safety sticker on it).

Quality and value

This trailer feels sturdy and well-constructed. The fabric is really attractive and strong and the wheels roll well, so it’s easy to push (or pull).

The Chariot Lite can hold a child weighing up to 34kg, which is more than most British 7 year olds weigh, so how long you are able to use it for probably depends on your child’s height and willingness to be in the trailer.

Although this trailer and the conversion kits that can be purchased are expensive, I think it’s best to view it as an investment. A quick glance at eBay and other selling sites shows that previous Thule trailers hold their value well and can be resold easily as long as they have been looked after. My friend Laura has had her older model Thule Chariot for at least 3 years – it still looks immaculate and despite being used daily, she has had no technical issues.

The tyres seem tough and sturdy, but I think this is something that I won’t really be able to assess until I have used the trailer for several months and many rides. One thing that I will need to do is source some appropriate size inner tubes as I don’t know whether every cycle shop would stock them and I don’t want to find that I can’t commute because of a flat tyre.

 

My final thoughts:

I’ve used the Chariot Lite as a bike trailer and stroller frequently over the last few weeks. I was surprised by how easy it is to convert it between the two activities. It is light to push in stroller mode and changes direction very easily (perhaps a little too easily for someone who is only used to using a fixed-wheel running buggy). It is quite wide to use as a stroller, but its manoeuvrability has meant that I’ve been able to go into a number of tiny local shops and have not had a problem negotiating their aisles.

Baby M seems to have enjoyed being in the trailer. There is plenty of room for her toys to accompany her and unlike with a traditional buggy, she is less likely to lose anything that she drops. I think the position is less comfortable for her when she falls asleep in the stroller mode than with a traditional buggy as it is not possible to recline her seat. I think the seat may recline on the more expensive Chariot Cross model, which would be a point in its favour.

Pros:

• The trailer can be used for cycling or walking straight out of the box and for running or skiing if you buy a conversion kit.
• The trailer folds up easily and is compact to transport or store.
• The quality of this trailer is top notch. The fabric and stitching are good, it feels sturdy and yet is light.
• The trailer is easy to assemble/use. The Thule VersaWing system makes it easy to swap between activities.
• The trailer is rain-proof (which is essential if you’re using it for commuting, rather than leisure activities which can be postponed.)
• This trailer has all of the safety features that I would hope for.
• Thule trailers have a good resale value, so although the initial expenditure may seem like a lot, you can expect to recoup quite a lot if it is looked after.
• The trailer has good suspension, which makes the ride comfortable for both parent and child.
• Thule Click n’ Store makes for convenient on-board storage of strolling/jogging/cycling kit while changing between activities.
• This product could be used from birth with the purchase of the newborn sling (however, this is intended for walking, not cycling – no-one recommends cycling with a young baby!)

 

Cons:

• The RRP is £590, which is quite expensive (however, if you consider the cost of buying a buggy and bike trailer separately then it’s not so bad.)
• If you’re using it as a buggy then you can’t see your child from behind.
• The cargo compartment is on the outside, so your items may get wet.
• The seat doesn’t recline or have any padding (you would need to purchase a Thule Chariot cross for these upgrades.)

 

Things to consider if choosing a Thule Chariot

• How many children do you have/plan to have? The Thule Chariot Lite is currently only available as a single-child version in the UK.
• If you are spending this much money, is it worth spending a few hundred more on the Chariot Cross? (This is an easier decision Stateside as the price differential isn’t so much!)

 

This trailer looks lovely, is comfortable for Baby M and is really easy to use. It is the ideal trailer for use as a daily commuter not least because it is so well waterproofed. On occasion, I would like a little more storage space, so may have to don a rucksack or use panniers. It’s disappointing that the two-child version is not available in the UK (but as a ‘one and done’ mum, that’s not a deal-breaker for me!)… I guess this may change if there is enough demand for it.

The Chariot Cross is £260 more (and £360 more for the double version). It has a number of additional features such as enhanced suspension and more cargo storage and it is more suitable for off-road adventures. I don’t do much off-road cycling, so that doesn’t worry me too much, but if it were my only running stroller, it would be important for me.

I would really like to try the jogging conversion kit, so that I can cycle to parkrun and then take part… or continue to enjoy lunchtime runs with M when I am at work. For this reason, I am considering selling the other trailers that I have to buy this extra. I think we would also benefit from having the head support so that the trailer is more comfortable for M to nap in.

Obviously, I’ve only used the trailer for a short period of time, so there may be some aspects that I’ve not explored fully yet. My friend, Laura, has been using an older Thule trailer for some time, so I asked her for her thoughts. She could not think of any drawbacks. Her trailer has been well-used and is well-loved. It is heavier than her buggy, but she finds steering it much easier, so she chooses to use it when running.

Overall, this trailer is perfect for my current needs. It should see me through cycle commuting until M is at primary school (and beyond) as well as being appropriate for short rides when she visits Grandma.

Have you used a bike trailer? What are your thoughts? Do you prefer to use a child-seat?

Eating healthily and trying MYHK

I’ve been working hard to eat healthily this year. I’m fortunate enough to be supported by The Athlete’s Palate, but it’s still hard for me. I expected to have an increased appetite whilst marathon training (especially as a breastfeeding mum), but I’d forgotten that that hunger sometimes lingers after the race. I’ve also been struggling with my appetite because I’m so tired. My baby looks like my husband, but she definitely has some of my personality traits. I’m sure I’ll be glad that she is extremely determined at some stage, but right now, I’d love it if M would sleep. She just wants to run around all the time. She might only be 7 months old, but she can already walk a bit (and can run when she holds my fingers!)

To make my life as easy as possible, I always make sure that I plan my meals in advance. This ensures that I have the necessary ingredients at home and that I don’t have to make meal decisions when I’m hungry. I also prepare my breakfast the night before, so that when I get up it’s easy for me to finish making it. In the evening, Stuart usually looks after M whilst I make our dinner – this gives them a chance to play and gives me a break as I enjoy being in the kitchen. However, I find lunch the most challenging meal as M needs lots of attention. Sometimes I choose to have a salad that i can prepare the night before, but at other times, I just need something quick, easy and filling. I try not to resort to ready meals as most of them are bland and unhealthy. Lots of supermarkets have ‘healthy’ ranges, but they are often uninspiring or there aren’t many vegetarian options.

I was given the chance to try three new ready meals by MYHK (my healthy kitchen), which sounded like a perfect solution for my problem. The meals are all under 500 calories with no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. They include fresh ingredients and have other (specified) nutritional benefits.

The three meals that I was sent to try were:

• Chicken Paella
• Prawn Katsu
• Pea, Mint and Rocket Risotto

I’ve been a vegetarian virtually all of my life, so I recruited my husband to try two of the dishes. (The other flavours that are available are: Moroccan Prawn, Roasted Mediterranean Vegetable Risotto and Oriental Chicken).

Chicken Paella

The special advantage of this meal is that it’s low in fat and high in protein and fibre.

I’m definitely not a food blogger and neither is my husband – we completely failed to take a photo of this, so here’s one that we’ve ‘borrowed’ from the MYHK website.

Stuart says: “Paella wouldn’t usually be something I’d choose but I enjoyed this one. The chicken was a step up from the majority of ready meals and was good solid pieces and nicely flavoured. The chorizo was less oily than some and was a nice addition. I would have preferred a slightly stronger flavour but the meal wasn’t bland.  It did feel like the meal was balanced and the ingredients went well together. The portion size is broadly equivalent to most common supermarket ready meals and I would have preferred a slightly larger size (particularly if I were undertaking a higher training load).”

 

Prawn Katsu

The special advantage of this meal is that it’s high in protein and low in saturated fat and sugar.

Stuart says: “This was my favourite out of the two. I enjoy a curry and this includes katsu which I’ve eaten in Japan. The split of sauce to the ingredients worked really well with this meal as the rice didn’t get soggy when being microwaved but was easy to eat and mix together. The prawns were reasonable quality and a bit more generous than seen in some other meals. The sauce was really nice albeit the pickled carrot packs a punch and it was spicier than I expected – I don’t mind relatively hot food but I know Tamsyn would have really struggled with a vegetarian version. The lighter jasmin rice helped balance the heat but I could see some people getting put off. As with the paella I would have preferred a slightly larger size although this would be filling compared to the usual ready meals seen.”

 

 

Pea, mint and rocket risotto (vegetarian)

The special advantage of this meal is that it’s 1 of your 5 a day, and it’s also low in sugar and saturated fat.

Risotto is one of my favourite meals, but I’ve never made it at home. There are several reasons for this – firstly, my favourite risotto is mushroom risotto and Stu hates mushrooms, but secondly, I believe that risotto can be time consuming to make as you need to stir it continuously.

This risotto isn’t just made with Arborio rice, but also with quinoa. I liked this as it gave it a slightly different flavour as well as increasing its nutritional value.

As soon as I opened the packaging, I could smell the peas and mint – they were really aromatic and got my taste buds watering.

The risotto was topped with rocket (arugula). This is quite a bitter leaf, but paired with the creamy onion sauce, I thought it balanced nicely. Another interesting touch to cut through the creaminess was the addition of some pickled red cabbage. I adore red cabbage and would never have thought of pairing it with risotto before.

Overall, I really liked this meal. It was a reasonable size for a ready meal (although I’d have preferred a slightly larger portion with a few more calories) and looked appetising as well as tasting good. The price is more than a lot of ready meals, but comparable with the types of things I like, such as Bol ready meals.

 

These meals are currently available from Waitrose and Ocado with an RRP of £3.95.

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A review of SportArt Compression products

I’ve been trying out a range of exciting new products recently, including three items from SportART:

• Compress socks
• Calf guards
• Insoles

SportART is a relatively new company set up by a pair of Ironman triathletes. The first product they developed was insoles. They came up with a technique to analyse human feet and develop ‘sports-anatomical insoles for different arch types’. These insolves are significantly cheaper custom-made insoles.

I put the insoles into an old pair of trainers that I have. I’m terrible at keeping records, so I’m not sure when I bought the shoes or how many miles I’ve done in them. (I don’t log into Strava often enough to make use of the tools here that can tell  me how many mild I’ve done in a particular pair of shoes).

I couldn’t feel the insoles after putting them into my shoes, but that was good as it showed me that they fitted. I had wondered whether I would need to cut them to fit my shoes, but they were perfect out of the box. I’ve only tried custom mounded insoles once before, when I first went to sweatshop. I only found out their price after having them added to shoes, and I had to turn them down as they were so expensive.

I rotate through using several pairs of trainers, so have been wearing the insoles for over a month now. They have reinvigorated an older pair of shoes and have provided my feet with good support on long training runs, so if you are struggling with foot pain or need greater support, you might want to try a pair.

SportART compression garments were developed by a CompresSport Developer. I’ve tried CompresSport calf guards before, so I was interested to be able to try out these products to see how they compare.

The socks are made of a soft, thick fabric, but they weren’t too difficult to put on. I had measured myself carefully, but as with all ‘knee-high’ running socks, they were slightly too long for me. I’m 5′ 5″ tall (1m 66cm) and believe that I woul need to have calves that are an inch/2cm+ taller for these not to turn over at the top.

The socks come in a choice of two colours: white or black. I tend to avoid white because of the challenges of keeping white clothes looking clean, but these have washed well and remained white.

The socks were comfortable to run in and provided a moderate level of compression, however, I found the toe box rather oddly-shaped so I had to adjust them on longer runs. (You can see where my toes are in the picture below – my little toes are not in the narrow toe panel).

The final product that I tried  was a pair of compression calf guards (paired with black socks in the images above and below). This was my favourite product and one that I would strongly recommend and would buy in future. The fabric felt soft and smooth and gave a good level of compression.

Have you tried any compression garments or specialist insoles? Which brands do you like? Have you tried any SportART products?

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Brug review

I’ve been fortunate enough to test a Kickstarter project recently: Brug by Wunderlife… An innovative bag/rug combo. This is a really interesting product that I think will appeal to a wide range of people.

The brug can fold up really small (about the size of a 2 pint carton of milk). Which means that it could easily be packed in a suitcase for holiday use, or stored in the boot of your car. (The picture above shows the brug folded up). I unfolded it and for a few seconds was uncertain what to do with the cords and zips before working out how to zip it into a roomy holdall.

If I’d spent 20 seconds watching this video first, it might have been helpful:

 

The Brug also spreads out to a large square rug (150x150cm). I can see so many uses for this product including beach visits, open water swimming, outdoor exercise (like yoga and other things that require lying on the ground) and so on. Unfortunately, the weather hasn’t been kind so I haven’t been able to use it in as many ways as I’d like, yet.

I first used the brug when visiting a friend. We planned to have a picnic, and it would be ideal for that… However, terrible weather spoilt our fun. It didn’t mean the brug went unused, though. I had gathered up a few of M’s toys in it before visiting my friend. her house has hard floors, so I just opened the brug up, and then popped Baby M on it. It won’t be long before M starts weaning and I can imagine using it again then when visiting friends as we all know how young children love to throw food on the floor! It’s machine washable, so getting it clean again, won’t be a problem.

The next day, the weather was significantly better. It was bright and sunny in my garden, so I decided to fit some gardening in. M is too little to be left unsupervised and she can’t walk or crawl yet, so she has to go everywhere with me. I laid the brug out on the grass and left her there playing and napping whilst I tidied around her.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wunderlife/the-brug-from-wunderlife-the-packable-multi-use-ba/widget/video.html

I’m a little slow off the mark as the Kickstarter campaign went live yesterday (Tuesday 28th February) at 10.30am. Getting involved in the Kickstarter essentially means that you pre-order the Brug. I’m really in favour of Kickstarter campaigns as they reward early adopters. ‘Early bird’ backers (i.e those that pledge by 4th March) will receive the Brug at 40% discount on the retail price – £38 instead of £63, which is a fantastic saving. There’s a blogpost that explains more about the Kickstarter campaign.

What do you think? Is this a product that you would use?

 

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Work less, run more

… that’s one of the slogans of a new brand on the fitness scene: Season’s Trail. It’s an online running brand that allows you to purchase complete coordinated running outfits (and we all know that I love to wear matching outfits!)

It’s a similar model to Fabletics, but has a couple of advantages:

• for men and women are available
• you do not have to sign up for a costly monthly subscription (this isn’t made clear in most adverts for Fabletics adverts… buying one cheap outfit signs you up to a monthly subscription that it’s hard to get out of. I love having new clothes, but there’s no way that I can justify buying a new running outfit each month).

Placing a complete order with Season’s Trail buys you four items of clothing:

• tights
• base layer (long or short-sleeved)
• outer layer (jacket/zip top/hoodie)
• sports bra (women) OR shorts (men)

The cost of this set is £100, which seems like good value for money, especially as there’s free next day delivery. I think this would particularly appeal to new runners, and anyone who’s time pressed or wants to treat themselves. It’s also possible to buy individual items of clothing and accessories.

At the moment, the items are available in a range of plain colours and a choice of styles, but some people may prefer more colourful/patterned items of clothing. However, the items are well-designed and are suitable for outdoor running, including trail running. It’s not a brand that’s focussed on gym-goers or yogis.

A really neat feature of the website is the outfit builder. You choose which version of each of the four items you want and can then view it on an online model. This allows you to decide which items coordinate best with each other.

The items that I chose were:

• High support sports bra.
• Ladies dark grey tights
• Ladies grey long sleeve base layer
• Ladies grey running hoodie

I was so excited when my kit arrived in a lovely branded box:

It arrived not long before I was due to go out, so I immediately went and changed.

My first trial of the clothing was a 5k buggy run followed by a buggy fit class and then a run home. It was a good test as I think I experienced all 4 seasons in that 2 hour slot. Although I got rained on a lot, I felt warm and comfortable and did not experience any chafing. The only problem that I had was that the sports bra was not supportive enough for me.

I then tried the outfit again (minus the sports bra) for a parkrun and a long run (17 miles). One problem that I often have with running tights is that they fall down – that did not happen with these tights, even on the long run. I didn’t wear the hoodie for the long run as the weather was too warm, but it was comfortable to put on when I had finished.

I thought I’d sum up my thoughts on each piece of clothing…

Pros:

• Attractive design
• Option of padding or not
• Coordinates well with other pieces
• Mesh for ventilation/style

Cons:

• Just not supportive enough for me to run in

I really wanted to like this crop top and think that I would probably have been able to run in it before having a baby, so it would probably work for flatter-chested ladies than me (or for people who are happy to wear it as a crop top over a bra). I think this is one of the biggest challenges that the company will need to tackle as getting the right sports bra is a very individual thing. I think I’d prefer shorts to a sports bra as I’m very choosy about what works for me.

Pros:

• Nice thick fabric, so they were supportive and not see through
• Very comfortable waistband
• Quite high rise (some might see this as a disadvantage, but it made them comfortable for long-distance running)

Cons:

• A little long for me. (This wasn’t a real disadvantage – I’m short and so full-length tights are usually too long)
• Would be better with some reflective bits for night-time running
• There is a pocket, but it is open at the top, so I would be too nervous to put a key or £5 note in it, but it’s fine for an inhaler

Pros:

• Lovely design – the stripes don’t really show in the images
• The contrasting pink bits make it coordinate well with other pieces
• Smooth flat seams make it comfortable to wear
• Thumb holes make it suitable for winter wear

Cons:

• No laundry instructions in English (I chucked it in on a 30 degree wash with other sports kit and it survived!)
• There was a hole on thumb seam. This was a shame as the kit felt like it was good quality and well-made.

This was my favourite piece out of the four because it is really flattering on and very comfortable to wear. If it were available in other colours, I would definitely buy it again. (Jade green would appeal to me!)

Pros:

• Lightweight but cosy
• Thumb holes to keep hands warm
• Two zip pockets each with a secure inner pocket for iPod, keys or money
• Adjustable hood
• Nice length
• Coordinates well with other pieces
• Reflective strips on the arms

I genuinely couldn’t find any disadvantages of this item of clothing.

Future plans for Season’s Trail include branching into clothing for hiking and cycling, which would be good.

If you like the sound of Season’s Trail, why not treat yourself. A 20% discount code is currently available: TRAILRUN

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Cold and slow

I’ve succumbed to the lurgy and have had a heavy cold for a couple of days, which is incredibly frustrating. It has affected my sleep and makes me want to just hibernate.

This morning, Stu ran to Royal Victoria Country Park and I drove to meet him there. We’d chosen to go to Netley Abbey parkrun as it was our friend Dave’s 250th parkrun.

When I arrived, I set up M’s running buggy and then went over to congratulate Dave for reaching his milestone. He was chatting to one of my running heroes, Iwan Thomas. Iwan was there with his adorable French bulldog, Frank… I was so tempted to take a photo because he is the cutest pup (and Iwan’s not too bad either!)

Stu was feeling achy when he got there as 12km is the furthest he’s run since he was doing Ironman training last year, so he said he look after Morgelyn and I could run. I wasn’t wearing what I would usually wear to run in, but as the temperature was -4ºC (39ºF) when I left home, it was probably just as well that I had some extra layers on.

As I wasn’t feeling well, I agreed that I would join Kim and Vicky for a social run. Kim was looking very glamorous all in black, and she was sensibly wearing sunglasses. I hadn’t thought about wearing mine and was blinded for half of the run.

It was a route that I’d not run on before, so perhaps my result could be considered a PB, but I know it was slower than I would usually do.

I’ve been feeling jealous of all of the beautiful leggings on Instagram recently, so I splashed out at Decathlon this week. I had a £5 voucher to be used by the end of the month, so I went in for a browse and after spending a further £8, I came out with some very jazzy leggings. For the price, I was impressed with the quality – they are quite thick and have a lovely flat waistband that is quite high. My only gripes are that they are designed for people who are taller than me, so they are quite long… and perhaps I could have worn a smaller size as they started falling down. However, if I had worn a smaller size, I think they would have stretched too much and the white lining would have shown.

Tomorrow, I had been hoping for a lie in, but we’re marshalling at the CC6, so there’s no rest for the wicked. I’m then scheduled to go out for a short run with Lou, but I think I should see how I’m feeling. At least I’ve got a lie in to look forward to on Monday, when everyone else is heading off to work!

How are you getting your fitness fix this weekend?