Run down - Push Harder

Last summer, was awesome. Hard training, racing, warm weather, adventure, possibility, friends and good times. We live for the good times don`t we? But life is just not like that. Not all of the time.

So much has changed in nearly six months, which has been exciting and challenging in equal measure. Good bits, and not so good bits. The last couple of weeks have been more of the latter. I write this now, slowly (annoyingly slowly) coming out the other side of what has felt like flu - less than ideal. In between working hard, trying to train and maintain a life balance - there is not so much room for illness! However - c` est la vie.

Feeling run down - frankly sucks. I was in a situation where bad news just kept on arriving, and the motivation to get the trainers on (especially when clear airways was somewhat an issue…) was not really on the plan. Or rather it was - but I didn’t want, nor feel I could, do it. I felt sorry for myself in a situation that was both inflicted and self-inflicted upon me and I was frankly, in a bit of a funk.

But, things are looking up. Not completely flu-free yet, but nearly there, and speed work is starting again. I am getting some solid ideas and plans for the summer, and the psyche is slowly coming back. My friends and family and invaluable to me, and their support in my good times, as well as less-good, is what keeps me going. What I am realising is feeling run down is part of life, but it does not mean give up on your goals. In fact, I am taking the concept of being ` run down `as a reminder to get working on my downhill technique. It’s all about the silver linings. Now it’s time to get my act together and plan, run.. go.

I also love this advert, brought to my attention this week. Sometimes I wonder, given how crazy life in itself can be, where the limits of possibility are. Turns out, crazily, there really is none. So don`t care what people think, and be yourself.

Now to try and tackle a long run. Adios.

End of 2015!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, I was down by the coast with my family, eating good food and getting the chance to do some Pilates, run by the sea, get in the sea (briefly!) and generally have a bit of a relax. I enjoyed a very casual bit of filming leading up to Christmas, which, although not demonstrating the best of camera skills (vlogging holding iPhone while running downhill is easier said than done!) was a good laugh! You can find those here.

I am posting this while now in Germany for the New Year with very good friends. Cannot believe it is now very soon to be 2016! Taking a moment to chill, although still thinking about training; I am excited to share what I am planning to get up to in 2016 with running soon.

Recently I was interviewed by Forever Sports magazine in their latest issue, chatting about ultra running. I enjoyed being part of this and it really got me thinking about plans for year ahead. A big thank you also to John Mason for the inclusion of his shots. He can be found here, and highly recommend for outdoor adventure shoots. A great photographer and a good friend.

I also enjoyed being part of the Tough Girl Podcast series, out today. Sarah is a great person to talk to, has achieved some really amazing feats herself and I really enjoyed my recent chat with her about adventures and running (despite my on air gabbling, my talking non-top and my generally getting in a bit of muddle!:) was good fun and hopefully a fun listen :) a cool experience!

Before I sign off, I just want to take a moment to say goodbye to a dear friend, John Ellison. After a hard battle with cancer, John passed away recently and this has had a worldwide impact, as he was so dear to so many people . A truly inspirational man, he set up CAC (climbers against cancer) raising not only an incredible amount of money for helping the fight against cancer through his charity, but also being so brave, so inspiring, and so positive and instructive about life, while simultaneously enduring the fight himself. An incredible, unforgettable person, a big smile and a great friend; although he is not here, we never lose him.

Have a very Happy New Year, and get planning those adventures for 2016 :) - it's all very possible, don't forget that! :)

Sport talk with James Bishop: Part 2

Here is the second part of my interview with James Bishop! Last week I met up with James to chat through his youtube channel and to have a discussion of his running in December.  This week in our second sport talk, I found out whether James did the Iron Man he set out to do, what Goalhanger films has been up to recently, and what James wants to do in 2016. During the video, I also took the opportunity to ask James about his sports watch. I am on the look out for a new running watch (as much as I do love my forerunner 210) so I asked James about the super duper watch he has – take a look for yourself, and maybe add it to your wishlist! James has actually spoken about the Garmin 920 XT on his you tube channel here. If you can recommend a new watch to get - love to know your thoughts!

I can’t believe how quickly this year is going! Really excited to share with you ideas and plans for 2016  - bring it on! For now, enjoy your weekend, it’s nearly Christmas; get wrapping (if you need to), and enjoy the festive time.

Don’t make a wish this Christmas – simply formulate a dream. Then start encouraging yourself to make it happen.

Kendal Mountain Film Festival 2015

New Week!

I'm really excited for this week, as on Friday I will be making my way to Kendal Mountain Film Festival! This is definitely a highlight in the winter calendar, as it it the chance to see some really awe inspiring, jaw dropping, totally captivating films in various adventure sports.

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Highlights for me this year will be heading to the Adidas Endurance Night where James Thurlow will be interviewing Nicky Spinks and Sean Conway - two incredible endurance athletes in the field of long distance running and swimming. Also looking forward to hearing from Tommy Caldwell, an incredible climber of pretty extraordinary heights, and to head to the BMC Breakfast morning on the Sunday - chance for films, banter, bit of breakfast and lots of other goodies, with the legendary host Niall Grimes.

It's going to be one great weekend that's for sure!

Last year our film 'Running Wild' was shown; still takes me aback to think of how special that running experience was, and how I never would have imagined, upon signing up to that race, that we would end up at KMF. Just goes to show, that when you go to events like these, you get really inspired, and that anything is possible.

That's how I am motivating my start to the week - thinking ahead to this year's Kendal Film Festival, where I will have the chance to listen to some motivational people in adventure sports. I could not recommend this weekend enough.

Do tweet me if you are going - would be great to say hi!

Essena O'Neill, body image and being happy.

I originally wrote this post, in a flash of inspiration and following a train of thought a while back, keeping it for a future time.

However in light of Essena O’Neill’s recent video, this post never seemed more relevant to now publish. For any of you who have not heard of Essena, she is a hugely successful Australian model. Beautiful, skinny, and seeming ‘to have it all’, she has just published a vlog, breaking the media façade of ‘what it means to be successful’; admitting the truth behind every model shot and the reality behind trying to maintain an image that society seems to hold in such high esteem.

Listening to her video, I don’t think I have heard such a strong, motivated and determined young woman of her age, who wants to redefine what strength really is as a woman, and what true beauty is. She is very beautiful person; and this is no reflection of her obvious good looks.

“You don’t have to do anything, but explore what excites you”, O’Neill speaks out on her video, trying to re-define to her vast audience what real happiness truly is. It isn’t about trying to ‘fit in’, or ‘be skinny’ or ‘look a certain way’. It is about being yourself.

Here are my thoughts about body image. Let me take you back to August 2014.

Getting ready for my first ultra, and my body felt a lot different than how it had ever felt before. I had got more beefy. Bigger legs, my shoulders used to be slim and now filled out t-shirts more, and I was a few pounds heavier.

When I was 18, this might have been a cause for concern.

But in light of the 53km mountain ultra marathon I was about to embark on, I couldn’t not have felt more proud and I had never felt so strong, or so myself.

Growing up, I was always fairly skinny. A seemingly high metabolism, I ate like a horse and never really gained weight. I wasn’t particularly sporty, but somehow I never really changed weight, even during the more hormonal teenage years. Growing up in a time when ‘Size Zero’ was the epitome of a successful body image, I held my stature with a fair amount of pride, and although never officially one to diet, was pretty conscious, the older I got, that I didn’t want to look any other way. I liked being slim – and the media and magazine industry seemed to certainly endorse that. I would feel guilty if I over indulged, and would get a bit of a buzz if people commented on my slim physique.

As many of you know, long distance off road running is something I started over two years ago, in 2013. When I signed up to my first ultra marathon, I took on an intense training schedule which would get me race ready in eight months, through milestones such as running my first half marathon, to training to the distance of 26 miles etc. And my body changed. With it, confirmation came, that I was indeed, as Essena wrote, doing what excites me, never feeling so myself and happy. I was looking a bit different, but quite frankly better. I was getting a bit stronger.

I was developing a bigger body, one that would get me up the mountain incline, one that could tackle challenges that I had never even dreamt of before. I was not the skinniest I had ever been, but it was the best I had ever felt. My body image was one where the perception changed to "how can I best equip myself to reach new challenges and adventures?". A little less about what it looked like at the end, and a lot more about what my body might be able to do.

Photo: John Roberts

Photo Angela Roberts

It’s late 2015, and I’m trying to get stronger still, as it will help me further for future challenges. Eating a full, healthy and balanced diet could not be more important to make sure I am strong to run. I’m not immune to the media pressures to ‘be a certain way’; I often beeline towards mirrors, freak out at the appearance of a spot, spend a lot of time over my appearance on Instagram etc. In terms, however, of being more aware of who I really am– a girl who just happens to have a big smile on her face when she is running – this for me gives the most happiness. Sometimes I just have to look at my own feet to remind myself of this -long distance running has meant black and lost nails; but look how far they have taken me!  My message therefore is to do yourself the rightful thing by finding happiness in the person you are – whatever you want to achieve, and whatever that might look like.

I am grateful that the perception of body image, as well as women striving forward in sport, is looking far more positive, far more empowering and far more true to who we are as human beings, than ever before. I’m still going to find spots difficult to deal with. Yet, what Essena has done is falsify the notion that happiness is generic, looks a certain way and is a certain life. She however has found something far greater – real value in life, and her strength is inspirational. So whether you are a size 16 or a size 6, aged 25 or 65 – take care of yourself. Enjoy sport, be confident to try and seek in your image, to above everything, be healthy, and be strong. Strength in yourself.

Essena has started a new website, which both men and women, will find invaluable: http://www.letsbegamechangers.com/new-index/

Trail Running magazine photoshoot

I am really excited to share with you my recent photoshoot with Trail Running magazine. At the shoot I teamed up with the editor, Claire Maxted, to bring you a vlog of what it is like on a running photoshoot with the magazine. We had so much fun, and it was great to work with such a fantastic running magazine that I highly recommend to anyone wanting to read up more on trail running.

So here is our day, behind the scenes at Trail Running magazine photoshoot!

Many thanks to the great photographers,  Bob Atkins and Adam Atkins, to Editor Claire Maxted, Art Editor Laura Harvey, Editorial assistant Hannah James and to the following brands for use of their kit:  Columbia, Howies, Merrell, Salomon,Vivobarefoot,Zaazee.

It was also great to meet fellow runners and models: Phil Smith and Karina Grimes.

10 Runner's Secrets Revealed

I write a lot about training, running, racing etc, but thought it would be a laugh to also tell you a bit about some of the things that make me 'me'. I think friends would say I was a bit quirky, I love to laugh as well as run (often while I run!). So here are 10 runner's secrets revealed...

Things you might not know about me.

• 1. I'm not keen on spiders. Interval hill training occurs by just bolting up the stairs, leaping over the the creepy crawly.

• 2. Once in a while, I will be overcome with an urge for a greasy burger. #noshame

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• 3. I have a Masters in Philosophy.

• 4. Despite skiing at significant height, and running in mountains, I can get quite daunted by climbing high / multi pitch climbing. I'm working on it.

Photo: John Roberts

• 5. I talk to myself on runs. I sing

• 6. I am the worst company on a long car journey. Mainly because this happens:

Photo: John Roberts

• 7. I have developed a moving technique going up hill and also prevalent while ski touring known to others as the ‘Noel’ - #oasis

• 8. Despite running like a fiend these days, I was never known for this at school. I really enjoyed drama.

Photo by @johndmason

• 9. I love pugs. I really love pugs. Unfortunately they are not the ‘runners dog of choice’ (for reasons too obvious to explain) but I’ve considered the possibility of fitting one in my running pack.

10. I never ever dreamt I would be competing in ultra-marathons.

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Mango and Banana Smoothie

Focusing on healthy eating and eating well is really important. Recently I decided to make my own smoothie. Essentially, you need yoghurt and fruit – and I don’t actually like to add anything else. This one is simply mango, banana and soya yoghurt whizzed together. Really thick and delicious, and actually feels a bit of a sweet treat – although so much healthier than tucking into a Snickers (which, of course, is actually totally fine in moderation and one of my preferred treats, especially after a run!).

Thing to note – eat on day of consumption. I put some of this smoothie in the fridge only to find it looking less appealing by the next morning - the fresher the better!

Some great Smoothie recipes can also be seen from Liza Prideaux's video

A (vaguely) healthy chocolate cake

Hi everyone I decided to do some baking (everyone holds their breath..I’m not the world’s most natural cook, however I do enjoy taking on new projects, so, bring it on I say!). Here is a chocolate cake. It's meant to be sugar free.

I wanted to make an easy, healthy (ish) cake. This is what happened. I was following a recipe from allrecipes website  adapting the recipe by doubling the quantities to make an entire loaf cake, rather than the cupcakes their recipe caters for . I also used actual drinking chocolate cocoa (seemed fine, tasted good, although in hindsight I realise my version was not completely free of sugar! Ah well, runners enjoy their food, no matter :) )

It could not be simpler- dollop all ingredients in a bowl, mix, bake (double baking time prescribed in original recipe)

I used:

200g self raising flour

4 tablespoons of Cadburys drinking chocolate powder

200g salted butter

4 eggs

splash of semi-simmed milk

100g Splenda powder

This creates a decent sized cake. Friends have scoffed several portions already, me included, and there is lots left!

Substituting the sugar for Splenda did make the cake seem lighter.  I’m keen to try this recipe again, and try and substitute more ingredients to make it healthier (maybe add dried fruit too? Hmm…) .

Would really love to hear your healthy treats recipes! Do comment below.