Fitness Friday :: the Milkman does the Great Scottish Run and Zombie Night Run '13

My exercise levels have tumbled in the past couple of weeks. My back went out, as it often does, and with it my momentum. I've felt better this week, but apart from a fair bit of walking around Glasgow (does shopping count as exercise?) I haven't done a whole lot of much.  Guilt is starting to eat at me - goal #02 of my 101 things in 1001 days is to complete a couch to 5k training programme (and goal #45 is to take part in the Race for Life 5k), and my mind keeps straying to this.

I keep reading articles about the benefits of running, the enjoyment of running, the cult of running...but I honestly can't imagine getting in to it.  Of the smattering of times that I tried, I can't really say I liked it. But at least I can say that when I have tried I've at least been able to do it, as my brief venture into the world of bootcamp-style training showed me in July. I used to say that I couldn't run the length of myself, and admittedly whilst I struggle to run any sort of distance I at least managed more than I thought I could. But I want to do more, I want to rake in all the benefits the members of the running cult claim I will, and I want to enjoy the experience.

My motivation and inspiration for all this is the Milkman. To be honest, his nickname on here should be the Running Man, but I don't want to mess up my little milky theme I've got going on. Plus, I want to avoid the brutal connotations from the film. But he is such an inspiration for me to work on my fitness in general, and not because he nags me into it but simply by setting a really good example. And running is his thing.

Great Scottish Run 2013...the Milkman is in there somewhere

Over the years, he's gone from simply pounding the treadmill at the gym or street jogging, to building up a whole season of running events each year.  He started with a series of 10k runs each spring, and then a few years ago stepped it up a notch adding two half marathons each summer/autumn.  One of these is the Great Scottish Run, which this year was a bigger event than it's ever been before in the build up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.  It was even televised, and so we finally got to see him cross the finish line (something we never manage in reality, as it's always too busy to get close!).  He wasn't keen on the course this year though, saying there were long stretches without many distractions or atmosphere.  We walked along the Broomielaw this week, which formed part of the course, and I could see what he meant.  It isn't the most picturesque of places, and isn't somewhere many crowds would be likely to gather to cheer the runners on.  The route just stretches out in front of you with no end in sight!  And I think that is a major reason why I struggle to get into running, because I would be equal parts bored and intimidated by a long course ahead of me.

The Milkman seems to be on the lookout for new running challenges.  Not being a runner, I thought the obvious step up would be a marathon.  But he seems to be looking more for excitement than endurance, and I can appreciate that.  It baffles me that on half marathon days I can have a little stroll about the shops, a nice cup of coffee and a cake, spectate for a bit...and in all that time he has been running.  For over 90mins, he runs.  To think of him running for double that amount of time makes me feel a little queasy...I'm not sure it's even natural for the body to be put through that!

not your average running gear

I think he's swaying more to the Tough Mudder sort of experience as a way to get his running kicks.  He got his first taste of that sort of run last weekend when he took part in the Zombie Night Run.  This was an event put together by the guys in the Helensburgh Round Table (who also organise the Helensburgh and Lomond Real Ale Festival, which I really enjoyed earlier this year), and was pretty impressive.  The concept was that runners were either zombies or survivors, and had to complete an 8k hill run through the forest...in the dark...through a lot of mud and obstacles.  Survivors had a five minute head start, and wore tags which the zombies had to grab.  It looked like a lot of fun, and I know the Milkman is hoping to do it again, but the photos sum it up better than I can!

I would love to be involved in an event like that, and I really want to be in a position where the Milkman and I can take part in runs together.  That is the thought that has got under my skin, the kick up my bum to get my act together and give a couch-to-5k training programme a proper shot.  I've found a couple of different ones, and whilst I guess they all work on the same principle I need to do some research and see if an app, podcast or playlist will be the best way for me to go.  I'll no doubt update on what I find!

Who inspires you to get fit?  Or maybe you're already at the Milkman's level - what's the most exciting run you've ever done?

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Thriving Thursdays :: Treasure Trails [Glasgow Cathedral murder mystery]

Last week was half term for the kids here, so Half Pint and I got out there on one of the few dry days and made like Taggart to solve a murder mystery in Glasgow city centre.  Don't freak out, no one actually died in the making of this day out.  This was for goal #83 of of my 101 things to do in 1001 days - Do at least five Treasure Trails.

Treasure Trails were something I came across when looking for inspiration for my 101/1001 list - they're themed walks with clues to solve, adding an element of fun to a day out and getting you to look closer at a place than you perhaps otherwise would.  We chose to do one close to home, the Glasgow Cathedral trail.

I'll admit, I was a little nervous about paying to download our first trail - I didn't know what to expect and the price is a little steep at basically £7 a pop.  I actually downloaded it during the summer holidays when we were at the Necropolis and Cathedral (you can read about that day out in this entry here), but we didn't end up using it that day as we didn't have enough cash to feed into the parking metre.  I wasn't going to let it go to waste though, and was particularly keen to do this one as it is an area of the city I know well after seven years spent studying there. That background knowledge maybe helped with some of the clues, but the trail is so well put together that I don't doubt you could follow it having never been there before.

The trail itself is easy to follow, there is no map reading involved and you simply follow the directions and clues from step-to-step.  That isn't to say there is no challenge here though - you need your thinking cap on and you have to keep your eyes peeled.  Half Pint and I walked past one clue completely and had to retrace our steps a bit, and we spent a good while on a detour in a church yard because we misunderstood a clue.  We also had to resort to Google at one point too!  There is actually a text line if you get really stuck, but we didn't need to use it.  The trail follows pavements and paths the whole way, and is fairly level save for a couple of hills so it isn't challenging.  It does cover two miles though, but there are plenty of places to rest or even stop in for food and drinks.

one of our finds on the trail

Even though I thought I knew the area really well, the amount of new things I discovered on our walk was impressive.  We also made some pit stops in the Provand's Lordship (the oldest house in Glasgow) and St Mungo's Museum of Religious Life and Art*, which aren't places I think I'd have ever visited had it not been for this trail.  Both were actually quite interesting (and free!).

One of the clues related to a building that is actually being pulled down, which is where my local knowledge came in handy as we were still able to solve the clue.  But as I said, I downloaded this a good few months ago and I know from looking in my local area that trails are updated and monitored - for example, Helensburgh has it's own trail but as the town is undergoing major regeneration works the trail has actually been taken offline for now.  I don't doubt that the current version of the Glasgow trail we did has either been updated or is currently offline now that one of the clues is compromised.

I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more fanfare when we finished the trail and solved the crime. You do get entered into a prize draw, but I would have hoped for some sort of follow on story or conclusion(why was she murdered?!). And I do think that there is a lot more that could be done with the website in terms of showing your achievements or interacting with other users who have also completed the trail too, to give it more of a community feel.

On the whole, both Half Pint and I had a really good time doing this trail.  It is something fun, different and I'm sure from a kid's perspective transforms a boring sightseeing walk into something a lot more exciting and memorable. There are trails all over our area of the country, and the UK in general.  I think they would be great either when sightseeing in a new area or - like for me and Half Pint - a new way to explore your own patch.  I definitely want to do more local ones, and will be checking for ones in any other places we visit.  I will return to my grumble about the cost though, and say that I'd probably do a lot more if there was a cheaper price tag!

Any other Treasure Trailers out there?  I'd love to hear which ones you've tried, and what you thought.

* I am a concrete atheist and not in the least bit spiritual, but even I took something away from this museum.  I learned something about the part different religions play in Glasgow, as well as refreshing my memory of RE lessons at school as to what different religions and cultures believe.  I think it's important to know these things, to understand and respect other people.  It would have been nice to see some non-religious belief systems - such as humanism - represented too though, if for no other reason than balance.

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Broody Tuesday :: Tick Tock Books [ My First 100 Words / My Big Truck Book]

You need only step into our living room to suss out that we are a family of readers.  Two floor-to-ceiling bookcases lean against one wall, stuffed with books for every member of the family.  I am a total book obsessive, so the biggest chunk of these is mine, and even then those are just the ones in my collection that I haven't read yet.  But the Milkman and the boys also have their own shelves - one of the first things I did after Mini Milk's birth was to dig out Half Pint's old baby favourites to be enjoyed again!

I want to pass my book addiction on to my kids (and it seems to be working so far with Half Pint), and so keep Mini Milk's books where he can reach them.  I want them to be just as accessible to him as toys, though he is quite hard on them so I may have to move some of the more delicate ones for now and build up our board book stash to fill the gaps!  Generally, all Mini Milk is interested in doing just yet is to pull them all off the shelf, and he is such an active baby that he doesn't often sit still long enough for us to read a full story together!  But they are part of his environment, and so that's a good start.


He does love to turn pages though, and recently has started to show an interest in two books in particular that we were very generously sent by Tick Tock books.  At first, I thought they were a bit too old for him so added them to his shelf with thoughts of coming back to them in a few months.  And I have to admit that as they aren't stories, I wouldn't have picked them for Mini Milk myself.  But...he loves them!  They have actually made me re-think the sort of books I would chose for him.  Looking back, some of his brother's favourite books were non-fiction picture books too - I remember one in particular which was shaped like a truck and even had wheels!

We've had the books for a good few weeks now, and Mini Milk will specifically bring them to us to share with him, or sit by himself looking through the pages.  He even recognises things in My First 100 Words - particularly the lovely bright images of foods or toys similar to his own - and I can see that this is helping him make sense of his world.  My Big Truck Book is by far his favourite of the two though, but I suppose that is to be expected when he has a mechanic, motor racing fans and petrol heads in his bloodline!

The images in both books are sharp, colourful and have a good variety of sizes, positioning and subjects.  I think this is the big grab for Mini Milk, as there is so much to explore on each page.  From a practical point of view they have good quality pages and must be sturdily bound, as Mini Milk fair flings them about and can be quite rough on the pages and they are still intact!

As Christmas approaches, I will definitely be looking at other similar books for Mini Milk.  The books by Tick Tock seem very good value and they have a lot in their range, so I think Santa may be looking to them for some inspiration this year, and in years to come.

I offered to review these books in return for our copies, but all views in this entry and in the blog in general are completely my own.

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Sanity Sunday :: Adam Buxton's BUG live at the GFT

There's no point in sugar coating this - I have been treated for depression on and off for more years than I can remember.  Currently, treatment status would be "on" but one of the best forms of helping me feel as if there is colour in my world doesn't come in the form of anything prescribed by my GP.  Finding things to smile about, getting out there and really living life - that is what is the best medicine for me.  My depression isn't something I shout from the rooftops, but at the same time it isn't something I feel I should hide.  It is what it is, and so occassionally I'll write these Sanity Sunday posts to either get something off my chest, explore an issue or celebrate the things that make me feel better.  And so this first post is one such celebration, as I got to see Adam Buxton doing his "Best of BUG" show live at the GFT in Glasgow.

I first discovered BUG in it's televised format on Sky last year, and was hooked from the first five minutes.  For the uninitiated, BUG is where Buxton shares some music video gems (though whilst some are gems for their creativity and artistic yums, some are just gems for all the wrong reasons) and sometimes dips into the quite frankly mental world of the comments left for them on YouTube.  All of this is done with Buxton's incredible delivery and comedic ability, and he also throws some of his own amazing music videos into the mix.  It's possibly the best thing I have ever seen on TV, and seeing it live was even better!

countdown to BUG!

Adam Buxton is an incredibly funny man, and unlike a lot of comedians he doesn't rely on shock or nastiness to get a laugh.  Obviously, he is poking fun at some of the ridiculous comments people leave on YouTube, but he lets their rudeness, arrogance or stupidity speak for itself.  His comedy doesn't leave you feeling uncomfortable, and I love not having to question my enjoyment.  He also knows how to tell a story, layering the details and building up to the punch line.  I could listen to him talk all night.

I thought the video selection was great.  That may seem an obvious statement given it was a "best of" and some of the acts (Bloc Party, Arctic Monkeys, Passion Pit) were straight from my play list.  But even when the style of music wasn't something I'd chose to listen to I was still captivated by the videos.  In every case it was a video that perfectly suited the music, not just chosen for the visuals at the expense of the audio element.  And comedy aside, that is what I love about BUG - it celebrates music videos as an art form, something that is getting more and more muddied when all that any of the music channels seem to want to show are videos with the most sex and the least clothing.

The Milkman and I went with my friend and her other half, and they all seemed to think the show was amazing (obviously...I wouldn't associate with people with poor taste), but argued it was maybe too music heavy.  They wanted more comedy with shorter video clips.  I totally disagree with that, because the music is the point and there are other Adam Buxton shows with different agendas.  I think the balance was spot on, and I was very sad when the final segment came to an end.

BUG is actually performed bi-monthly at the BFI Southbank - if I make a trip down to London, it will have to coincide with one of those performances!  I don't know what I'll do in the meantime, as I'm not sure if it will be coming back to Sky...how do I fill the BUG shaped void in my life?!

Any other BUG fans out there?  Join me in a fangirl/boy moment in the comments...

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Weight Loss Wednesday :: Diet Bet

I lost 9lbs in September. And I didn't do it with meal replacements, living on juices or popping pills. And for the first time in my life, I also didn't do it with Weight Watchers or any other slimming group. This is the second of three posts on how I did it (post one talked about the incredible online fitness instructor I've discovered).

When it comes to dieting, I always think that there is one tool that you simply can't do it without. You could have a personal trainer, your own low-cal chef, daily weigh-ins and a home gym...but none of it would get you the results you want without this other tool. All the trappings money can buy wouldn't stop you sneaking off to gorge on chocolate when no one was looking, they wouldn't give you the spark to push yourself ever harder physically, and they wont give you the momentum to make a permanent change to your life.

This tool is the fuel of any successful attempt to lose weight, get fit and live healthily. Motivation!

Everyone has their own motivations. I know I have a few different ones like getting back into my smaller clothes which are all packed away in my loft, or improving my long term health so I can be one of those incredible old people who still do all their own stunts. But like anyone on a long journey, I get tired. My motivation to slip into my size tens isn't so strong now that I've dropped a couple of sizes already, and now that I don't feel as obvious as a whale when walking down the high street the desire for change is less of a burn and more just a tingle. Of course, the knock-on from this droop in motivation is that my progress had ground to a halt. Actually, it had been reversing a little...some pounds had crept back on. Not cool.

 Looking for inspiration, I came across Cassey Ho and her Blogilates site. In the run up to the launch of her #Sweatember workout calendar, Cassey was also promoting something called a Diet Bet that she would be running alongside it. Diet Bet sells itself as "social dieting", but basically people can create games (which is what Cassey did) and participants join and basically pay to bet a set amount on themselves to lose 4% of their weight in the 28 day duration of the game.  If you manage to lose it, you share the money in the pot with everyone else who hits the target too.  In the Blogilates game there was $119,600 in the pot!

Now, I'm not a gambler. But I worked out what 4% of my weight would be and decided that it wasn't an impossible amount to lose in four weeks. That made the odds a lot better, and with my motivation failing me in every other form I decided to see if this could give me the kick I needed.

And what a powerful motivator money turned out to be! Not so much the chance of winning money, but the idea that if I didn't lose the weight I would instead lose the money I had bet on myself. I'm really watching the pennies right now, so there was no way I was going to let that cash get flushed down the drain simply because I couldn't say no to cake! Weighing in each week kept me focused, and I was really pleased with my progress. In the end, I smashed my 4% target by losing nearly 6% instead, which meant not only did I win my initial bet back but I also won nearly the same amount over again.

To me though, the money is secondary.  The real prize is being ale to say that I lost in a month more than I had gained in the months previous, and that I am now on the verge of being back at a healthy weight.  That means I am just 8lbs away from the goal weight I’ve had in my sights since Mini Milk was born last September.  Money can't buy that sort of prize, and the motivation keeps on giving once the game is over because my passion for weight loss has been reignited.  I would definately recommend getting involved in a Diet Bet to anyone who is struggling with motivation. Even if you don't win, you're bound to lose at least some of that 4% and any step towards your goal is surely worth at least a $25 bet!  I know I'll be taking part in another one soon, possibly in November, just to keep my efforts up...it would be amazing to be at my goal weight for Christmas!

What motivates you on a weight loss mission?  I'm always looking for tips, so feel free to share!

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Broody Tuesday :: Kids in Clubs

This weekend saw not one but two marathon events. There was of course the Great Scottish Run, which the Milkman took part in for his third or fourth year. But as this is a Broody Tuesday entry, I'm going to talk about the other marathon event - Half Pint's swimming Club Championships!

can you spot the one that isn't for swimming?!

Eight hours of swimming split over two days! Eight hours of sitting poolside, sweating it out in the mock tropical atmosphere with your bum numbed by hard tile seats just to see your child swim for a total of about five minutes! What's not to love?!

Actually, it isn't quite as bad as it sounds.  For anyone who has a child that has taken that step from swimming lessons to swimming at a competitive level (or indeed a child who has taken any passion to the next level), seeing them do what they love and do well at is a total joy.  It shows that all the shuttle runs to and from training, all the fees and money spent on kit, all the rearranged plans and times you say "sorry, I can't - that's a swim night" are worth it.

This is Half Pint's second championships - last year he walked his age group by scooping gold in four out of five events (breaststroke, butterfly, backstroke and his medley) with a silver in his front crawl, and being awarded the shield for being the fastest boy in his age group.  However, this year was tougher as he's gone from being a ten year old in the 9-10's to an eleven year old in the 11-12's.  There's a big difference between someone who's just turned eleven and someone who is soon to be thirteen, I can tell you!  We prepared him for the fact that this year would probably be more of an experience and chance to better his personal bests, rather than being about medals and trophies.  But he held his own, doing so well in his heat for the first event that he got put into the faster heat for the other four.  He came a steady fourth in all those faster heats, so although he only got participation medals he is chuffed to be the fastest eleven year old!

Now, I'm not someone who is a fan of watching sports.  And I'm not someone who can really get myself excited about how other people's kids get on (I know, I know - hardly team spirited, am I?).  But even I find those heart-thumping moments when Half Pint is actually racing exhilarating.  And actually, I like events like this as a chance to spy on him.  Not in some weirdo stalkermum way, but as kids get older more and more of their lives are played out away from your watchful eye.  Sometimes it's nice to be able to observe Half Pint interacting with his friends, handling himself in serious situations and just generally being him.  I'm always struck at events like this just how grown up he is these days, and I do think his swimming has played a big part in shaping the young man he is turning out to be.

I was featured in a national newspaper recently, in an article about mums with busy kids.  It was a positive article, and in my discussion with the journalist we got talking about how beneficial an extra-curricular commitment can be for kids.  I'll be honest, apart from it being something he enjoyed doing, I didn't really consider the benefits when I first let Half Pint try out for the team.  But now it's such a big part of his life (and an all-consuming part of the family's life too!), I can really see the impact it has had on him.  And that goes far beyond the physical and health benefits of a sport, or the confidence boost of a medal.  His ability to mix with a diverse range of kids - including those older than him - has grown, and I think that sets him in good stead for high school next year.  He's also had to navigate the world of competitions without me to guide him, which has built him up and boosted his ability to deal with pressure and new situations.  He even has a whole door of opportunities for study and career choices later in life thrown open to him that he may never have even been aware of.  The list is endless, when I sit down to think about it!  And if all I have to do is give up a few of my weekends - as precious as they are - to support him, then I don't think that's much to ask.  After all, it could be worse - at least swimming is interesting to watch, and is indoors!

Any other swim mums out there?  Or are there any other parents whose kids do activities outside of school?  Do you agree that there are benefits beyond entertainment or honing a skill?  Or do you think there are drawbacks?  I'd love to hear from you!

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Fitness Friday :: Pilates and Blogilates

I lost 9lbs in September. And I didn't do it with meal replacements, living on juices or popping pills. Plus for the first time in my life, I also didn't do it with Weight Watchers or any other slimming group. This is the first of three posts on how I did it (post two talks about a fantastic motivational tool I discovered).

Even though I have taken my eye off the ball recently in terms of my 101 things to complete in 1001 days, I managed to complete a task!

Goal #10 Take a Pilates class

the view from the yoga mat

Doing Pilates in a class format was really beneficial for me in terms of form and breathing. I took away a lot more from those two classes than I have from years of different workout DVDs. And an instructor behind a screen just can't give you the hands on training you get from being in the same room as someone. For example, I have been totally unaware all this time that my right hip dips considerably when I do things such as leg raises on all fours. I thought I was keeping my hips pretty set, but an instructor can give you real feedback. Perhaps this is why I sometimes feel as if my back has taken a hit from a workout, because I'm not correcting my natural wonkiness.

Unfortunately, the class I picked was run during lunch at my work, and I was the only person in the whole place who felt like getting some exercise on their break. After two weeks, it disbanded. But even though I was the only participant the instructor put me through my paces like it was a proper class. I thought it was pretty tough, and whilst I like to think it's because I was the only person she was focusing on, in reality she was probably going easy on me! I push myself more in classes than I ever would do working out at home, so I really felt it...both in terms of muscle fatigue and in terms of shame - my core and balance are appalling! Particularly in side-plank (or really anything that involved holding my weight on my side) I was wobbling and tipping over on to my back like a drunk tortoise! I guess that just shows that a combination of not pushing myself hard enough at home and being pretty sporadic with my efforts has meant that I still have a long way to go before I feel strong!

The class at work came along just as I was discovering the fizzy, bubbly, crazyhappy world of Cassey Ho and her Blogilates website. Gah, I love this girl!! She is gorgeous, has amazing hair, a body to die for, can work out like a machine, always has something positive to say, is wonderfully creative, has a great mind for marketing and is pretty darn smart. She is the only person in the world who can cheerfully talk about what colour she has painted her nails, whilst doing a round of ten sidewinder burpees. I am so envious that by all natural laws I should hate her. But I totally adore her. And I think the reason is because she is so committed to what she preaches - training mean and eating clean.

Cassey has more free workout videos than I could count (let alone do!) and I love how they are designed in a way that they could be done as short blasts when you are pushed for time, or combined for longer sessions, either pick'n'mix style or by following a series. And if you can't decide, then there is always a monthly calendar which Cassey puts together with links to the workouts she suggests you should do each day.


I started by dipping in and out of the beginners' calendar, but took the leap to commit to following her Sweatember (September) calendar almost to the day. Trust me, that's a big leap! She doesn't go easy, and some of her moves are insane (donkey kicks, anyone?!). But she is a great instructor, and as long as you like chatter then she can keep you motivated and distracted from the pain ripping through your shell-shocked muscles. The music isn't always my cup of tea, but pop music does have more of a place in her routines than indie does so I just let the cheese wash over me!

And trust me, this is the kind of fondue that is actually good for you - in just a month I can see myself making progress. I did her all-in-plank workout Playa Del Plank at the start and then again the other day and the difference was impressive. I also think my thighs are looking more shapely than they have looked in my entire life, and I actually have some definition in my upper arms. And I can actually see where my thighs stop and my bum begins, which is a new development for me!

I will end with a warning though! If like me, you have a partner or tween son kicking about, don't let them in on your secret weapon. Cassey may train you like a beast, but she isn't shy about flaunting her beauty and is a big fan of "booty shorts", so you may end up with an audience every time you hit play!

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