I like to move it, move it :-D

I am LOVING that my news feeds (both fb and actual real life) are full of people doing sporting things whether that be walking for half an hour every morning, cycling 100 miles, learning to swim and everywhere in between.

It stuck me (this morning on my 4k run around our local reservoir) that it doesn't matter what you can or can't do - the quote 'if you can't run, walk; if you can't walk; crawl.' came to me.  Even superman - Christopher Reeve - is reported to have exercised daily after his accident.  Not everyone wants to run a marathon, do an Ironman competition, or even swim 2 lengths, but there's usually something we're happy to do.

We've been gifted this phenomenal piece of equipment and it would be a shame to discover some of it's talents.  Yes it's not all just exercise, not all food but likelihood is everything else can be a lot more enjoyable if we do some good in each of those categories.

Here's to a happy, healthy summer and if you can - where you can - just move it! Dance around the kitchen, walk instead of drive, cycle instead of walk and most of all - enjoy it!







Or of course you can dance in the rain...

I did it! I actually became a (raw vegan fed, barefoot running, alternative) TRIATHLETE!

And more to the point I LOVED it!!

From the prep and the atmosphere to the swim, the cycle in lashing rain and the strongest winds I've been out on my bike in (they nearly stopped me at one point) to a great fun and fastest I've done a 5k run in, I loved it all.  Apart perhaps of having to drag back on wet through clothes (tri suit from swim and leggings/cycling shorts from the aforementioned lashing rain) after an essential behind a tree stop but these things happen. The alternatives - keep going and just go, or stop at the pub (that won best pub in the Best Pub Guide 2010? 2011? were unappealing for reasons which are at opposing ends of a spectrum. Either could have stopped me smiling for the rest of the event.

And smile I did. A lot. I felt like I was in my own zone - people - bless them one and all - encouraged me along but with no real need, I was as happy as ever, contented and needing of nothing other than someone to reflect my smile, have a bit of banter with now and again and carry on. 

I probably could have put more effort into each section and maybe I will next time but as it stands I am happily a Triathlete, and I feel being a homeopath, non competitive (still not discovered that streak in me....), barefoot runner and raw vegan foodie, proudly happy to say I'm a fairly Alternative Triathlete at that.

Til the next time

x

Dancing through life...

I think everyone gets it. I'm just LOVIN' the raw food. But that really is just part of the picture (of healing, fitness, life, health) and whilst it's great to feed your body (some would argue essential) the good stuff nutritionally, if that's all you're doing then it's still not really good enough.

We have been given these amazing bodies which have phenomenal healing ability and I believe it's our job to move them, enjoy them and be fully present in them.

My training has started - and the realisation I've got just 6 weeks left to train for my first triathlon has spurred me on a little.  I was inspired this week by a video my fab friend Debbie [from the always inspiring Makin' Tracks (have a peek at the link - I think I took the photo of the two of them on their home page... such beautiful people inside and out)] posted on facebook.

Have a peek here:

And then the dance walk guru was found - watch this for more:

Obviously I'm loving too the fact that Joe's in Vibram Five Fingers but aside from that what a fabulously happy way to move your body.  I love to skip down the street, I love to dance hula in my front garden under the stars and so jogging this Saturday at dawn I popped on the hula tracks on my iPod and jog-danced as the sky became lighter.  I ran twice as far as I thought I was going to, felt fabulous, creative, inspired, happy, light and so grateful to be able to move my body. 

Have a very very happy week and let's dance our way through the days.

With love,

Em x

PS If anyone fancies a dance jog in Embsay at dawn on a Saturday morning just give me a shout :)

Raw food a go-go!

Well I never thought I'd be here! Raw food was for, well, other people. Having said that I've always enjoyed enormous bowls of salad, fruit and love the fresh produce of the supermarket bit the most (get quite excitable am sad to say) so I suppose in a lot of ways it's not such an enormous surprise.

I'm still putting it down to our Tri club chairman recommending Chrissie Wellington's autobiography back in July which started me on my journey closer to this.  It's been amazing and from my decision to go totally veggie in September it's been incredibly quick to get here. Vegan (badly) was my November challenge and now, the 3rd of February I've just completed my day 2 of 100% raw.  Having spent 2 weeks preparing myself for this (one week of green smoothies for breakfast and continue as normal for the rest and one week with the smoothies plus one raw meal) I feel totally ready and excited. 

So far I've been lucky enough to follow Tracey Russell's Incredible Smoothies 21 day transition plan which I've found really helpful (shopping lists and meal plans laid out).  I like a bit of organising if someone's prepared to do that!  It's been easy, delicious (not found anything I've turned my nose up at yet - apart from the time I didn't blend the kale in my smoothie long enough... still it's a learning curve).  I've also had a raw coaching call with Rebecca Kane which I found really helpful and am looking forward to working with Maria Ingham from Food4Fuel (website coming very soon).  There's masses of YouTube videos which I've taken to listening to as I play in the kitchen, lots of facebook groups (our local Raw Next Door people Bonnie and Jamie are very supportive) and loads to learn which I love. 

However my biggest learning has been in how I feel. It's been very much about that for me.  This year I'm planning lots of personal development stuff especially around mindfulness and I'm finding the raw food has really tapped into a groove that makes so much sense.  My energy has shifted up a gear with increased clarity and focus.  I've been feeling pretty good on my mostly vegan/plant based diet but this is something else.  The sugary cake of 2012 has gone.  For good. I'm loving how good this feels and can't wait to discover more as I continue...

And in other Alt Tri news (aware as I am that my blog has become ALL about the food!) the barefoot running is going well, swimming about a mile a couple of times a week and the cycling... well the cycling. Let's hope tomorrow's a nice day as I'll get a quick spin on the bike then for the second time this year...

Bienvenidos. Welcome to my new raw food challenge.

Take a walk on the wild side

Rosy cheeked, relaxed, happy girls after a lovely afternoon at Forest School.  Got me thinking about re-grounding, re-connecting to the deeper being/entity/source of all things/energy.  Call it what you will, for me there's an amazing energy out there and being inside just seems to cut me off from it.  Being immersed in woodland, with a fire burning, leaves underfoot - I feel reconnected.

I ran last night too - my first barefoot run for ages and it was wonderful. Felt amazing to be able to get out (combination of reasons why not - holidays, not wanting to ask for help (I MUST learn my lessons on this one - working on it!), bad weather and busy with work) and just made me realise how good for me running barefoot is. Again.  There is something much purer, lighter, boundier about it - I love it!

(Sure I must just mention not to run barefoot without building up gradually - I spend most of my time when I'm in the house barefoot and in summer walk outside a lot shoe-less so doing a quick 2 mile run felt fine.  Do build up slowly though as you're using muscles you don't usually when running in regular training shoes.  There's lots of info and advice out there to assist with this.)

Time to swim now - here comes a mile in the pool (will be missing the great outdoors... visualising mountains and maybe Canada's glorious Lake Louise's turquoise splendour - although not it's glacial temperature).

Happy grounding people.

One step at a time...

Earlier this year, a friend asked whether I'd like to swim the Great North Swim - a mile in Windermere - with her.  Having asked the previous year and recieved a wimpy 'no' she, being an optimist, asked again.  And this year, based around my saying yes to what comes along and seeing where it leads - it was a resolute YES!  (Although I do admit, somewhat wimpily followed by worrying about the amount of kit I'd need, costs etc for wetsuit, training and race entries.)

So very glad it was a yes now looking back on it.  Dutifully I trotted along and purchased the most expensive piece of clothing in my wardrobe, a full body suit made out of rubber (which coming to the end of the season I'm considering trading in for an upgrade - more rubber in the wardrobe!).  At the time I was convinced it would be a one hit wonder and would wear it, sell it on eBay then be onto the next challenge.  Little did I know!

As yet I haven't swum in Windermere as the swim was cancelled with extreme weather making it impossible for the safety crew to be, well safe in their cayaks (that challenge will be next year in June, followed by the Winderemere Olympic distance Triathlon in July), but have swum several other miles in Open Water settings and race environments.  I am absolutely in love with being outside in the water in a way that I never quite expected to experience.  I feel very fortunate and grateful to everyone who's been a part of my journey so far whether that been to have given tips and support, laid on the water in a star shape at the side of me, or the ones who recommended the sexy rubber swimming hats for the really good look out on the water.

Inspired by other members of Craven Energy our local Triathlon club (having joined to be able to get open water swimming experience before the big day - yes the one that never came due to bad stormy weather), I decided probably in mid June that I'd take part in a Triathlon or two.  Well that would be sensible, I think I actually decided that I'd like to take part in an Ironman competition...  Researching more, that goal has been put to one side for now whilst I work on shorter distance competitons (and once time for training allows - who knows!)

I've started to run and been building up distances running barefoot using Vibram Five Fingers which is a great experience.  To really feel the surface beneath you, feel your foot moving and without the restriction of conventional footwear has been brilliant.  I do spend most of my time barefoot when I can but these bridge the gap for me til I'm brave enough to go running entirely barefoot....  I would recommend reading around barefoot running before taking the plunge and have particularly enjoyed Chris McDougall's Born To Run as a goog place to start.

Cycling is the next big hurdle but... one step at a time!