Running on Full

Random thoughts, used to be about running

Thoughts on Running

So you like running huh? Tell me more about carb loading

Getting the Basics Right – Nutrition and Fuelling for Marathon Day (Part 1)

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

We all know good nutrition is essential to performance. With this in mind, I was lucky enough to be invited to an event hosted by Science in Sport (SiS) on nutrition and fuelling for marathon day. In return, I was asked to write this post. I also wanted to share some of the key takeaway messages. The afternoon included a number of presentations and a run. Presenters included Dr James Morton – SiS Knowledge Director, expert on sport and exercise metabolism and academic at Liverpool John Moores University, also nutritionist for Team Sky Alan Murchison – SiS Ambassador and owner of […]

running and stress

Running off Stress: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

Stress – we’re told it’s bad for us, our waistlines, our health. But is this always the case? And what does it do for your running? I got interested in the question of running and stress, having lost my mojo and here’s what I found. Not all types of stress are bad and many experts agree that if we get it right, it can add a real boost to performance, in the short term at least.  It could be those butterflies in the stomach at the start of a race,

Embracing the Blerch

Embracing The Blerch: The Runner’s Dilemma

Sophie–Thoughts on Running–

Embracing the Blerch is tough. The Blerch is that part of all of us – the fat little cherub who follows when we run, sleep, work and eat.  He’s a wretched lazy beast who represents all form of gluttony, apathy and nothingness. I take no credit in naming this little beasty, that goes to The Oatmeal. The Blerch sometimes whispers, sometime shouts –

Running in Knole Park

Good Times, Bad Times and a Picnic

Sophie–Thoughts on Running–

So running in Knole Park … Let’s start with the bad… Have you ever felt your body out of whack when you’re running? You know what I mean – legs are heavy and there’s no rhythm to your stride even after a few miles. Your diet is fine, you’ve slept well, stress levels are OK, but you feel like you’re wearing concrete boots.

getting back into running

3 Tips for Getting Back into Running

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

We all know change is hard so here are 3 tips for getting back into running. For me, shifting from the habits of the last few months of not running, being a Netflix junky, drinking too much and not cooking – to running, cooking and engaging with the world a little more, is tricky. But this week, while the Blerch hung about, the little voice was a little quieter. Mostly. More on that later. So I’ve managed 3 runs, a little over 14 miles in total with the longest being 5 ½

the blerch

Silencing the Blerch

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

It’s time to meet the blerch – the fat little cherub who follows when I run, sleep, work and eat.  He’s a wretched lazy beast who represents all form of gluttony, apathy and nothingness. Thank you to The Oatmeal for giving this beasty a name and such apt descriptors

Cartoon on runner lying on a physio table bandaged up asking when he can run again.

The Injured Runner ….

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

There is little worse than being in the presence of the injured runner. In early 2015, I was at my physiotherapist, lying on my front while he worked on my torn calf muscle. I had a decision to make.

Happy New Year

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

I’ve started the year off well. My second only parkrun, improving my time from mid-2012 by almost 8 minutes!  I’m not a fast runner and I certainly wasn’t when I started but I’m really happy to see how far I’ve come. It’s not always been easy and none of it has come naturally never having been a runner up until a few years ago

Berlin running

Berlin running (no, not the marathon…)

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

Berlin running – I love running in cities I’ve never been before – all those corners to turn, leading me into the heart of and off the edge of tourist maps. Berlin is one of those places – pretty flat and interesting things to see particularly if you’re a fan of graffiti

fat pad impingement

Ever Heard of this One? …. Fat Pad Impingement

Sophie–Thoughts on Running–

Fat pad impingement…what?!? It’s been hard to think about what to write when it comes to running over the last couple of weeks. Yep, I know, my blog is new. And starting it coincided with an injury I nor any other runner I know has ever heard of. It began 6 weeks ago. I was less than a mile into a run, going downhill and I tripped over a tree root. I hit the ground hard. Right knee and elbow bleeding. Covered in dirt from head to toe, I limped home. I thought with a bit of rest, stretching and rolling, […]

The joys of marshaling!

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

On the 22nd June I awoke to the buzzing of the alarm. The sky was bright with a smattering of translucent cloud. It was the morning of the inaugural Hackney Half and I had agreed to be a race marshal