When Russell Brand met the Dalai Lama...

Yesterday a group of us went to see the Dalai Lama talk at an event called Stand Up and Be the Change. I'm not particularly religious (my Catholic upbringing kind of fell by the wayside once church was no longer a mandatory Sunday activity) however, with free tickets for under 25's, this seemed like too good an opportunity to miss. Plus as soon as I heard that Russell Brand was acting as compere I was sold (he's my guilty pleasure, what can I say?).

I must admit I was a little apprehensive. I think I was half expecting to be preached at however there was a refreshing lack of religious terminology and the principles explored were not particularly controversial (such as the importance of forgiveness and how we all have the right to find spiritual happiness). The general consensus on our way out was that a lot of what was said made perfect sense however I did feel that the event lacked practical advice. It's all very well telling a group of people to 'Stand Up and Be the Change' however I'm still not quite clear about what I'm supposed to be changing and how I should go about doing so. Either way, I liked the focus on empowering young people and it did hit home that it is now our generation's turn to do our thing (no pressure...).

All in all it was a great way to spend a Saturday, especially the parts were Russell Brand attempted to interpret the Dalai Lama's advice on spiritual wellbeing (there's a sentence I never thought I'd write!).

Mersey Tunnel 10K

Last Sunday I ran the Mersey Tunnel 10K. I'd heard about it a while ago and vowed to take part, mainly for the novelty factor of running through the tunnel (for similar reasons I also want to run the London Zoo 10K). Having completed a half marathon in the past I knew this distance was certainly do-able however, as I've been somewhat lacking in motivation, felt it would still be a decent challenge.

The race itself didn't disappoint. Sure parts were tough (I wasn't counting on the sun making a rare appearance) and negotiating my way through fellow runners at the beginning was a pain, however the great atmosphere meant that I genuinely enjoyed myself. Crossing the finish line in just over 53 minutes, I was reminded of why I am so determined to make running a part of my life.

I wish every run felt like a race (and not just because I'm weirdly competitive). I love the shift in attitude that race day brings. Of course the crowds spur you on however there's also that constant voice in your head telling you that stopping/walking just isn't an option. Sometimes it takes a certain kind of environment to really push yourself and lone training runs don't always cut it. When I'm jogging around my local park I will use any excuse to stop for a breather (my ipod needs adjusting, I need to tie my lace, I have to stretch... you get the picture) despite the fact that I know my body is more than capable of carrying on.

My next step is to join a running club. Having briefly dabbled in the past, I think I now need to make the commitment and find somewhere that won't let me stop unnecessarily as soon my legs get a little achy! I also need to work on my general overall fitness however the longer I can put off attending circuit training during my lunch break the better.

Five ridiculous things

There seems to be two primary functions of a blog. One is to post photos of yourself in various outfits and the other is to rant into cyberspace about whatever is currently on your mind. Considering I'm not the most photogenic of people I've decided that the latter option is best and so here you have it, a condensed insight into what's been irritating me lately:


1). Jessica Ennis being called fat

Stupidest. Thing. EVER. As always, I'll leave it to more eloquent bloggers (here and here) to expand on this but suffice to say I am annoyed.


2). My phone not recognising the word 'patriarchy'

Clearly technology's attempt to completely undermine the feminist movement. Blackberry, I'm onto you!


3). Pasty tax talk

Yes this tax was ridiculous. What's more ridiculous is the fact that we're all still talking about it. Our country is still in financial crisis. People around the world are still suffering. There may even be another female athelete to insult (joke). Let's move on already and devote headlines to more worthy topics.


4). The weather

Sorry to go all British but it's a topic which can't be avoided. I just can't cope with such changeable seasons! How on earth am I expected to choose an outfit for the day when I have no idea if I'll be reaching for the sun cream or more layers?


5). My waistline

I'll admit this is largely (oooh good pun) self inflicted and I can hardly expect much else from the amount of oreos I've been consuming (have definitely reached a new personal best). For some reason cutting back just seems unthinkable at the moment (how else would I get through the week without so many carbs?!) and so I've resigned myself to the fact that it will probably take either a beach holiday or a few fat jibes to make me shed the pounds. Although if you do call me fat I will cry. And possibly throw an oreo at you.

Running Towards the Cake

I love the running community. I have read so many blogs singing the praises of fellow runners and saying how supportive they are however nothing beats experiencing this first hand.

I went on my third Park Run this morning which I found ridiculously hard (slightly worrying when I have a 10K in a month) however the wonderful volunteers who cheer everyone on each week genuinely make my day. Having a complete stranger complimenting your running, even if it's stretching the truth and they say it to everyone, is a great ego boost when you're out sans make up on a Saturday morning.

The only problem is, a 5K run at 9am seems to trick my body into thinking it's entitled to chocolate biscuits galore. Luckily I'm not really running to lose weight (and here's why you shouldn't either!) and so can cross the finish line safe in the knowledge that I'll be indulging in the calories when I get home. Of course there's a happy medium and no one can exercise at their full potential having lived off takeaways for a month however it's all about the bigger picture. Life's no fun without your favourite things and there's certainly room for both running and cake in mine!

If you're a runner (or want to be) and are looking for motivation then I would thoroughly recommend Spikes and Heels (where the above linked peice is from), an amazing website by Muireann Carey-Campbell. Living by the motto "be pretty on rest days", her site is a must read for anyone wanting to break out of their comfort zone.

Have a treat filled weekend x

Day Five (almost time for treats)

I quickly decided against blogging each day about what I was eating for Live Below The Line, purely because no one wants to read about cheese sandwiches and biscuits for five days straight.

I am approaching tomorrow with the same excitement as I would my birthday as I can reintroduce my usual treats into my diet. I wouldn't say I've gone hungry over the last five days (in fact, I've probably still eaten more than a lot of people who weren't living below the line) however it's the lack of variety and spontaneity which have been the hardest. I'm so used to grabbing food at every opportunity, whether it's chocolate to break up the working day or biscuits (which aren't Asda smart price) in front of the TV. I've also missed being able to pay for the convenience of having food whenever I want it. Eating dry toast on the train to London yesterday was probably a low point of the week!

Of course five days is absolutely nothing and, as numerous other participants have been saying on Twitter, there's so many more people who are permanently living below the line (and don't have the luxury of constantly tweeting at others for support). I've gone through this week counting down the days until I can go back to my old (bad) habits however I'd like to think I've taken more from the experience than a new level of appreciation for Nutella.

Having to think so carefully about what you're eating is exhausting (I'm still worrying about the possibility of going over budget and I never want to weigh out pasta again). It also impacts your social life considering I couldn't have afforded one cocktail with my weekly budget (and no one wants you watching them eat whilst you're sipping a glass of tap water).

As I said on Monday, I'm not asking for sponsorship as I don't think skipping after work drinks is enough to inspire people to give generously. I would, however, urge you to have a look at the amazing charities Live Below the Line are working with and let them speak for themselves. I've decided to donate money to Positive Women however they're all incredibly worthwhile causes and so please, swap that Friday night glass of wine for some good karma and donate if you can.

Day 2- Like a diet but with no beach holiday to look forward to

Okay that's a slight exaggeration as I'm hardly depriving myself of calories. I lied yesterday. I ended up indulging in some evening snacks of biscuits and dry toast. I also managed a second breakfast and pre dinner snack today (see how I'm making this work for me?).

I think the main issue is knowing I'm not allowed certain foods. There's nothing wrong with pasta for dinner (again...) however when I know it's my only option it's suddenly a lot less appetising. And working out the cost of every single thing I eat is giving me a headache (or that could just be the diet coke withdrawal symptoms).

Today's menu was poached egg on (dry) toast for breakfast, cheese sandwiches for lunch (which I would probably be having anyway due to my lack of imagination) and pasta, sauce and sweetcorn for dinner. I also had a banana and some biscuits for snack time. Reading that back it looks like loads but there would usually be more chocolate/crisps present in my diet which are definitely the main things I'm missing! On the bright side, I'll be keeping my dentist happy.

Day one: Let's go shopping!

I started the Living Below the Line challenge badly by not having bought my week's worth of food the night before (unfortunately a hangover and Sunday trading laws got in the way). Instead I went shopping this morning which, considering I was already hungry (ie. irritable), wasn't the best way to spend a bank holiday.

So here's what I bought:

Eggs (splashed out on free range), cheese, sweetcorn, one potato, pasta, five bananas, pasta sauce, bread, biscuits (unfortunately my budget didn't quite stretch to oreos). All for the grand total of £4.89

I am usually a bit of a brand snob however today I obviously didn't have the option of shunning the supermarket's cheapest versions. Although I will say that I'm pleasantly surprised by Aldi's pasta sauce and Asda's smart price biscuits. Clearly the name on the packet doesn't mean everything (probably would have done me some good to have learnt that as a student...).

Anyway, day one over (eating wise anyway, no room in the budget for my usual array of post dinner snacks) four more to go!