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Yoga, Kickboxing and an E-bike

9/8/2014

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Well, that weekend came and went didn't it!? A bit too quickly for my liking, but there you go. Actually, we're kind of still on our weekend, courtesy of the Mid Autumn Festival that is currently being celebrated here in China, so ALL GOOD.

No running over the weekend, but I did do an intense, efficient body weight workout (courtesy of Hasfit) and some cycling around town and through the riverside parks. Feeling unexpectedly sore and stiff today, I think from the Hasfit workout (hadn't done that particular one in a long time).

Something that I did do however, was to sign up for the yoga club, and the kickboxing club!! Very excited about these two activities, just hope I can understand the instructor. Mind you, might be a good way to improve my Chinese, yes? Husband also signed up for the kickboxing club, so watch this space on how we go on this one. Many years ago, back in the day, I used to go to a kickboxing club on a Friday evening, and it was LOADS of sweaty fun. Can't wait.
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In other exciting news (for us anyhow) we bought an e-bike today, so now can cruise freely and easily around town and further afield. Yay! I will not, however, be riding said e-bike, but will happily straddle it and hold on as Husband does the honours (I am a terrible driver so am sure riding an e-bike will not be one of my strengths). Watch this space for e-bike adventure pictures! (Before it gets too cold that is).

Do you practise yoga? Kickboxing? (I can see my running diminishing and diminishing until it's an every now and then thing, perhaps having been replaced by all the fun cross-training! Oh dear...)

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Achey-Breakey Whaaat??

6/23/2014

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Woke up with weird achey legs today (mainly my inner thighs). WTF?! Oh, and slightly achey arms, chest and back too. What the... Hmm, maybe I had left it too long in between doing sessions of that kickboxing workout. But it's only a short one and it's only (mainly) cardio?? (There are a few push-ups and lunges though). Oh well.. This ache, combined with the constant rain (that, according to the weather reports is set to continue for another 2 weeks straight!) resulted in me forfeiting my run this morning and replaced it with lazing in bed with this little cutie:
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Please excuse the shiny face there. This was us, last year, maybe around September or October, when our student friend who used to look after Puppy when we went away, gave us and "Bear" (her official name - one of about 4 names we currently use) some bling: bracelets for us and a collar for Bear, each with our name on. (She apparently wasn't a fan though, and later managed to get it off and chew it in exactly the right spot so it wouldn't fasten anymore. She has done this with a few leads in the past too. She's one smart puppy.)

I'm hoping the rain lessens a bit later on in the day, and then I can combine the (belated) run with a trip to some shops I've been meaning to get to (the Digital Marketplace, for all your computer/techno needs, we hope), but we'll see.

Oh, and I finally got around to updating this website this morning, so if you've been feeling left out when perusing the Wonderful Websites I Frequent page, then fear not, I have added a few more of my regular looked at sites there. It was well overdue, but for some reason my procrastination habit left me leaving it by the wayside. I have also updated my Race Pictures page, so there are a few more from the 50km trail race if you're interested.

Short and sweet from me in China today. (Internet issues AGAIN, so if I keep it short, there's more chance of it getting out there!).


I hope you have a terrific Tuesday!

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Husband, Herbs, and Healthy Food

6/22/2014

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Surprise, surprise, it is STILL raining here in Yiwu. After all my talk of enjoying a run through the summer rain and drizzle, I woke up this morning and was decidedly not keen to get wet out there today, so instead I did this super fun kickboxing workout instead: http://hasfit.com/workouts/home/cardio-aerobic/cardio-kickboxing/ and will soon be doing some relaxing yoga, plus some core work (finally! It hasn't happened yet, even when I've put it down in my schedule, hmm, seems easy to forget about all too often).

Over the weekend (in between and during the downpours) we cycled around to a traditional Chinese herbalist/medicine shop where Husband gets his turmeric from. It is a fascinating place full of things that for the most part we have little to no idea of what they are or the benefits they hold. We actually went in with a list of a few different items as well as his usual turmeric (he has it daily, as well as ginger and garlic, separately though, usually as a small shot mixed in with some olive oil - so good for your health, don't know why I haven't followed suit yet) however it was a case of things getting lost in translation and they mixed all of the other three herbs and ground  them up together, instead of three separate bags, hmmm, must be good for something hey. (Super mix?)


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The rest of the weekend was spent avoiding the rain and resting/watching documentaries, catching up with family and friends 'back home' via Skype, and eating delicious, healthy meals, as per these pictures below, some of our favourites dishes here in China:
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In other news, it is less than TWO weeks now til I get to see this amazing woman (on the left):
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Oh, and I will run the Gold Coast half marathon too. :)

In an excellent twist of fate, Husband's best mate from here in Yiwu will be back in town for his summer holiday with his family (he gets back on the day that I leave town), so Husband will be able to have a good catch up with his good friend, while I am on a mission travelling to Oz and back seeing my best friend and running a race.




I hope YOU had a great weekend!




Do you eat/use turmeric in your cooking? Heard/know about its amazing health benefits?

Do you regularly take any other herbs/spices/supplements? (Husband eats a few raw garlic cloves and gnaws on fresh ginger each day, and has about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of turmeric.)




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Yoga For Runners

5/1/2014

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Instead of a run this morning, I chose to do some yoga instead. I used to do a back and core routine about twice a week, but wanted to do something new, as it had been a  while since I last did any yoga. After a quick youtube search I settled on this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of2spyCtUkw. Felt soooo good to stretch. It says it's a 20 minutes sequence but as our internet is still having major issues, I think I got to hold each pose that little bit longer while the page loaded again and again, haha, so was about a 30 minute yoga workout for me. Great way to start the day.

My cross training is usually strength or weights, a kickboxing workout, or cycling and walking, but for some reason I always neglect or forget about yoga until I finally DO it again, then I'm like 'how could I have forgotten how good this feels?' Admittedly, yoga on the floor of my apartment here in China brings nowhere near the happiness levels that yoga in Bali with Annie brought, but it's still a good thing to do to mix it up from running. Ahhh, maybe I can just imagine and pretend that I've really been doing yoga this morning in beautiful Canggu and that now Annie and I are waiting for our awesome food-on-a-plate-breakfasts... Oh how I miss this, wish we were back here now:

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Another reason for no run this morning: saving my legs for my long and (hopefully) mountainous run tomorrow morning. Again, hope this sunny, hot weather continues - no rain for tomorrow please China.

Enjoy your Friday people! :)


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Quickies

11/25/2013

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Good morning all! (Or afternoon for some). I trust everyone will have a fabulous Tuesday.

Today's scheduled run was a quick 5km run. This took me about 20 minutes, and when I got back I felt distinctly unsatisfied, and kind of like I've just warmed up and was now ready for action. Now, don't get me wrong, the quickie has its time and place (nowt wrong with the occasional quickie), its just that this morning it left me wanting more...
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So, I did a 30 minutes kick-boxing workout when I got back. No extra running = training schedule still on track = feeling awesome = only 1 more training run til the race!

I was worried last night that I may have made a silly mistake and agreed that it's an awesome idea to go and climb a mountain at the edge of our city on a Monday late arvo after work when it's only 6 days away from an event that I've been preparing for diligently for months, as after said mountain climb (hundreds of steps steep enough and precarious enough to rival that of the Great Wall - hence we have nicknamed it the Great Wall of Yiwu, our city) I had that shaky/wobbly leg thing
going on. But it seems that a self-administered calf massage followed by a HUGE plate of vegetable dumplings, a cucumber and rice noodle salad, coconut juice, and, later on, dark chocolate, has fixed any would-be achiness or injury. Turns out it was an awesome idea (thanks Husband!), and it provided us with an amazing view of the city and the mountains surrounding it on what was a clear, crisp evening.

Have a tops Tuesday now won't you.
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Hangry??

11/19/2013

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Yesterday's run = 7km easy recovery pace early morning run, followed by about 45 mins yoga (i.e. stretching).

Today = no running. Will be strength training / cross training. Probably do a bit of kick-boxing, as I find that really fun and reminiscent of going to kickboxing classes about 11 years ago (my good friend and I, at 18 ish years old, were somehow in the 9-10 year old class on a Friday evening - they had some serious moves! Was loads of fun. Yes, we did get up to a whole RED belt! be impressed haha....). Will also try to do some body weight training or maybe some moves with some barbells. Who knows...

Something happened the other day. Was weirdly annoyed and angry in general. At everything. And anyone. Then we ate lunch (amazing buffet of different vegetable dishes and rice at the equivalent of a Chinese fast food place) and hey presto = anger gone. So, apparently, when I am hungry, I am a little angry?? I believe this is coined as 'Hangry' hey.

Does anyone else suffer from Hanger? Is this just a female issue, or do any men suffer from it too? My poor, enduring coach/husband, what he has to go through...

Here's to a wonderful Wednesday! Happy running/training/whatever you're up to!

Ps - This is where I am aching to be this morning, beautiful Lembongan Island:
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    A 30-something's running and travelling experience around the world.

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