Support

Whether it be marathon training or charity fundraising this week my sister and I have been absolutely overwhelmed by the support of our family, friends and locals alike.  People really went out their way to help us on Saturday for our first big event - making coffee, serving, baking, cleaning up etc as well as the hundreds of people who came out on a miserable Saturday afternoon to support our coffee afternoon.  Even ones who couldn't make it were ever so kind to donate to us!  We were really touched and amazed that we raised £1330.  Wow.  Not only that but my best friend Jamie G is also running the London Marathon for charity and everyone is really getting behind him to sponsor him for his Prostate Cancer charity and give him friendly support to motivate him on the training runs.  It's brilliant not only to do these challenges but the fact that we can raise money for such great causes make it so much more worthwhile.  A few more events already lined up to raise money for the Beatson too - Grand Raffle, Fitness Classes, Prize Bingo (with Jamie G for Prostate Cancer UK), Valentines Pub Quiz and a May day Dance at the Argyll Hotel, Bellochantuy.  So much to plan and look forward to!

Mairi and I at the Coffee Afternoon, manning the door and manic raffle

I've also had some good runs this week alongside some of my marathon buddies, friends and club runners - it's great to chat, it really does make the time go past so much quicker and make your run more enjoyable.  I loved my trail run up Bengullion and desperate to do some more now.

My new trail shoes didn't stand a chance up Bengullion

For those who have been asking me about sponsoring me for the marathon and Great Wall of China Trek, I've finally got round to creating a Just Giving Page:  www.justgiving.com/elainemcg   All proceeds to the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.  A charity very close to my heart.  They look after so many people getting treated for cancer.  Some of them having to travel from Campbeltown (and all over) to be away from home whilst getting essential treatment and their extra special care makes that horrible time a little bit more bearable for them.

OK it's been a long month and we are scraping the back of cupboards for food inspiration AND my portion control has went out the window.  I will TRY to be better next week!

20. Jan	Exercise	Comments	Breakfast	Snack	Lunch	Snack	Dinner
Sat	16 mile run, average 9.10 min miles.  Horrible wet and windy day but it wasn’t that bad when got started.  Enjoyed it and the chat as per usual.	Coffee afternoon today so it’s all go!  Thanks to everyone who helped and supported.  Hosted a wee burns supper at Bodega to say thanks to some of the friends who helped this afternoon.	Pre: Slice soreen Post: Protein shake – blueberry protein, coconut water, banana and peanut butter – yum!	Water	Tuna sandwich and diluting juice.	Tea and shortbread fingers (x2)	Haggis, neeps and tatties with whisky sauce!  Dessert – Jen’s cranachan cheesecake and spoon of healthy cranachan.
Sun	Spin endurance.  24 lengths.  No run L	Wanted to do a few miles in the morning but it was lashing down so got up at 7am to tidy up and mark then just spin and swim today!  MOKTri meeting successful.  Finish prelim marking is the aim…	Toast with peanut butter and jam.	Water	Scrambled eggs, beans and toast.  Some of Creamy’s fudge.	Tea and shortbread.  Cappacino.	Leftover haggis and tatties followed by large slice of cheesecake.  Went to cinema so had popcorn, coke and chocolate.  Bad day for food.  Whoops.
Mon	5 miles easy at 5.15pm with Jen (weekend catch-up time).  45 mins taking spin.	Sleeping better J  Was absolutely teaming down at 5pm so got soaked during run!  Created a few new fundraising games for the Beatson.	Lemon yoghurt with muesli.	Green tea.	Chorizo and tomato soup, 3 ryvita.  Tangerine.	Green tea and handful of nuts & seeds.	Baked chicken breast with bbq sauce, baked potato and roast veg.  Tea and shortbread.
Tue	7.5 miles inc 12 x 1 min hills.  Loved it!	Slept in to 8.15 – whoops!  Chasing my tail the rest of the day but still productive.  Happy Birthday Dad!	Green tea and breakfast biscuits.	Water.	Chorizo and tomato soup, 3 ryvita.	2 ryvita with nutella.  Coffee.	Mountain of spaghetti (can never judge pasta!) with chicken, garlic, red onion and pesto.  Huge slice of Dad’s bday cake made by Mairi – delish!
Wed	1 mile swim at 7.15am.  6 mile run with Jamie G.  Combat.  Also took circuits and joined in a little when I could.	Great run with Jamie G, good yarn!  Lovely night.  Due to circuits had to miss hub meeting but will catch up.	Mandarins.	Green tea and alpen bar.	Wholemeal bread and vegetable soup.  Apple.	Hi5 energy bar.	Baked salmon with spinach and baby potatoes.  ‘healthy cheesecake.  Tea and Jen’s amazing NSNF loaf!
Thu	2.5 muddy run with x country up Bengullion.  6 miles easy club run.  30 mins core/stretch I took in Red X hall.	Great wee muddy run up Bengullion to break in my trail shoes – thanks James!  Loved club run – chance to catch up with my bestie Catriona who I struggled to keep up with!  Raised £31 from charity stretch class, thank you guys.	Porridge with mandarin segments and agave nectar.	Green tea.  Nuts/dried fruit.	Tuna sandwich.	Jen’s amazing NSNF loaf with 2 cups coffee.	Beans and toast with cheese.  Tea.  3 ginger oatcakes.  2 jaffa cakes.  Whoops.
Fri	Spin at 7am.  32 lengths.  Combat with S6.  Charity staff fitness mini classes – HIT, combat, yoga and core.	Horrible windy and wet day but it’s Friday!  Legs a bit tired but fine when get started at spin.  Charity classes go well - all good fun :-)	Pre:  Alpen bar.  Post:  NSNF loaf slice and green tea.	Green tea.	Oatcakes with tuna.	Clementines.	Spicy tomato and garlic pasta with lf smoked sausage.  Homemade garlic bread.  Some mini eggs!
Mileage	43

Cervical Cancer Prevention Week

What a manic but exciting week fitting in taking exercise classes, meetings and marathon training as well as planning our fundraising events and activities for our big Great Wall of China Trek Challenge around my full time teaching job and my prelim marking!  There is so much to do and organise for China... but it's all been great fun, if just a little stressful, and we've been OVERWHELMED by the kindness and generosity of all our family, friends, colleagues, clients and local businesses who have offered us helped or donated prizes, clothes or bottles!  Thank you!

Marathon training has went so far so good this week.... no major pain or injuries at the moment so my plan is to continue training with the club, keeping up the same mileage midweek but up my distance at the weekend by 1 or 2 miles each week.  Weather hasn't been too bad either, a bit wet, but I'll take that over snow and ice.  Loved our Saturday run to Southend so now just in need of some different routes....

 Had a lovely walk on Westport beach on Sunday with some of my favourite people in the world - sister Mairi (who is trekking China wall with me), best friend since nursery school Catriona and my best fitness fanatic friend Jen, who isn't in pic as she marched on ahead to Machrihanish :-)

 

It is National Cervical Cancer Prevention Week and as one of our chosen charities is Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust, therefore, this is the ideal time to raise awareness and funds for such a great cause.  Jo's Trust does amazing work providing help and support to those affected by Cervical Cancer.  One of it's main aims is to raise awareness and get women to go for screenings - cancer could be prevented if women just went for their smear tests.... but some find it too awkward or embarrassing so don't.... until it's too late.  Don't let this happen to you - get screened, be safe.

In aid of Jo's Trust, this week Mairi, Kerry and Gayle are donating all their hairdressing tips from Numero Dix Hairdressing Salon to the charity as well as running a guess the sweeties in the jar competition.  I'm also running a sweeties jar competition and bake sale in school (spent HOURS baking) and with the help of some of my lovely S6 pupils who are also baking some delightful treats to sell at interval.  John Mathieson, NHS nurse also came along to our 'healthy me' club to talk to pupils about the importance of smear tests and HPV vaccinations which was very informative and successful.  Jo's Trust has also sent us some great leaflets and information that we are going to share with them and at our Coffee Afternoon on Saturday at 2pm - 4pm in the Victoria Hall where there will be tonnes of baking, clothes, raffle prizes and bottle stall.  We're so grateful to anyone who has offered to help, bake or just come along and enjoy the event - it should be a great day so please spread the word!!!

 Some of my cupcakes for sale - (**update - we made a whopping £120 in school at cake sale - wow!)

Nutrition hasn't been the best this week to be honest but on the flip side despite getting hardly any sleep my energy levels have been good during training :-)

20. Jan	Exercise	Comments	Breakfast	Snack	Lunch	Snack	Dinner
Sat	14 mile run (approx.).  Garmin broke so unsure of time!	Great run down to southend via Cattadale Road, round Keil.  Stayed dry until last mile J  Sorted out tonnes of clothes with Mum and Mairi as well as organised raffle prizes and bottle stall for next week’s coffee afternoon – wowza!  Thanks to Ian and Nick, owners at Argyll Hotel for voucher donation too!	Large slice of fruit loaf before run. Recovery drink - Blueberry protein powder with coconut milk, ice and a tangerine.  Slice of toast and peanut butter.	Water	Homemade spicy thai soup with a brown roll.	Slice of fruit loaf.  Jasmine green tea.	Lovely meal at Argyll Hotel, Bellochantuy.  Baked goats cheese with caramelised onions.  Chicken curry with rice.  Chocolate fudge cake with ice cream.  Tea.
Sun	4.5 miles with Jamie G and co.  Endurance spin 1.5 hours (Emma). Quick 5 mile cycle.  40 lengths swim.  Westport walk with Jen , Mairi, Cat and dogs.	Beautiful sunshiny day!  Felt good but tired.  Caught up with work in pm.  Booked in for hinthunt (aka crystal maze) while we’re in London for marathon – woo hoo!	Porridge with agave.	Protein shake with brazil nuts.	Scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast.  2 pints of diluting juice.	Scone and jasmine tea	Beef stroganoff (made with oxo cube and half fat crème fraiche) and rice.  2 potato waffles.  Cheesecake – 2 tea biscuits mashed up (no butter), spoon of lightest philli mixed with teaspoon of nutella.  Topped with ½ a pot lemon lf yoghurt and chopped hazelnuts.  S – tea and some maltesers.
Mon	5.5 miles easy at 5.15pm with Jen (weekend catch-up time).  45 mins taking spin. Was late from meeting so no time for core L	Lovely day albeit a little cold.  Bike to work today, was great!  Worked through lunch so didn’t need to take marking home but still needed to – lots of marking! Think it helped me feel tired by 10pm then had a great sleep!	Lemon lf greek yoghurt with 2 spoons of muesli.  Slice of toast.  Berrocca.	Green tea.	Oatcakes and banana.  Apple.  Tangerine.	Green tea.  Handful of dried fruit and nuts.	Salmon with watercress, spinach and baby potatoes.  Sugar free jelly.  Tea and 3 ginger oatcakes.
Tue	7 miles at CRC inc 20 x 1 min intervals at 5k pace.	Horrible horrible wet day but dried up for training and loved it.  Was a hard session.  No real hip pain – hoorah!  Although garmin has completely given up.  Ordered a new XT model (same as my best friend Catrionas) off Amazon for £154 with HRM that I can use in swimming pool and bike too J  My early bday present from Stu!  Finished my marking too!	Lemon lf greek yoghurt with spoon muesli.  Slice of toast.  Berrocca.	Green tea.	½ fresh pot of carrot & coriander soup (tesco finest!) with 3 ryvita.  Tangerine.  Apple.	Coffee. handful fruit and nuts, crispbread with some banana and peanut butter and nutella.  Hungry!	½ chicken breast poached with thai spices.  Steamed pak choi with 3 baby potatoes.  As I marked I unfortunately munched through 5 oatcakes and 2 x 50 cal special k biscuits.  No need.  Just no need L
Wed	1 mile easy swim at 7am.  3 mile easy with Jen at 5.  Combat – loved it!  29 people attended!!	Not much sleep once again but didn’t feel too tired all day, in fact full of energy for run and combat!  Feeling good, no hip pain at present. Jillian from Sports Hub phoned and couldn’t be more helpful – she is looking into potential funding for Tri and Running coaches for the club and our new MOKTri event in Campbeltown. Everyone is being so kind donating clothes, bottles and raffle prizes for our charity coffee pm!   Ordered my new 310xt garmin J	Lemon lf greek yoghurt with spoon of muesli.  Slice of toast.  Green tea.	Water.	½ fresh pot of carrot & coriander soup (tesco finest) with 3 ryvita.  Tangerine.	½ banana with almonds, spoon of nutella and peanut butter.  Coffee.	Chilli con carne with boiled rice, sprinkling of cheese and natural yoghurt.  3 oatcakes with tea.  Also made a High5 chocolate protein recovery shake for my husband (he’s doing more miles than me!) and had a quick taste – delicious!  Will be trying them out after my long runs.
Thu	8 mile paced run inc 2 miles mara, 2 miles 10k and 2 miles mara.  Unfortunately I ate too much batter whilst making cakes I felt sick throughout and promptly ran to the toilets once run was over…. L	Got up early to start baking!  Had an 8am meeting with Sports Scotland re a building a track in Campbeltown.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful?!  Looks doubtful though, maybe a 200m lane is more realistic.  Sorted out all clothes, prizes + bottles for coffee pm – we have so much!!  Dreich day so time to bake bake bake!	2 weetabix with teaspoon of agave.	Green tea.  2 breakfast biscuits.	Oatcakes and rhubarb chutney.  Tangerine.	½ banana mash with nutella.  Spoons of batter!!!	Chilli con carne with spaghetti and natural yoghurt.
Fri	40 mins spin (because it helps my hip!) 40 lengths swim.  1 hour combat  with S6 PE group.	Guess the sweeties and bake sell at school for Cervical Cancer Prevention Week today along with my Higher Admin prelim – busy!  MOKRUN committee meeting tonight, it’s all go and exciting.  More baking at night to do for our coffee pm tomorrow.  Hope it goes well and people come along for a nice cuppa and some biscuits ;-)	Jen’s amazing no added sugar fruit loaf and green tea.	Water.	Oatcakes and rhubarb chutney.	Green tea with jasmine.	Plan - Spicy chorizo pasta with garlic, chillies, passata and natural yoghurt.  Sprinkling of parmesan and homemade garlic bread.  Dessert – homemade healthy-ish cheesecake and tea!
Mileage	42

One of my favourite meals at the end of the week is the simplest - scrambled egg on toast.  Especially if it's after a long, hard workout and cooked by my husband followed by cuddles with my boy, Charlie the cat :-)

To donate to Mairi's page for our Great Wall of China Trek in aid of Jo's Trust please visit link below -

http://www.justgiving.com/mairi-mckillop