It Must Be the Beetroot

Last week I said I would try out my new Beet It Organic Beetroot juice shots and I did - and got a PB!  Stuart and I along with a few other Campbeltown runners joined 500 others in the annual Balloch to Clydebank Half Marathon on Sunday.  Having not performed very well in the last few years in this race and being in the middle of marathon training I wasn't bothered about a time so I was pretty shocked I managed to knock about 5 minutes off my previous best, finishing in 1.41.40.  The field was very strong, with lots of top athletes there including my husband Stuart who is constantly improving - smashing his own PB, finishing in 1.18, 24th overall.  And yes - he had the beetroot juice too!  OK it probably wasn't really down to the beetroot but hey, I'm going to keep drinking it just in case!

Adding a scottish touch to my sushi

I don't think I'm ever going to be 100% good with food, I just love treats too much!  Last week's training/nutrition diary - 

08/03/2014	Breakfast	Snack	Lunch	Snack	Dinner
Sat	Farm scone and green tea	Water.  Brazil nuts.	Sushi pack + oatcakes.	Tangerine.  Apple.  Green tea.	Chicken, red onions and mushroom spaghetti with garlic pizza bread.  Tea, icecream and chocolate!!
Exercise	1.5 miles easy warm up for x country comp with the girls	Comments	Felt weird not doing lsr in am but glad as it was horrendous weather - windy and v wet!  Left Ctown about 7.30am for x country comp in Irvine (long way due to landslip).  The kids did us proud and competed very well on a challenging course.  Most schools around Scotland were represented and was quite exciting for us too - we wished we could go back to school to compete in the races!  Next year I hope to take a bigger group to compete.
Sun	Toast and jam, croissant with nutella, beetroot juice and coffee.	1/4 lucozade sport.  Banana post race.	Sushi pack + oatcakes.	Banana loaf slice and chai tea.  Mini muffin.	Roast chicken breast, potatoes, leeks, sweetcorn with gravy.  Gooseberry pie with ice cream.  Tea and mars bar!!
Exercise	14 miles inc Balloch 1/2 marathon - pb!  8 mile cycle with Jennifer.	Comments	Never got much sleep in Travellodge and race start was delayed.  Despite this, suprised but over moon with us both getting PB's!  I expected it with Stuart as he's running so well and putting in so much effort into training. Bit windy and wet at start but felt good and think I could've went a little faster especially at beginning.  Continue to feel hungry all day.   So glad managed to fit in a catch up on the bike with Jen, wish we had time to go further/longer.  Got a well overdue tune up massage from Julia too.
Mon	Muller light yoghurt, blueberies and toast.  Vit water.	Green tea and 100 cal cereal bar	Oatcakes and lf houmous.  Tangerine.  Apple.	2 rice cakes, pbutter and 1/2 banana	Stir fry prawns, cashews, onion, mushrooms, beansprouts and rice noodles (thai spice, garlic, coriander and lemon/lime juice)  Tea and oatcakes
Exercise	7.5 miles easy.  Spin.  Cycle to/from work.	Comments	Gorgeous weather.  Great catch up run with Jen.  Lovely to see sun shining after 5pm.  Hip a little sore and legs a bit tired.
Tue	Activia non-fat yoghurt with blueberries & chia seeds.  Toast.  Vit c water.	Green tea & 70 cal alpen bar.	Ryvita & lf houmous.  Tangerine.  Apple.	2 rice cakes, pbutter and 1/2 banana	Baked chicken breast with pesto + mozzarella.  Sweetcorn. Carrot + swede mash.  2 baby potatoes.  SF jelly.  2 squares dark choc + dried cranberries, 3 brazil nuts.  Tea and oatcakes.
Exercise	9 miles (1.17) inc 5 x 1k at 10k pace.  Cycle to/from work.	Comments	Beautiful day again!  Good sleep but could've done with more.  Busy busy at work and finishing editing novel, #exciting!
Wed	Activia non-fat yoghurt with blueberries & chia seeds.  Toast.  Vit c water.	Water.	Oatcakes and lf houmous.  Tangerine.  Apple.	Banana.	Chilli con carne, cheese with rice & nat yoghurt.  SF jelly. Oatcakes and tea.
Exercise	1 mile swim.  7 miles easy then combat.	Comments	Beautiful day for a run :-)  Nice and easy to sheep fanks, good blether with JG.  Up late working on book !
Thu	Alpen bar and banana.	Green tea and oatcakes.	Cup soup, veg pasta and salad.	Oatcakes, dried fruit and nuts.  Green tea.	Chilli con carne, cheese with rice & nat yoghurt.  Special K bar and tea.
Exercise	8.5 miles steady	Comments	LONG day with drive up to Glasgow for conference at 6am, returning at 7 and straight out door for run to blow cobwebs away.
Fri	Porridge + banana	Green tea and oatcakes.	LF houmous and oatcakes.  Tangerine.	LFLS fruit loaf (thanks maz) and skinny cap.	LF smoked sausage and spinach pasta.  Homemade LF cheesecake.  Tea and dark chocolate square
Exercise	1k swim, spin.	Comments	Great sleep - think I got at lest 7 hours - woo! before my cat started to scratch at me!  Happy Friday!!

Warning - Urine May Turn Pink!

My favourite run this week yet again was my long slow run on Saturday, this time it was 20 miles and it was mainly due to the great company and the beautiful sunny weather.  Jocelyn, Sarah and I began our run at Ballochgair where the first 6 miles were a hilly forest track, up to Lussa Loch then down Gobagrennan Road, turning right on to the West Road where my supportive husband (who had already run 14 miles) was waiting to handover a welcome bottle of lucozade sport.  He had also brought mars bars and haribo for us but we politely declined which I'm sure he was pretty pleased about....  The time passed by so quickly as we chatted all the way round the Moss Road.  I then left Sarah and Joc who carried on to Machrihanish and I tried to pick up my pace a little as I did the last few miles home on my own and I was so happy to get back home to a big bubble bath, blueberry protein shake and toast with peanut butter :-)  Of course my food treats didn't stop there that day - carrot cake and a 3 course meal at the Harbourview Grille also were enjoyed!

This week, since it was Shrove Tuesday, I tried out a sugar-free recipe for pancakes for breakfast and they were delicious!

Ingredients
1 cup of self-raising flour
1 cup of skimmed milk
1 large free range egg (beaten)
1/2 cup of granulated sweetner
Tablespoon of flora light
(any fruit for serving - I used blueberries, rasberries and strawberries)


Method
Mix the flour, milk and sweetner together, gradually adding the beaten egg into a batter.  Using a large frying pan, melt the flora light on a high heat.  Drop temperature down to mid level then spoon the batter on to the pan until it starts to bubble.  Flip!  Once ready serve with any fruit or condiments.  Stuart's choice was nutella.  Next time I'm going to try without the sweetner as the fruit sweetened it enough.  I'm going to try better to cut out sugar.

The weather was still glorious early Sunday morning so headed out a wee run with Jamie G who blasted the half marathon distance in a great time, supported by Stuart.  I turned back after a few miles to go a cycle but sadly the weather turned bad and I gave in after 10 miles as my hands and feet felt like ice cubes!  Not only that but someone told me they could see my bum through my worn away tri-suit - mortified!!  Wasn't going to swim in it either then - home time!  Later that night we went along to big Creamy's house for some home baking.  Do not listen to any of my friends, I ate nothing other than an apple and refused to eat any cookies, brownies or chocolate.

Oh and yes the pink urine thing.  Well, not only had I read about the fantastic health benefits of beetroot juice in my Sports Nutrition Course, I also read an article about the same very thing in this month's edition of Runners World.  Not only do the high concentrates of nitrates in beetroot juice give you one of your 5 a day, proven to reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure and reduce heart disease, it also supposedly improves the oxidation in the blood helping athletes perform better and longer.  Enough said, I was on Amazon buying a carton before you could say "beetlejuice beetlejuice beetlejuice"!

My first organic shot of beetroot juice that came with the warning that it may turn urine pink!  I await the results....

I've ate a lot this week and a bit annoyed at myself, time for change next week!

01/03/2014	Breakfast	Snack	Lunch	Snack	Dinner	Exercise	Comments
Sat	Pre-run:  Slice of soreen. 1/2 a banana.  Water.   During run: lucozade sport.	Post-run: blueberry protein shake and toast with pbutter + bramble jam	1 l water.  Spicy tomato and mungbean soup with pitta bread.	Green tea.  Slice of carrot cake.	Fantastic meal at Harbourview Grille, Royal with family.  Chicken tenders, pasta prima vera and a taste of all desserts!  1 glass of chenin blanc, crabbies and a baileys.	20m in 3 hr 5 mins.  Beautiful sunny day and fantastic run with Joc and Sarah.  Starting at Ballochgair so quite hilly to begin, ran into town via Gobagrennan, round Moss road and back into town.	Loved the run although a bit slower than last week.  Enjoyed meeting my aunties for coffee in pm, one of them is going through a bit of a rough time so trying to cheer her up.  I also used the last of my vouchers at Serenity on a wonderful back massage and mini facial.  Bliss.
Sun	Toast with peanut butter and jam.  1/2 Banana.  Water.	Mini fruit/oatie cookie.	Scrambled eggs and toast.  Water.	Green tea.  Mars bar.	1 fishcake, potato waffles and spinach.  Fishcake huge disappointment - no seasoning and just potato :-(  Had a few slices of pizza to try and recover Sunday night dinner.  Then tea, peanut butter and oreo brownie, coconut cookies, and about 1K of mms.  Elaine!!!!	6 miles recovery run.  10 miles easy cycle (soooo cold!)	Beautiful morning turned to horrible dreich weather by 11am so cut cycle short.  Too early for pool to be open so went to sauna instead.  Exhausted!  Ate ridiculous amount of sugary treats at Big Creamy's house on Sunday night that gave me a headache and cramps.  Why do I do it to myself?  Can't help myself!!  Never again....
Mon	1/2 slice toast, activia yoghurt + blueberries.  Vit water.	Green tea.	Mung bean soup and bread.  Tangerine.  Apple.	Jasmine green tea.  2 brazil nuts.  Rice cake with pbutter.	Spaghetti with fresh scallops, chorizo, red onion, garlic, lemon juice, tomatoes and nat yoghurt.  Homemade garlic bread (50 cals).  Shape mousse.  Tea and oatcakes.	7.5 miles steady - great catchup with Jen, weekend fun!  Spin - sweaty!!	Stunning day - blue skies, sunshine and crisp cold.  Perfect weather for being outdoors.  Legs a bit tired but better after exercise.
Tue	Sugar free pancakes with fruit - yum!*	Green tea.	Mung bean soup and bread.  Tangerine.  Apple.	Coffee.  2 brazil nuts.  2 rice cakes with pbutter + jam.	Baked 1/2 breast chicken with homemade mushroom risotto (no milk or butter).  NS Jelly.  Tea with Jen's AMAZING NSNF fruit loaf.	8 miles inc ladders at 10k pace (2,3,4,5)	Felt good in run, was good to put a bit of pace into run.  Great weather.
Wed	Muesli, activia yoghurt and berries.	Green tea.	Oatcakes with lf cottage cheese.  Tangerine.  Apple.	Jen's NSNF fruit loaf slice and tea.	Chilli con carne with rice.  Chocolate protein mousse* and tea.	5 miles easy.  Combat.	Miserable wet and windy weather.  Parent's night so a bit rushed from combat and v late dinner.  Large portion but hey - I was starving!
Thu	Muesli, activia yoghurt and berries. NFNS loaf.	Green tea.	Oatcakes with lf cottage cheese.  Tangerine.		LF Beef goulash and mash poatoes. SF jelly.  Green tea and lfls cookie made by maz!	10 miles in 1.27.	Weather improved and enjoyed run.  Thanks to Jen for doing 1st 3 with me!
Fri	Porridge and banana	Green tea.	Oatcakes with lf cottage cheese.  Apple.	Maza cookie and skinny cap	Thai green chicken curry with jasmine rice.  Homemade cheesecake.  Tea and oatcakes.	Spin then 50 lengths before work.	TGIF!
					Mileage	57

Crazy In Love with Food!

Marathon training mileage has been creeping up on me, peaking at almost 60 miles this week.  Enough to make me ravenous, ALL the time.  All I can think about is food.  What will be my next meal?  What will be my snack?  What will be my post run treat?  My stomach seems to rumble even while I'm eating!  My friends and family seem to be the same.  Every time I talk to my marathon training buddy Jamie G we are either eating or talking about eating.  My husband, sister and friends are the same - maybe it's the weather?!  Nothing can satisfy our hunger!  I know I need to curb it as I don't want to put on weight whilst marathon training so although I succumbed to quite a lot of treats whilst away at the weekend to watch the beautiful and bootilicious Beyonce but I'm trying to improve - only oatcakes and sugar free jelly after dinner... we'll see if that lasts. 

Mairi and I at the Yen Oriental restaurant enjoying our rasberry mojito and 3 course (amazing) Thai meal before concert

Beyonce kept us waiting for hours but we forgave her as she wowed thousands of fans at the Hydro on Friday

I tried to make a healthy treat last week to try and curb my cravings - sugar free protein muffins! 

Ingredients:

• Cup of self raising flour
• 1/2 cup of blueberry super protein powder
• 1/2 cup of sweetner (candarel)
• 1/2 cup of skimmed milk
• 3/4 punnet of blueberries
• 2 large eggs
• Vanilla essence
• Sprinkling of porridge oats 

Method:

 Pre-heat oven to 180C.  Mix flour, protein powder and sweetner together in a large bowl.  Mix in 2 eggs (beaten).  Add blueberries, vanilla and skimmed milk.  Once a sticky mixture spoon into 12 muffin cases and top with sprinkle of oats.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until risen.  If you want to make a little unhealthy you can always add some butter or oil - or even sugar instead of sweetner :-)

Super healthy they were but they were a tad bit dry but still quite tasty and satisfied my sweet craving.  Maybe a good recovery food after a hard work out.

My favourite run this week had to be my 21 mile run in Glasgow.  I wanted to do 18 miles and was dreading having to do it on my own.  My original plan was to run with Jamie and Johnny on the Sunday but it also coincided with 'race day' of spin on Sunday which I also wanted to attend... and I quite fancied having a few drinks on the Saturday evening so wanted the LSR out the way.  Friday night aka pasta night was replaced with a 3 course thai meal with cocktail (and a dairy milk and cup of tea at midnight!) and breakfast was a granola bar, banana and green tea.  So, headphones on and a plod along the clydeside pathway was the plan for 9 miles.  So far so good and despite the wind in my face I enjoyed the change of scenery and the path took me to the Erskine Bridge.  As I turned back I met a fellow runner who was also running back to Glasgow - he made my day!  He took me on another route back into town and we chatted all the way back via the canal tow path.  He was a keen runner, currently training for a May marathon and enjoyed getting to know him, finding out about his life and his training.  Russell, a Doctor in the Royal Infirmary, gave some great advice as well as some fantastic motivation to keep going and some suggestions of good marathons (Krakov next year anyone?)  As I left him around the 17 mile mark, he pointed me in the direction back to the hotel.  By this point I realised I was going to be over my 18 miler so I tried a High5 energy gel which gave me a last boost to take me back to the Hotel to take me to 20.5 miles.  Feeling good and being the OCD person that I am, I ran round the hotel a few times to make it up to 21!  3 hours 6 mins and felt great.  Time for a hot shower - and more food of course!

Not a pretty sight... my toes after my 21 miler.  Yuck.  Ouch!

I've been low on energy since my 21 miler despite eating everything in sight but that might have something to do with my night out on Saturday too... whoops.  It was worth it!  All go with work too, best get some energy food in me ;-)

Bingo night on Thursday too for Jamie G (Prostate Cancer UK) and Beatson Centre fundraising and WOOOWWWW - we raised £1230.  Brilliant.  Just fantastic, over the moon!  Jamie will nearly be at the £2,500 which the Royal Mail will match giving him at least £5,000.  His training has being going fantastic too so he's going to romp the marathon no bother!  It also takes me to my target of £2,225 too which is absolutely fantastic and a huge relief (it's been a stressful few weeks!!)

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Quick Food and Training Diary

22/02/2014	Breakfast	Snack	Lunch	Snack	Dinner	Exercise	Comments
Sat	Granola bar, banana and green tea.	High 5 isotonic gel during run (mile 17).  Post run - banana smoothie and 1l water.  1/2 a blueberry protein muffin*	1 l water and chicken salad panini.  Nut/fruit bar.  Chai tea.	Skinny cap.  Water. 2 x Crabbies alcoholic ginger ale (teatimers with the girls at Black Sheep)	Lovely 3 course dinner at Ardsheil with besties.  Nothing new on menu still but chose lasagne but they ran out, chose chicken instead which was nice.  Sticky toffee pudding - yum!  Pinot Grigio…	21m in 3 hr 06 - all flat alongside the clyde and canal paths although a bit windy to begin with.	Had a brilliant run - still buzzing from an awesome Beyonce concert evening before. Met a really interesting runner named Russell, who made my day.  He is a Dr in Royal Infirmary and avid runner out on a 14 miler and we got chatting at mile 9 at Erskine Bridge and continued to blether all the way back to city!
Sun	Toast with peanut butter and jam.  Banana.  Water.	Water with High 5 hydration tab.	Scrambled eggs and toast.  Empire biscuit and tea.	Oatcakes and green tea.  Skinny cap at Black Sheep.	Chicken and leek pie with baby potatoes and broccoli.  'Healthy' cheesecake (2 digestives mashed with 4 hazelnuts, topped with low fat lemon yoghurt and blueberries).  Tea and crème egg and choc - whoops.	3 miles easy recovery run taking me to 58 miles in the week - most yet.  Spin - race day 80-92% max HR. 24 lengths.	Race day at spin!  Shame I missed start due to car problems but loved it.  Will miss it!  Time to get the bike outdoors next week.  Modules 2 and 3 of Sports Nutrition course passed :-)
Mon	Porridge with blueberries.  Vit c water.	Green tea and breakfast biscuits.	Chicken and tomato sandwich.  Tangerine and apple.	Banana and green tea.	Stir fried chicken, onion, mushroom, peppers and spicy thai noodles.  Sugar free jelly.  Granola bar, cadbury fudge and tea.  Couldn't help myself!  Oatcakes still not delivered :-(	64 lengths.  Pool shutting for a week so got an early morning swim before it closes!  6 miles easy with Jen.  Spin.  Powerhoop club at lunch.	Horrible weather again - windy and wet.  Enjoyed run catching up with Jen and her weekend fun.  Spin was hard and sweaty.  Home by 7.30, dinner made albeit a little burnt, whoops.  2 more modules of sport nutrition course complete.
Tue	Fat free yoghurt, muesli and blueberries.  Vit c water.	Green tea.	Oatcakes and lf houmous.  Orange.  Tangerine.	Ryvita, banana and nutella.  Coffee.	Beans, cheese and toast.  Had tea and biscuits after parent's eve.	9 miles inc 4 x 1k intervals.	Windy and wet!  Had no energy today!  Ran early as had parent's eve.  Hip a little sore and back a bit stiff.
Wed	Fat free yoghurt, muesli and blueberries.  Vit c water.	Green tea and alpen bar.	Lentil soup and tuna toastie	Banana.  Coffee.  Fruit bar.	Chicken thai green curry with sticky jasmine rice.  Jen's oaty and fruity cookie - YUM.  Dairy milk whole nut - it's been a STRESSFUL day so this was a great treat!	No swim as pool shut!!  5 mile run.  Combat.  Taking circuits now as Jamie can't cover.	Even with no swim felt shattered all day.  V busy at work.  Great to meet girls for lunch albeit a bit rushed as for only 20 mins but was nice to say goodbye to Joanne who's moving to Glasgow Saturday.  Hub and SKSC meeting tonight but taking combat and busy so unfortunately can't attend.  Getting organised with Jamie G for tomorrow night's bingo!
Thu	Fat free yoghurt and blueberries. Toast. Vit c water.	Green tea and fruit bar.	Oatcakes and lf houmous.  Orange.  Tangerine.	Banana.  Rice cake with nutella.	Chicken thai green curry with jasmine rice and 1/2 naan bread.  Chocolate hazelnut shape mousse.	2m at x country - muddy!  10m at mara pace (1.29 - just!) Great run with Joc.	Prize Bingo! Fantastic night raising £1230 for Jamie and I's charities - fab!!!
Fri	Muesli, blueberries and activia	Green tea and fruit bar.	Banana sandwich.  Apple.  Tangerine		Chicken pesto pasta with red onion, peppers and spinach.  Homemade garlic bread.  Tea and chocolate!	Spin at 7am.  1m to/from spin.	What a busy week!  Glad it's Friday :-)
					Mileage	57

Dobry Den Praha!

Despite having a wee holiday to Prague (woo hoo!), I've managed to keep up some form of training and keep a relative track of my diet... although I would rather forget some of it... when on holiday, I always treat myself - you've got to!  In a different format below I hope it hides the amount I've consumed.....  

I had hoped to run at half marathon pace on Saturday morning with the club but the wind was howling and for the first 5 miles it was in my face, pushing me back with every step.  I didn't stop though and put in effort making it round 13.1 miles in 1 hour 51.  5 minutes off a PB time but enough to feel a little pain.  I was grateful to Jen for hanging around for me at the end to make it up to 16 miles.  It felt good to get another long run in before we headed on our travels.  By the time we got to Lochgilphead only a few hours later (and after breakfast) I was starving again and my friend Julie soon sorted that out with a large helping of pasta and pizza - thanks Jules!  Food and more food was the order of the day and we met up with Joanne for her birthday and some of our other best friends at Chinaskis at Charing Cross for some chick-pea curry.  It was delicious but it still didn't satisfy my hunger.... thank goodness for Lorna's baking skills!  We were treated to not only home made chocolate cake but shortbread too, thanks Mrs MacKay-to-be that finally fulfilled my hunger pangs and I settled into a great sleep without her cute kitten Olly jumping on our feet like we imagined.

After a few hours kip we flew from Edinburgh to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic for a city break.  We booked this trip months ago during an Easyjet sale before marathon training or China fundraising planning had started and normally I'd have an itinerary of different activities I would like to do each day but to be very honest I would've loved a few days just chilling at home as I was desperate just to relax but I've always wanted to go to Prague so off we went!  And what a fantastic time we had!  With only a 2 hour flight we arrived ahead of schedule and hopped into an unmarked taxi with the promise of a cheap, quick taxi ride into town - what risk takers!  Well true to his word the driver dropped us off at the Hilton Old Town Hotel in around 20 minutes.  We checked into our plush room early and all my plans of relaxing went out the window as usual and I was unpacking, checking maps and planning a walking tour for that afternoon!  Much to my surprise my husband humoured me and we went for our first Czech meal in a tavern on Old Town Square, just opposite the Astronomical Clock where I had garlic soup and Stuart had a feast of roasted piglet and fried potatoes with onions.  Stuart loved it!  The soup was delicious but it came with deep fried bread which avoided as anything like that makes me sick so I opted for some freshly made wholemeal bread instead.  Yum.

"Dobry Den", our IRISH tour guide Dylan greeted us when we met him, meaning hello.  I think I've forgotten mostly everything else he told us - my brain has turned to mush since being on holiday! Dylan walked us round most of the Old and New Town, informing us of some local history and folklore as well as taking in all the wonderful architecture all around. But after 2 hours we sneakily slipped away from the rest of the tour as although it was good, I'm unbelievably impatient so wanted to see some more sights before dusk that weren't included on the tour.  Stuart and I obviously needed a re-fuel stop so a large busy cafe near the Vltava River overlooking the Charles Bridge.  We indulged in cappucinos and cake which seemed a popular choice!  I had bratlava which was a sweet nutty crisp bake that was a Czech speciality which I devoured - yummy!!  The only downside to this treat was that smoking was still permitted in the cafes and restaurants and which I forgot how much that could put you off your food.  

We then walked over the wonderful Charles Bridge with all it's fascinating monuments, statues and traders then 'hiked' up the big hill to the Cathedral and Prague Castle where you get unspoiled views across the city.  It was perfect timing to see the city at dusk as the sun was going down, crowds dispersing and lights were starting to shine. 

We arrived home to our hotel, weary after a day of travelling and walking, only to find a bottle of champagne and a glass of strawberries in our room courtesy of the Hotel - bliss!  Intentions of going to the Hotel gym were immediately forgotten.  We enjoyed a lovely Italian meal at a nearby restaurant for dinner a few hours later - spaghetti with meatballs then tiramasu and Stuart went for his old favourite - Picante Pizza and of course some Czeck beers.  I had my heart set on beef goulash but there wasn't any left on the menu - gutted!  Although the delicious spaghetti and garlic foccaccia made up for it. We also stopped by at the Billa supermarket on our way home for some Milka chocolate - it's our holiday, don't judge ;-)

The next morning we got a lovely breakfast at the hotel - lots of fruit, yoghurt, toast and a warm croissant with jam.  There were plenty of hot food on the menu but we refrained for the day as we had a big run ahead.  Yip, I had gone and booked as a 'Running Tour' of the city.  I had been searching for running routes nearby as was keen to keep up my marathon training whilst away and came across www.runningtoursprague.com where you could pick different running routes and tours with an English speaking guide.  Martin, our 30 year old friendly running tour guide, met us at our hotel and we had opted for a 15k route out of the city.  It was fantastic.  He explained where we were going and started off with our first target - the 9 metre equestrian bronze statue of Jan Zizka (the one-eyed leader of the Hossite army) at the top of Vitkov Hill that towered over the city - so much for a flat run!  He then took us along the river bank, through beautiful parks and back into the Old Town.  

 

 

 Along the banks of the river

 Crossing the river from Prague Zoo back towards the Old Town

 Through one of the many beautiful parks

Martin spoke excellent English and as we jogged along he chatted away about the city's fascinating communist history, pointed out places of interest and about his iron-man training.  We ran slowly as we were joined by another runner on the tour who was training for her first marathon but it was fine as we got to take in more of the sights and we ended up racking up 11.5 miles before we knew it.  We even felt good enough to go to the hotel's gym for 30 minutes before hitting the shower.  Food time again!  

 

This time hot dogs were the only menu item of choice as we had spied them yesterday on every street corner and they looked amazing.  They didn't disappoint.  So much so that my husband ate two!  Served with a wholemeal bread slice, mustard and a side of mini potato dumplings they were indeed delicious.

 

 

We had a lovely walk around the New Town and Jewish Quarter before enjoying some Czech beers.  I say enjoy, I tried it but I just don't like beer!  My husband on the other hand loved them so I settled for a mojito!

We dined out that evening at a nearby brasserie called the Meating Point.  It looked quite extravagant but still reasonably priced compared to UK prices.  Issued with ipads instead of menus we chose a relatively boring starter of bruschetta but the photo of it made it look fantastic and it didn't disappoint!  I finally then got my goulash with potato dumplings which was amazing - I'm going to make this next Sunday for lunch!  Stuart opted for the rack of lamb which he thoroughly enjoyed along with our accompanying pinot grigio and more Czech beer.  We were so stuffed we never ordered dessert but not so stuffed not to stop off at Billa again for some more milka!

 

One last 5 mile run the next morning on the riverside in the cold, bright sunshine and one last meal of scrambled egg, fruit and a wee treat of a pancake with agave nectar and it was time for home already.  Prague was just lovely, thoroughly enjoyed the city - a perfect place for some culture, shopping, beer or food but it was nice to touch down on to Scottish soil and get back home.  

 

Another flight ahead of schedule for Easyjet, I might as well go to spin when I get home then!!