My progress so far and future goals

It's less than two weeks until my big race in Whangamata! So I thought I'd update you with my progress so far and what my plans are for after the race.

So, how's my training going? I'm running 5km once to twice a week. I'm finding it easier to run 5km, it doesn't seem as far as I used to think it was. I ran 8km a couple of weeks ago and felt really good, I feel like I have pushed passed that mental block of struggling to run over 5km. I'm getting nervous about racing and the pressure I've put on myself in regards to the time I'm aiming for. I'm trying to focus on having fun and spending a day with the family, I'm really glad my family will be there to support me.

What are my future goals? I really want to focus on consistency and slowly increasing my distance. I want to do some training off road for a change of scenery.

I'm looking at entering the quarter marathon race in Rotorua, I've considered entering this as my next or future race. I've got the support from my partner, as we'll book in a family holiday for the same weekend. If you're interesting in competing in this race you can check out their website here.

I'd like to also enter a trail race once I've established my off road training, something that is local and less than 10 km. I'll have to do some research soon to see what's coming up.

How will I change my training after the Whangamata race?  I'll aim to do my weekend/long run off road,  or maybe I need to alternate between on road and off road.
I also want to start focusing on my eating habits and to look into incorporating clean recipes as dinner options

The last time I ran the 5km at Whangamata

What are some yummy clean recipes that I can sneak in front of my fussy family? Do you know of any cool races coming up in the next 6 months that you think I should enter?

My hometown bucket list

This week I'm sharing with you my hometown bucket list! There are three trails nearby that I haven't fully explored yet, and I want to tick them off my bucket list. So for the next few months, I'd like to try a new trail out every couple of weeks. I'll do a new blog post as I tick these trails off my list, so keep tuned!

Karangahake Gorge is between Paeroa and Waihi and has some stunning walkways. This area is rich in goldmining history. Is takes me approximately 30 minutes to drive here, so definitely local for me. I have done the Windows walk a few times and also attempted to walk to the top of Mt. Karangakake but was totally unprepared. It's something I would love to try and get to the top of soon! I would like to explore the rail trail parts of the gorge and also to go through this long walkway tunnel people tell me about. 

Karangakake Gorge.  Image credit- womentravelnz.com

Kauaeranga Valley is by the township of Thames, so is around a 30 minute drive for me also. I have walked to the Pinnacles a couple of times but have never done any of the shorter trails. I'm definitely motivated to explore these shorter tracks.

The view of Kauaeranga Valley from Thames

Rail trail from Thames to Paeroa. I have walked from Kopu (a 10 minute drive for me) to Thames. I would like to start exploring south, heading towards Paeroa. It's quite far,  so I'll have to split it into smaller sections for me to explore.

Rail trail between Thames and Kopu

So where are your favourite trails to run?

Fitting in exercise while on holiday

I recently went away on holiday to Rotorua, and it made me think of covering this topic in my blog. We only stayed two nights, so I never packed my running gear. But we often go away for 5-7 days and that's when I'd like to continue my training. Below are some ideas that I use to maintain my fitness when I'm on holiday.

Taking your gear
This is the first thing to pack in your bag if you're wanting to still run or exercise while you're on holiday. Make sure you take a couple of full outfits and your shoes and socks. I pack with me two tops, 3/4 shorts, shorts, bra ×2 and two pairs of socks. This, of course,  depends whether you have access to a washing machine and how many days you plan on exercising. For me, I train 2-3 days a week, so for a 5-7 day holiday, I'll only plan to exercise twice. I also make sure I pack some comfortable clothes and shoes incase I plan on walking most days. I'll go into more detail about this later.

Using a gym if one's available
This can be a bonus if you stay in a hotel or motel with a gym so that using their facilities will not cost you extra. Or otherwise, you can see if there's a local gym you can use as a casual. A gym will be great if the weather is stopping you from exercising outside or if you're wanting to use specific weight or cardio machines. The gym is also a great place to talk to locals about trails or walkways and other places that you could explore. I generally go on holiday in summer, so haven't had the need to use the gym. I did once go to a step class with a friend at the gym and I absolutely loved it!

Explore local trails or walkways
Finding walkways or trails is a great way to see local views and places. It is also great if you're needing to run on different surfaces. We generally holiday near the beach in summer, so I love nothing more than running along the beach. I grew up by a beach but now live in a small rural town, so I miss the beach so much! I particularly love running along the beach and then diving in for a swim to cool off. Local trails are also great for an adventure, to explore new places. It certainly makes it easier to get up and exercise when your exploring new ground!

Walk everywhere
If your staying somewhere that's central and easily accessible by walking, this is a great option to sneak in some extra exercise. Walk to the shops, walk to local attractions, walk to the restaurant. It all adds up over the day/week. We always stay in a motel central to Rotorua township so that we are able to walk everywhere. And also when we holiday at the beach, we have a great routine of walking and exploring for a couple of hours every morning.

Creating your own circuit
If you have limited space or time, a quick circuit will ensure you fit some exercise into your schedule. Taking a skipping rope will be great to fit some quick cardio into the start or end of your day. Heading to a local playground can provide you with plenty of options to do your circuit. My circuits combine easy to do exercises that generally need no equipment. Exercises like squats, lunges, step ups (find some steps or a seat), tricep dips (use a park bench or seat), push ups, crunches and planks can be easily done anywhere (at a park or in your motel room).

What exercises do you do when your on holiday? How do you make sure you exercise while on holiday?

Image from beewellforlife.com

How to wear your hair while exercising

This was the topic that actually encouraged me to start my blog. I couldn't find any good hairstyles that would work with my long hair (thanks Mr Google), and especially when I was getting sick of my hair flicking in my face! I still haven't had much success in finding different styles to try, but the ones below are what I use often. If you know or use a different style that you think will work with my hair, please leave me a comment so I can try it out!

Simple pony

This style works really well, and is my go-to when I'm in a hurry out the door. I can wear this hair style all day and then go for a run without having to worry about restyling my hair. The only downside with this style is that often my hair flicks in my eyes and mouth and that can be annoying! Also, I find my hair sticks to the back of my neck in warmer weather and that seriously bugs me.

Pony with plait

I'm using this style more and more. It means less whips to the face and looks quite 'athletic' I think! I can quickly put my hair into this style,  as I often have my hair in just a simple pony. I'm a stay at home mum with two young children, so I need to put my hair up everyday. I can quickly transfer my hair from a simple pony to a pony with plait in less than a minute.

Messy bun

When done right and tight, this can be a great style when it gets hot or when you're wanting to do something different. This can be quite hard to do with my long hair, but all I need is an extra hair tie and I'm good to go! I like that this style looks great and is practical. And it keeps my hair off my face and neck. Gold!!

If you know or use any other hairstyles, it'll be awesome if you could share them with me.  Then I can do an updated blog about my favourite hairstyles to wear while exercising,  instead of posting the only three styles I know!