Parkrun

Yesterday I took part in my first ever Parkrun, 5k around Brockwell park in Brixton. Before coming to London I was living in Portsmouth, and was a member of David Lloyd gym. I was gymming a lot and was probably at one of my most fittest times of my life so far, even finally doing a 10k race for life. Sure I know I'm not breaking any records here but it was good for me!

Since moving to London I have joined LA Fitness near work and have been to spin and a body condioning class, but I've been so busy catching up with friends, going for dinner, settling into life that I've neglected exercise a bit. I'm starting to feel a bit mehhh and need to get back in the game.

Being new to London I knew there are probably lots of possibilities I could join maybe a running club or something. But I really hate competitve running the pressure really puts me off, and in the end I know I won't end up going. However a friend who has been training for the Great South Run and who has been truely inspirational in her journey to get to the start line tweeted that she had joined Parkrun (www.longtallally.com). It's a free, non-competitive run each weekend and its run by volunteers which sounded just like the sort of thing I would like. They do record your time but its more just for your personal record unless you like that sort of thing I guess.

So along I went at 9am for my first run, when I got there there were only a few people milling around and I soon got chatting to a lady who it was also her first Parkrun. Getting to know each other and joking about how we hoped we would make it to the end, we soon noticed a lot of people starting to turn up. There was a wide range of people, even some with buggies and children in tow but it did have a very welcoming and relaxed atmosphere which was lovely.

I dragged myself round the park 5k in 33mins which isn't bad, and had a pretty good time doing it. Sure my fitness levels are down a bit but it was a great start to the day and who doesn't love the smug I've done a run before most people have had breakfast feeling?!

I'll be back next week for sure.

Check out www.parkrun.com

Denmark

Hello!
I haven't posted on here for months, but I'm going to attempt to try and keep it up this time. Since my last post my life has changed pretty dramatically and I've followed everyone else to the bright lights of LDN.

I got a new job in London and have moved up to Brixton, the company I am working for is Danish and so last week I went over to Denmark for team building for 3 days. It was pretty awesome everyone I met was really nice, very interesting and its so refreshing to see a different attitude to work. Also the Danes have a very dry sense of humour which suits me down to the ground.

Here is a little peek of my trip it started off very nicely flying on a tiny plane with propellors aptly nicknamed by my work friends as the ice cream express. As one of the many food courses includes an ice cream course! I had downloaded lots of iplayer programs to my ipad but there was so much food and drink I only watched 10 mins of Bad Education in the end :(

One of the food courses which included parma ham, mozarella and tomatoes and cheese and crackers. this was followed by tea and coffee. An ice cream course and then baileys to finish. Before all of this drinks and nibbles were also served, the flight was only an hour and half!!

We arrived in the dark so didn't get any views of where we were until the morning when I opened the blinds of my room and looked out to this incredible view. I stayed at the Koldingfjord hotel which is right on the fjord and was pretty spectacular. The hotel has running tracks through the woods behind the hotel, a hammock garden which unfortunately I didn't have time to see, swimming jetty if you are brave enough! Basically it was beautifully designed and Autumn was in full swing so the trees and countryside were beautiful.

Breakfast was very good and taken overlooking the fjord, naturally. I loved the peppermint tea which you made yourself using DIY teabags, it had a really cooling peppermint kick to it in the aftertaste. No where near as sweet as Moroccan mint tea but it had a really good flavour.

After breakfast there was time for a quick stroll in the morning sunshine to take in the views and also the beautiful hotel itself.
I didn't really take any photos of work but we basically did this idea called FedEx days which is a team building concept where you are split into small teams and have 24 hours to come up with an idea which you then present the next day. Its called FedEx because of the overnight delivery part, although we definitely didn't work overnight! That was for a big BBQ and drinks! It was a great opportunity to meet the rest of my team who are based in Denmark.

Then to end the great week I was treated to the flight back into London City airport which was an amazing view, flying straight over Canary wharf and the millenium dome. Very cool. The east end taxi driver I had made me laugh when I asked him to take me to Brixton he said in his very east end accent 'I'm from the East, we don't go Saaaf of the river love'. Such a joker. Also very reminiscent of my East end dad who pretty much says those exact words!

I'll be going to Copenhagen in the future and tips or cool local recommendations?