Retrain and Regain with Rebecca

Recent running success 🏃🏻‍♀️🥇💫 🏁
🏆 1st female at the Dunham Massey 5k 18:35 and 14th overall.
A lovely local event on the “uphill” course, 15 seconds quicker than when I did the “downhill” version in 2024 and was 🥈 lady
A great turnout for WRC and lots of age category wins 💙💛

🥈 Lady at the Happy Valley trail half marathon ☀️
A brutal but beautiful course around the hills of Bollington, Kerridge and Pott Shrigley 🏔️
2 days after my pb at Christleton 5k 🫠 and even more impressive from my teammate who placed 🥇 and set a new course record 👏

🌍 A continued streak of first female finishes across various parkrun venues 💜

Relationships with running can go up and down, but at the moment I’m liking this positive groove I’m in 💃🏻🕺🏻

💥 Christleton 5k 💥
A new personal best of 18:02!

The goal was not to pb, but to give it my all and get a l baseline to see how overall training is going 📈

However it was slightly bittersweet as my watch clocked 17:59 but my official chip time came in at 18:02 🙈

Regardless, there’s lessons to be learnt from my pacing and it just means I’ve got more determination to achieve that sub 18 🎯

A great turnout and set of results with the team and a social celebration after 🥂

On the other hand, I’d rather a full or half marathon than a short and sweet paincave 😆

🍊 Choc orange chia pudding 🍫
A tasty and indulgent feeling dessert but with all the health benefits!
Ingredients (serves 2)
* 20g chia seeds
* 30g pitted dates
* 100g yoghurt
* 200mls milk
* Juice and zest of an orange
* 1 square dark chocolate(I used 85%)
* 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (could use 30g cocoa powder instead)
🔸Soak the dates in around 100mls boiling water and allow to soften. I put them in my nutribullet ready to blend.
🔸Add in the chia seeds, yog, milk, orange juice and protein or cocoa powder and blitz until smooth.
Allow to set in the fridge for a couple of hours.
🔸When ready to serve, grate over the orange zest and dark chocolate or leave some chunks for a crunch!
✔️ Omega 3 fatty acids -chia seeds contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) to help reduce inflammation and improve heart health
✔️ Fibre - to support digestion and promote gut health
✔️ Protein - chia seeds are rich source of plant protein and the protein powder will also boost the content to help maintain mass and satiety
✔️ Source of Vitamin C from the oranges to aid immunity
✔️ Adaptogenic mushrooms in boost cognitive function and improve energy
✔️ Polyphenols from the dark chocolate which act as antioxidants reducing inflammation along with lots of other benefits!

💜 450 PARKRUNS 💜
11 years of running which all started at Golden Beach thanks to a little persuading from 🇦🇺 🌊

Apart from a hiatus for Covid, my sisters wedding day (🙄) and a small handful of other Saturdays, I have been religiously going to a weekly parkrun, whether that be to run, walk, run/walk rehab or volunteer 💜

I love everything it stands for; the sense of community, the inclusivity, the chance to visit a new place, meet new people or push myself for a time 🏃🏻‍♀️

It isn’t just about the running; it’s routine, it’s friendships, it’s a sense of achievement, it boosts wellbeing and it has silly little challenges that have made me travel half way across the world 🗺️ no joke!

If you haven’t tried a parkrun yet, I urge you to and I promise you won’t look back 😊

Thanks to all you showed up at Wilmslow today and to those that have been part of my running journey 🫶🏻 But if it wasn’t for parkrun, I wouldn’t be a runner at all!

🌻🦋 Spring sunshine, social connections, parkrun celebrations, good fuelling, the return of cycling all balanced with restoration and relaxation 🧘🏻‍♀️ 🛁

Amongst the madness of training and racing, working 2 jobs and navigating the weirdly uncertain time of being a single female in her 30s, I keep myself sane by doing all the good stuff 💞

🍏 Apple baked oats 🍏
Weekend baking and prep for breakfasts, snacks or dessert sorted ✔️

Ingredients below 👇 this made 4 large slices for breakfast but can slice into smaller bars for snacks!

🍎 160g oats (or use SR flour or a mix of both!)
🍎 120 mls egg whites
🍎 1 large apple
🍎 200g yoghurt (I used high protein Greek style)
🍎 20g chia seeds
🍎 60g vanilla protein v-gain (can omit and use more oats or ground almonds)
🍎 A good sprinkle of cinnamon
🍎 150-200mls soy milk (or any milk!)
🍎 1tsp baking powder

🥣 Add the oats/flour, chia seeds and protein powder to a bowl
🥣 Add in the egg whites, yoghurt and milk to combine. Depending on your protein powder /ground almonds) you may need to use slightly less /more liquid to get a cake batter texture
🥣 Chop the apple into chunks and add to the mix
🥣 Add in a good dash of cinnamon and the baking powder and mix it up
🥣 Pour the mixture into a lined baking dish and bake at 180 degrees for 25/30 mins until golden brown and slightly risen

I served with a dollop of vanilla yogurt and it was basically like a warm cake a custard!
✔️ Slow release carbohydrates
✔️ High protein
✔️Rich in fibre
✔️ Low in saturated fat

Perfect for a post gym breakfast and to fuel the rest of the day 🏃🏻‍♀️ 🏋🏻‍♀️ 🤸🏽‍♀️

💥 Trafford 10k 37:43 💥
A big PB and it feel bloody brilliant 🤩
Just one of those races where everything clicked, I felt comfortable and controlled throughout and focussed on each kilometre as it came 🏃🏻‍♀️
Probably a bonus bounce from new shoes too!

After the last year of marathon miles and prior to that a lot of injury management, it’s the best I’ve felt!
Sub 38 was a long term goal for this year so guess I’m gunna have to look to the next one soon…37:30? 👀

🤎3 ingredient protein balls 🤎
Super simple, super easy and super tasty!
Great little pick me up snacks for on the go, a little boost pre or post training or just a nice lil sweet treat ✨
The recipe can be easily doubled to make more or larger portions, you can add in extras such as below and they can be frozen so you’ve always got a stash!
👉🏼 50g dates
👉🏼 15g chia seeds
👉🏼 60g vanilla or salted caramel v gain protein
Soak the dates in 100mls water for a couple of hours
Blend into a smooth paste
Add in the chia seeds and protein powder. If the mixture is a little dry then add in a splash of water or milk until you have a sticky dough texture.
Roll into balls 🎾 I made this into 8 bite sized ones but make them bigger if you wish!
👉🏼 optional extras:
Cinnamon (I added this as I am obsessed and it compliments the flavour) dried coconut, a sprinkle of oats for extra slow release carbs, raisins, cranberries, choc chips, chopped nuts, a spoonful of peanut butter

🥛You may to add more liquid if you use coconut or oats as they will absorb the moisture ☺️
Give it a go for Sunday meal prep!

From sub zero to sauna ❄️ 🔥
Last weekend started as per with at a beautifully crisp in -4 degrees and 600 other crazies 🤪 🥶
🥇 female in 20:32 as a warm up for the afternoon
🏃🏻‍♀️ Followed by round 4 at a stunning but chilly Tatton Park 🌳 36/342 and 2 mins quicker than previous years 🥳
🧖🏼‍♀️ Then much needed recovery wit contrast therapy at in the infra red sauna and ice bath…50 minutes sweating reading my book followed by 10 minutes in the cold plunge 🧊 think my calves have only just recovered!
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❄️ WINTER ❄️
Beautiful parkruns, WRC club handicap race, social miles, crisp walks and hot baths 🛀