January 2022 - runninggirl.co.uk

January 30, 2022February 28, 2024

Wild Swimming in Wastwater

I’ve been to Wasdale a few times and walked the screes and Scafell Pike but had never been in the lake….the deepest lake in England…until this weekend. I’ve carried on swimming at least once a week through the winter, usually in Capernwray but other times in lakes. But had never been swimming in Wastwater. This weekend I wanted to brave my fears of going in the deep, dark, cold water of Wastwater.

The lake has easy access from laybys on the road. On the Friday the weather was windy and damp, very low cloud over the surrounding mountains, but we thought ‘its now or never’!

Zipping up wetsuits in anticipation we headed down the grassy slope to the water. The wind was blowing hard across the lake and there were sizeable waves! We took a rocky slope which shelved quite steeply into deep water….ooohhhh that cold feeling when the water runs inside your wetsuit… I love it! Swimming was a little difficult whilst being slapped in the face with waves but once we’d stopped yelping we swam towards the middle of the lake. It was amazing. The water felt clean (but looked really dark underneath). I had forgotten to put my goggles on so kept my face above the water (apart from the waves!)

After 15 minutes of swimming around, bobbing about and marvelling at the scenery I swam to shore and got warm. I’ve got that off to a tee now…quick speedy wetsuit removal, dry, dress, coffee, chocolate! 🙂

I loved the swim so much I decided on another one on the Sunday morning before heading home. The water was still this time, no waves, still dark and cold. I had goggles on this time and managed some front crawl and looking down into the dark below was beautiful. I am normally nervous about looking into the depths of a lake but because the water felt so clear it didn’t feel at all spooky. Being weightless, supported by the water, whether looking up at the beautiful mountains or down into the darkness below brings about such a huge feeling of being alive and safe. I absolutely love swimming in the outdoors.

For my experience of swimming in Ullswater click here.

For more information about wild swimming in the Lake District click here.

January 23, 2022February 28, 2024

Wild Swimming in Ullswater

Last weekend we travelled to Patterdale in the Lake District to swim in Ullswater, a lake I’ve read about in my wild swimming book but never been in. I know the area really well as I have run/walked the full Ullswater way around 8 times. Its a beautiful area and I was keen to get an outdoors dip. That weekend we got, not one, but two Ullswater swims.

Parking at Patterdale we headed onto the trail towards Howtown, rucksacks packed with snacks, warm clothes and a jet-boil for a well needed post swim brew. After walking for a couple of miles we came to a tiny track through the ferns down towards a small shingle beach next to the lake.

I had a bad wrist (don’t ask…nasty cat bite!) so I braved it in a cossie. In we waded, the water was fresh and clear but felt really cold! Ullswater is known for being a deep, cold body of water. It certainly was. Deep breath and swim…it was fabulous. The scenery, the cold, the freshness of the water, the stillness. Beautiful. People were walking on the trail and waved to us. It was great seeing Ullswater from a different perspective. We got out, dried off in the sheltered cove and after re-fuelling, headed back to the van.

The following day we decided to try a different location so drove towards Aira Force on the other side of the lake. The car park was opposite the lake on the other side of a busy road. We changed and (again, me in my still damp cossie) entered the water. Not as clear over this side and still had the great cold feeling. We swam around a bit until…something touched my leg…cue inner panic

Anyone who swims with me knows I’m scared of jelly fish and generally anything else in the water. After remembering there are no jelly fish in the lakes, I calmed down a bit…just reeds…probably. We swam a bit longer but with the ‘leg touching’ incident and the busy main road very close by, this swim was not as perfect as the first one.

However, wild swimming in Ullswater twice in two days in a new lake was great and the sign of a good weekend!

Where to next?…need to get my book out again.

To read about wild swimming in Wastwater click here.

For more information about wild swimming in the Lake District click here.

January 23, 2022February 28, 2024

What’s in a PT session?

It is hard to know whether Personal Training sessions are what you want or need until you start them. This post is a little snippet into what a usual training session with me would be like. So, whats in a PT session? Obviously the sessions are different depending on my client. I like to build up a friendly rapport with clients to ensure everyone feels at ease and is relaxed and happy. People respond in different ways to exercise intruction. I dont shout at people as some PT’s seem to. I gently encourage and help people to see their potential.

Where are the sessions held?

All the sessions are outside and usually in Williamson’s Park in Lancaster. The park is beautiful, well cared for and lends itself to being a great gym. What better than to work out in the great outdoors!

The 1 hour session

We start with a warm up, fast walking, up hill usually and talking about how you are, just checking in with any niggles or worries etc. Sometimes we then do some short running drills, generally back and to a fixed point. This can be a lamp post, bench, path or a timed shuttle run. Adding into that some simple body weight exercises to make sure all the muscles are warm and ready to work. Then comes the main session, usually a mixture of body weight and weighted exercises for a fixed time. Sometimes that will be one time, or can be multiple sets of the same exercises. I mix it up a lot to challenge the body, and sometimes the mind, and ensure a great and also enjoyable workout.

During the hour we add run sets or step sets into the workout, client dependent. I look closely at how the client is feeling to check the workout is at the right level for the client on that particular day, we all have some days that are better than others for many reasons.

We work core and abdominal muscles through-out the session and also some of this is towards the end, lying on mats or standing.

An easy cool down follows, with plenty of stretching of legs, arms and back.

Some clients want exercises to do at home but others prefer to do them with me in the park and do their own activity in between such as hill walking, running, cycling or swimming. All of this is fine and different things work for different people, the main thing is consistency. Try to increase your activity in daily life and fit small sections of exercise in when you can. Look after your body, its the only place we have to live!

If you are going through peri or full meopause and are still unsure, have a look at my movement in menopause post by clinking here.

January 23, 2022February 28, 2024

An active holiday in Cornwall…….seals and surfers!

I recently spent an active holiday in Cornwall. Ten days of sea, sun and sand (the first week was sunny anyway). I’d never been down there before and found the coastal views really stunning. I had taken my bike, paddle board and of course wetsuit and swimming gear, ready for some outdoor activities.

The first few days were spent walking the coastal paths around the Lizard, Lands End and Penzance. Really stunning. We saw some seals and had some lovely swims and a paddle board. Unlike Morecambe bay, the sea was clear and the sand was soft and sand-like! Kynance Cove was just beautiful. Had a lovely swim there too.

On the second week we moved over towards Newquay and Padstow. The coastal walks were still great but I preferred the other area further down. The sea however was something else. Its surfers paradise. I’ve never been in such huge waves! Not much swimming went on, but lots of fun in the waves, whilst watching out for the surfers riding the waves!

The weather turned wet and windy so the walks were shorter and the ‘swims’ got even choppier. I’d come off my bike the previous week so my knee was recovering but I think the sea water helped with that.

With the weather turning we decided to return home a few days earlier. Time to wash the sand out of everything!! 🙂

Since getting home I’ve had a couple more swims at Capernwray. The water has definitely cooled down now but am hoping to keep swimming all winter like last year…watch this space!

To read about my swims in Ullswater and Wastwater click here and here.