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[C] is for Cross-training

C   To become a better runner is not only about how often or how long you run. It is important to give the ‘running’ muscles and joints a rest by doing a different aerobic activity – walking, cycling and swimming are all good alternatives.

I walk to and from work every day and try to include a session on elliptical trainer or a bike once a week as well as a dip in the pool.  Swimming is my personal favourite, I just wish it was possible for me to swim outside rather than in a pool; I do feel like a wet hamster after a while. My front crawl is rapidly improving though 🙂

 

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com

Posted on by evamarasca · 6 Comments

[B] is for Blisters

B   Blisters. They are almost inevitable. When I started running they were just a mild inconvenience as I never ran long enough for them to be a problem but as the kilometres started piling up they can turn into a real unpleasant issue.

After my first marathon, I lost four toe nails. After my second, I didn’t even get a blister.

The difference was properly fitted trainers. If you thinking about running a marathon, get an assessment in the sport shop where they will recommend the right shoes for you. Trust me, it is worth it.

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com

Posted on by evamarasca · 9 Comments

[A] is for Athletes

A   I wanted to be many things when I was younger; being an accomplished sportsperson was never one of them. I’m now approaching 35 so I guess I’ll never become one. I’ll never be the fastest or strongest runner.  On the other hand, it is never too late to embrace your inner athlete. I found mine during my late twenties (and I mean ‘two months before turning 29’ late twenties) and ran my first 5k race when I was 29.

Since then I ran several 5k and 10k races, seven half-marathons, two marathons and completed two 100k endurance walks. And I am not finished. I am planning to run three marathons this year and hope to turn 2016 into celebration of half-marathons by running a race each month, and eventually complete a marathon on each continent. That’s my ‘things to do before you turn 40’ plan.

Not everyone can win the Olympic medal but everyone can be an athlete.

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com

Posted on by evamarasca · 2 Comments

A to Z challenge is coming soon!

So, last year’s A to Z was quite a thing.

a/ I had no idea what I signed up to

b/ I wasn’t exactly organised so my posts were scattered and most of the time I ended up working on them last minute and sometime I was so out of wits that I cheated a little (prime example is W)

c/ But I did kind of enjoy the madness of it 🙂

 

This year, after gathering some knowledge of this challenge, I have started few weeks in advance and I am using this wonderful functionality that wordpress is offering – scheduling the posts! It took me only a year or so to learn about it. I have been using it quite heavily recently. I try to sit down and prep lots of drafts and posts in one go at least once a week (although it is more a bi-weekly process at the moment). I find it works better for me, I have time to stay ‘in the zone’ for longer, to be more productive, let the ideas brew and grow. It also works much better with my running schedule.

This brings us to the topic or the theme (I have a theme for this year! Yay!) for the April challenge. It is…surprise, surprise…running. Well, not only running – that would be rather boring, but running related A to Z snippets. I will draw from my own experience and share my opinions. I will in no way try to persuade you that my way is the best or the only one correct though and I will not go in too much details or technicalities – there are qualified professionals who know way more than me. So I will keep the posts brief and personal as there is lot of other opinions and advice out there.

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If you would like to check out some of my A to Z creations from last year, I have set up a separate page so they are easily accessible. My personal favourites are:

D – just because that is soooo me + I actually love my attempt of poetry

F – because it was so true

H – because it was so much fun to play with alphabet within A to Z challenge

J + K – because it was my mom’s 60th birthday + day after 🙂

P – because playing with words is amazing

U – because I’ve been there, I’ve done that and I’m grateful

W – because I think it was actually quite a smart safe

Z – because it was a new start

Oh, and I’m really rubbish at shortlisting.

–––

Pics are from my January holiday on the very windy island of Fuerteventura 🙂

Posted on by evamarasca · 3 Comments

[Z] is for Zero Tolerance to Autocorrect

Recognize. Organize. Deputize. My autocorrect keeps changing these and suggest they should be written with S and not Z. I  always (read – most of the times) change them back. Even if the ugly dotted red lines glaring at me are trying to make me bent to their will. No. It looks better with Z. Z is strong where S is smooth. I don’t care if it is American or British way of spelling. It is more aesthetically pleasing. So is colour to color btw. Could we please establish aesthetic English?

~

Autocorrect is not the only thing I have zero tolerance to (actually I seem to be dissatisfied with rather lot of things!) and  therefore I have decided to start my own A to Z challenge about things I am not happy about. So this post is not only the last one for the A to Z Challenge but is also the first one for my alphabetical Zero Tolerance series. I just simply can’t part with the beautiful perfection of ABC.

Every Wednesday, I will be publishing new post with a ‘serious’ issue I am faced with on daily basis. However as I feel this might get out of hand very quickly, I have decided to balance it out with a serious (without the apostrophes this time) issue starting with Zero tolerance to Animal cruelty.

I will also try to include a link to a charity or an organization that is helping with, fighting, or educating about the issue. For this week it is RSPCA.

 

Z in the A to Z Challenge.

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Posted on by evamarasca · 1 Comment

[Y] is for Yawning

because that is what I have been doing repeatedly while attempting to write today’s penultimate post. I am tired and sleepy and it doesn’t help that I am getting comfortable in my bed. I am also aching. I hit the gym, and the gym mercilessly hit back.

Tomorrow is the last day of this wonderful alphabetical experience and it makes me little sad. So I have decided that there will be a surprise with my Z post! Me excited – not only about the surprise but also because my sister is coming over for a visit.

Well, I’m going to sleep now.

Good night.

Y in the A to Z challenge.

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Posted on by evamarasca · 4 Comments

[X] is for Signature

I couldn’t think of a suitable word starting with X. And I became even more desperate after consulting my dictionary.

~ xerox ~ Xmas ~ x-ray ~ xylograph ~ xylophone ~

Instead of opening a bigger dictionary, I have started to think how and where are we using X. X marks a treasure on a map. We used X to sign documents in the dark ages of illiteracy. Now, in the age of text-language,  X stands for kiss and is often used as a substitute or abbreviation (as in the dictionary entry Xmas). And we are still happily making decisions by penning x inside neat boxes on ballot papers. In mathematics it represents the unknown value, although the Romans may argue that in fact the value is ten. It features in extremes and extras and its triple form advertises adult themes. It even has a chromosome and rays named after it. X is something special.

X in the A to Z challenge.

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