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This day I love.......

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February seems to have flown past. Even though it is a shorter month I have still managed to run 145miles or 233km, which is quite a lot. Had I known this earlier I would have run an extra 5 miles to round it up! 

This month has seen the long runs get even longer with my longest to date of 20 miles. I use the long runs to also go on my Motivational hunt which sees me trying to find a series of five different items as set out in the group Run Mummy Run [Yorkshire and Humber region]. It is great fun to break up the long runs, although I never want to go on a gnome hunt again!

The long runs have also meant lots of early starts, but with it has come some beautiful early morning sun rises. Which if I am honest makes everything worth it.


I have started running to heart rate now, which has taken quite a lot of getting used to. Watching my heart rate fluctuate and trying to bring it into the correct zone has been really hard work and at times frustrating. However I have noticed that with it my recovery times are shortening and I am not longer experiencing the abdominal pain I used to get on long runs. I guess it must be doing something. I might be getting slower at the moment but my endurance has increased.

One of the other changes this month is I have been trying to cross train more. I was given a months pass to try Your Pilates Physio which has really helped with cross training. The website is really easy to navigate and I can also access from my phone too, meaning I can access the workouts wherever I am.


The site has all the videos individual which you can search for certain things, like strengthening or stretches. You can even search for areas such as lower back. In addition the videos have been grouped into workouts so you can do a series of videos such as workout for runners or a workout for the upper back. 

At the end of January my shoulder injury got too painful and it meant I have had to have a rest from other forms of cross training such as kettlebells or hoop. I have found with Your Pilates Physio that there are multiple workouts to help with my shoulder pain including a whole group of videos specifically for it. It has therefore been a real game changer this last month and I would love to continue my subscription.

Your Pilates Physio isn't just for runners, it is for anyone wanting to access Pilates workouts. The videos are easy to understand and follow, even for someone like me who is very uncoordinated. The duration of each video is clearly displayed before you begin, so you can tailor your workouts. For future I would love to see some shorter duration videos, for when I only have a quick 10 or 15 mins but other than that it has been amazing to have access to.

My daughter and I are still working through our parkrun alphabet challenge and have collected a few more this month, one of our parkrun days was cancelled due to the bad weather, which given the current weather seems hard to believe. 

March sees my first two races of the year, they are both however training runs to the ultra in April and I am looking forward to finally earning a nice bit of bling at last!


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February was a rather strange month. February begin with me counting down the days to our holiday to the Caribbean. I knew I had to get through the first weeks of training before I could take a break and relax in the sun. First I had to tackle Mickleden straddle.

I had really tired legs from the Ultra and struggled with the race. There was a strict cut off at 10km and one I knew would be tight on a flat course and with fresh legs. I really struggled. The cold weather didn't help. I saw runners turning round and my friend was one of them. I stopped to try and help. After trying to comfort my friend I continued up the hill. Hitting the check point and then discovering I was 2 minutes over the cut off point. I was not going to stop and no amount of been told I couldn't continue was stopping me. Eventually I was given the go ahead to continue.

I made up time and passed other runners as I went. Slipping in the snow and ice. I lost feeling in my toes and hands. My legs and ankles were really hurting from the number of times I fell over. I might have been one of the last to finish, but I finished. I made up places and finished. I can tick the race off my list.


I was now into the final week before the holiday. It was the final push. My legs hurt, my body wanted to rest and I knew I only had a few days left to go.


The final run before I went on holiday was spot on the training plan and whilst I was feeling tired I was also feeling good about how training was progressing.


The plan over the holiday was to rest and relax. I couldn't resist a steady run around the ship. It is such a beautiful way to start the day and the watching the sun rise over the Caribbean is incredibly beautiful. 


The girls and I managed another run around the ship later in the week. My youngest daughter speeding off and impressing everyone who she passed. Upon arrival at Disney Castaway Cay I disembarked the ship to take part in the Castaway Cay 5km.

The route is an out and back but the loop in the middle always confuses people and you have runners heading in all directions. The heat was intense and I struggled. Pleased I managed to complete the run but also concerned I struggled with the distance.


The week had gone far too fast and whilst I left feeling relaxed, I didn't want to leave the ship.



We landed on Sunday and it was straight back to training. Monday was club run and it was a very jet lagged run. My body wasn't sure what time it was. I was cold and tired. I found the run very difficult and I wished I had taken more time to get used to the time difference and temperature.

Tuesday I went out to try track and half way through I abandoned the run. I had no speed in my legs and was feeling tired and sick.


I made the decision not to go to club on Wednesday and instead focus on the long run on Thursday. 

The run was a disaster and half way through I had to rung a friend to come and pick me up. My whole body was shaking and ached. I had a headache and I felt run down. The shaking continued into Friday and by the weekend I was full of cold.

Whatever virus I had took a few days to leave and to increase a force rest from running the snow came, causing a snow day. The end of February saw snow, and me wondering how I would fit training in and would I be able to complete the marathons?




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It dawned on me this week that I had not wrote about our half term.  I noticed I had drafted the post and got all the images together but not finished writing the post.

Our February half term was one filled with a very poorly Little Man.  A combination of teething and cold left him feeling very under the weather.


I completed my first race of the year and then spent the rest of the week with the virus Little Man had caught.  I was completely under the weather with a sore throat and cough.


After a few days staying at home, listening to audio books, playing games and generally trying to get over the illness that had set in, we decided to venture out for a day trip to York.


I wasn't aware until recently that you could download audio books for children from Audible.  I have downloaded some of the classics from my childhood, including several Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton books for the girls to listen to.  They love listening to them both in the car and when we travel on the train and for the train journey to York they kept the girls entertained.

Our first stop in York was the railway museum.  

The girls began by exploring the trains in the great hall and my youngest desperate to help tried to move the suitcases.  Unfortunately I didn't have the heart to tell her they were stuck to the platform as part of the display.  She did put in all her effort!


There was an old fashioned fairground outside.  I bought the girls some tokens and let them pick which they wanted to go on.  They wanted the helter skelter but were denied entry as my eldest was too short and my youngest too young, the second choice was the swings.


My eldest daughter then had a fall in the playground and we had to go inside to seek medical help.  Luckily she was Ok and we decided to take it easier and look at some more of the trains.  The railway museum is very hands on and the girls loved exploring the inside of the trains


We could have easily spent a lot longer at the Railway museum.  There were plenty of talks, and activities to keep us busy but we decided to go and explore and see what else York had to offer.


We made sure we adjusted our dress before leaving......


I love exploring the streets of York.  I always seem to find something new.  The streets are all different, unique and all have such a charm about them.  The feel was very different from the last time we visited as it had been over the Christmas period


We walked passed a wide variety of shops, stopping to look in the windows as we passed.  The girls eyes getting wider as they saw chocolate and sweets shops, before dashing to a giant bear outside the teddy bear shop.


The girls asked if we could find Vikings as we walked around York and sure enough we happened to stubble upon some.  My youngest took it upon herself to do battle and I admit to feeling very nervous as she was handed a REAL viking sword.


She seemed to really get into character and enjoyed becoming a viking!


After a day walking round and exploring York it was time for dinner.  With both girls loving Pizza there could only be one choice and that was the PizzaExpress restaurant on the banks of York’s River Ouse.  The view from here looks straight over the River Ouse and it is stunning.  I want to return for lunch in the summer as I can bet it is the best place to sit out in the sun in York.  As it was I had two poorly children, it was dark, cold and raining and so we opted to sit inside.


The interior of PizzaExpress York River House has just gone through a major refurbishment and you would be forgiven for thinking you were in a luxury hotel, rather than a PizzaExpress restaurant.  The interior really surprised us, especially with the beautiful fire place [I couldn't get a picture as it was too close to another family who were eating!].

Little Man began to get really poorly and very upset.  He just wanted to be cuddled and held tight.  


We decided to finish our dinner and head home.  We will however be returning to PizzaExpress York River House as the whole setting is beautiful.

We spent another day at home relaxing and giving Little Man time to recover before heading out on a very exciting adventure, that however is another post!

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Today is the 29th February

When my due date was given to me as the 9th March, I was suddenly rather excited at the prospect that Thing 3 might be born on the 29th February.  


I know there are many people out there who try their hardest to avoid having a baby on this date, but for me it is a special and unique date.  It is a date which means you become part of a unique group of people.  It does not mean you only have a birthday once every four years.

If you were to ask my youngest when her birthday is she can tell you the date but she has no concept of this date.  Instead she goes with the flow and celebrates her birthday on the date we choose, that is closest to her actually birthday.  This is usually the weekend before or the weekend after, when all the family can get together.  I am fully aware that as she gets older she will become more aware of the date but for now as long as she has her birthday in May she seems pretty happy.

My eldest really dislikes having an August birthday.  It never used to bother her until she started school, upon which she discovered her birthday is in the school holidays.  This then means lots of people are away and she cannot see her friends on her birthday.

I guess whenever your birthday is there are advantages and disadvantages to it.  

Today I am 38 weeks and 5 days pregnant, it is the 29th February and Thing 3 has 2 hours left to arrive to be part of this unique club.  


This day I love the 29th 
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Our February book back from Parragon saw us meet four young dinosaurs with awesome superpowers.  This new series of super powered activity books from Parragon are sure to capture the imagination of all fans of Dinosaurs and Superhero.  The activity books are aimed at children aged 6 - 12, which unfortunately meant the girls were a little too young and became uninterested.

Whilst both girls love dinosaurs and really enjoyed the bright comic style drawings, the activities were a little too advanced for them and I feel the concept totally lost.  However I can see this appealing to the age range it is defined for and would be great to give as a gift, or even to keep children entertained on a long journey.  

The range is available now and starts at £3.99 up to £14.99.  There is everything from sticker books to activity cases.  I may have found what to get my nephews for their birthdays!

Dino Supersaurus

We received an activity book from Parragon to review, all words are my own

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About me

About Me

Welcome to This Day I love.

My name is Leyla, also known as Mum to my 3 humans and dog Mum to J. I have a passion for the outdoors and love to run. I can often be found off road exploring the trails and fells and covering distances all the way up to 50 miles. As a family we love travelling and discovering new adventures, as I try and run around the world!

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