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Jimmy Joy: Review Take Two

5/8/2021

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I love a good meal replacement. Convenient, healthy, cheap, fun and tasty. And so my excitement level when Jimmy Joy sent me some freebies was through the roof! Read my original review here. And read on for my thoughts on Plenny Active Chocolate and brand new flavour Plenny Original Pistachio.


I recently spent 10 days doing a Workaway on a small farm (yup, that’s another blog post waiting to happen). I was only slightly concerned when the host said “I don’t know what vegan means.” But never fear, Jimmy Joy is here! I took a delightfully green bag of the all new pistachio flavour with me.

First impressions: as I ripped the top off the packet, it smelt great! Disappointingly, the powder isn’t as green as the packet. Probably best, since that would require unnatural food colourings… but, the first sip was delicious - kind of like marzipan, but more pistachio-y. I was in a bit of a rush (I’m always late for everything so this isn’t new to me), so I ended up chugging the shake a bit too quickly. By the end, the reality of drinking a whole marzipan drink kind of got to me and it stopped tasting quite so nice.


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Plenny Pistachio, on the farm, see chicken walking by for proof.
Second impressions: the next day, both my hosts were working at their regular jobs and I was left alone with the goats, chicken, dog, cats, kittens, geese… anyhow, this meant that I didn’t have to stick to a particular schedule, so long as the chores got done. I made up my pistachio shake and put it in the fridge while I did a bit of yoga and then made some coffee. I sat at the window with my chilled shake and sipped gracefully while watching the goats frolic in their paddock (until I thought one of them was dead - but that’s the next blog post). The shake was MUCH nicer. A lovely smooth texture, nutty and sweet flavour, plus drinking slower meant I felt full and satiated. In fact, it was so nice that I had another shake for lunch that day too.

Plenny Pistachio kept me fuelled whilst digging holes, sweeping sheds, weeding vegetables patches, feeding goats and chopping wood. 

When I got home, it was quite nice to change it up and finish off an open bag of Huel that I had. Then, it was the perfect moment to try out the Plenny Active Powder. This is Jimmy Joy’s direct Huel rival, as it contains more protein than the regular Plenny, and practically the same amount as Huel White Edition. I decided to have a week on it. Lunch every day last week, plus some breakfasts, and most days this week have been a Chocolate Active Shake plus a carrot and/or apple. (I love apples, I literally eat one every day.) 

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First impressions: as with the other shakes, it’s nicer chilled but perfectly tasty when it’s freshly shaken too. It’s a bit sweeter than Huel, but not too sweet in my opinion, and it has a smoother texture - Huel is a little bit grainy. I generally chilled it for around half an hour before lunch, whilst completing my runner’s strength training workouts. It is smooth, chocolatey, and delicious!

Everyday I’ve felt full and energetic. In fact, I feel amazing! It’s probably a combination of having had a break whilst on the farm, the physical activity, and eating more healthily, but I feel very energetic and positive. 


It’s quite possible that I’m a Jimmy Joy convert. It’s a little bit cheaper than Huel and the other flavours of the Active Blend that I want to try include Chai Latte and Strawberry. I’ll probably mix and match which I buy (I’m excited to try Huel’s Salted Caramel) but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Jimmy Joy.

Are you a meal-replacement fan? Do you think drinking a meal is too weird? Or are you a Huel fanatic who couldn't bare to be disloyal? Comment below.


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Hiking Near Čačak Serbia

12/10/2020

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I’m not sure I would have ever visited Serbia on holiday had it not been for the pandemic and the migrant crisis combined. Perhaps I would have done a long weekend if there were a sale on flights to Belgrade. Even on my break between projects, I hadn’t planned to visit Čačak (pronounced Charchak). Stef and I were travelling in southern Serbia and Kosovo on our way to Bosnia. We visited Niš in Serbia with its ancient Ottoman history and concentration camp museum, before stopping in Kosovar capital Pristina. It was at this point we had to decide how and where to get a Covid PCR test which is required before entering Bosnia. Some map searching and googling led to Čačak. After a whistle-stop visit to beautiful Prizren and it’s many mosques, and a quick stop in the divided city of Mitrovica, we arrived to a small health centre in a random city. Here’s some info about the city, and what we got up to while waiting for the test and for the result.
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Mountain Cabin life.
Čačak

​The city is located just over two hours on the bus from Belgrade, in the West Morava Valley in Central Serbia. There are over 30 monasteries in the vicinity dating from the 14th century. Many of these are located in the Ovcar-Kablar Gorge. More on this later. The city has a bustling main square, busy market and friendly inhabitants. But if you visit, you'll likely spend most of your time out of the city.

​Mountain Air


We stayed at this mountain cabin near Prejevor, not too far from the centre. It was the perfect antidote to the bustling cities we had been in. Peaceful, green and stunning views of the surrounding mountains. Jovana and her mum Lily welcomed us with coffee, homemade jam and fresh salad before lighting a BBQ to cook corn on the cob. We went for a walk up the hill, passing the orchards of plum trees, the encroaching darkness revealed the multitude of stars.
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Hiking and Monasteries

The next morning we set off to scale the mountain of Kablar. We had some vague directions and had a very adventurous drive through old mountain tunnels before arriving to Ovcar Banjar, a tiny town in the river valley. We had a quick look at the hiking map before starting our ascent. There are plenty of trails here and different ways to reach the summit. We of course didn’t notice the ! that accompanied our route. There were very steep sections where scrambling was required, metal handholds had been positioned in some places but it was definitely quite dodgy. The views paid off though. We gained height quickly and the view along the valley in both directions was stunning. We reached the top, sweaty and proud, and sat and ate some chocolate admiring the view, while those who had driven most of the way up bustled to the viewpoint and back. The trail we chose for the descent was much easier going. There were fruit trees to keep us energised, and a really different landscape. None of the same stunning river views though.
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Hiking Trails Map
Čačak Centre

We stayed at an apartment in the centre of the city for a couple of nights. I’m not sure I’d recommend the place we stayed but it will remain memorable for a host of reasons…! I had a lovely run through the pedestrianised centre to the river. Then we visited the church as we wandered around. The highlights of many trips are often the food. We found THE best bakery. Serbia is a vegan paradise. No, I’m not joking. Thanks to the Eastern Orthodox tradition of abstaining from animal products on Wednesdays and Fridays, many baked goods are vegan. Zmej pekara was amazing! Not only did they have friendly and patient staff, but a wealth of vegan choice. I think we visited about 4 times in 3 days. The mushroom burek, potato pitta, sweet breads and weird cheesecake thing were all amazing but were however shadowed by THE CHOCOLATE CROISSANT. Chocolate filled and chocolate covered. Bliss.

The market in Čačak was another absolute highlight. The colourful stands of fresh and local produce were a vegan heaven. We were admiring a man’s melon stall and were offered a taste. “Dobro” we had a multilingual conversation about which countries we were from, which somehow resulted in us being given half an enormous melon! 
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Paintings and refreshment at Monastir Preobrazenje
Hiking Mount Ovcar

Undeterred by our adventurous hike, we returned to Ovcar Banjar to scale the second of the twin peaks. The monasteries in this area are extraordinary. Many are still inhabited by monks or nuns, and have ancient wall paintings. The first that we visited was Monastir Preobrazenje where we had to put on long clothes to be allowed to enter. The nuns were very friendly and had provided fruit and water, and the paintings inside the dark chapel were beautiful. We continued our hike on the other side of the river where we saw three or four other monasteries. Another larger one had refreshments for travellers too. It was at this point that we decided that the weather wasn’t quite bad enough to deter us from scaling the peak. It was shortly after this that it started with the thunder and lightning. You’ll have to let me know what the view is like from the top…

If we had more time, there were miles and miles of unexplored paths and numerous other monasteries to visit. And I'd definitely return to the city just to visit the pekara!

What's the best bakery food you've had? Comment below.



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The view from Kablar before it rained!
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Kayaking in Belgrade, Serbia: Lockdown Adventures

22/6/2020

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Coronavirus has managed to make all our worlds smaller. For a long time we were only aware of the situation in our own countries and localities and it remains quite difficult to find information about the situation in other countries. I was living in France for a couple of months, and watched as the restrictions were gradually lifted. Cafes reopened for takeaway, bars and restaurants started taking customers again - and there was a glimpse of normal life returning. Each country has had a different experience. I’m in Serbia now and visited Belgrade as part of my work with an aid organisation. Belgrade seems 100% back to normal. It’s such an interesting city to visit and I felt very fortunate to have the city experience without tourists! And even more so when I happened to call up Belgrade Adventures when I realised that myself and fellow volunteer Stef were going to have some free time…!

Belgrade sits on the confluence of two rivers - the Sava and Danube. Rivers mean water so naturally I looked up the water sport opportunities in the city. Belgrade Adventures could accommodate us right away, with a bespoke tour to fit into our schedule. Vlada the guide met us and asked a few questions about what we wanted to see and if we had any experience before we were set afloat in our double kayak. I’ve paddled quite a few different crafts in my time but this was my first time with a rudder operated by foot pedals. So my feet were doing the steering. As an organist, you’d think I’d be competent at multitasking with different body parts, but it certainly took some getting used to (sorry for Stef)! 


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We zig-zagged our way upstream to begin with, and saw an army base where the warship formerly called SMS Bodrog is tethered. This ship was instrumental to the beginning of WWI. Vlada gave us plenty of local history and an amazing amount of information about the nature that inhabits the river islands. He’s seen a white-tailed eagle on more than one occasion. No eagles for us today but plenty of ducks and herons, all within moments of the bustling city. Belgrade’s two million inhabitants have nature on their doorstep. We continued towards the confluence of the two rivers and floated on the mighty Danube. It is a vast river! I’ve paddled on the Thames in London and felt like a small dot but the Danube dwarfs Old Father Thames. The views of the city on the hill above were spectacular. Just as the sun came out we headed for a secluded channel where we left any noise of human habitation behind, and meandered through the reeds watching out for catfish and turtles that call this place home.

On our way back, Vlada talked about the other adventures that are on offer. Caving and mountain biking in Serbia sounds cool. I am very tempted by their Novi Sad to Belgrade kayaking journey. Two days, 70 km and a night camping on a river island - that’s my kind of adventure.

Coronavirus is going to have a huge impact on tourism for a very long time. Here in the Balkans, movement between nearby countries is going to be acceptable before long so hopefully tourism will start to grow in the coming months. I feel incredibly privileged to have experienced Belgrade as very few people do, and I am really grateful to Vlada and Ivan at Belgrade Adventures for showing us the unique, watery perspective of their beautiful city. See you soon guys!
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The Norfolk Garden Half: write up.

19/4/2020

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Four days on and I still can’t quite walk properly! I’m delighted to have written about my Garden Half Marathon for Intrepid which you can read here. And there’s still time to donate to Care4Calais via my sponsorship page here.
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I never thought I would be a swimwear model: Deakin and Blue swimwear review

5/4/2020

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When I reached out to Deakin and Blue I thought it would be a long shot. I knew of the sustainable swimwear company from social media and had been eyeing up their diverse range of full suits and bikinis for my next trip. I’m training to be a dive professional and told them about my plans to volunteer for good causes using my newly acquired dive skills once I've got my qualification. The ocean needs all the help it can get right now and I can't wait to get involved with marine conservation projects and humanitarian causes. They liked the sound of my plans and very generously let me pick a swimsuit from their extensive range. Read on for a full product review, with some snippets about my Mexican travels thrown in for good measure. And scroll on for my swimsuit modelling debut.


I primarily wanted a new swimsuit to wear under a wet suit while scuba diving. I have tried different combinations of undergarments over the years and
I found two halves easier than a full swimsuit, so due to not wanting to buy more plastic, had settled on wearing an old sports bra and swim shorts I found in a charity shop. Not the most glamorous! So it was a treat to pick something designed more appropriately for the job. The model I chose was the Hepburn. It's designed with activity in mind and is more substantial than almost all bikinis I’ve ever seen. The tops are sized like bras so you can get a really good fit and decent boob support, with the arms of the top being cut low enough that there's no chaffing when swimming lengths in a pool. I chose high-waisted bottoms for comfort under neoprene, and you can pick the size of the bottoms independently from the top which makes a lot of sense. The range also includes full suits and more skimpy numbers in a huge range of size options so they have something for everyone.


All Deakin and Blue have high sustainability credentials. Their website explains that the material used is "
ECONYL® - a 100% regenerated nylon fibre made from post-consumer waste such as old fishing nets and industrial plastic." They are also built to last and are made tougher than most other products. The material feels nice against my skin, dries well and holds up to saltwater, swimming pools and waterfalls. A solid month of 3 dives a day in sea water and being dried in direct sunlight and I've seen no change in colour or stretchiness. The first time I wore it was at the stunning Roberto Barrios waterfalls near Palenque in Mexico, where it dried quickly enough that I didn’t need to perform an awkward towel dance to change my underwear in public! However, awkward towel dances are made easier with the front zip on the top. As demonstrated after swimming at the mossy green cavern that is the cenote in the heart of the city of Valladolid.
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My life as a divemaster trainee involves being wet for large part of the day. I love that I can take half my wet suit off and go to the loo (not an easy feat wearing a full swimming costume). And I don’t feel too naked, so I’m happy to wander around during our surface intervals without anything more on.


I’m so pleased to have found a product that suits my needs so well. I’m not at all comfortable wearing triangles held on with stringy bits and I need something that can offer support when lifting tanks and equipment on and off dive boats. The fact that Deakin and Blue have these design features covered is only made more brilliant by their eco friendly credentials - all happily delivered in beautiful, non-plastic packaging. I’m sure my new swimsuit will last ages but I know where I’m getting my next one. 



So now for the swimwear model moment. Here is a picture of a real person, on a windy day, about to do her 800m snorkelling swimming test in the choppy ocean. Thank you so much Deakin and Blue for the swimsuit and for the confidence you’ve shown in me in providing me with a product.
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Pueblos Mancomunados: indigenous villages and hiking near Oaxaca, Mexico

9/2/2020

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My first activity when arriving to Mexico City was to take an historic walking tour of the centre of town. The bulk of this tour was focused on prehispanic history, before Cortez and is Spanish soldiers showed up. The indigenous cultures weren’t completely obliterated by the Europeans. They’ve had a difficult time until the very recent past but are now being supported a bit more. Pueblos Mancomunados is a cooperative of villages with interconnected resources focused on hiking but also supporting biking, horse riding and zip lining! I wanted to escape the city of Oaxaca for the mountains and visit the Zapotec people there. This is how I did it and what I learnt.
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The office of Expodiciones Sierra Norte offer organised tours including transport and food. This was extremely expensive, especially for a solo traveller, but they were happy to give me information to visit on my own. Their office in central Oaxaca is marked on maps.me and they were very patient with my rudimentary Spanish language skills.


Transport


I went to the second class bus station the day before to book my ticket to Cuajimuloyas. The Faden Bus Company is to the left when you enter and has a notice of the destinations above the window. It was 60 pesos and I got to pick my seat. The bus leaves at 7am.
On the day of my visit we were all loaded into the minivan and the journey took less than two hours.
To return, buses leave from the place it drops you at around 6pm and at 7am and 8am if you stay over. (Don’t necessarily count on the buses being on time.)


Sleeping


I went to the tourist office (which isn’t where it’s marked on maps.me, ask for directions) and sorted a place to sleep for 200 pesos. This was in the hotel across the street. It’s possible to stay in a more traditional cabaña for more than 200. The hotel had everything I needed. Hot shower, plenty of blankets and a comfy bed.


Hiking


This was a bit confusing. There are some routes that you don’t need a guide for but most of them you do. My bus friends and I weren’t sure how difficult the route finding would be, so started off to the next village of Benito Juarez on our own, but had to stick to the quiet but dusty road. From Benito Juarez we made it to the view tower and bridge with a little help from maps.me, and back to the village in a rather unorthodox manner... so in order to return to Cuajimuloyas via the scenic forest route, we hired a guide in the tourist office in Benito Juarez. We paid 300 pesos between us for the guide. I highly recommend spending a bit more time deciding on which trek you want to do and get a guide from the beginning. The trail would have been impossible without one, you’re supporting the local economy and you learn so much more!

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Manuel the guide - 76 year old grandfather with a bad knee - arrived to lead us back. He had a great sense of humour, knew about the plants, and took great pains in teaching us to pronounce the name of the village we were heading for. (It’s a Zapotec word with several spellings!) The 8km trail through woods, up and down mountain sides, next to (sometimes through) fields and big rock formations was demanding. The altitude is around 3000m above sea level so every hill had me huffing and puffing. Plus the sun is very bright and my pale skin was easily burnt.


I wanted to see a slice of real life. Seeing donkeys in the fields and farmers cutting oats, meeting Manuel and eating in a comedor in Cuajimuloyas where the family were busy around me was lovely. Traditional farming and family life have been the life of the Zapotec people for hundreds and hundreds of years and it’s great that they can now turn their way of life into an ecotourism initiative. Everyone was friendly and helpful, with the pace of life allowing time to sit and watch and chat.


I stayed just one night and got the early bus back, but I wish I could’ve stayed longer. If I were going again I’d take the bus to Cuajimuloyas (now I can say the word) engage a guide to walk to another village to sleep. Then perhaps continue to another town the next day. There are shared taxis from all the villages and the tourist office was open beyond 8pm, so transport back to the city is guaranteed from wherever you end up and you’ll be able to find a place to sleep even if you arrive later in the day. I left most of my stuff at the lovely Hostal Pochon so could easily walk with my stuff between villages. Take warm layers though, as soon as the sun starts to set, the air gets chilly - temperatures reach 2 degrees C at night.


Let me know if you have any questions, if you go, how you do it and what you see. There are 9 villages to explore and the fresh mountain air will have you refreshed for your return to the city.
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New York City for free?! Yes it’s possible.

3/2/2020

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New York City is a very expensive place to visit. I’m not saying you can visit the city for no money at all, but here’s some advice on cutting costs and fitting in some extra experiences.



Central Park


This is an obvious one but it costs nothing to walk or run in the park. I enjoyed circumnavigating the entire park which is about 10km. There’s a pedestrian lane on the road that leads right round, but also plenty of smaller footpaths to enjoy. Keep an eye out for the birds - bright red northern cardinals and super confident sparrows have their home here.
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Walk the High Line


This former freight train line is now a raised footpath. In wintertime it’s main draw are the sculptures and the view. In the summer there’s much more going on.
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Go to a church service


I went to evensong at St Thomas, 5th Avenue. The world-class choir sing every weekday at 5:30pm. It’s very welcoming even if you don’t normally go to church. Just stand and sit when everyone else does!
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MoMA - the museum of modern art


Every Friday the MoMA throws open the doors at 5:30pm with free tickets until 9pm. Either arrive early enough to queue (from the 42nd entrance I think) or arrive a bit later and walk right in. You’ll be able to see this van Gogh along with numerous Picasso’s and a great female representation without spending a penny.


Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art


This gallery has exhibitions and events dedicated to showcasing artists and subjects in the LGBTQ+ community.


There are plenty of other smaller museums that are free including the American Folk Art Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (weekdays in winter). Check out this article for more info.
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New York public library


This is a grand yet welcoming building. There’s a small exhibition on the second floor and access is permitted to two of the reading rooms, including the famous Rose Main Reading Room. The exhibition near the ladies’ loo was especially interesting - how the library had influenced people that had worked there.


I enjoyed these free things along with the more obvious things like the Staten Island Ferry and the 9/11 memorial. I also splashed out on an opera ticket and a visit to the Guggenheim, because when else will I be in the city?! Let me know if you have any more tips on fun and free frolics in the Big Apple.
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Feed: more meal replacements - Review

3/12/2019

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Feed are another company creating meal replacement drinks and bars. They were kind enough to send me some products to try (as well as a nice hat). Here's what I thought of them and how they compare to other products.

I haven't tried meal replacements bars from any other company yet, but I thought the concept of these is great. Less fuss and mess than a shaker and powder. You don't look weird eating them and you don't end up needing to pee all the time because you drank loads of liquid. I spend too much time in my car, and I can even eat a bar driving along. I can't do that with a shaker. These bars tasted great too. My favourite was the chocolate one, a sort of fudgy middle coated in a layer of chocolate. It's hard to believe that they're vegan and that they're nutritionally balanced. The lemon one was less crumbly - more like a regular snack bar with a texture quite like a nakd bar. Each of the big ones is around 400kcal and 20g of protein. It was really handy to have one in my bag just in case - like going to an unplanned concert in the evening after work. It saved me buying unhealthy and expensive sandwiches at the posh cafe.

The smaller 'light' ones are around 250kcal so better for a snack rather than an entire meal. They tasted great too. They were especially handy for when I knew I was going to eat really late but still had to cycle to another job.
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Now for the drinks. I haven't tried Huel's ready-to-drink formula, only the powder, so I can't make a direct comparison. Feed do a powder too which I haven't tried. I had a bottle of the vanilla flavour drink with me when I had a long day of organ playing. I was sat on a bus to a train station, anticipating my liquid lunch to be something like a vanilla milkshake. However, it was gross. I could taste the sweetener and the texture was too thin. I had a few sips but couldn't finish the bottle (luckily there was a Greggs nearby for a vegan sausage roll, cheap but not quite so healthy...). The chocolate one was better, a bit less sweet. I couldn't drink the vanilla one chilled as suggested and I did managed to chill the chocolate one. Perhaps this made the difference to the texture. However, the chocolate still had a slightly strange after taste.

I really liked the bars for convenience and taste. However, I probably wouldn't buy them. Priced at £3 per meal (the drinks are more), that's more than double the cost of Huel bars which are currently just £1.30 if you sign up for their subscription service. In a rather competitive industry, I think all of the Feed products are priced a bit high. I'd happily make them part of my life if it weren't for this.

Are you a meal replacement fan? What other products should I try? Comment below and I'll give them a go.
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A night out on the Dunes: Trail Running in the dark

27/11/2019

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Meeting some strangers in the back of an otherwise empty car park - at night - isn't necessarily how everyone likes to spend their Tuesday evening. But after seeing an open invitation on a Facebook group, my friend Lewis and I were meeting some Dunerunners for a night running workshop.

Neil, a founding member and coach of Dunerunners and a few other members were waiting for us next the lifeboat station in Caister-on-Sea. I grew up in Norfolk but there are still so many places I've never been. The sound of the sea accompanied Neil's explanation about how best to use a head torch and what the session was going to consist of. 

TOP TIPS FOR TRAIL RUNNING AT NIGHT
  • keep light on your feet - so you a quickly adjust if you land on an uncomfortable surface
  • make sure your light is bright enough - if you're shopping, look for a torch with at least 60 lumens of brightness
  • focus your torch about 4 metres in front of you - your brain processes what you see and tells your feet what to do
  • ease in - running trails, and running at night both take more concentration than road running or daylight running. Give yourself a chance to get used to it.​
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Night running makes for some great photos... not!
Night is really dark out in the sticks. Down by the lapping waves, where the sand was compacted, my head torch focused my attention on the ground in front. We had a gentle run along the shoreline and heard a seal in the water. When Neil thought we were managing, we ascended into the dunes. Now we ran in single file, the beams of our torches illuminating rabbit holes and marram grass on the narrow, sandy paths. After a little stop for a photo shoot Neil decided to up the pace for the last section. Wider paths but at a faster pace were more of a challenge. I found I had to trust that my feet would find the floor, and if they didn't, it would at least be a soft landing.

At the end of our session (after everyone had attended to their Garmins) we talked through how we'd found it. It seemed mad to run in the dunes at night. But it was amazing! The sound and smell of the sea was in itself invigorating. The constant adjustments that trail running requires make for much more of a full body workout than the repetitive motion of roadrunning. The concentration level required made everything else leave my mind - I couldn't help but be present in the moment. It was also really nice to be trusting someone else to lead the way too.

At the friendly local pub we talked kit, trails, and left with an open invitation to return. I gained a lot of confidence in running with my headtorch and I will definitely be hitting my usual trails at night. And I can't wait to tag along with the Dunerunners for another run again soon. Thank you Neil for having us!

Find out about the Norfolk Dune Runners here. And check out the main page here for events and training sessions around the UK.
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Huel: What's the point and does it taste nice?!

30/10/2019

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There's been a surge of healthy convenience food in recent times, but are they actually useful? Do they taste gross? Are they even good for you? Huel is one of the bigger brands, so I thought I'd give it a try.

According to their website, Huel is

 
"Nutritionally complete, convenient, affordable food with minimal impact on animals and the environment."

Is it useful?

I live in two different cities at the same time. Us millennials call it a “split screen lifestyle”, at the weekends I’m a hardworking church organist and music educator, by week I’m an outdoors fitness fanatic in the countryside. 

I thought I’d give Huel a try for several reasons. The little food shops near my London digs are really expensive and so much of the fresh produce comes wrapped in plastic. Buying lunchtime meal deals when I’m out and about is expensive, plastic inducing and, as a vegan, not always readily available. I love a packed lunch but I’m not always organised enough to make one. Enter Huel. I can put three scoops in my shaker, throw it in my bag and know that’s it’s there. Just add water.

Here’s my pros and cons list for anyone else thinking of trying it. 


Pros
Doesn’t go off - the resealable bag will sit waiting for you, unlike that green mush in the fridge that used to be lettuce. 
Nutritionally balanced - don’t worry about the balance of macronutrients in your meal, Huel and some registered nutritionists have done the thinking for you. (
37% of the energy comes from carbohydrates, 30% from fats, 30% from proteins and 3% from fibre)
You don’t need a shop/kitchen/any equipment - Huel send you a shaker and a scoop with your first order, other similar products require a blender.
Cheap - unlike a Tesco meal deal, it works out as just £1.45 a meal. 

Cons
You feel like a prat - I take the dry powder ready in my shaker and then add water when I'm ready to have lunch. If I'm shaking in public I feel rather conspicuous
Washing up - if you don’t give it a rinse right away then it can be a bit of a sticky mess by the time you get home. 
Real food envy - sometimes you want to chew your lunch, not just gulp it down. 

Does it takes gross?


I haven’t mentioned the all important taste factor. I’ve had vanilla and chocolate now. Both tasted fine, better than fine. Vanilla is my favourite but both flavours are a lot better than similar products I've tried and many protein powders. The texture is a little gritty. I’ve got used to it now but some people may not like that. Huel suggest using a blender but that’s not going to work for my life. 

Is it even good for you?


The powder, ready-to-drink and bars have slightly different nutritional values but the powder is composed thus: 
37% of the energy comes from carbohydrates, 30% from fats, 30% from proteins and 3% from fibre. I don't know much about nutrition but I trust that this is better than a bag of ready salted and some oreos.
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To conclude, I really like knowing I've got Huel as a back up, some days I may take it with me just in case I can't find vegan food. It takes the anxiety out of unknown situations. I personally wouldn’t use Huel to substitute all my meals, one meal or possibly two a day is enough. I enjoy cooking and want to chew some real food too. But it has really helped me not to buy expensive, plastic wrapped, unhealthy food. The ultimate convenience food. 
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    Hannah the traveller

    is a travel and lifestyle blog with focus on running, vegan eating and of course global travel.

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