Last year my friends and I took part in Cycle for Survival - if you have no idea what this is, not to worry! I'm here to explain!

Cycle for Survival is an annual fundraiser held by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), and aims to fund rare cancer research. Half of patients diagnosed with cancer have a form of rare cancer (including brain, pancreatic, ovarian, stomach, pediatric, and more), which are incredibly underfunded. This means they are more difficult to treat.

When I realized this, I essentially became the embodiment of a question mark. 50% OF PEOPLE DIAGNOSED HAVE A RARE CANCER YET RESEARCH IS UNDERFUNDED? I'm still trying to comprehend why that is.

This is where MSKCC comes in! They want to change this. Every single dollar raised from this cycling event goes directly towards cancer research at the hospital. Sloan Kettering has fought tirelessly against cancer for over 130 years and every year pushes itself to raise more and more money to support its patients!

What have the donations done so far from past cycling events?

Every donation has allowed researchers to collaborate with institutions around the world (LOOK AT THAT GLOBAL EFFORT COMING TOGETHER YES YES YES) to purchase high-tech equipment, devise various new medications, and establish specialized clinical trials - all of which have eventually led to greater cancer treatment options and lower morality rates!

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A few months ago, I came across an article about a Canadian PhD student whose groundbreaking cancer discovery resulted in a DNA binder that could "switch off" cancer cells and effectively prevent them from spreading. (!!!)  In the article, linked below, Caitlin Miron noted that scientists have been trying to identify a DNA binder like hers for over two decades!


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If you would like to fight back against cancer and want to help fund rare cancer research,  JOIN THE FIGHT. My friends and I will be cycling again this year and are hoping to raise at least $5,000. From now until December 31st, the MetLife Foundation will match your donation DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR.

Thank you so so much to everyone who helps spread the word/donates - let's kick cancer to the curb!


(On our Team Page, we have so far raised $105!)






On the left is my friend Nira
On the right is Ibtihaj Muhammad

I think for the most part I can label the end of 2016 & 2017 as the years where hijab wearing Muslim Women were finally represented. And y'know I feel like I haven't realized how seeing myself represented in a sport, magazine, etc. impacted my day-to-day life until a few weeks ago.

At the Rio Olympics we had the first hijab wearing Muslim compete on behalf of Team USA- Ibtihaj Muhammad. It was after seeing Ibtihaj fencing I was reminded about my love for running. After seeing her represent Team USA my thought process was more or less like wait a second wearing a hijab doesn't limit you from competing at the Olympics? Did the rules change? Was that ever a rule?

It took a second for me to realize that obviously there was a never a rule that hijab wearing Muslim women couldn't compete in the Olympics on behalf of Team USA. Rather, no hijab wearing American Muslim ever pursued such a path before.

This is where Ibtihaj Muhammad comes in. She competed for Team USA in Fencing. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only hijab wearing muslim who thought wait we can do that- since when?

The answer to that question is that we've always been able to compete in a sport for our country at the Olympics, it just took one to lead the way for us to realize that door has always been open for us.
On the left is my friend Nira
On the right is Ibtihaj Muhammad
* also can we talk about Ibtihaj's outfit YAS *

In the middle of September, Ibtihaj Muhammad was having a pop-up shop for her clothing line Louella. If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram - you'll probably remember me mentioning how shook I was at meeting an idol of mine.

I can confirm I am still shook that I met Ibtihaj Muhammad.

 The huge thing for me is the message her being on Team USA sent to all us hijab wearing Muslims in America as well as around the world who may not have seen themselves represented in sports. I'm sure after seeing her compete for Team USA at the Olympics, it helped other Muslim girls realize they are capable of anything they set their mind to, even competing for their country at the Olympics. There are no limitations.

In retrospect, all limits are self imposed. Most people sometimes look at something that is challenging and think to themselves oh how can I ever do that?

Well, you can start by taking the first step.
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Edit: so I saw this interview with Zendaya talking about representation and thought to include it: Zendaya on Blackness, Beyonce, and Telling Disney 'No'
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When exercising it's so easy to get in the mindset of I must workout everyday to run faster & to get stronger and forget that your body needs a recovery day even if your mind is against it. 

Although it doesn't really seem like it, recovery days are just as important as workout days. Trust me when I say I'm guilty of going OH WHO NEEDS A REST DAY I'M SO CLOSE TO GETTING MY MIN PER MILE DOWN. The who who needs a rest day is me. If you've also felt this way, thinking that rest days are for the weak, let me tell you something I wish someone told me: We are not machines. Stop trying to act like one.

hi yes i am a professional at not knowing what to do with my hands

I personally even wondered did professional Olympic Athletes take rest days? I found my answer in Alexandra Raisman's (Olympic Gymnast) Instagram post and in Alysia Montano's (Olympic Runner) Instagram post. One thing that they both mentioned was to listen to your body first and then your training schedule. For Alexandra Raisman, she took a break after Rio (a well deserved one at that! did! you! watch! the! Olympics!) and for Alysia Montano, she makes sure to put rest days into her training schedule.

Recovery days don't make you weak, they make you stronger. By having a rest day in your schedule, you allow your muscles to relax and save yourself from any injury you would have gotten if you overtrained. If you remember from my previous posts that was the reason I ended up out of running for a few months - I didn't take rest days and my injuries came rolling into my life like HAHA YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD AVOID ME.

actual footage of me when I see someone running on my rest/recovery day

And let me tell you having to sit out for a month while seeing people running & exercising is honestly the worst. There's that lil voice in your mind that's like HEY THAT COULD BE YOU BUT YOU STILL HAVE XYZ WEEKS TILL YOU'RE COMPLETELY HEALED. After you take your recovery day- trust me when I say this - your body will be thanking you! literally take the recovery day! your body will be 110% blessed! The next day you'll feel fresh and ready for whatever workout you have planned.
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"Resting is just as important as working out because it's an equal part of the total process required to build strength, endurance, and muscle."
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Resting doesn't mean eating Doritos on the couch and binge watching Game of Thrones. It means doing a bit of walking around your house or outside.  Okay and maybe binge watch a LIL Game of Thrones. Generally you should be moving around a bit but not in an exercise/workout sense. Rather in a I-will-not-become-the-living-embodiment-of-a-potato-on-my-day-off kind of way.

Yes. You may be thinking on your rest days I'm so close to my goal! I'm almost there! I don't need it! A rest day is going to slow me down!

NO. NO IT WILL NOT!

 It will strengthen your muscles, you won't feel a tiredness during your workout since you rested the day before and you'll feel ready to take on any new challenge you've set up for yourself.

On your rest/recovery days, REST. Your body needs time to relax and recharge. Listen to your body - it's the only one you have.





*currently in the process of combining both Instagrams to this one*
if we're mutuals on twitter or on my other Instagram I'll follow back!



For the past month, I've been going to the gym 3 days a week and one thing I was most excited about was to see how waltzing my way from machines to free weights would affect my running pace. Well, I can tell you that going to the gym for a month helped my minute per mile go from 9:01 to 7:33 (!!!).

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I just thought to clarify why my pace was at 9:01 - this is post overtraining. My timing was around 5:45/6:47 before having to take a break due to overtraining. Basically overtaining = hi injuries. 
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If you're sitting there like WAIT YOU CAN'T JUST THROW US THOSE NUMBERS AND NOT TELL US HOW GOING TO THE GYM GOT YOUR MIN PER MILE DOWN BY 2 MINUTES:

What I've been doing at the Gym:

1. Free Weights

Personally I've never even ventured to the free weights section before - partially because everyone always looked so skilled with the weights and lifting a 5 pound weight compared to the person on my left lifting 75 pounds didn't seem like a fun idea for my already negative confidence in the free weights area.

1. Lunges with weights
If you also haven't been to the weights section before please! do! not! feel! like! you! have! to! start! at! XY! pounds! 

Just because you see everyone around you lifting 30-50lb, start at a weight you are comfortable with. Don't compare your Chapter 1 in the free weights to their Chapter 97. I started with 5lb and after 2 weeks moved to 7.5lb-10lb weights.

It was pointed out to me that I was actually doing lunges wrong.
(I stepped forward and didn't bend my back leg as much as I should have - at a 90 degree angle)

2. Alternating Frontal & Lateral shoulder raises
(a.k.a. the eagle [my nickname for this one])

3. Frontal Pull
(not sure if this is the actual name)
I actually discovered this from Lucy's workouts. She did it without weights, but when I went to the gym I thought to try it out with weights. To do this one, you hold your arms in front of you, then you pull one your arm one at a time towards you. It's kind of like punching forward with weights. I can confirm my arms were not happy the first time I did this.

4. Tricep Extension
HERE'S A VIDEO SHOWING YOU HOW TO DO THIS

[I do each arm separately but wasn't able to find a specific video on it.]

These are the ones that I always do - occasionally I throw in some other exercises to keep things interesting though!

* All these exercises were done with 5lb in each hand with occasionally towards the end of the month using 7.5lb -10lb*

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2. Machines

(basically mixing and matching between what things are there to attach to it)

If you'll notice - I do a pattern of an Arm Machine then a Leg Machine. It's to give my arms a bit of a rest while I swap to legs & then my legs a rest once I go back to arms.

Amount of Reps

Something I learned was to always do 3 sets of X reps.
I do 3 sets of 15 on all machines and in the free weights area.

Why 15?
Well, in the beginning, 10 seemed a bit small and 20 seemed a bit too much so 15 was smack in the middle!

As the weeks continued I did occasionally do 3 sets of 20 or 4 sets of 15 when I saw I became too comfortable with 3 sets of 15 - essentially my workout needed an upgrade!

Tip: After 2-3 weeks increase the weight/reps. You're progressing and doing the same thing as when you first walked in Week 1 (basically fetus you) won't help you at Week 2 since you've gotten a bit stronger since Week 1!

What should I be setting the weight to on the machines?

Start off with what you can. If you start at say 10lb then as you get into the second week, try and put the last five reps you're doing in a set to 20lb.

'reps in a set?' What does that mean?
Above I mentioned 3 sets of 15 reps
So if you're lifting 10lb on the machine and want to go up to 20 you can do:

Set 1:
 1 set of 15 reps on 10lb

Set 2: 
1 set of 10 reps on 10 lb
1 set of 5 reps on 20 lb

Set 3: 
1 set of 5 reps on 10 lb
1 set of 5 reps  on 20lb
1 set of 5 on reps 10lb

You can see that each set has 15 reps in total!

This helped me slowly get used to doing 20lb and work to higher amounts.
If you use a different type of system let me know - I love to see how other people tackle increasing the weight!

I'd also really recommend you ask for some advice from the trainers at the gym to see if you're doing something properly - if they're walking around I'm sure they'll be happy to help you with any questions you have!


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3. Treadmill

I start off by going 5 minutes easy walking. Before doing this, I tried going straight into running on the treadmill. That didn't workout for me because it felt like I didn't do a proper warm up before jumping straight into 8 MPH speed.

After the 5 minutes finish, I reset the treadmill and then start myself up in a jog and increase my speed every few minutes once I feel I'm steady enough on the MPH speed I'm on.

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I just wanted to add that I previously did the treadmill at the top of this whole workout and I've concluded that adding it to the end  - after free weights & machine workout - it made my body stronger on the treadmill. 
The way I think of it:

Treadmill before free weights & machine = I didn't work my body enough to run as fast I would like to.

Treadmill after free weights & machines = My body is stronger because I essentially 'warmed my body up' with the free weights, machines & five minute walking.
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STRETCHES AFTER DOING ALL OF THAT

 I did a mixture of these workouts:

How to stretch after a run - Live Well- NHS Choices
Body Love With Lucy Challenge
In the last few minutes she has some cool down exercises!

I went to the gym in the morning then in the evening I did the Body Love With Lucy Challenge. [I've linked to Day 1!]

*My only rest day for the month of July was Friday - I'm thinking of doing a post on the importance of rest/recovery days soon!*


AND THERE YOU HAVE IT! I hope this was beneficial for anyone looking to start going to the gym & it helps any other runners think of other ways to get their min per mile down!

Missed a previous fitness type post?
Here's the one prior to this -> Jumping Around Training Schedules





TWITTER | INSTAGRAM (BLOG UPDATES ONLY) | INSTAGRAM (BLOG UPDATES & RANDOM OTHER BITS) | YOUTUBE


We all see them right before we head to the check out at the supermarket. They're chilling right beside the tic-tacs and the mint gum we really don't need but suddenly get reminded of their existence when we're ready to pay.

I used to be the type of person who flipped through magazines while I waited for the person in front of me to finish ringing up their order and paying. This goes towards any magazine. Fast forward to present day - I don't really even flip through them anymore. Majority of them are just rumors and you know, actual fake news just to get you to pick up the magazine.



Back to Fitness Magazines. For the most part, majority of the models on the cover are always posed in a sports bra and shorts or perhaps a tank top and shorts. Recently, I came across an athlete* on Instagram essentially talking down on what the women on the magazines were wearing.
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The athlete I am discussing is not an Olympian - just thought to throw in that disclaimer.
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What a woman wears to workout is no ones business but her own. Majority of women on fitness magazines are dressed like that; sure some representation of what other women are wearing would be nice but that doesn't hide away from the fact that there is a good amount of women that dress like that when exercising. Just because it's not your reality that doesn't mean it isn't hers. As long as she's comfortable in what she's wearing, that's all that matters.



There are people that like to wear loose clothing and that's cool too. Everyone has their own standards and often - I think perhaps we all do it in our minds? - we look at fitness magazines and hold what the models are wearing to our own standards.

I'm all about representation. This year there was the first hijab-wearing athlete on the cover of Women's Running magazine - and it was awesome to see someone who sort of dressed like me on the cover of a sports magazine. 
me making sure me & balance are best friends for the .3 seconds it took to take this photo

The point I'm trying to make here is this: Someone may exercise in a completely different outfit than you. There are people who prefer loose clothing. There are people who prefer clothes that stick to them. There are people who wear less clothing than you while working out. Women from either sides do not have the right to police what the other is wearing. Just like what you're wearing is your reality, what they're wearing is theirs. 

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P.S. if you see any of your idols,  favorite athletes, influencers (anyone you look up to etc.) talking down on what other people are wearing I'd like to advise you to reconsider following them on your social media. At the end of the day you have to ask yourself- would I ever be friends with someone who shamed what other women are wearing just because it's not their standard of workout (or any) clothing?

PPS. this was actually just going to be a twitter thread but then I ended up typing here. (Well, before tweeting I was ranting in my notes and then realized WOW THAT'S A LOT OF WORDS I HAVE TO SAY ON THIS.)

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I like to say I'm surprised I didn't complete the full 2 months of the Nike Training Schedule - but then again have I met myself? The first three weeks were amazing  - it challenged me on speed during 400M sprints and on endurance when the schedule had me run 2-3 miles. Though, here's the thing: The workouts followed a repetitive schedule of it's own.

There was a long run, speed workout sprinkled in somewhere during the week, and a cardio workout thrown in to make things interesting. In the beginning, it worked well for me because I wasn't used to any schedule - just ran everyday the same/similar distance. As I got to the third week, I sort of got bored of doing some variation of speed workouts, long runs and cardio. My body was used to keeping endurance for 2 miles, it grew comfortable with the sprints and the cardio workouts chosen weren't that much of a challenge anymore.

The app does move you up in terms of miles each week but finding motivation to continue with some variation of the three workouts soon became difficult. Yes, adding miles to get used to is amazing, but it's repetitiveness of the same thing every week (the only difference was the increase in miles) - it just got boring. (This might also have to do with running the same path on the sidewalk everyday.) It all comes down to motivation - this training schedule didn't really motivate me to continue.

Since the training plan didn't progress with me, I decided to make my own training schedule. Yes, I did this before I signed up for the Nike Training Schedule and found myself also lacking motivation - but I think this time it'll be different. Having the right training schedule keeps you motivated to continue.

What is a right training schedule?
Well, it depends on the person. For me - this month- it's switching around everything every 2 weeks.
(I'll let you know how that goes next month)

I learned I cannot do the same thing every week. If you workout as well, hi you should not be doing the same thing everyday.

Let me put it this way:

Every bone in your body, every muscle, is connected from one to the other, right?

If you do thigh workouts but not calves, your thighs are strong but your calves are weak. The point of working out is to workout your entire body not just one part. Every muscle should have it's time to shine as the focus of your workout.

The only way your body is going to feel strong is if you workout every part.

This is what I've learned since deciding to drift away from the Nike Training Schedule:
‣ Focus on different things each day and have variation
‣ Find a game to play while you're running to keep things interesting 
(I've stopped listening to music on my runs - which means my form is perfect but I find I am getting slower due to not listening to music.)
‣ After 2 weeks - change the entire training schedule (which I'm testing out making my own) to continue to challenge yourself & motivate you to continue.

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What Exercises Am I Doing Now

I've been doing the Body Love With Lucy Challenge for the month of July

 DAY 1: HOME HIIT WORKOUT - 10 MINUTES - FULL BODY WORKOUT HIIT CARDIO (suitable for every fitness level)

One thing I love is that there is a beginners version of the exercise and an advanced on the right. Another thing is how motivational she is in the audio and how body positive the whole challenge is - if you're new to exercise I'd definitely recommend it!

If you give the workouts a try - let me know what you think!

Each day she focuses on a different part of the body which keeps things interesting!


In terms of Exercising Before & After a Run

These are the same as my previous fitness post 

Before Run:
(Personally only use the ones before running)

After Run:

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I am trying to decide if I should write down my average pacing for the month - would that be something helpful to see or motivating to see progress (if there is any) ?

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Missed a previous fitness type post?
Here's the one prior to this -> Motivation




Towards the end of June, I saw that Amber from Barefoot Blonde was doing a gallon of water a day challenge. This had me thinking - how much water do I actually drink in a day?

Well, sometimes I find myself forgetting to drink water and if I do drink water it's only a small cup every few hours. When I go running, I don't really drink water like a mid-break-type-of-thing. This is because:

A. I don't feel like carrying a water bottle in my hand.

B. Taking a string backpack to put only a water bottle in - having it bounce on my back the whole time - doesn't really spell out a nice comfortable run.

Solution?

Drink water before and after a run (though, I do have to admit, sometimes mid-way through my run I do get thirsty and want water to hydrate).

I have seen the I AM RUN BOX backpack and it's made specifically with athletes in mind - doesn't bounce while running- however I think it's a bit too big to just put a single water bottle inside. 

Technically speaking if I exercise a lot, shouldn't that mean I drink more water? Well, that's how it's supposed to be.

You're losing a lot of sweat = you start to get dehydrated = your body is begging you to drink water. 

The only days where I find myself drinking a lot of water is during strength training - those days are intense and if I don't have water I might as well not workout at all.

According to WEB MD it says that a person should be drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water. (Would you believe me if I told you when I first read that, I thought it said to drink 8 ounces of water then had to re-read it.) If you exercise you should be drinking more water to keep yourself even more hydrated because you're sweating so much. You have to drink water to make up for the water your body is losing via sweat.
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WEB MD IS COMING THROUGH WITH THE INFORMATION TODAY:

On the second page it details a schedule go when to drink water before/during/hours leading up to a workout.

If you decide not to read it that's cool too; here's a quote from it:
"I tell all of our young athletes this: you can improve your performance simply by drinking enough water."

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So I decided why not set myself a challenge to drink at least one water bottle a day for July because really I need to start drinking more water, 3 cups a day isn't enough.

According to WEB MD I should be drinking 64 ounces of water. A water bottle is 16.9 ounces. OK THAT IS VERY FAR OFF HOWEVER IT'S BETTER TO START SMALL AND THEN MOVE UP TO 64 OUNCES.

Currently - as of the 4th of July - I've been drinking at least 1 bottle a day & occasionally drink 2 bottles if I'm doing HIIT workouts.

Anyone else forget to drink a lot of water?

Drink water = you won't feel dehydrated & you'll feel more energized

If you drink water bottles regularly, that's awesome keep doing that, your body is thanking you for drinking water! If you don't drink water, and tend to drink sugary drinks, maybe think of joining this challenge with me?





would you believe me if I told you this was actually the only paperclip I could find in my house

After seeing this tweet pointing out the fact that Prada was essentially selling a paperclip for $185 it had me wondering who invented the paperclip. This is partially because whoever patented the invention would have a lawsuit paper clipped to Prada's doorstep.

If you follow me on twitter - I swear is there a post where I actually don't say / start off a sentence with that - you'll see I wrote a thread on the history of the paperclip after seeing Prada prance around like they've just invented the most original thing on planet earth. 

You're probably sitting there now wondering if I've already wrote a twitter thread what's the point of a blogpost on it - the reason is because scrolling through my twitter page to find said thread when I want to remember who invented what would most likely take hours. (I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this a lot, but if you're new here, I essentially live on twitter.) 

Solution? Write it in a blogpost so if I ever need to remember - it's here for me & perhaps for anyone else who was wondering who invented the paperclip.

[ Okay REALISTICALLY SPEAKING I THINK I AM THE ONLY PERSON WHO WILL EVER WONDER WHO MADE THE PAPERCLIP ] 

We're going to jump back in time to 1899 in England. In that year William Middlebrook invented the machine to make the paperclip HOWEVER he only patented the machine itself not the paperclip that was produced from the machine. He made the machine for the Gem Manufacturing Company. This paperclip is the one we see today, it is actually called the Gem Paperclip.

This is where it gets kind of hilarious. (Well, I thought it was hilarious)

Fast Forward to 1901 and jump into Norway. Over in Norway they didn't hear of the great invention of the paperclip. You're probably sitting there like what's so great about a paperclip except for the fact that it came from a machine in Great Britain?

Well, at that time papers were held down using a straight pin and held together with ribbon - so this paperclip was actually what dreams were made of in 1899.

Anyways - the year 1901 comes and Johan Vaaler is chilling in good ol' Norway and then LIGHTBULB MOMENT what if there was such thing as a paperclip. Unlike William Middlebrook's paperclip, Johan's was rectangular in shape. So in 1901 Johan Vaaler received an American patent for the paperclip [ Norway did not have a patent laws at that time].

The person who is credited with the paperclip invention was Vaaler because William Middlebrook only patented the machine that made the paperclip not the paperclip itself.

[Even though Vaaler didn't hear of the paperclip when he patented his paperclip I kind of like to think Vaaler's thoughts were along the lines of: HAHAHA ENGLAND YOU FORGOT AND IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE - IT'S NORWAY'S PROPERTY NOW XOXO]

You want to know what's even funnier?

Norway has a massive sculpture of a paperclip and it's William Middlebrook's model not Vaaler's!

I like to think Norway was thinking OK MAYBE YOU DID INVENT THE PAPERCLIP ENGLAND.

So, is this where the Crash Course ends?

In my twitter thread yes, in this blogpost uh not yet!

Symbolism of the Paperclip

After Hitler invaded Norway in World War II all symbols of Norway pre-invasion had been banned by the Nazi's (i.e. Symbols of the Royal Family, national symbols etc.). This is when the people in Norway began pinning paperclips to their jackets and even made bracelets with paperclips. The paperclip represented unity - partially because a paperclip was used to bind papers together so it was in a way binding the Norwegian people all together.

During the war, it was thought by Norwegian's that the paperclip was a Norwegian invention - and in technicality it is since Vaaler patented a paperclip first - however rather than the rectangle shape paperclip being clipped on everyones jacket, it was actually the Gem Paperclip invented by William Middlebrook.

Norwegians wearing a paperclip symbolized their resistance against the Nazis. However, once the Nazis figured out the real reason why Norwegians were suddenly wearing paperclips on their jackets it became a criminal violation and they could of gotten arrested for wearing one.

In the end it didn't matter that they could get arrested or harmed by the Nazis for wearing a paperclip - what mattered was that they resisted and they resisted together.

This is the reason for the paperclip sculpture featuring the Gem Paperclip - rather than Vaaler's - because it was the Gem Paperclip that brought the Norwegian people together in the same way it was used to bind paper together but it was Vaaler's name that gave them the reason to choose it as a symbol of resistance since it was thought to be invented by a Norwegian man.

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I thought it was pretty interesting to read up on the history of the paperclip - also kind of sitting here waiting for the Norwegian twitter to hear about the Prada 'money clip' - hope you also learned something new!





If you read my previous posts, you'll know that having a training plan didn't really do me any favors. I ended up overtraining which eventually led to me taking a few months break due to injuries. In my previous post I explained that I was going to be using the Nike+ Run Club App only to keep track of my pacing.

Well, uh so I ended up on the tab that said 'My Coach' and long story short I'm now on a Training Plan. If you're sitting there like girl what about what you said - they [RunKeeper App Training Plan] pushed you too hard & you ended up taking a few month break. This was the inner battle in my head - essentially. However the one thing that made me jump into a Training Plan was that I was only running one mile every other day and that was it. After 2 weeks my timing was pretty much floating around the same minute per mile - and so I thought maybe this app will be different. 

Also, only doing the same run every single day can get a little boring - well if you're me and forget to update your running playlist that is. Previously - I did a Training Plan with the RunKeeper App and the results were amazing: I was running faster- with a 6 min per mile time - however due to the intensity of my running I was doing every other day I ended up getting an injury on my foot which put me out of running for a few months.

I'm about 3 weeks into this Training Plan (out of 8 weeks) and I can see that there is a difference in my pacing - partly because the App puts in a day specifically for cardio exercises. Unlike the RunKeeper App that only kept me running, the Nike+ Run Club App includes strength training one day and then running on two other days.

I do feel myself getting stronger - and let me first tell you those cardio exercises are intense, especially considering I exercise while fasting. Doing strength training while fasting is interesting - and by that I mean I occasionally have to stop the exercise I'm doing to rest a bit more before continuing.

I should probably note that I exercise about an hour before it is time for me to break my fast - so essentially right when I finish my workout it's time to eat!
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If you're wondering what I'm going on about in terms of fasting I've written a Crash Course on Ramadan
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One thing I will say in terms of Having a Training Plan vs Not Having One is that having a training plan actually gives you motivation to go and work-out. I personally just always grab my sneakers & run regardless but it's good to have a bit of extra motivation to run and get the little green check when you finish a work-out.

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In terms of Exercising Before & After a Run

I've changed my exercises a bit from the last time:

Before Run:
(Personally only use the ones before running)

After Run:

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If you're sitting there like okay the Training Plan MAY give me SOME motivation but not enough to get me out the house / on a treadmill here are some accounts on Twitter that always make me motivated to go for a run:

Essentially - when people go out for a run they take a photo of their view while running & tag them in the photo and basically on your timeline you see amazing views people have while they're running.  

Pretty sure it's in the name but it's where there's a chat all about running  - I personally haven't been able to catch a chat due to actually running whenever the chat happens but I always check back to see the questions and see what the chat centered on!

They always have the best tips & exercises and relatable articles on running - oh and often they give a playlist to keep you powered through your runs!

They also give tips and some different exercises to incorporate before / after your run as well as healthy snacks to eat before/after a run.

Similar to the above Runner's World - great tips & advice on running.

Another tip - follow Olympic Runners - they're awesome & always get me motivated for my next run!


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Missed a previous fitness type post?
Here's the one prior to this -> Running Right






The process of me making a Crash Course on a topic is:

Confused on topic -> Research & then Understand topic -> Crash Course

However, as Ramadan has begun I've realized that there is a possibility that others are confused on what exactly is Ramadan. So here we are - me giving you a Crash Course you didn't ask for but perhaps need.

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the Holiest month for Muslims - it was when the Quran [Koran] was revealed. It is when every Muslim takes part in fasting - no eating/drinking/anything entering your mouth (including gum & crumbs) from sunrise to sunset. We eat at sunset - at the call to the Evening Prayer Magrib.

Wait - EVERYONE has to fast?

In the literal sense, yes it is an obligation on all Muslims to fast. However - there are cases where Muslims do not fast. If a woman is on her period she is not allowed to fast - so for that duration of time she is not allowed to fast / pray the 5 Daily prayers. If a woman is pregnant, she does not have to fast. If a person needs to take specific medication that pertains to their health & well-being they do not have to fast. If you are sick - have a fever - you do not have to fast. Children do not have to fast.

Also - thought to note - those days that the woman is not fasting due to having her period/ woman not fasting due to pregnancy/ person not fasting due to fever have to be made up throughout that year. 

So basically Ramadan is just you not eating from Sunrise to Sunset?

Well, not quite. During Ramadan there are also things that Muslims should not do (well they're things we shouldn't do all year round but it's really emphasized during Ramadan you. do. not. do. this.) So what are Muslims not supposed to do? Muslims should not lie; should not speak badly of others; should not lose their temper; should not gossip - I think you can see where I'm getting at here - basically be the best version of yourself (also like I said above - this should be the mindset all year round).

Also on a different wave-length: Muslims should not engage in intercourse with their spouses or smoke cigarettes while fasting.

So all you do is wait for Sunset to eat?

Well in the literal sense we are waiting for Sunset to eat however we also fill our days with reading the Quran [Koran] - some have the goal of finishing the Quran during this month- go to work, school etc. I'd like to note that fasting doesn't stop us from working/studying/going to school. During the times that say we would be eating breakfast/lunch we instead fill those slot times with extra prayers, reading the Quran and more extra prayers. All other things (distractions i.e. T.V Shows) are set aside so that you focus on your fast & relationship with God.

Extra Prayers?

Yep you read right Extra Prayers. Other than the 5 Daily Prayers there is something called Taraweh. At the end of the Night Prayer - Isha - there is the Taraweh Prayers. Depending on the Mosque - the goal is to finish the Quran during Taraweh. Unlike the 5 Daily Prayers, which are mandatory for all Muslims, Taraweh is not mandatory but it is recommended to attend.

WAIT - can I eat in front of you or no?

Ha - yes yes you can eat in front of us we're the ones fasting not the other way around. We're chill - continue eating/drinking. I'll just say be mindful - like don't go gulping that gallon of water and being all oh my god it's so hot I need to gulp like 500 gallons of water how are you even fasting??

So let me get this straight: You have to be the best version of yourself, fast from sunrise-sunset and then go to the Mosque at night to pray - that's it?

Well sort of. During Ramadan Muslims are also supposed to give to charity to those in need. Also during Ramadan - as I mentioned above about being the best version of ourselves - we should be optimistic and attempt to push away negative thoughts.

I think I've covered just about everything however - here's a timeline of how our day is during Ramadan:

1. Wake up for Suhoor (time before Sunrise) to Eat/Drink
2. Stop Eating/Drinking at the call to Morning Prayer (Sunrise) - Fajr
(You can go back to sleep because it's literally 4AM or you can stay up y'know you do you)
3. Go to Work/School
4. Pray Afternoon Prayer - Dhur
5. Maybe do some light Quran Reading if you can
6. Pray Mid-Afternoon Prayer - Asr
7. Should probably be making/preparing the meal to break your fast with -Iftar
8. Pray Evening Prayer - Magrib (Sunset time)
9. Eat Iftar (Meal)
10. Pray Taraweh
Come home at around 12PM

REPEAT

I hope that this was beneficial for anyone wondering what exactly Ramadan is - if you have any questions feel free to comment them below/message me on Twitter - I'd be happy to help! Or if anyone notices I missed something - just let me know so I can add it in!



Last month, before running a 5K I found myself wondering if I was running right. I was previously out of running for 2+ months due to injuries from overtraining and I wasn't sure if there was something more to it.

So, the day before I ran the 5K, I began searching to see if there was something missing or if there was something I was doing wrong. Up until this point in running, I always put on sneakers, stretched, and off I went running into the distance.

It turns out I have been running wrong for the past 8+ years.

‣ Apparently, there is a way that your foot is supposed to hit the ground & the way that most new runners/ oblivious runners (i.e. me) run leads to injuries on the foot.

If I had learned about this before, I wouldn't have been off two months of running due to the injury on my foot. So, rather than placing all the blame on the RunKeeper App, partial of the blame was on me for not to thinking to research the correct way to run. [I'd advise watching the video linked above - it is extremely helpful in visually seeing how your foot should be hitting the ground to prevent injuries!] I can't say I've mastered running correctly- it takes a lot of focus to unlearn something you've been doing your whole life, but I think I'm getting there! Well, I hope I am.

If you thought that was the only thing I was doing wrong (or perhaps even yourself?) feel free to get comfortable - let's talk about the second thing.

‣ Breathing.

Usually, as I ran, I found myself coming short of breath. Not in the way that I was gasping for dear life, but more like there was oxygen coming in but not the amount that I needed for running.

I came across this video on breathing, and I can say that after following this I'm more in control of my breathing and I can go for longer distances without feeling like I'm dying by mile 1.

The main thing for breathing: IN though your nose -> OUT through your mouth.

This takes a lot of focus to do, well for me it does. Previously, I breathed in & out only through my mouth which lead to me not running as fast due to attempting to catch my breath.

And finally the third thing.

‣ Running Form.

In the video on breathing, the person discussed posture. Now, I actually hadn't realized this before, but whenever I ran I always slumped my shoulders. Why is this bad? In the video, the person did an exercise where he asked the viewer to slump their shoulders forward and to breathe in and out. Then he asked the viewer to put their back straight and breathe in and out.

After doing those two things - you'll see why you need to run with your back straight. When your back is straight, more oxygen comes in which means you can run for longer distances without feeling any discomfort.
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The three things I mentioned all take a lot of focus- ensuring your foot is hitting the ground correctly by mile 2, that you're still breathing in through your nose & out through your mouth by mile 3 and that your back is still straight by the last .5 mile.

And yes, yes I know you spent a lot of time getting your playlist upbeat for the run but

Breathing Properly = More Time & Distance to run

Yes, that beat of the music is A-MAZING but the only way you're getting through those miles is by breathing properly. And the only way you're making it through those miles without any pain on your foot is by making sure your foot is hitting the ground the way it's supposed to.

Trust me, before I even acknowledged there was a way to breathe while running, my runs essentially went like this:

Ed Sheeran's new song blasting, slumped shoulders & my body is telling me to stop to catch my breath because I was only breathing in & out through my mouth and not enough oxygen was getting into my body. Then my mind would tell me to power through the chorus and essentially this meant that I was taking an intermission to recollect come 02.

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Missed a previous fitness type post?
Here's the one prior to this -> Your Own Pace




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