A Little Life Update | Winter 2021

I probably say this at the start of every life update post, but, I honestly have no idea where the time goes. My last post was near the end of November 2020, when we’d just gone back into lockdown!

And now, thankfully, some 4 months on, restrictions are slowly beginning to ease and it seems the weather might even be improving.

As I’m skipping through my IG posts to see what I’ve been up to the last 4 months, it really feels like nothing much exciting has happened… then I remember that I went and had the c-o-v-o in January. Yup.

Thankfully, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been and it seems I recovered quite quickly. I’d love to blame my current lack of fitness on the virus, but I think that might just be my own fault!

Anyway, enough of that. Let me share the few highlights I do have…

I’m Officially a #Wahooligan 

You heard it here first – well, second as I shared the news with my Zwift buddies a while back – that I’m officially a Wahooligan for the next year.

I’ll be working with Wahoo and their tech to get back to fitness, and get race ready. Based on the current situation, things are still being hashed out but once everything is confirmed race wise, I’ll defo share more.

In the mean time, I’m gonna be busy getting to know the ELEMENT RIVAL multi sport watch (pictured above) as well as a few upgrades for my pain cave.

Zwift Training Plan

On the subject of pain caves, I’m happy to report back that since I shared my cycling goals for 2021, I’ve kept up with my Back to Fitness training plan and am on my way to completing week 8/10.

I’ll finish in time to spend more time outdoors riding – hopefully. I’ve already got dates in my diary for slow skills sessions with my new cycling club Velociposse and planning rides with friends too.

A few of us have been riding together on Saturday mornings pretty consistently, and chatting on Discord, which has really helped with my goal of consistency and for accountability too.

Sweeping for Womens Ride & Run Series

In March, I got the opportunity to be an official sweep in one of the Zwift Womens Ride & Run Series events via the Women of Colour Cycling Collective.

I think it’s one of those things where you learn the first time and can implement some better management next time round, so fingers crossed I get another opportunity some time in the future.

I realise that you can’t please everyone, and I just need to stick with the advertised watts/kg from start to finish, and try to create a group that sticks together. Next time….

Do Better Together

March was also the third month that I support Ayesha McGowans “Do Better Together” Virtual Activity Challenge through delivering core and foam rolling classes.

In previous years, you were encouraged to create goals around cycling, but this year, you were able to choose whatever activity you enjoy doing. All under the premise that we will always do better by working together! Keep an eye out for the challenge again in 2022!

And What About Running?

Although I never officially finished Couch to 5k, I have put another goal and running event in my diary – Wings For Life Run on 9th May 2021. The picture at the top of this post is from a shoot I worked on for the race.

It’s a virtual event where you start running, and after 30 minutes, a catcher car begins its chase. The race costs £18 to enter (I paid my own entry) and 100% of that entry fees goes towards funding spinal cord injury research.

I’m aiming to reach between 10km and 15km on race day and am currently using my 10k training plan for busy / slack runners, with just 2 runs per week, to get me race ready.

On the shoot, I got to run with previous winner of the Wings For Life Run, Justin Levene (pictured above).

It’s not too late to sign up, and you can run from anywhere in the world!

One Year Of Online Classes

Again on the theme of where has the time gone, it’s been one whole year since I started teaching online. It all started with a foam rolling class and a core class, now there’s a balanced weekly schedule perfect for anyone looking to get strong to ride, to run or just because they can!

If you haven’t made it to a class yet, you can use the code JOINCLASS to get your first session on me.

Launch of Catch Up For Weekly Classes

If you can’t make a live class, then you can check out my recently launched on-demand catch up package. You can purchase a weekly pass for the price of a coffee which gets you access to that weeks classes.

This currently is a trial to see if it gets any take up – there’s little point me recording all the sessions and uploading them if no-one makes use of them. If you try the pass and have any feedback for me, feel free to get in touch.

RECENT FEATURES:

• I spoke to BlogHer, part of the She Media Network (my advertising partner) about how I expanded beyond blogging over the last year in their Take 5 Feature.
• I did another live on Instagram for Hello Student about working as a Fitness Professional. I took the opportunity to update my post on working in the fitness industry and also included the video from the live.

What’s Coming Next?

In reality, I think it will be more of the same, but hopefully outdoors. So running and riding, with club buddies and friends.

I currently have a PowerPlate Move on loan for a few weeks, which will give me a chance to rekindle my love for vibration training and allow me to update some old, old content on the blog.

Oh and I’m scheduled to complete a much needed Whole30 starting early April. It’s been a couple of years since I did one properly and right now, I need some help with my sleep, my energy levels and my skin.

Have you got any exciting plans for this Spring and beyond?!

Elle