WIN! A place on the next Up & Running 5K Course

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image from www.upandrunningonline.org At Up & Running Julia and I are getting pysched for this Sunday 1 May, when we open registrations for the Summer 5K Beginners Course. The course starts on Monday 13 June and I am so freaking excited. Who will sign up? What corner of the world will they hail from? Will they charm my pants off as the Spring Up & Runners have done? I can't wait to meet 'em!

Want to join us? Fancy making this your Summer of Running? Or your Winter, if you're from the Southern Hemisphere. I'm giving away one free place on the course. All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post and tell me, What's your favourite summer food? Yes, it's always about the food around here!

  • Entries close 5PM UK time this Sunday 1 May
  • The prize is a place on the Summer 2011 5K Course, which starts on 13 June.
  • The winner can give the prize to a friend, so you can enter if you know someone who you think would dig it!
  • Winner can be from anywhere in the world. Remember the Course is for women only.

Here's what the current Up & Runners are saying about Up & Running:

Philippa, UK:

The one thing that keeps making me teary with regards to this running is how much I am capable of. I have never pushed so hard for something that is just for me. I suppose I've thought it seemed selfish to spend this much time just on myself, but I need this. I need to remember that I am worth the effort and to stop being scared of failing. I can do far more than I thought I could. So I CAN skip in the park and I CAN go for 2k. And I can do it just for me. And I can go and cry a few tears for the almost 30 years I've wasted thinking I can't.

Amy, USA:

I, too, am a Couch to 5K refugee. I just couldn't make it work for me and it left me more discouraged. I'm sure it was due to the lack of community. Everyone here makes me feel like part of a team and keeps me accountable because I have to keep track of everything and report back. The C25K program really doesn't offer that accountability that we get here. And the friendship. It's really starting to feel like we are becoming long-distance friends, and who doesn't want to run with friends?

Jo, Australia:

I don't think I could say (yet) that I love the act of running. What I am really, really loving though is the sense of my body being alive. I love all my aches and pains! I love finding out how I can make it move.

Nicole, USA:

Halfway to 5k! I'm so proud of myself for making it to mid-program without missing a workout! I've ordered my "Outrunning the Zombies" t-shirt as a reward. For the first time in my life, I'm able to run a mile without stopping. This is something I never thought I would be able to do, and it gives me the most incredible sense of accomplishment.

Jill, USA:

Over the past few years, running, once a source of joy in my life, has morphed into a symbol of failure for me, both consciously and subconsciously.  But as I’ve begun to see major progress with the Up & Running online program, I’m starting to view myself as someone who sets realistic goals and then achieves them through repeated and consistent effort.

Here's the big list of what you get with the 5K Course:

  • Eight weeks of training plans created by expert running coach Julia Jones, including downloadable workout plans.
  • Up & Running Gear Guide packed with essential information on running shoes and gear to help you get organised.
  • Bonus “Warm-Up Week” before the workouts begin to get your mind fired up for your running adventure.
  • Personal support throughout the course via private, password-protected forums – we’ll answer all your questions!
  • Easy-to-follow tutorials on our private course blog, including:
    – a weekly theme, such as staying motivated and nourishing your mind and body
    – motivating videos – weekly exercise demonstrations, plus coaching tips and insights from Julia
    – inspirational stories from women runners around the world
  • Weekly email newsletter to keep you energised and on track.

You can find out more about our kickarse 5K course right here.

Winner will be announced on Sunday evening UK time. Go for gold, baby!

86 thoughts on “WIN! A place on the next Up & Running 5K Course”

  1. summer food- easy- asparagus, we grow it in our back yard and it has such a short season- it’s not around long enough to ever get sick of- just leaves me wanting more!

  2. My favourite summer food is MANGOS! delicious yummy sweet mangos. Oh, and Mango daquaris!

  4. My favourite summer food is a frozen smoothie! (yeah, yeah, I know that’s more than one type of food, but hey, it’s all mushed up together)

    My fave combo is a frozen banana, frozen berries, a handful of baby spinach, mango and then what I call my ‘hippie powders’ – spirulina, maca, chia, whatever I have in the cupboard.

    Delish, healthy and oh so cold on a hot summers day.

  6. It’s hard to choose just one summer food, I love the summer fruits, such as pineapple, kiwi, really ripe watermelon. And fresh grown tomatos – yummy! And then anything cooked on the outdoor grill. I love summer!

  7. My favourite winter food would probably be lasagne. Hmm layers of yummy cheese, pasta and tomatoie goodness. I also trick myself into eating my vegies by mixing peas and corn into the mince 😉

  8. Yummm…….favorite summer food is a freshly picked red, juicy tomato! I have to wait till August, but my mouth is watering already!

  11. Cucumber, totally love to nibble it as it is, slice it, scoop it out, anyway I love it.

  12. Oooh.. decisions, decisions.. it has to be mangoes. I love my ‘nanas but mangoes are rare ALL THE TIME. They don’t need any tropical cyclone to be hard to get!

    I relaly hope I win, not because I’m a tightarse but because I really struggle with running. I’ve tried to complete Couch to 5k so many times it’s ridiculous.

    So.. if I don’t win make sure you hassle me to register and pay for it myself… xx

  13. This summer my favourite fruit will definitely be watermelon. In Japan, they play a game where you get blindfolded and have a big stick and have to bash the watermelon! Kind of like a pinata but with fruit inside 🙂 Anything that involves bashing stuff with a stick is fine by me.

  14. My fav. summer food is an easy pick – peaches!!! Fresh and local! Instead of hard grainy hunks of fruit shipped from a far away land…

  15. Cucumber sandwiches are my very favourite summer food. My first were melt-in-your-mouth Miracle Whip and white bread dreams. Nowadays, they’re 12 grain bread and a bit of tzatziki…yum yum.

    Corn on the cob is also a very special summer treat!

  18. Love Love Love the good old Barbie!! No sooner has the sun peeped from behind the cloud then I’m out in the back garden armed with a bag of charcoal briquettes! Burger, anyone?!

  19. So hard to pick just one…My favorite summer food is corn on the cob, followed closely by a homegrown tomato (served best with fresh mozarella!). Can’t get enough of it! And I love all of the fresh fruit – especially strawberries. How about favorite drinks?! Tie for Margaritas and Mojitos!

  21. Being from Devon (UK) this has taken a lot of thought because we have many lovely summer foods locally. I’ve taken the best of our strawberries for home made jam, along with some wonderfully light clotted cream, and added it to some fresh Devon Scones. Yum. Scones, jam and cream…. lovely 😉 (definitely need to learn to run to burn those calories off – lol)

  25. My favourite summer food is peapods. My love of fresh peas came from my dad, I remember opening the door of his van when I was little and being showered with empty pods. I even had a fish called peapod once.

  29. Sweetcorn! Preferably from Johnecheck Farms in Northern Michigan…too bad I live in California : )

  33. Tough question- but I’m going to have to say watermelon. 🙂 Though, iced tea would have to be a close second!

  34. Strawberries with Cream ala Wimbledon.. or ice cream or

    blast.. this is why I have problems dieting in the summer 😀

  37. I’d say strawberries, but because I’m something of a strawberry snob they should be locally grown, picked while ripe, ideally still warm from the sun, then marinated with sugar, ground black pepper and balsamic vinegar. a little bit of natural yogurt or vanilla ice cream on the side. and a sprig of mint for decoration.

    I’m not picky, but this is my ideal summer treat and you know, I like them the way I like them! .

    ahem. thank you.

  39. This may not be the healthiest thing but my favorite summer food is fried green tomatoes! I love to get them at the county fair but I just moved to NYC so I dont know where to get them. Thank God I’m going to Savannah for my birthday (May 8th) where I’m sure I will find them!!

  41. Congrats on the new gig going so well!

    Favorite summer food: sweet corn. My home town has a summer fair every year called The Sweet Corn Festival. Best non-vegetable vegetable ever.

  42. Ooh, freebie giveaways, yay!

    Favourite summer food? Fresh raspberries, yum! I love them, but they have such a short season where you don’t need a bank loan to buy them.

  43. Favorite summer food? Hummus and…anything. Cucumbers? Yeah. Carrots? Definitely. Chocolate? Well, what the hell, it’s going to be more nutritious either way…

  46. My favorite summer food is a tie between watermelon and guacamole. Both fill me up for different reasons–and make me feel energized and healthy!

  47. My favourite summer food is a toss up between watermelon and strawberries- adore watermelon but rarely have it for some reason, so I guess it’ll have to be strawberries, as I just add a sprinkling of sugar, tiny dash of balsamic, and eat them by the bowlful!

  48. I love salads during summer, its just the best food to eat in Australia’s heat, sear some steak on the barbie and its even better, lashings of lemon juice and a crumble of feta. Delicious!

  53. Fave summer food – Definitely the fruit! I live in India and we get so much to choose from cos our summers are looong (and like a window into hell)!

    Love watermelon, melon, peaches, mangoes, cherries…. really anything that can be eaten cold and is filled with hydration! Looking forward to seeing the cherries begin!

  54. SALADS with EVERYTHING!! Love that the supermarkets have started stocking lots of different leaves, sprouting seeds/shoots, and love mixing raw veggies in with standard salad stuff – love raw cauliflower and crunchy peppers, plus putting citrus fruit in salads – a sharp clementine really lifts those leaves and adds to my 5 a day – I’m a just a salad junkie!! And the best way to eat it? – it’s got to be outside in the sunshine, food to me, no matter what it is, always tastes better outside! xxx

  57. I LOVE the lemon icecream our local icecream shop sells. Tastes just like the lemon iceceam I used to eat as a kid in Italy. Hmmmm

  59. Frosty!… Fruits… Frosty!… Fruits. You should taste us weeeeeeeeeeee're delicious! The icy treat… to beat… the heat!

    heehehehe 🙂

  60. STRAWBERRIES!!!! I eat them with a prudent dollop of yogurt or smothered in cream. I eat them macerated in sugar and balsamic vinegar and stirred through good vanilla icecream. I eat them unhulled straight from the container. I eat them. I eat lots and lots of them. Bring on summer.

  61. Like every second person who has commented so far, it’s watermelon. It just embodies summer.

  62. Favourite summer food:
    Lemon icecream with raspberry sauce.

    The recipe:
    juice and rind of 2 lemons, 1 cup cream, 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar. Whisk together the cream, milk and sugar. Put in the freezer for 3-4 hours till soft. Whisk again. Add the lemon juice and rind. Whisk again. Put back in the freezer for 2 or so hours till soft. Whisk again. Freeze till firm.

    And old family favourite 🙂

  63. Mangoes. Can you believe I’m in my late 30s and never had a mango until last Summer? I’, kicking myself that I missed out for so long!

  64. my dear shauna, just ordered your book last week and reading it since yesterday, i know what are you talking about when talking about hiding food in drawers and having problems with your body image as a child, i am just at the beggining of my struggle, so wish me luck, you are a true inspiration…

  66. My favorite summer food is my husband’s fruit salad that he makes with all the wonderful in season fruit!

  68. Hands down, my favourite summer food is watermelon. There is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer’s day!

  70. Home made chicken, peppers, onion & tomato kebabs on the BBQ. Tomatoes taste so sweet when cooked. Nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc to wash it down!

  71. My favourite food has to be coleslaw. Yummy with ham or jackets or a barbecue. xx

  72. Berries, berries, and more berries! And absolutely anything from the Hmong farmers at my farmers market 🙂

  74. Ohhhh I love so many things in the summer………..hmmmmmmmmmmm I would have to say Watermelon and Green Beans fresh from the Garden……..grilled salmon on the bbq and of course a nice juicy grilled steak or kebab…….ohhh this is making me hungry!!!! lol

    Thanks for the great opportunity to win!

  75. Really ripe tomatoes, in a salad with mozarella, kalamata olives and dried oregano. Ooh yum, roll on Summer!

  77. Ooo…pick me..pick me. I love getting sweet organic strawberries from the Farmer’s Market and then later in the summer fresh garlic. So good in everything…yum…

  78. I’ve been lurking for a few weeks now, re-reading your archives, and this seemed too good an opportunity to pass up commenting on! Thank you for such a beautifully written blog – it’s really motivating me to get off my lardy arse and do something about it.

    I can never choose just one thing as my favourite – there are so many delicious foods available during summer. So I chose one savoury and one sweet 🙂

    Scallops – seared on the BBQ and served with a drizzle of lemon vinagrette.

    Cherries – fresh cherries bought from a street-side stall in a little brown paper baggie. Then inhaled back at the work desk with no guilt cos’ they’re not chocolate! Yum!

  79. That’s easy….TOMATOES!!! Each year I have a few plants in the back yard and can’t wait until the end of the summer to eat them. I love to warm them in the sun and then slice and eat with a little salt and pepper.

  80. Juicy watermelon! Growing up, we always had a 1 gallon Schwan’s ice cream bucket filled with watermelon in the fridge!

  81. My favorite summer food is actually a genre…BBQ! Anything that can be served at a summer BBQ…watermelon, babyback ribs, potato salad..it’s all delish. 🙂

  82. My favorite summer food is nectarines–I mash them up on rye toast for breakfast; slice them up with a little balsamic vinegar for a snack; or just eat them as is. Yummy julierose/Grand’mere

  84. My favourite summer food is blueberry. It’s the kind of superfood that one can pick here in Southern Finland in almost any forest, which we also have here a lot 😉 so it’s healty and local here. Blueberries can be used in delicious pies, smoothies or with your breakfast porridge, but the best way is absolutely to eat them directly after having picked them.

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