Month: January 2015

Tips and tricks for commuting and exercising before work

/ katieferg89 / 3 Comments

Cycling to work actually takes less time than commuting like a normal person, I don’t faff around so much whilst getting ready (Candy Crush, Buzzfeed and enthralling stories on BBC Breakfast can really take up more time than you think they do) and I actually find getting the train/tube incredibly stressful (I sort of dislike people at that time in the morning, plus I always seem to end up as hot and flustered as I would cycling) . It also gets me somewhere I need to be, makes me feel less guilty if I don’t go to the gym and saves me around £40 a week.

….which unfortunately seems to magically disappear.

Having cycled to work regularly since I first moved to London (alternating with running depending on my current training plan) I’ve had my fair share of forgotten items and have learnt a few shortcuts, hints and tips that I HAD to share with you to make things that little bit easier.

Continue reading →

Weighty Issues: Loving the skin you’re in

/ Kate O'C / 6 Comments

I recently read an article about this woman (yes, it was on Buzzfeed. Yes, it counts).

Tess Holliday - instagram.com

Tess Holliday – instagram.com

Tess Holliday is a size 22 (UK) model, who is the first of her height (5’5″) and size to be signed to a major modelling agency. No matter who you are, or what your preferences, there’s no denying she is a very beautiful person. She has an appealing, symmetrical, feminine face. But there is also no getting around the fact that she is bigger than the average lady

I’ve been wanting to write a piece on plus-size women for a while, but haven’t been able to formulate an angle that allowed me to make the points I wanted to make, but I think now I’m going to give it a bash. I’m not about body-shaming and this isn’t about dictating rights and wrongs when it comes to body image, it’s about being both happy and healthy in one’s own skin.

Continue reading →

How to deal with a running injury (part 1)

/ katieferg89 / Leave a comment

It sucks. No nice way of putting it. But here are my tips and tricks for the long journey through being injury and recovery from a fairly significant running-induced injury (I’m talking a good 3-6 months out and prevention of other daily activities).

PS DON’T ACTUALLY TAKE MY ADVICE. I’m not a clever person, I have nearly learnt my lessons so please don’t start going off on one about how irresponsible I am being. I know you should rest when you think something is wrong. I am just very very bad at it. Like most runners. Go and see someone about it. Ice it, ibuprofen it, but you know your body. Don’t run through what you shouldn’t blah blah etc etc you probably won’t listen to me anyway….

Continue reading →

Girls on bikes and girly bikes

/ katieferg89 / 2 Comments

OK, OK, after my women’s rugby rant, I’m sorry but I’m going to have to do another one. This time it’s cycling.

Put “girl on bike” into Google images (potentially NSFW,depends on your filters…) and let’s see what comes out.

Apparently, when riding a bike, women should either be a)half naked draped over a motorbike or b) looking super happy, accessorised with a basket, heels or wedges and ideally a floaty dress.

I unfortunately don’t really fit into either of these categories.

Continue reading →

Confessions of a Lazy, Sporty Girl

/ Kate O'C / 1 Comment

I never used to consider myself to be particularly sporty. I’d always participated in games lessons at school and in various teams – hell, at the age of ten, I captained my primary school cricket team in a local competition, having never played until two weeks previously, but that’s a different story. It wasn’t until I went to university, met a lot of people who did little to no team-based activity, and I took up Rugby Union, that I was labelled ‘Sporty’.

It’s not a label I’ve ever fully embraced or, frankly, understood. Sure, I exercise, I play sport, I get antsy if I’ve been sat down or stuck indoors for too long, but  never crave a spot of pavement-pounding. Between you and me, exercise for its own sake is something I dread and (horror of horrors) find boring.

Continue reading →

But we don’t need an advertising campaign!

/ katieferg89 / 1 Comment

So let’s tackle the big, popular topic that is ALL OVER social media and the press, Sport England’s “This Girl Can”, which has received the majority of rave reviews thus far. This is actually partly how this blog came about, following a Sunday evening discussion over a steak pie and a glass of wine (Kate’s culinary expertise)

Continue reading →

#isitok….to say women’s sport isn’t as exciting?

/ katieferg89 / 1 Comment

I start this post following an interesting day which sparked a few discussions around female participation in and enjoyment of sports that well, just aren’t traditionally female.

Firstly, I spoke with a well-known ex international rugby player and coach, whose first words were “sorry girls that you had to sit through all that rugby chat”. Well let’s say, it was a rugby-focused event. I like rugby. I thought it would be interesting. I wasn’t just there on a jolly to spend 45 minutes away from my desk. But why the assumption that 3 girls couldn’t possibly be interested in, or play, a game that is traditionally male?

Continue reading →