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Julia Jones

Win a spot on the March Up & Running 5k course

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Up & Running

Giveaway time! This is the first and only time I’ll don the Up & Running 5K Course pimp hat this year. The March 5K is the one live course we’re running in 2015*, as we need to clear space for the epic task of creating a new Marathon course.

The course starts on Monday 9 March and goes for eight weeks. Here’s what you get…

  • an eight week training plan to get you 5k race ready, designed to gradually increase your strength and fitness while avoiding injury
  • a daily blog chock full of support materials, like running techniques, drills, videos and inspiring videos
  • unlimited support from expert coach Julia Jones, for all your running questions
  • access to our private community forum so you can cheer/moan every step in a safe, friendly environment.

I’m giving away five free places. All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post and answer the following question:

What is your favourite four-legged creature and why?

(I got this question by googling “best random questions”. Hehe.)

  • Entries close 11PM GMT on Wednesday 25 February.
  • There will be five winners and each win a place on the Spring 5K Course.
  • The winner can gift the prize to a friend if desired.
  • Winners will be randomly selected.
  • Winners can be from anywhere in the world. Previous winners are eligible to enter again. Remember the course is for women only.
  • * self-paced versions of all courses still available!

Up and Running

Enjoy the process

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Julia Jones in da tub

It’s Publication Day for our Up & Running book! Why a pic of Julia Jones in a tub? Well, when Dietgirl came out I didn’t properly enjoy P-Day. I felt scared, fraudulent and undeserving. Back then I still believed if I dared celebrate something I’d be immediately struck down for being so indulgent (see also: iPhone laundering incident).

But now I appreciate that life is random and you can’t dress rehearse disaster (paraphrasing Brené Brown), so you have to soak up these moments!

I went a bit bonkers during the writing part of Dietgirl, too. I had a meltdown over the last chapter, one which Gareth never tires of re-enacting. I somehow wound up kneeling on the floor, punching the seat of my chair while howling, “I CAN’T DOOOO THIIIIIS!”.

This time I declared I would enjoy the process. Every time Gareth looked in while Julia and I were writing he’d ask, “Are you punching the chair yet?” and I’d be all, “Nooooo… still good!” and he’d look disappointed.

I think it comes from knowing you’ve done it before and that it’s meant to be hard, but also from not having your entire self-worth tied up in the project. This time I just loved the act of creation and collaborating, even the months when I had to use that bloody voice dictation software.

So Julia lounging up there in the bathtub (snapped during the book’s photo shoot) sums up a fun and relaaaaaxed process and for once in my life I reckon I’ve been fully present for it all. A large gin shall be quaffed tonight. Woohoo!

If you’d like to know more about the book, here’s the lowdown. I wanted to say mega thanks to my friends and family and blog pals for being so patient during those writing months, to the Up & Running community for your fantastic contributions and for always inspiring us, to the good folks at CICO Books, and of course to Julia for everything!

Win a spot on the September Up & Running 5k or 10k course

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Following on from the Robert Plant post, who would you invite round for tea?

Yep, it’s nosy question time again! We’ve just opened up registration for the final Up & Running courses for 2014, thus I’m making my last attempt to lure you into our international running club.

The 5K Beginners Course starts on Monday 8 September and the 10K Course starts on Thursday 11 September, each going for eight weeks.

Here’s what you get…

  • an eight week training plan to get you race ready, designed to gradually increase your strength and fitness while avoiding injury
  • a daily blog chock full of support materials, like running techniques, drills, videos and inspiring videos
  • unlimited support from expert coach Julia Jones, for all your running questions
  • access to our private community forum
  • a delightful sense of wellbeing as the year draws to an end, having achieved something so epic!

I’m giving away five free places. All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post and tell me:

  1. If you had to invite someone famous round for tea, who would it be and why? (And optionally, what would be on the menu?)
  2. Which course you’d like to do.
  • Entries close 11PM GMT on Monday 1 September.
  • There will be five winners and they have their choice of 5K or 10K course
  • The winner can gift the prize to a friend if desired.
  • Winners will be randomly selected.
  • Winners can be from anywhere in the world. Previous winners are eligible to enter again. Remember the Courses are for women only.

Up & Moving – a new course for beginners + giveaway!

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World's best emoticons

It’s been a good six months since I’ve put my fuschia pink pimp hat on, but with Spring cranking up it’s time to talk Up & Running!

This week we launched Up & Moving, the course I’ve been busting to create since we started U&R three years ago. We’ve had so many requests for a step between the couch and the 5K Course. Plus, as one with a dodgy knee, I’ve kinda had “course envy” and wished there was something I could properly join!

Also, I’ve never forgotten how I felt back in 2001 when I started out getting healthier. I was overwhelmed, intimidated and had no idea where to start with exercise. I wanted guidance, but didn’t feel ready for gyms or trainers.

So we created something for absolute beginners, for fitness comebacks, for the dodgy of knee, and/or for those who just love structure and a solid plan to follow. Then we chucked in Julia’s expert coaching, plus bucketloads of support and motivational tools.

Up & Moving is a six-week self-paced course, so you can adapt the plans to where you are at – as you are, right now – and go at a pace that works for you. It combines walking with basic resistance training with easy-to-find household objects.

I road tested the plans last autumn. I’d been stuffing around with my health for YONKS and could not seem to get any momentum going. But six weeks of obeying these plans helped me find my groove again. I’ve consistently walked and weight trained for months now, and more recently the momentum spilled over into finally getting my healthy eating house back in order. Baby steps add up, after all!

If Up & Moving sounds like a good fit for you, you can read more about it right here.

Up & Moving

Now, giveaway time!

Our 5K Beginners Course starts on Monday 10 March and the 10K Course starts on Thursday 13 March, each going for eight weeks. Up & Moving is open now.

Here’s what you get…

  • unlimited support from coach Julia Jones, for all your questions – no question is too big or small!
  • an eight week training plan, tried & tested with 1000s of runners around the globe
  • a daily blog chock full of support materials, like running techniques, drills and inspiring videos
  • access to our private community forum with your fellow Movers/runners

I’m giving away five free places, with the winner choosing the course they’d like to do. All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post and tell me, If you had to go livemove to a town or city of a television show or film, which one would it be?

(Yeah I am still on that Friday Night Lights bender!)

  • Entries close 11PM GMT on Wednesday 5 March.
  • There will be five winners and they have their choice of Up & Moving, 5K or 10K courses.
  • The winner can gift the prize to a friend, so you can enter if you want to surprise a friend.
  • Winners will be randomly selected.
  • Winners can be from anywhere in the world. Previous winners are eligible to enter again. Remember the Courses are for women only.

World's best emoticons

Win a spot on the September Up & Running 5k or 10k course

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Coach Julia cannae wait to coach you.

Coach Julia cannae wait to coach you.

In just over a week our last Up & Running courses for 2013 will begin, so this my last attempt to tempt you to join our lovely, kickarse international running club!

Our 5K Beginners Course starts on Monday 2 September and the 10K Course starts on Thursday 5 September, each going for eight weeks.

Here’s what’s in store…

  • an eight week training plan, tried & tested with 1000s of runners around the globe
  • a daily blog chock full of support materials, like running techniques, drills, videos and inspiring videos
  • unlimited support from expert coach Julia Jones, for all your running questions
  • access to our private community forum with outstanding emoticons
  • boundless, glorious SMUGNESS as you head into the tail end of 2013, having done something so epic and wholesome for yourself.

I’m giving away five free places, with the winner choosing the course they’d like to do. All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post and tell me, If evil aliens invaded today and you had to flee your home with only three possessions, what would you take?

(Can you tell decluttering is on my mind!?)

  • Entries close 11PM GMT on Wednesday 28 August.
  • There will be five winners and they have their choice of 5K or 10K course
  • The winner can gift the prize to a friend, so you can enter if you choose not to run but want to surprise a friend.
  • Winners will be randomly selected.
  • Winners can be from anywhere in the world. Previous winners are eligible to enter again. Remember the Courses are for women only.