THOOSA'S FRIDAY FACT!

Five miles a week could keep your brain beautiful. During a ten-year study of more than 400 elderly people, research found that greater amounts of physical activity were associated with greater brain volume. Basically it could stop your brain shrinking! Is that a good thing? Apparently so.


According to the Doctors at the department of radiology at Pittsburgh University, brain volume is a sign of good mental health. If brain volume decreases it means brain cells are dying. When it remains higher brain health and happiness is being maintained. It was found that walking just five miles a week protects the brain structure over ten years in people with Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment. Get moving, get running!

THOOSA LOVES

One of Thoosa’s favourite Christmas presents came in the form of a fantastic book called 30 Great Runs in London. In the age of the I-pad, I-phones and I-everything it’s actually really lovely to read a book about running. It’s great to be able to delve in and out, learning a little bit about the city along the way. It’s kept in my bag so on a commute I can read all that the city has to offer, for a local and also importantly, for a visitor.

As everyone knows running can be done anywhere, no gym membership required, and if anything, this wonderful book reminds you of this.
It’s fantastically written, divided into five sections of locality, each run has an introductory page that highlights the route and summarises key information that helps you choose the right run for your capability, your mood, or even the scenery you feel like being surrounded by.

This book makes a great present or just a treat for you. Either way it’s a must for any runner anywhere.

THE BEGINNER'S BLOG

You may have noticed that the beginner’s blog has not been too upbeat of late. I think the month of January has affected me more than I would like to admit. I always remember the journalist Robert Crampton saying that he normally has the ‘New Year New You’ feeling in September as opposed to January. He put this down to old school days, September being the month when new shoes and a new pencil case symbolise a fresh start, a clean slate. I can definitely relate to this.

However, get through January we must and if magazines and Sunday supplements are to be believed then we are supposed to be doing in whilst drinking carrot juice and with a new found spring in our step. Obviously, from my tone you can probably tell that I am struggling with this concept.


However, on a run the other day I was reminded of just how liberating running is. When reading ‘Thoosa Inspired’ something that is often repeated is that you can run anywhere, that’s why it’s such a fantastic thing to do. And once you’re out, you see remarkable things, or see ordinary things through a different light. Either way, above is a picture of a beautiful sight that, had I not been on a run, I would have missed. Inspirational indeed. Oh, and I signed myself up for a 10K.

THE THOOSA REVIEW...FOR INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION!

If you haven’t glanced at the cover of Bodyfit for a couple of months, then you might have a bizarre feeling of déjà vu. I swear the same model is on the cover nearly every month, possibly in the same attire. However, don’t let that put you off. Once you take a look inside you’ll find a magazine that will motivate and definitely keep you fixated on your New Year regime. The snippets of information keep you interested but don’t overwhelm. For instance the “Fuel Up” section has five easy foods to boost your metabolism (green tea, grapefruit being among them). Perfect!

There are a lot of articles about weight loss, but that’s to be expected this time of year. One of the best articles was “Get Your Fitness Mojo Back”, aimed at helping you stay fit in the dark winter months. Particularly helpful for runners, it suggests taking your outdoor workout indoors and focusing on improving technique and preventing injury, effectively by spring you should be technically sound and ready to fine tune your fitness. Speed work is another suggestion, apparently “pushing your pulse into the anaerobic threshold and then letting it recover increases your body’s ability to tolerate lactic acid and boosts cardiovascular function”, blimey! If you were looking for any reason to stick to a new regime the quote to love is, “Whatever your sport, success comes with season-long dedication to training”. A mantra indeed.

There’re also heaps of celebrity columnists, all with their own take on keeping fit and staying healthy. Essentially Bodyfit is a magazine where you can dive in and out of reading with relative ease. It’s been on my coffee table for over two weeks now, and every time I flick through it I find another interesting fact and article. If you’re looking for a good sports bra, they’ve reviewed them, if you want to eat for your body shape, there’s an article to help.

If you’re finding January too long and gloomy, and the cold is crushing your good intentions, then Bodyfit is the magazine for you, it injects a dose of multi-coloured, sunny inspiration.

THOOSA TIPS...FOR A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM!

We all know getting outside for a run is the perfect January fix for that post Christmas feeling. However, you can also achieve better health by simply following a few of our New Year tips. To boost your immune system you need to include heaps of infection fighting nutrients in your diet. Try to include:

ZINC

Perfect for helping to keep the immune system healthy and resistant to infections, zinc rich foods include nuts, wholegrain cereals, oysters, eggs and seeds.

BIOFLAVONOIDS

These are nutrients that boost immune responses and help speed recovery. Find these fabulous nutrients in citrus fruit.

ANTIOXIDANTS

These are health boosting compounds such as vitamin C, E and beta carotene, they can be found in loads of fruits and vegetables, best to lightly steam vegetables, as opposed to boiling them, to minimise the loss of nutrients during cooking.

GLUTATHIONE

This antioxidant strengthens the immune system and fights infection. It can be found in brassica vegetables such as kale, broccoli, spinach and cabbages, and also watermelon! Lovely.

QUERCETIN

This bioflavonoid stimulates the immune system making it stronger and you healthier. It can be found in broccoli, citrus fruit and onions.

THOOSA SALE!

If you’re finding your New Year exercise regime a bit of a slog, invest in some fabulous new Thoosa gear – IT’S ON SALE! Looking the part helps you feel the part, which is half the battle, and with up to 60% off selected lines, it may be just the boost you need!



Enjoy shopping!

THOOSA LOVES!

If you followed our Christmas gift ideas for dogs, then you might remember the gorgeous mulberry fair isle jumper that we thought might make the perfect, if not ridiculously extravagant, present for our favourite four legged friends. Thanks to the lovely people at Mulberry we can now take a peek at the jumper being modelled. Just because... http://blog.mulberry.com/2010/12/22/hot-dogs/

THE BEGINNER'S BLOG

Where do I start? December, in my view, was not a runner’s friend. I’m pretty sure that it was very wet, then cold and wet and then snowy. And if the elements weren’t like this for the whole month then it definitely felt as though they were.

On top of this, December is THE month of excess. I resolved to keep healthy and Thoosa’s nutritional Christmas tips definitely helped. It was great to start every day having a healthy thought, even if I knew I wasn’t going to be strictly saintly. However, a few Christmas parties down, and with some long lunches that went on well into the evening, running, I’m afraid, took a bit of a back seat. What’s worse is that I stupidly confessed this whilst having a tipsy conversation one evening with a group of pretty incredible runners. Rain, shine, Sundays they are out there, and so it seems soon I will be too.

Whilst everyone was vaguely impressed with my new found running form, no one was impressed with my fair weather attitude. And, in all the Christmas merriment, instead of keeping schtum I agreed that my performance lacked dedication and asked ‘what to do’? BIG MISTAKE.

The answer, as it, so sober now obviously would be, was ‘sign up for a race’, ‘a real challenge’ and ‘do it now and do it soon to keep the motivation’. And so it begins.

THOOSA'S JANUARY - RELAX

According to almost every magazine and newspaper supplement, this January you should be spending mainly relaxing by the side of a gorgeous pool, sipping green tea cocktails, either in some sun-drenched destination or at a gorgeous boutique spa in the country. Well...we can all dream. Time, or whatever, not permitting, here are some other suggestions.

1. This week’s Film – Monsters.
A new spin on alien-invasion movies. A gripping tale involving a road trip, romance and an ‘infected’ region full of aliens. Basically it has it all. Popcorn anyone?


2. Ice Music, Sommerset House, London, WC2, 7 - 9 January.
Bizarre but possibly terribly beautiful. Norwegian composer and instrumentalist Terje Isungset is performing three concerts a day inside what’s described as “an intimate urban igloo” on Somerset House’s River Terrace, using a variety of ice instruments, some carved from ancient Norwegian glaciers. Must be seen to be believed.


3. The Young Vermeer, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh, until 13 March.
If you’re a fan then this exhibition is a must. It reunites three early compositions, two of them loans, for the first time.


4. Lucrezia Borgia, Coliseum, WC2, 31 January – 3 March
If, like us, one of your New Year plans is to get a little more culture in your life then this might be just the ticket. Mike Figgis makes his operatic directional debut with this ENO production of Donizetti’s drama.


5. Mariella Frostrup’s New Year Books.
Twelve books to while away the long winter nights. To make sure you relax properly after your long runs, Thoosa recommends a good read. Mariella Frostrup, journalist and presenter of The Book Show (every Thursday, 9pm Sky Arts 1 HD), shares her insider knowledge. Review, invest and relax!


6. Black Swan, Out 21 January
A psychological thriller that’s as stylish and beautiful at is it terrifying. Starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis as competing ballerinas, we’re scared already!

THOOSA'S JANUARY - RUNNING EVENTS

January is a little thin on the ground for running events. So we’ve popped a few early February runs on our list too. Get planning for the new year!

1. 23 January 2011
 Maxifuel Dorney Lake 5k & 10k 
Based at Eton College Rowing Centre, the smooth tarmac surface of this course is a friendly road  for new runners.

2. 30 January 2011
London Marathon Training Run 
You may have noticed that Thoosa is a firm supporter of any race meeting that serves tea and cake at the end. This 12 mile run, the first of three London Marathon training runs in Hertfordshire, serves just that at the finish line. Lovely.

3. 6 February 2011
Southport Mad Dog Seaside 10 K Run
This is a substantial but flat race, postal entry closes on 20 January.

4. 12 & 13 February 2011
Alice Holt Forest CaniX
Possibly one of Thoosa’s favourite race ideas, you can run through the beautiful surroundings of Alice Holt Forest, in Hampshire, with your dog. If you want some tips of running with your four legged friend then this is the race for you.

5. 13 February 2011
Easy Runner Tough Ten Challenge
This is a challenging ten mile race with lots of differing terrain. If you’re looking to up your running game this race in Weston-Super-Mare may be exactly what you’re looking for.

THOOSA NEWS!

Roll Up Roll Up! The City Skort is set to return! Thoosa fans will already know that our City Skort was an instant success in 2010. It received rave reviews from Runner’s World and was featured in The Independent 50 BEST Fitness Essentials, making it a must for any woman runner! Having sold out almost immediately we’ve all patiently awaited its return, and luckily the wait is almost over. The City Skort is set to return in mid-January as part of our new collection.

To ensure you don’t miss out the Skort is available to pre-order from our website. Your order will be sent out as soon as the collection arrives in mid January. We will up-date you on an exact delivery date nearer the time. The City Skort will be available in black or with berry or sea stitching for £34.00. Enjoy!

HAPPY 2011!

Happy New Year from the Thoosa team!


If you want to start the year as you mean to go on, why not take a look at our new nutritional page? A quick glance shopping list for runners, perfect!