Tell you what May, with all these awesome fitness events you are spoiling us. Loads of free stuff too. Oodles!
FREE
barreASANA at Selfridges London
Every Monday from 4 May-5 June, 18.30-19.30
Ultralounge Selfridges
sweatybetty.com
Sweaty Betty have teamed up with barrecore for a series of women-only workouts at Selfridges. The barreASANA class combines barre work with a fast-paced yoga-inspired sequence, to strengthen the body and core.
Hour-long classes are free and all attendees will receive a goody bag. Book classes here to secure a place.
Free BarreASANA workout videos will also be available on the Sweaty Betty website for you to try at home.
FREE
Race to the Stones Run and Chat Evening at Profeet
11 May, 18.00
Profeet Fulham
profeet.co.uk
If you’ve entered Ultra marathon run to the Stones (or even if you haven’t but are thinking about it in the future) this is the perfect evening to help you go the distance. Starting with a 9k run – split into two chat-able pace groups – you then go back to the store to discuss shoe selection and tips for the race with race organisers, Profeet staff and last year’s female winner Sorrell Walsh (who we know and is bloody lovely, above in the middle). All attendees get free socks and a free ‘Shoe MOT’ voucher.
Race organisers are trying to get a 50/50 split between male and female entrants so go along and represent!
To reserve your place, email hugo.pettit@thresholdsports.co.uk or call 0845 486 5555.
Tennis Tuesdays
Every Tuesday from 5 May, from £5
Venues across the country
clubspark.lta.org.uk
A collaboration between British Tennis and Nike, Tennis Tuesdays are female-only group tennis sessions held across the country. Billed as social tennis, serious fun, the emphasis is on learning to whack a ball around and having a laugh with other girls while you do it. All you need to do is book online and turn up in your kit, coach, court, racquets etc are provided.
I went along to the launch of Tennis Tuesdays last week, read my review over on Unbound.
FREE
Nike track sessions
Every Wednesday, 19.00-21.00
Mile End Park Stadium
nike.com
Now that Spring marathon season is over, it’s time to get your fast on and prepare for the summer’s 5 and 10ks. As we all know, the best way to get faster is to run faster – which is easier said than done. Which is why Nike’s free Wednesday night track sessions are a good place to start. British Athletics Coaches will lead you through speed, tempo, interval sessions and more. Places seem to book up pretty quick so get your name down sharpish.
FREE
Fit brides at Frame
9 May, 13.30-16.00
Frame, Queen’s Park
moveyourframe.com
Getting spliced this summer? Congrats, you should get your ass down to Frame Shoreditch’s free Fit Brides event then. The boutique studio is hosting its own mini fitness wedding fair, with 30-min taster personal training sessions, Wedding Dance taster sessions, Free mini facials, meditation and relaxation sessions and loads more. It’s almost worth getting hitched for.
For more details visit moveyourframe.com
Cyclists and Runners Yoga
9 May, 14.30, £25
Frame, Shoreditch
moveyourframe.com
Ah stretching, we all know we should do it, sometimes we struggle to be arsed. This two-hur workshop will stretch you safely, teach you how to avoid injury by building strength and improving balance and there are loads of breathing techniques to help you build stamina. The teacher is Daniela Olds, we’ve been to her classes before and she’s proper aces.
FREE
14-day trial and FREE lunchtime sessions
Somuchmore (14 day free trial, live days)
Across London
somuchmore.co.uk
Opening up boutique studios and health and wellness classes across London to all you lovely people, Somuchmore is a new card, usually costing £89 per month but, as an opening offer, you can get a 14-day free trial. The card allows you to book classes from a number of top fitness providers including L+L favourites Hotpod Yoga and Edge Cycle. Sign up online for your free trial – you need to input your card details but won’t be charged unless you decide to continue, just remember to cancel before your trial is over.
Somuchmore are also hosting five free #LunchBoost sessions every day from 18-22 May at 12.30 in Bloomsbury Gardens. The 30-minute sessions will showcase some of the best classes that Somuchmore has to offer, plus you get a free t-shirt to work out in, protein yoghurts, raw coconut water and other goodies. To sign up for #LunchBoost sessions visit meetup.com.
Handstands & High Tea (with Celest Periera and Madeline Shaw)
16 May, 15.00-17.00, £42.50
Secret railway arch, Hoxton
secreturbanescape.com
An inversions workshop with top yoga teacher Celest where you’ll learn arm balance techniques and postures, then afternoon tea from top nutritionist and chef Madeline Shaw, what’s not to like? Raw pecan bites, pistachio cookies and chia puddings are on the menu.
Open Water Swim Training
16 May and 23 May, various start times, £37.50
Dorney Lake, Berkshire
humanrace.co.uk
Swimming in a pool is one thing, swimming in open water is a whole different kettle/lake of fish. If you’re a bit unsure about what open swimming entails, these 1/12 hour seminars will sort you out. Split into groups by ability (phew) the sessions are half practical, half theoretical and will cover open water swimming techniques, race tips, wetsuit and google fitting as well as loads of other tips.
Ps, no, there aren’t any sharks.
Night of the 10,000m PBs
16 May, from 16.00, FREE for spectators
Parliment Hill athletics track
highgate.athletics-uk.org
If you’re super-speedy you can enter this night of six different 10k races (sub 37.30 mins for women) put on by Highgate Harriers, which includes the British and English National Championships and London Borough Schools Challenge. Or, like us, you can just go along, watch, get inspired, and maybe drink a beer or seven.
FREE
Diva Fit
24 May 10.30-11.30
lululemon Covent Garden
facebook.com/events
lululemon’s free classes are usually yoga-based so it’s always a treat when a dance one comes up. Apparently, DivaFit combines iconic diva moves from the 20th and 21st century, various dance styles and traditional workout moves. It ends with a routine perfect for werkin’ the dance floor. Go along and shake what yo’ mother gave ya. Arrive early though, lululemon’s classes are always popular and they’re on a first come, first served basis.
Shock Absorber Women-Only Triathlon Training Day
24 May, 9.30am, £67.50
Dorney Lake, Berkshire
humanrace.co.uk
Whether you’re doing your first tri this year and you’re sh**ting it, or you’ve done a few but just want a bit more advice to ace your time, you could do worse than get a bit of expert help.
This Woman Only training day will cover swim techniques, mass starts, sighting and putting on and removing wetsuits (definitely harder than it looks!). They’ll go through the bike leg rules, nutrition on the bike leg, running pacing and transition set up, plus loads more. Female elite athletes, tri specialists and RG Active coaches will be there dispersing triathlon wisdom. And Shock Absorber can advice on sports bras on the day too if you fancy.
PUSH @ The Hoxton
30 May, 9.30-17.30, £140 – earlybird discount = £99
The Hoxton Hotel, Holborn
pushmindandbody.com
We met the founder of new mind and body bootcamp Push at Be:Fit London t’other week and she told us, as well as their luxury retreats in the New Forest, this month they’re hosting an event in London.
Taking place in the swankster Hoxton Hotel, the itinerary is designed to leave you feeling reenergised and ready to take on the world. It includes competitive team circuits, talks on nutrition and mindfulness, running the stairs of the Hoxton Hotel (!), career coaching, boxing drills and stretching.
Not cheap granted but you meals, drinks and an array of alternative therapies are included. Plus they’re not averse to you hanging round for a few glasses of wine after.
Cancer Research Pretty Muddy
31 May, various waves, £19.99
Clapham Common
raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org
The best thing about Spring and Summer (well apart from beer gardens, sandals and barbecues) is all the fun races you can enter where no one gives a stuff about PBs and it’s all about having fun with your mates.
Em and I have run marathons, done triathlons and aced Tough Mudder, so you may think the 5k obstacle race Pretty Muddy isn’t for us, but we’re going along because we reckon it’ll be a proper laugh.
I also like to do whatever I can to support Cancer Research. In 2000 my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It’s a particularly shit form of the disease (as if there were any good ones) with just a 3% survival rate as symptoms don’t usually show themselves until it’s too late.
Luckily my dad got severe jaundice resulting in early diagnosis. He went on to have pioneering surgery, something called a Whipple, which was pretty new at the time. The cancer returned in 2009 and by then it was too late, but without the work of Cancer Research finding new ways to tackle the disease he would never have had those nine extra years.
That’s why I’m doing this race (and to test out the GoPro) we’d love it if you join us, it’ll be fun and we can have brunch afterwards. We’ve also got a £2 discount code for all you lovely people that you can use to enter any Race for Life event, just use the code RFLLunge at the checkout. We’re in the 11.15 wave. Register here
Ps, good luck if you’re running the Hackney Half on Sunday!
Got any events for June? Send them to charlotte@lungesandlycra.co.uk, cheers!
