Kinomap Trainer Review

For the last two weeks I have been exercising using the Kinomap Trainer. It is a new app that aims to enhance indoor training sessions on a treadmill, cycling or rowing machine. It is designed to be used on a tablet or smartphone. 

The app offers synchronised video playback, and enables users to view a pre-recorded, GPS-located outdoor route. You can measure your performance and view you progress on an accompanying map. 

The new app is part of Kinomap’s video sharing platform that encourages contributors from around the world to share their favourite geolocated videos. There are many routes from around the world. One of my favourites is the London Marathon route. The app provides access to thousands of videos posted by other users, including the Seine in Paris and some of the routes from the Tour de France. So workouts will never be boring as you can choose a different route each time.

During the workout, the tablet or smartphone screen displays up to five panels that include the video itself, a map displaying a moving icon showing the user’s position in either a terrain or satellite view, the elevation profile, description or the complete dashboard. The apps can also sync with Apple TV enabling the videos to be viewed on a larger screen.

You need to purchase an ANT+ receiver and sensors to synchronise your performance with the videos. These can be quite expensive but can be bought from places like Amazon. These collect and wirelessly transfer data. They enable your smartphone or tablet to receive the rhythm, speed and stride power data being applied and compare it to the video. They work in a similar way to the Wii sensor bar and Xbox kinect that picks up your movements. It is also possible to cycle the same route as friends allowing users to chat as they cycle or race to the finish line! Which is great if you and your friends are very competitive. 

The app is subscription based and you can either pay for it monthly or yearly, there are also packages you can purchase. Prices start from £7.99. It could work out a pretty expensive app if you don't work out regularly but it may also be a cheaper alternative than going to the gym and if the cost would be something that would encourage you to use the app more then I'm all for it. But I think it really depends on you and only you can say whether or not its the best suitable app for you and your exercise plan.

I really like the app. I think its great and you can use it whilst using a treadmill and rowing machine too. It certainly helps to pass the time as you have the screen to focus on. I hate exercising and find it hard to get motivated to do it and yet I know I need to in order to fit into my wedding dress next year, so this was just the kick start I needed. 

I would say that the app is quite expensive to set up as you do need to pay for the receiver and sensor and the monthly / yearly fee for the app but if you are a serious trainer then I think the costs wouldn't out weigh what you would gain from the app. If your a casual user then the app probably isn't for you. 

For more information about the app and the equipment you need / can use the app with go to http://www.kinomaptrainer.com.

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Tonight I ran all the way home

Me after first 5K race
(Apr 11)

and this was by choice, not because I was running away from anything! This is the first time I've managed this since October last year and I'm sitting here now feeling very proud of myself and with a big grin on my face. OK, when I say 'ran' I mean 'jogged', and I did stick to the shortest possible distance which is about 4.5 miles, but I didn't even have to wait to cross a single road AND I made it ALL the way up that nasty hill from the old folks home on the roundabout.

Can I get a Woo Hoo?

Late last year, I was almost ready for the Bexhill Half and feeling pretty good about myself. But having hardly run since getting a miserable cold in the autumn, I have put on a stone and just feel sluggish a lot of the time. My running mojo vanished completely. This is depressing and my depressions lead to cake shops which leads to clothes not fitting which leads to more depression which ... you get the picture.

Me after Brighton 10K
(Nov 11)

My inspiration was marshaling the Eastbourne Half Marathon last weekend. I spent a couple of hours standing in front of traffic on one of the Atlantic Drive road junctions just after mile 8. Several work colleagues were taking part and I also saw a couple of people from Parkrun (must get back there soon). It was bitterly cold but all (except one) of the drivers were patient and lovely and seeing more than 1500 people striving to achieve their own 13.1 miles was magical. Mojo back!

I walked the six miles back to Polegate that afternoon. I ran most of the way home on Monday (damn hill), and today I kept going the whole way! Next week I'm going for the-whole-way-again, possibly followed by the-whole-way-by-the-slightly-longer-route.

Big thanks to all the Half Marathonners! The way I feel right now, next year I'll be joining you!

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Chickpeas with chorizo (Garbanzos y chorizo)

Chickpeas (or garbanzo beans, as they're known in the US), that excellent store-cupboard ingredient that helps one to make many an excellent meal. A filling chickpea and tuna salad with smoked paprika powder. A healthy vegetarian side dish consisting of chickpeas and pomegranate molasses. A quick tortilla wrap with chickpeas and tuna. A chickpea and tomato soup with smoked paprika.  A chickpea and tomato soup with Moroccan spices. A quick hummus with beets. Or a quick hummus with wild garlic, come ramp or ramson season. Or a quick hummus with harissa paste, if you want something a wee bit spicier.

I always keep some in the cupboard, as they are indeed an excellent stand-by.

Chickpeas and smoked paprika powder (pimentón) is a match made in heaven, and this is utilised in this wonderful Spanish creation, garbanzos y chorizo. No pimentón or smoked paprika powder - pimentón de la Vera is considered the best - is needed, but you need a good-quality Spanish cooking chorizo that is seasoned with pimentón to start with. I came across a locally-made chorizo sausage last weekend - produced by Liivimaa Lihaveis - and decided to try an old favourite chorizo-and-chickpea (or chorizo-and-garbanzo) dish of mine*, and see, if the locally produced chorizo stands up to the proper Spanish one.

It did, I'm happy to admit.

Chickpeas with chorizo
(Kikerherned chorizo-vorstiga)
Serves four to six

 

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
1 red or yellow bell pepper
300 g cooking chorizo
400 g canned chopped tomatoes
800 g canned chickpeas (that's 2 regular cans)
about a cup of water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh parsley, finely chopped

Peel the onion, halve and cut into thin slices. Halve and deseed the pepper, then cut into thin strips. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Cut the chorizo into thin slices.

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan or a large sauté pan. Add the onion and pepper and a sprinkle of salt and sauté over moderate heat for about 5 minutes, stirring every now and then.

Increase the heat, add the chorizo and fry for another few minutes, until the chorizo is slightly browned.

Add the chopped tomatoes, then pour about a cup of water into the tomato can, give it a quick swirl and pour into the pan. Add the chickpeas. Bring into a simmer, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle some herbs on top and serve with some crusty bread and a fresh green salad.

NOTE: This reheats well (you can add some water, if too dry), and it also tastes great when cold. 

 

* This dish is indeed a regular in our kitchen - I discovered this photo from August 2011 and this photo from April 2009 as well this one from April 2008 in Flickr :)

Similar recipes in other foodblogs:
In my Life (very similar to mine)
Morsels & Musings by Anna
Lindaraxa
Spanish Recipes pic by pic
Flanboyant Eats (much soupier version)

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Ravensburger 4 in a Box Finding Nemo Puzzle

This month we have been reviewing the Finding Nemo 4 in a box jigsaw puzzle from Ravensburger. We decided to wait until half term to review the puzzle and its a good job we did as we were stuck at home for the full week due to their dad working the night shifts at work and us all being full of coughs and colds.

You can purchase this puzzle for around £6 and you will find it in most good toy stores or online. Inside the box you will find the pieces for the 4 different puzzles. The puzzles when competed are 12, 16, 20 and 24 pieces. The different piece counts are excellent for developing puzzle skills. I thought we would have trouble finding which pieces belonged to which puzzle but we found them quite easy to piece together as they all have different borders.

Each puzzle measures 19 x 14cm when complete with a linen finish print to minimise glare on puzzle image. They feature some of the films characters include Nemo, Marlin, Dory, Crush and Squirt. Nathan says Squirt is his favourite as turtles are cool.

We can't wait to receive next months puzzle. 

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Why I wasn't convinced by the ending of Bent

Last week I went to the Little Theatre in Eastbourne to see Bootcamp's production of Bent, Martin Sherman's drama of the persecution of gay men during the Holocaust. It was excellent and I came away quite emotional. The play is certainly thought-provoking, so much so that I have spent several hours thinking over the work I saw - however, the more I think about it, the less I agree with the final moments.

My morning-after reactions are posted in the Comments of this Theatrical Eastbourne post which specifically talks about the Bootcamp Production and doesn't give away the ending.  
If you have not yet seen the play and don't want to know how it ends, stop reading this post now!

This post contains spoilers!

Early on in the second act, Horst and Max discuss the electric fence which surrounds them. They talk about some men in the camp who commit suicide by throwing themselves onto the fence, positing the argument that orchestrating their own deaths is the only freedom remaining to them. Horst is not ashamed of his sexuality and has made no attempt to hide it as Max has done. The two become lovers, Max falling in love with Horst as I don't think he has allowed himself to do with previous partners. Horst tries to show Max how to be proud and accepting of what he is.
Then comes the disaster of the sick Horst being singled out by a Nazi guard. Given the choice - which is really no choice at all - of the electric fence or being shot, Horst makes a brief, futile dash away from suicide, 'forcing' a guard to kill him. In the Bootcamp production, Ben Woodward as Horst played this scene with a stunning blend of desperation and immense dignity, creating a truly powerful moment of theatre. 
Max reverently carries Horst's body away, talking about love, how he finally understands love and believes he is capable of such deep emotion. He swaps shirts with Horst. Max now wears the pink triangle. Horst has not died in vain because Max is now proud to be identified as a gay man.

And then he makes a run for the fence and kills himself. End of play. WTF!

Max has just made this tremendous breakthrough of self-discovery, but immediately throws it all away by dying? Admittedly, it is a fabulous dramatic device with a major shock value! However, I'm just not convinced that this is what Max would have done. We had already seen him expend so much effort on wheeling and dealing, getting medicines and better food and even his yellow star. Discussing the play with friends, it has been suggested that Max couldn't bear to live without Horst but I'm not convinced by this argument. Surely he would have chosen to live, discovering uses for his new-found self-belief?

Perhaps I missed an important clue earlier on? 
Perhaps not being a gay man myself means there's something I don't 'get'?

Help me out here! If you've seen any production of Bent, please Comment how you felt about Max's ultimate suicide?

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Chicken and Chorizo Stew recipe

Another Spanish-inspired dish today and one that was originally created by us to use up leftovers so it's both tasty and thrifty. We like pasta penne with tomato and chorizo but a whole chorizo ring is too much for one meal so about a third gets put back in the fridge. Also, a whole chicken - even a small one - will do us for its original roast dinner with plenty of good white meat left to make this stew. The leg meat is also fine to use in the stew if you want, but Dave's not so keen on it so I normally use that up in a lunchbox salad for me. A pint of stock made from the chicken bones and that's a pretty good £6 worth. The quantities below are for two but are quite vague as it depends on how much of each ingredient we have. Experiment to find the flavour combination you like best.

Chicken and Chorizo Stew

Ingredients:
olive oil
6-8 inches of chorizo sliced into half-cm thick rounds
half a large onion, fairly finely chopped
small new potatoes, cut in half (or left whole if they're really tiny)
400g tin chopped tomatoes
200ml chicken stock
left over roasted chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
salt, pepper, dried mixed herbs

Pour a glug of olive oil into a saucepan and heat. Add the chorizo and fry for a couple of minutes until the oil starts to colour. 
Add the onion, lower the heat, and cook until the onion is soft.
Add the potatoes, tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil. Add the chicken and simmer for about an hour or until the potatoes are cooked through. 
Season to taste and serve.
 
I've submitted this recipe to Credit Crunch Munch which is a fun initiative from Fuss Free Flavours and Fab Food 4 All to find budget-conscious recipes, saving some money whilst still enjoying good food. I've followed Fuss Free Flavours for a couple of years but this is the first recipe I've submitted. There's several blogs taking part in Credit Crunch Munch and I always find great ideas for new meals and flavours.

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Pong iPhone & iPad Cases Review

I love my iPad almost as much as I love my family, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't use it and i would honestly be lost without it, I know its only a gadget but its my gadget. I can often be found catching up on Facebook or Twitter, reading a book or even watching my beloved soaps and Grey's Anatomy especially whilst preparing dinner, I am also a huge fan of the Bejeweled Blitz, Tribez and Sims apps. The boys also love my iPad and are massive fans of Angry Birds, they try to play on it as much as possible and even try to sneak on it when my back is turned but I do worry that they will drop and break it so I am quite strict with them and don't let them use it unless I am in the room and they have to be sitting down. Some say I'm mean but as I say to the boys it isn't theirs to mess around with or to break (weather accidentally or on purpose). I'm not a strict mummy but I am a mummy who likes to look after her things. 

Recently I was asked to review some products from Pong and I couldn't wait.

The first item I reviewed was the iPhone 4 / 4s case by Pong. 

Here are the main features of the Pong case:

• Reduces exposure to radiation by up to 94%, by redirecting mobile phone radiation away from your head and body.
• Built on a tough polycarbonate chassis and encased in resilient but hard rubber, that provides durable protection and shock absorption.
• Has survived drop tests of over 8 feet on to rough concrete surfaces with no damage to the case or phone.
• Rubber finish and design provides an outstanding grip for the hand.
• Scientifically engineered case improves signal strength by up to 30%, and protects against dropped calls.
• Efficient antenna performance increases talk-time battery life.
• Very tough but elegant design for a case with versatile functionality, and a very snug fit for the iPhone 4/4S.
• Camera opening allows for full unobstructed function of the camera and flash.

The first I noticed about the case it how well it is made, it is strong and made from good quality materials. The case is a good fit for the phone and looks great.

The iPhone 4 / 4s case retails around £39.99 and can be bought from online from Play.com and other good retailers.

Moving on to the iPad case, which I would just like to say I actually love. I was a little bit of a cheap skate when it came to buying a case when I first got my iPad and really I should have remembered you get what you pay for and although my case did do the job it was intended for I didn't realise the marks it was leaving on the back of my iPad, plus if the boys had of dropped it, there would have been very little protection. The first thing I noticed about the Pong iPad case is how strong and sturdy it was and how well it fitted the iPad.

Here are the main points about the iPad case.

• Tested and proven in FCC-certified laboratories to reduce exposure to radiation by up to 82% below the FCC limit and 90% below international safety limits.
• Internationally patented radiation-redirecting technology.
• Soft touch Lexan material clips firmly to your iPad 2.
• Internationally patented cut-away design that doesn’t trip the iPad’s proximity sensors, allowing you to maximize your 3G connection.
• Multi-fold feature gives you eight different stand positions. (I have shown 2 below) - the stand positions are quite sturdy. This is ideal especially if like me you like to catch up on TV programmes whilst preparing dinner or whilst using cookery apps etc. 

You can buy the Pong iPad cases online and they vary in price. You can get cases to fit the original iPad, iPad 2, iPad 3 and iPad Mini. 

Now I have my Pong cases I know that my iPad and iPhone are safe no matter what, even if the boys drop it on the floor (not that I plan on them doing that anytime soon) but I know now that I don't have to be as strict with them. I will certainly be recommending Pong products to my friends.

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