The Skirt.....

If you are going to invest in one key piece this season make it a skirt.  This week you can win yourself the one in the second outfit and start adding to your new aw13 wardrobe all you have to do is retweet the blog or leave a comment below to win deadline Friday 6th September...good luck!

TIP...this season look out for contrasting fabric details like silk and patent I have added a sweatshirt to dress it down (wear oversized and longer to cover the bum area but a block heel boot with bear legs is great with a midi length skirt and toughens up a girly shape

jumper by sunspel

skirt by teatum jones

shoes by maison martin margiela

TIP...the a line skirt shape is great for a curvier girl and this skirt slims down the hips as well add a crisp white shirt and maybe leave the creases in to mix up textures and again a statement boot finishes the look

shirt by mr. start

skirt by zara

boots by acne

Natalie Hartley Runs...10 miles

This weekend my schedule reads 'must run 10 miles'...a month ago I could barely run round regents park let alone 10 miles. I actually can't believe how quickly I have built up my strength and haven't really changed my social side of things at all but dedication and mental will has got me to today. Going along with my 'Landmark' run for inspiration I decided that a run from Hyde Park to Tower Bridge and back meant that we took in quite a lot of the top London sights and definitely helped get me through this immense run! So here it is.....


The Route...

Buckingham Palace...feeling ok

Big Ben... Still feeling ok

The Wheel... feeling sweaty

The Tate...near my office never thought could run to work and back again definite turning point of the run

The Shard...still enjoying myself (just!)

Tower of London....getting knackered and know have to go all the way back still

Tower Bridge...never though would get here

Now have to run all the way back on the other side busy and feeling knackered legs have gone and knees hurting

Hyde Park...exhausted 

So there we have it I recommend this route to all of you interested in running around the sites of London, enjoy!

http://www.justgiving.com/nataliehartley

Natalie Hartley Runs....the royal run

According to my Nike schedule I was meant to have followed I am supposed to be running 7 miles this week....shit. Although I had a good run on Friday (just under 5k) I am still thinking that 7 miles is a very long way and then freak out as 13 is even longer! So I decided to combat this problem and run a route that seemed exciting and with good views that means you are distracted enough to run further (I hoped anyway). So I googled the Nike + app discovered loads of running route recommendations and found the Royal Parks route; Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, St James's Park and Green Park and as views were in abundance the idea worked! So for any of you feeling that your running route is boring try and see what might inspire you at Nike and see London by foot.

I ran over an hour and managed just under 7 miles and although my arse and legs were aching I was pleased to have overcome my fear of running more than 3 miles, bring it on!

Natalie Hartley Runs...with wet hair

Prada and Dior have made wet hair the style of the season so I say what a better time for me to go to the gym than when wet hair is cool. Therefore all my wet gym hair needs is mousse and am done. This is a perfect solution for all those people who find that you have to do your hair after the gym or exercise if you are going out, but this is my lazy girl gym guide and for me I now have 2 great hair options for going out with little effort:

1. Wash and run mousse through the hair and leave down or scrape back off face like Dior and add a lip colour or if you want a style made out of it like a front quiff for example then hold your hair into place and keeping your hand and hair in position run a hair dryer over it for a couple minutes so that part drys solid and sculpted

2. Sweaty hair adds texture so just take it down from your scrapped back do and let dry naturally there will be instant texture and body, bed hair done

Have fun gym hair has never been so cool!

Natalie Hartley Runs...On a Hangover

Friday night and the team Nike girls did a group 5k run rounds Regents Park. I have hit a wall this week, mixture of feeling that am not getting better and laziness. However we went on the run and have realised I have been doing my personal runs a bit too fast and the jog that we are doing tonight (a much slower pace) means that I can run and talk! First time I have ever done that so now feel back on track and that maybe i can do is after all and go out and celebrate with a drink or two or more! This has led to the Espresso Martini hangover from hell. I will be honest, I tried to cancel my trainer but then thought of a steam room treat at the end and so dragged myself out in the rain and thought would try and see whether exercise really does sort you out after a heavy night, the final answer: yes it does, of course it does, I was dripping in alcoholic sweat and these were the results (shots taken between unbalanced wobbles not the most stable of days on my feet I have to say) but thanks to David Warden, my trainer for putting up with my unprofessional shit, I made it to another exercise achievement of the week!

I have been told that these core strengtheners I am doing in the pics above and below are needed for running so for anyone else I have inspired to start running make sure you work out this area. Use machines and exercises that work out all areas and muscles but that always include using the stomach as is holds you together from inside and gives you better stamina! If its not hurting your stomach then it's not working!

Also this week have inspired 3 friends to start running! I am very pleased as this was a goal of mine to inspire others to run as if I can then you can too! #justdoit

Natalie Hartley Runs...with the new Free Flyknit Trainers

 

 

These are the latest creation by Nike and possibly the most comfortable trainer I have ever worn! They are the Missoni for trainers, a knitted sock effectively stuck onto a sole that is cut into squares and means the sole is so bendy you can bend them in half! They will give your feet full flexibility. These trainers are ideal for long runs, they build up the with walking in them and they strengthen the foot e core part of the leg which means that knees and legs are then taken care of. Don't though wear them in the gym as I did very little support on the ankle. I have been given them on Friday the day of launch and haven't taken them off, socks with soles, I may never take them off they are comfortable and look cool, job done!

 

Natalie Hartley Runs...Just Giving

Ten years ago my dad passed away from a brain aneurysm and I feel that this run had come at a significant point in doing something to remember him. This is not only a chance to get fit but running for a reason like this will hopefully give me the extra strength to complete it even if my head is blocking me running more than 3 miles at this point this should push me to the end! The charity I am running for helps support people who are in care for this and also help research more into aneurysms and other neurological illnesses. So thanks in advance to anyone who wants to sponsor me and also for following my journey lets hope I make it!

http://www.justgiving.com/nataliehartley

Natalie Hartley Runs....and crunches

This weekend I managed to get myself to Equinox gym for the afternoon and with the trainer David Warden (beware of anyone working out with him hardcore!) I started training on my stomach , or core as the fitness crew like to call it. Well I have no idea where my abs went over the years but have certainly re woken them after 17years! I have been banging on about how well i have been sleeping well since saturday I wake myself up to turn around in bed as am in agony!

But on with the show and as you can see below these are key exercises that I should be doing everyday to build up strength from the middle area which is apparently key to being a good runner, am learning new things everyday :))

The Plank

This involves lining your body as image 1 and lifting same leg and arm up in the air and alternating sides, about 12 in total....killer

The Side Lunge

This is self explanatory and you lunge and lean out to the side repeat about 12 times again...another killer

The Abs Plank

This is the finisher off hold yourself up on both ands bum down straight back lift and twist body on each side repeat 12 times...as I said the finisher off, the ultimate killer

Keep doing these everyday and work up to doing 50 a day and the core is complete!

 

Trainers.....

As fitness has become the bane of my life what a better week than now to inspire you all and show how you can get fit plus wear your same running trainers in a modern fresh way still in keeping with the trends.  On top of that this week you can WIN yourself a pair (size 7) of the latest Nike trainers just leave a comment below or RT the blog to win...deadline Friday 23rd August, good luck! 

TIP... winter florals are great teamed with colour and why not try it with the latest skirt shape for winter the kilt tuck in the top to show off the buckle detail and will show off the shape of the full circle skirt low rise trainers are great with longer length skirts to show more leg and balance the longer lengths

jacket by mango

grey marl tee by american apparel

skirt and cap by asos

trainers by nike

leather cuff by comptoir de cotonniers

TIP... stiff metallic fabrics make great pencil skirts and wear with an oversized top that cover the bum area to give the skirt a sharper shape add a colourful trainer this time as next season is all about clashing colours and prints just have fun be confident to clash

top by dilara findikoglu

skirt by jaegar

trainers by nike

sunglasses by bottega veneta

Natalie Hartley Runs...Up That Hill

Never has Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill' rung so true!  I have walked past this running path in Primrose Hill many many times and seen loads of nut cases running up and down with heavy rucksacks training for god knows what and yesterday that hill became my new friend too (sadly).  

Reason being is I had my first personal training session with the lovely and super fit Jocelyn the in house Nike trainer.  She was part of the reason I wanted to join up, something I never thought I would ever pay for myself so this seemed a treat (in a very romantic view of it all).  

We started with her 'subtle' lunges, which was enough for me, but then led into sitting on a bench, one leg out, arms and and had to pull myself off the bench using one leg strength to pull me up from sitting...well, I couldn't do it on my left leg and my right was marginally better but still had to push myself up with my hands so now back to square one as now need to not only run but build up a lot of leg strength.  It is really starting to become apparent that my illusion of a couple of runs a week is all thats needed is fading fast into the distance.  

The running hadn't even started yet and then as we walked over to 'the hill' I was told to run up and down three times while she timed me giving it 40%, 60% and then 80%.  This run is half mental half physical and have done it twice I gave my final efforts, ran at my fastest and did the last run in 36 seconds, hurrah!  San Francisco is full of hills and even though I tried to push this to the back of my mind I have to train for it and this is now becoming the focal point of my weekly training with her, lucky old me. 

However despite the shock of how much I might need to put into this whole experience I am actually starting to enjoy it and more importantly have never slept so well in my life!