The Vitality Big Half 2018

I’m not sure how, but The Big Half completely slipped under my radar and I only heard about it a month or so prior to the event, by which time it was already at full capacity. I’ve taken part in plenty of Vitality events previously but hadn’t received any email communications or seen any targeted…

Walkie Talkie Tower Climb 2018

I subscribe to the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity e-newsletter and received an email one Saturday morning, telling me all about their new event: The Walkie Talkie Tower Climb challenge. Stating “You'll need thighs of steel, a determined mind and a head for heights if you're going to tackle the many stairs of 20 Fenchurch…

Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon 2018

I took part in the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon for the first time last year and loved it. Despite having lived in the town virtually my whole life, the thought of running my local Half Marathon was never – and still isn’t! – exactly appealing. Famed for a challenging route with an ascent of over…

London Winter Run 2018

The London Winter Run has been going since 2015 and I've now participated in all four events. Last year I kept looking at registration for the 2018 event but with the price at £47 I was struggling to justify it... Until Black Friday came along in November. With 20% off I didn't hesitate to sign…

Marathon training & running events

So the first month of marathon training is complete, and to be honest it’s been a bit up and down. At times I’ve wondered why on earth I’m doing this to myself, but mostly I pull myself together and get it done. There have been one or two occasions where, after a hard/long day at…

London Winter Walk 2018

I’m not sure how I came across the London Winter Walk. I was probably Googling London fitness events and it must have popped up! I remember being on the Action Challenge website, reading about the event and thinking that a 20K ramble through London during the daytime sounded pretty appealing. I’ve taken part in a…

My First Marathon Training Plan

So I looked at various 16-week Marathon training plans online and merged them all to make my own personalised one for the Brighton Marathon in April, taking into account my existing activities/routine and event calendar. I came up with the following which seems like a challenge at first glance, but will be manageable. It won’t…

Lamberhurst New Year’s Day Run

I've known about the Lamberhurst New Year's Day Run for years and have always wanted to take part, but I've spent the last few New Year Eves away from home, so haven't managed to... Until now. Lamberhurst village is just ten minutes from home and the route is a 5K lap into the grounds of…

Joining a Running Club and NEW SHOES!

Happy New Year! In my last post I mentioned that two new things for 2018 will be as follows:   I’ve got two new pairs of trainers in the post to start using as from January 2018: a new pair of Nike Free Run gym shoes to use for Insanity, Zumba etc; and a new…

2017 in Review

Oh, 2017. This year started well, running-wise. I took a lovely lady’s place in the London Winter Run 10K and met some fellow runners; then I took someone’s place in the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon – an event which I had been avoiding for years due to the severe profile – and still managed to…

Movember MoRun 10K

I took part in the London Greenwich Park MoRun 10K during November 2014 and 2016 and thoroughly enjoyed both events, labelling it in 2014 as the ‘best way to end a great year of running’. When I saw that this year’s event was still just £22, signing up for round three didn’t take much persuasion!…

Bluebell Railway 11 Mile Track Trek

The Bluebell Railway is a heritage line with steam trains running between four stations, and I know it well. My dad was a huge fan and would often take us there on family outings, so a lot of my childhood memories include the Bluebell. Dad was a shareholder and started volunteering at the railway for…

Virgin London Marathon 2018 ballot

Usually, as ‘ballot results week’ approaches, chatter around the Virgin London Marathon starts up on social media and charities send e-shot mailers wishing participants luck, and ask for consideration in joining their teams as a charity entrant. This year however, it was noticeably a bit quieter, and I didn’t receive a single email from any…

Running the GOSH Race for the Kids

I've known about the Great Ormond Street Race for the Kids event for some years, but had never taken part because it always seemed to fall on the same weekend as my local Cancer Research Race for Life in Tunbridge Wells. I subscribe to the Great Ormond Street e-newsletter and received an email on Wednesday…

The super Shine Night Walk

I completed the full Shine Walk marathon in 2013 and the half marathon in 2014, stating at the time that I probably wouldn’t take part again because I had experienced both events and ‘collected’ both medals. However I still receive (convincing) marketing emails and the event is reasonably priced at under £40; plus with more…

Running the Richmond RunFest Half Marathon

I signed up for the Richmond RunFest Half Marathon a year ago after narrowly missing out on the 2016 registration. This event had been in the diary for so long that I’d actually forgotten which day it was on and was convinced that it took place on Saturday 16th September. Emails from the race organisers…

Running On

I didn’t run for four weeks and dropped out of two running events during July –  the Run or Dye Colour Run on 2nd and then the British 10K on 9th. That was probably the longest I’ve gone without running since I started back in March 2013, and the first time I've dropped out of running…

I ruined my Race for Life

I take part in the Cancer Research UK Race for Life event every year because it’s local, my friends and colleagues join in, it's a fun run for charity, and because historically it has a guaranteed great atmosphere with hoards of supporters. The event caters for runners, joggers and walkers and encourages everyone of every…

Loving the London 10,000

I ran the London 10,000 for the first time four years ago and it holds some great memories: it was the first time I experienced a big, well-organised running event, and it had me hooked. I took part during 2013, 2014 and 2016 and couldn’t wait to return in 2017. The trains were all out…

Walking by moonlight for Walk the Walk

Three years ago I completed the overnight ‘Full Moon’ 26.2mile Moonwalk for Walk the Walk, and then last year I took part in the ‘Half Moon’ 15.1mile Moonwalk to complete the set. Walking 26.2miles is incredibly challenging, possibly due to the length of time it takes, and it’s made tougher due to the nocturnal timing.…

Jawbone vs Fitbit

I’ve blogged a few times before about my love of Jawbone activity trackers - here and here are just two examples. They look good, are super easy to set up and use, have always been pretty accurate and I’ve been loyal to the brand for a few years now. However, last month my Jawbone UP3…

Summery Sevenoaks 10K

I took part in the Sevenoaks Knole Park 10K in both 2014 and 2015, and it was the first event I completed after tearing a calf muscle over Christmas 2013. I’ve previously stated that I wouldn’t take part in this event again purely because I’ve run it twice, but as I hadn’t taken part in…

The terrific Tunbridge Wells half marathon

Spectating at the Tunbridge Wells half marathon back in 2013 is where it all started for me. I watched a double-amputee cross the finishing line along with a number of elderly participants, and wondered why on earth I wasn’t pushing myself too. I loved the whole atmosphere of the event and it made me realise…

The lovely London Winter Run 2017

The London Winter Run has been going for three years now and I participated eagerly in both 2015 and 2016. I had been umming and ahhing about signing up for the 2017 event but with the price at £47 I thought about it for too long and the entries closed before I had made up…

Back on it for 2017!

Last January I was introduced to the concept of Insanity full-body workout classes by my colleague Seb, and LOVED it. I attended religiously, every single Monday from January until June, when my personal circumstances changed. I'd really missed Insanity so made it my mission to return this year. So on the first Monday of 2017…

Magical MoRun for Movember!

I took part in the London Greenwich Park MoRun 10K during November 2014 and thoroughly enjoyed it, labelling it the ‘best way to end a great year of running’. When I saw that this year’s event cost a mere £22, signing up for round two didn’t take much persuasion. Getting up at 5:58am on a…

Time for a new Jawbone!

I love activity trackers. My first was a black Jawbone UP24 purchased spontaneously this time last year, and I loved it. I treated myself to an upgrade - a grey UP2 - after New Year, and loved it a little bit more. Sadly it disappeared off my wrist unnoticed somewhere in London on a night out,…

Blowing away the cobwebs

Summer was a crazy time. My long-term relationship ended quite badly in June, I moved house, helped mum move house, completed a challenging Higher Diploma assignment, had two weeks off work with stress/anxiety, and helped my little sister move house. I haven’t been to a high-intensity Insanity class since June and sadly running had taken…

Virgin London Marathon 2017 ballot

As ‘ballot results week’ approached, chatter around the 2017 Virgin London Marathon started up in the office and on social media. Charities sent e-shot mailers out, wishing participants luck and asking for consideration in joining their teams as a charity entrant. It was revealed that those who would not be taking part in the 2017…

Blood and Boots!

On Friday I made the catastrophic error of walking the 30minutes into work wearing brand new trainers. About halfway in I realised I had made a terrible mistake, with my heels in agony, but was the same distance between work and my car (which didn’t have alternative footwear inside anyway) so struggled on. By the…