What makes me tick?

Some things you may, or may not, know about me:

1) I’m a ‘little bit’ Welsh and more passionate about that than being English.

2) 5 years ago I completed my Spanish GCSE as an evening course and got an A grade but have not yet been to mainland Spain to practice.

3) The large part that health and fitness plays in my life is quite hilarious considering I was a fat kid who was a coach potato until my early 20s.

4) I can not ride a bicycle. Actually I have never tried.

5) I was the co-collaborator of a Gary Lineker scrapbook in the early 1990s.

6) I can not resist pistachio ice cream.

7) I was recommended for an audition for popular 1980s game show ‘Child’s Play’ because apparently I was always saying “funny things” in class. I clammed up totally at said audition and it was definitely a case of don’t call us we’ll call you. Two kids from our school did I appear. I was jealous. If you’re too young to remember the programme : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child%27s_Play_(UK_game_show)

http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Child%27s_Play

8) I am the owner of a pseudo baby doll named Julio. It’s nothing to do with being broody. The story behind it is far more bizarre than that. He has his own Facebook page too. Although he can be quite slack with it.

9) I own around 75 pairs of footwear. I say ‘around’ because last time I counted it made me feel quite sick. There’s been a cull since then…but also several more purchases. Gah!

10) Food heaven involves hot curry, chips, bread & butter, pasta and chocolate. By contrast food hell features mac & cheese, mayonnaise, nearly all tinned fish, whole milk and capers.

11) I am a Feminist with half of my degree in Women’s Studies. Quite a lot of people are ‘Stealth Feminists’ without realising it…

12) I went to Iceland once (not the supermarket!) and was quite blown away by it.

13) Spiders and snakes don’t really bother me but woodlice and slugs do.

14) I am ‘quite good’ at accents leading me to think I can do great mimicry and impressions. I am probably wrong.

15) I have diagnosed myself as having slight dyspraxia after 5 failed driving test attempts largely due to manoeuvres. I now know why ball games and racquet sports at school were so dismal, why I suck at bowling and why I don’t enjoy the Wii.

16) Inspired by Miki from Lush I had gorgeous, bright red hair for a few days once…followed by candy floss pink/orange hair for a few months. Epic hair fail!

17) I like to indulge myself by watching films from my childhood like The Railway Children and Bugsy Malone. I have to draw the line at Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music though.

18) Totally loved planning my wedding in 2008 and am still a bit sad it’s all over!

19) Rather bizarrely I got chatted up and asked out by Bubble from the 2^nd series of Big Brother. You can’t make these things up.

20) I have an irrational fear of Komodo dragons.

21) My Dad once got stopped for speeding and 'fessed up to the policeman that he was doing over the speed limit as needed to get to the local M&W store, before it closed, to procure some toilet roll as we had run out at home. Policeman was so amused he let him off.

Keep On Running...

I’m training for my first ever half marathon this October and although I don’t wish this blog to become a ‘training diary’ it’s inevitable that the odd post is dedicated to running as it’s going to feature heavily in my life. This is one such post…

I’ve been running for ‘about ten years’ now. At first it was a hellish lap around a nearby field as my then boyfriend sped off into the distance and I lagged behind cursing, puffing, panting and generally hating the whole experience. Then a stitch would occur and I’d give up.

I did stick with it though and annually would enter my local ‘Race for Life’. My training started around Easter and my running for the year would usually finish pretty much after the event. Ok, I slogged it out on the treadmill from time to time but essentially I was a fair weather runner. Still, I enjoyed the challenge of the 5k event and attempted to better my time every year.

Once I started travelling regularly for work, and gyms were not always readily available, then a running kit could be squeezed into my luggage and used just about anywhere. And believe me…I have… round the Royal Palace in Oslo with snow on the ground, the city park in Tallinn also in the snow, along the harbour in Stockholm, round the lake in Zurich. A great way to see the sights and sure beats traipsing round the back of housing estates!

I got a whole load of new running kit for Christmas. You’ll see me coming now for sure in my garish mix of neon pinks and yellows! I am experiencing teething problems with some of it though. The reflective ankle straps have already lacerated my ankles and my new arm strap for my I-pod likes to work its’ way down until I am running with I-pod at elbow height.

The best part of any run is usually in the middle of it, towards the end. The euphoria levels are high and at last! Your brain and your body are working together as one amazing, powerful machine. I know the ‘science’ behind it but won’t bog you down with the minutiae. Basically at the beginning of a run your brain is trying to tell your body to move and run and your body is basically thinking ‘WTF?’ until the signals and chemicals reach your muscles. That’s why it’s advisable to warm up before a run. I don’t have to practice what I preach: fact.

But God I mean, half marathon? What was I thinking? That’s going to be about two and a half HOURS of running?

Two and a half hours of RUNNING!

TWO and a half hours of running!

I mean, really…what have I done? The self doubt it beginning to creep in now even though I have ten months to get my act together and that means no more crafty cigarettes on a night out, cutting down the vino, sorry to say cutting back on carbs and dairy also. No, they’re not bad for you per se and they’re full of good stuff but I experimented with trying to eat more of them last year and now hardly any of my clothes fit me. Case rested.

Watch this space for more updates...

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Last year was some what of a mixed bag to be honest and although the high points definitely outweighed the low points I am quite glad to be in a new year.

Rather than dwell on the stuff that "went wrong" last year, instead I am going to celebrate the good things:

I left the job I hated and got back into my beloved publishing. Turns out there was a life beyond furniture.

I completed two 10km charity runs, raising almost £400 for two separate charities in the process. Training begins soon for a half marathon. OMFG.

I started this blog thus I began writing again, okay it's not brilliant what I do on here and it's not going to change the world but the main thing is: I am writing again...for fun.

Joined a reading group.

Moved house. First house jointly owned by me and the husband so it feels right. And it is a lovely house. With three toilets.

Qualified as a fitness instructor and began the next level to become a personal trainer. It's tough, but I want to do it.

Finally visited India. Well India-Lite if you will, but India all the same.

I do have some resolutions for this new year but I am not going to commit to them just yet. Nothing earth shattering but if I am doing well with them, then you'll know about it :-)