New Year - new challenges!

Hi all

This year finds us .... well almost snowed in actually!
We've been sledging, built snowmen and snow pets, fed the birds and warmed up with hot chocolate and freshly baked cinnamon whirls (my newest passion is baking!). I will have to do some serious training this year to get rid of the unfortunate by-product of baking.

Anyway, I need to dig the car out as my fencing work has increased - Im now working in schools!!! - thats if the snow thaws anytime soon!!

Even after........

I would just like to say a continued BIG thankyou as people are still sponsoring me even after the event.
I think we managed to raise about £25k this year which is awesome when you consider the recession, less people taking part and its near to Christmas so a great big

THANKYOU!

Im going to start training for next year next week!!!!! ................. maybe.

It was FAB!

Ive done it - Yeah
It was an awesome weekend. Highlights for me include the kyaking (ha ha Im still circling even now) and the fact that up until Sunday morning I was IN THE LEAD!!!
and then it went horribley wrong ;-)

Joking apart it was great fun, possibley even better than last year and, Im sure not as good as next year!

Thats right folks I will be doing it again next year. It official Im addicted.

I have to put in a request for NO KYAKING though on the grounds of mental health issues!

I will put photos up when I get the chance to get them off my phone. Lake district was beautiful, even in the rain (it only rained over night and Sunday morning), the deer were really cute and everyone was lovely as usual.

Big thankyou to the winning team though for being real gentlemen. Expect to see them next year and buy them a drink.
Oh yeah and the fireman for saving me from being left in a big hole!

And................

the winnner of the Months free membership for 2 is..............

ALEX GOODLOCK.

Well done!

and everyone else who sponsored me can have a day pass to

The Chase Hotel Gym in Cheltenham.

(got to take it before the end of Nov.)

Off to get some caffeine, paracetamol and a massage! ..................

Last post (Ta Da)

This will be my last post before the event and all I have to say is .......

HAVE YOU SEEN THE WEATHER REPORT FOR LAKE WINDERMERE!!!!!!!!

If that is not worth a few pounds on its own I dont know what is.

"heavy rain", "poor visibility" sounds like a great weekend

I can guarantee being a little muddy I think.

ANYWAY, moving on,


It should be a laugh and on the upside I do actually feel a lot better - still feeling sick and not eating a huge amount but got some strength back and may try a bike ride tomorrow



I have to go now and pack my scuba gear in the car...................I'll let you know how it goes when Ive dried out on Monday!!

starting to see a pattern

I am definitely seeing a pattern. Last year I had flu/heavy cold the week before the event and now this year (courtesy of infant school!!) vomitting bug. I can hear you all going "yuk". I wont add to that Im sure you can imagine the carnage in a house with four sufferers (3 under the age of 10!)
All I can say is a HUGE THANK YOU for mum. She deserves the medal of honour for her many acts of conspicuous bravery whilst in the line of fire!
I hope to be fine for the weekend (cant open a jar of jam at the moment but hey) Getting better though as Ive made it to my email and managed to blog................................off to bed now!

Bring it on!!!

Im in a strange situation - on the one hand Im all excited about the event and on the other - I just cant get focussed on the training this week.

I am trying to summon up the enthusiasm and drive to actually go to the gym (but Im blogging instead - need I say more!)

Anyway a BIG ENORMOUS thankyou to all my sponsors Im now at a staggering £860 - I would love to make it £900 by Wednesday (ever the optimist) I shall carry on begging.........

Stepping it up

Ive been for a run yesterday (proper outdoor running!) and then this evening Ive been back in the gym after a break of about a week. Im a bit achey, but thought its about time I pushed it a bit - after all there are only 11 days to go!!!!!!



Im getting all excited about it now - still a little dissappointed that Im not going to get the sponsorship I managed last year (but I guess a global recession is as good an excuse as any!).



Its weird this year, as Im obviously more distant from the CLIC Sargent side of things than I was last year. For our family, life is moving along, I wont say "normal" because we wont have that again, but relatively and in a really positive way its "ordinary" at the moment. Im not so "raw" about everything and Grace has moved on in a way I never could have imagined (and sometimes still cant!)

Certain things still "trip me up" and having done last years challenge I have no doubt that half-way through it will probabley get me again - but I may be a little more ready for it this time.......



Today I heard someone talking about breast cancer and she was really angry and resentful about the disease and I really "got that" today. Ive never felt that way up until now - I suppose it takes up too much energy and I havent had that luxury until now, but at the moment I do HATE leukaemia with a passion - just for what its meant for us, how it mucks stuff up.........



but I guess as someone really clever once said,

"life is what happens while you're busy making plans!"

As long as that hatred gets channelled into things - work, training, just 5 minutes, then I'll live with that - Im certainly not going to let it ruin the rest of our lives.

Well, there are the musings of a mad woman - I put it down to post-birthday blues, pre-race nerves and too much caffeine!