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What next?

This little phrase when coupled with three kids could mean almost anything but in this instance it actually refers to me! The marathon is over and although I am still running a few times a week I am in the position of fitting it in around my life rather than fitting my life around the running! Not only that nut Pixie goes to school full time in September, so once I have survived the onslaught of the summer holidays I will in a way be a free agent.

For some this might seem their idea of heaven but after four years of looking after the kids and running around like a looney I know I’ll need something to do.  Whilst running and housework can account for some of the time and the trips up to the school for music lessons and meetings as well as helping in the library and with swimming I feel I need something else to do. As a result I have been looking for something part time, feeling this would give me the best work/life balance. It then occurred to me however that this would mean having someone to pick the kids up and drop them off as well as be there for any other training days and so on probably resulting in more hassle than pleasure.

I can pick up the writing again but this can in a way be rather isolating – it is difficult to talk to other people when you’re engrossed in your own little world and whilst I do want to pick the writing back up again as well as try to catch Heather up on piano as she is now way ahead of me, I still felt I could do with ‘something.’ I considered supply teaching but even there the hours would not be compatible with the kids hours so more stress. As a result the only think I could thing was to do some voluntary work, preferably at the kids school, although not with my own ones so that I can at least get myself up to date and get back into the idea of being in the class room.

I also wanted to pick up me study as I would love to train as an education psychologist but need to finish my courses so from September  I am hoping to do a couple of days in school, a couple of days of writing and some study, – I guess that should keep me nice and busy as well as keeping the house clean, doing some exercise and trying to review books as they get sent to me! That way playing the piano and cross stitch can become hobbies as well providing I am not too tired!  This should result in me being more stimulated and satisfied and therefore more helpful to the children rather than us all taking each other for granted.

The summer term is now in full swing and as we approach June the list of events to observe or participate in is growing rapidly – sports day, swimming galas, dance shows and parents evening just to name but a few as well as trips for all the kids to various places. Whilst I love the busyness that leads up to the holidays it can become exhausting as well!

It struck me recently how much the kids are growing up – it wasn’t long ago that they needed help with dressing and so on and now they are in the main independent. The weekends now are filled with activities and parties but we have persuaded our elf that he is allowed to come downstairs and fix himself a bowl of cereal and watch TV if he so wishes. It also stuck me how different their childhood is compared to mine – they play outside and in the garden as well as read and colour in and play games but their lives are also filled with gadgets. Since they were small they have been able to operate various ‘i’ gadgets competently and move easily into new technology! Pixie was practicing her alphabet recently and instead of x for X-ray or Xylophone we got X for X-box! How times have changed!

My Marathon Experience

Yesterday I ran the London marathon – yes, really and it was difficult, but yet in a bizarre way enjoyable as well.

The day started early with tea and toast and then a drive to the train station, because our local line had engineering works going on I had to journey across the Queen Elizabeth Bridge and we could make out Canary Wharf, where I would be running around. As I arrived there were lots of other runners arriving, bright red kit bags in hand also arriving and the moment I arrived on the platform you could begin to feel the excitement and anticipation. There was a lot of chatter on the train, as well as the smell of deep heat and ibuprofen gel!

Soon enough we arrived at Blackheath in glorious sunshine, a steady stream of runners crossed the grass from all directions making their way to the blue start. Music was blaring, Lucozade sport was being drunk everywhere you looked and the number of banana skins was immense! Having queued for the toilets once I grabbed everything out of my bag for the run and then went and dropped it off at the relevant baggage lorry and then queued again. To be fair there were enough toilets that only a few minutes were spent waiting, others braver than me used the female urinals but I decided I’d rather queue. I watched the start of the elite women’s race and then headed over to my start zone, right at the back. Again there was lots of chatter a mix of people who had competed before and others, like me who were nervous first timers. Quarter to ten finally ticked round and after a couple of minutes we began our slow shuffle forwards, it took about ten minutes to get over the start line and then we were off and running. The sheer sea of people was mesmerising, the costumes were amazing. Everyone seemed happy to be there and be taking part. From the first step to the last the support was amazing, no spare pavement anywhere.

The thing that caught me by surprise was how hot it was, the forecast had been for showers all week and in the end it didn’t rain until about 4pm by which time I was fighting my way through the crowds trying to find my friends and family! The run itself was going well, the Cutty Sark section was amazing and I was making good progress, I did get overtaken by a huge pink nurse which looked very heavy and a rhino and it was great looking at all the costumes and the messages people had on them as to why they were running.

I was starting to feel hungry heading towards Surrey Quays when I spotted some familiar faces in the crowd. I was delighted to see the kids and the big bag of jelly babies they had! A couple of handfuls later and I was back on my way. Crossing Tower bridge was amazing, the noise and the colour as well as the landmarks of London was amazing. Then came the turn towards Canary Wharf, those that were faster were already on their way back heading towards embankment and the finish line. For me though there was still a hard slog and still no sign of the promised rain!

As I came into Canary Wharf I couldn’t help smiling as the runners came to the underground roundabout and all started walking and stretching, after all it was one of the rare places that no-one could see you! Emerging back out of the tunnel and running again into the noise of the crowds and cheers. As I ran through the Limehouse section and people began to slow down and walk I could hear some of the kids in the crowd saying ‘come on, you’re meant to be running.’ Their parents tried to shush them in vain but it did make me smile, there were loads of people handing out oranges, sweets and even custard creams! As I came into the part of Canary Wharf that I properly recognised I saw more familiar faces and then saw the kids, hubby, even more friends and my Dad and Step-Mum all together! At this point I grabbed the school Travelling Teddy as Pixie had asked for him on purpose and ran round with him. Luckily it was at the point where Canary Wharf loops round on itself and so I was able to give him back about a quarter of a mile later but we had pics of it. Mr T even managed to capture some pics of runners doing the YMCA moves by the Lucozade bus at mile 19. As I left Canary Wharf energy levels began to fade, I knew I wanted to run the last bit so I slowed down and tried to save some energy. The Lucozade jelly beans came in handy and I power walked until the Rotherhithe tunnel. Coming out of there onto embankment was another highlight! The noise was a roar, charity boppers and notices were everywhere and you couldn’t run a step without someone cheering you up. I had seen the Great Ormond Street Caterpillar, several rhinos and the London Pride beer bottle.

As I closed in towards the finish I could see the dark clouds gathering, once through mile 24 I knew I was nearly there so I tried as hard as I could to keep up an even pace, mile 25 arrived and then I knew I didn’t have far to go! As I ran past the London Eye to my left, Big Ben in front of me and then turning towards Birdcage walk the countdown began. The noise in the finishing area was immense and the atmosphere was brilliant, I did run ever so slightly more quickly for the last 200 metres. I went up the ramp to have my timing tag removed, was given a medal and a goody bag containing my finishing t-shirt and the famous foil blanket and then the heavens opened.

The exhilaration of finishing was amazing, the sights I saw all day inspiring but honestly I won’t be doing it again. The amount of effort the runners put in, especially those in heavy costumes is monumental. Perhaps the biggest test was reuniting myself with my friends and family, trying to make my way through to where those with ‘T’ surnames were supposed to congregate was awkward, we then had to make our way out of this area to Westminster tube station. As some points the station was closed due to the heavy foot traffic in the area but when we eventually came to the platform the train was not too crowded. We had decided due to the heavy rain storm not to hang about, I was eager to get home and rest my aching legs.

I was thrilled to be presented with a huge Millie’s cookie from my family and once we got home, with my legs feeling decidedly jittery – the adrenalin having taken over I had a hot and bubbly bath. I discovered a huge blister on my left foot – a first for me and a purple toe on my right foot having been squashed a few times en route by other runners and stray bottles of water and lucozade!  By then my legs gave up the ghost and I stayed in bed occasionally moving to try and loosen up the muscles that were now tightly wound! I feared the worst this morning but surprisingly once I got moving I was OK. If I sat down for too long it was difficult to get back up again but as the day has gone on the tightness has eased. I think it will be a couple of days before my legs feel completely normal again and I am not planning any type of run until next week!

What has amazed me most is the support both during my training, the race and today and the fantastic generosity of people My initial fundraising target was £750 but to date the total without gift aid is 1498 practically double (and with gift aid on eligible donations it is £1742) After six months of training, and a time of 5.25 for the marathon I am happy to say I’ve done it – from now on I am definitely going to be a ‘fun-runner’ from now on running a couple of times a week to keep fit! Having said that the experience of running the marathon, seeing the costumes, the determination and the sheer organisation of it from the port-a-loos, to the charity volunteers, Saint  John’s Ambulance and the people giving out water and Lucozade is unique! There are some down sides as I got nearer to the end I saw those who were struggling ,fellow runners helped them on and others stopped for a massage and plasters, I did see a couple of people who needed more medical assistance and it does make you realise who hard it is, however there is an extent to which I enjoyed running the marathon – especially as I know I’m not going to be doing it again!

Well done to all those who ran, especially those of you in costume and thanks again to all those who watched live or on telly and tracked me and even more thanks to those who gave up their money for the charities I supported!

Best foot forward for the Easter Bunny

The kids are excited – tomorrow being Easter and all that brings with it school holidays and the promise of chocolate. For some reason despite constantly referencing the Easter Bunny they don’t seem to believe in his/her/ its power to steal Easter eggs as well as deliver them! Predictably as soon as the holidays began the weather changed from glorious sunshine to cloudy with occasional showers, worsening to deep snow depending how far North you were!

Despite that the holidays began quietly, filled with boring but necessary tasks such as dental check-ups all run, (thank goodness none of us had any problems!), opticians for Hpops and the confirmation that she is slightly long sighted and then a visit to the hairdressers for all so that they could be tidied up! The big two enjoyed a craft and cooking day at Bake it Make it, a business run by local mums. The kids made cornflake nests, chocolate thins, easter bunny pegs and easter wreaths which have been proudly hung on bedroom door handles and have certainly brightened the place up. Not only did they get all this with a break for lunch fitted in but the two ladies running it seemed unruffled when we collected the children and unlike my house when any kind of craft work is carried out it did not look as if a pillow had just exploded or the entire contents of the cooking cupboards spilt all over the floor!

On Thursday I aged another year – I celebrated by taking the children to Pizza Hut and then bowling where they wasted no time in absolutely thrashing me! I did redeem myself by winning an angry birds pig teddy from one of those coin hungry arcade machines, the fact that I could probably have bought the thing for about half of what we put in it was lost on the children, all that they cared about was that money went in and a teddy came out! In the evening we had a movie night and I was delighted when all three of them sat and watched the first Harry Potter film. Copious amounts of popcorn probably held but Elf really seemed engrossed in the film and even Hpops acknowledged that it was OK!

Yesterday was yet more errands and preparing for Mr T’s birthday – he celebrates today and to be honest after Elf’s football, in the cold with no cafe serving hot drinks, we’ve done very little. Watched the boat race which turned out to be very dramatic, football focus, read a little, played with the kids a little and will soon be blowing candles out from atop a muppets birthday cake – chosen by the kids of course because this year we couldn’t repeat the feat of the football cake from last year.

Marathon training is now tapering and at last the end seems to be in sight, just over two weeks to go. Last week I managed just over 20 miles and still felt relatively OK! It is nice to think that most of the hard training is done and dusted now although I am still trying to raise money for the charities I am supporting.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/melsmarathonmadness

Tomorrow is a half marathon and then lots of chocolate. This week I have been doing other preparation in terms of trying to work out how to get to the start line on race day! My initial plan to walk five minutes down the road, jump on a train to Liverpool street then switch to the tube and so on has now been disrupted due to the fact that upon checking the train timetable it appears there are engineering works taking place! After a brief panic and the discovery that all the marathon coach/breakfast packages had been booked I decided that what will have to happen is a journey into Dartford, this will take me straight into Blackheath – hopefully in plenty of time. My first goal is to offload my kitbag and get to the starting point on time rather than still be queueing for the toilet when I am supposed to be at the start, which is what happened to me at the Brentwood half a couple of weeks ago, it didn’t particularly compromise my race but had to start from the back.

The nerves are beginning to kick in as I look at the route and read all the information in the official magazine which describes what happens at the expo that has to be attended, work out what I need to take with me and even worry about who is going to stand where and try to ensure I remember all of it so I don’t just jog past and ignore them. I am hoping my GPS app will still work but knowing how many people are going to be around this is not guaranteed.

Wishing everyone a happy chocolate filled Easter!

Zumba Fitness XBox 360

Having enjoyed the first Zumba games for the X-Box I awaited the release of this game with interest. It was billed as being bigger and better than the first outing and indeed in many ways it is. The graphics are more lifelike, the music and background environments more varied and interesting. There are also more instructors featured and in the classes, particularly the 45 and 1 hour classes they are all featured.

The game works in a similar way to the previous one, with the added benefit of voice control, having said that I have found that this feature is not very responsive, the hand signals do seem to be better in this game but even so it still take a fair amount of time to navigate through the various menus to the game itself, there is also a lengthly introduction video which if you miss the opportunity to skip holds you up for a couple of minutes.

The game itself can be played for 20, 45 or 60 minutes at low, medium or high intensity. You can get a sample of each class before you start. If you prefer  to practice a single song or learn a step you can do that by following the appropriate link in the main menu.

As stated the graphics are very different from the original game, the classes take place in a variety of places including rooftops, clubs and swimming pool. The thing that takes some getting used to is the way the camera angles change even mid-move. Like many of the dance games a next move indicator appears just before you need to carry it and rather than the ‘encouraging’ comments from the instructor are gone and replaced by an image of you and your moves. Instead of the zumba double points you collect stars and if you get a big enough chain of moves correct you trigger zumba euphoria. This means that the screen seems to have a mist over it for a small amount of time. Once you get used to the odd camera angles and the euphoria mode you’ll find the graphics more detailed and useful than the previous version.

Included in this version is a calorie counter, however having played the game at different levels and for different lengths of time I have come to conclude that it isn’t very accurate. I also run a lot and 45 minutes running monitored with a GPS monitor burns approximately 450-500 calories depending on speed, according to the game 45 minutes of mid-intensity zumba burns over 900! Anyway that aside I think this game is an improvement on the previous one and suitable for all levels of ability. I would definitely recommend it a fun way to tone up and burn calories!

All the Single Ladies by Jane Costello

An interesting tale where once the heroine gets what she thinks she wants she immediately begins to question it. Samantha, the lead character is likeable and is devastated when she learns that her boyfriend Jamie is planning to travel. She acknowledges that he is a free spirit and that this is the most frustrating thing about him.

Instead of lying around brooding Samantha summons the help of her two closest friends and comes up with a plan – to make Jamie jealous and make him see the error of his ways. We enter the world of internet dating with mixed results and then Ben arrives and things begin to get complicated.

As well as the problems Samantha has in her love life she comes to realise that her best friend is spiralling towards alcoholism and there are some touching scenes when she confronts her in an effort to help her deal with the problem. There  are plenty of surprises and upbeat moments in the book. Samantha’s family also feature and add to her worry load as her sister decides to seek out her birth father which leads to the unearthing of a few skeletons in the closets.

An entertaining read that is both funny and touching.

The Bloody Meadow by William Ryan

The Bloody Meadow is well written, well paced and will keep you guessing to the end about who is responsible for the events chronicled and who is on which side. It is written when everyone is Russia could be under suspicion for saying or doing the wrong thing. Korolev, the main character and detective in the novel is himself worried about this, indeed he fears the worst when he hears a car pull up at an unexpected time and immediately you are immersed in the menacing world at the time of the all powerful USSR state.
Treachery is the name of the game and if you are on the right side crimes go unnoticed and unpunished. Everyone is careful to ensure they address one another correctly and this makes the investigation more difficult for Korolev.  As the case deepens the danger to Korolev and those around him worsens as well. The passages describing the film set and trying to determine who saw what and who was where when proves how complicated things are. Several people lie to cover up the possibility of being disloyal to the state. In this way Ryan writes convincingly portrays the tense atmosphere by which citizens had to live their lives.
I enjoyed this book, it is fast paced and you become absorbed in Korolev’s world and share his fears as the plot unfolds. It is a book that requires concentration as you need to keep track of the characters and what is happening to them but it well worth a read, it is more than just the usual murder mystery but a political thriller as well.

Time does fly…

It doesn’t seem like it but it is now just over four years since my little Pixie was born as she celebrated her birthday last week. She was the first one of the children to have their birthday on a school day as Hpops always has hers in the summer holidays and Imp is often in the half term. This didn’t stop her, she was up early enough to open the majority of her cards and presents before we had to leave for school, she was delighted to wear a birthday badge on her school top and take in some sweets to share with her friends.

The afternoon was difficult as she couldn’t decide what she wanted to do, first it was the cinema, then it was a restaurant and in the end we went to the local starbucks for pink milk and a cookie, as once she got home she  was distracted by more presents and cards. She enjoyed blowing out the candles on her cake and then the next count down started – the one to her party! She was very excited about this having been to quite a few of her class mates and some of the ones the older children had attended. In between we went to a roller skating party.

It was interesting watching the children go from complete beginners, where every move resulted in them falling over to novices which meant they could almost get around the whole course. Imp and Pixie proved to be very dodgy and I spent most of my time scooping them off of the floor or preventing them falling over. Hpops on the other hand after a shaky start seemed to figure out how to stay on her feet and manouvere herself around without too many problems. The evening ended with the realisation that Imp had lost his second tooth although it was nowhere to be seen. He spent some of the time looking for it but after a bit of coaxing he conceded defeat. Luckily we were able to convince him that if he smiled when he went to sleep the tooth fairy would see the gap and might leave him a reward, which of course is what happened.

The weekend heralded Pixie’s party, excitement before the event was reaching fever pitch and the entertainers comment; ‘She’s buzzing isn’t she?’ made me wonder if she was going to run out of energy. She attacked the microphone with gusto, danced with all her might and revelled in all the games and tricks the entertainer played. She did indeed thoroughly enjoy her party and adrenalin carried her through until quite late. It caught up with her on Sunday though and an early night seemed to get things back on track.

Whilst all these celebrations were going on marathon training continued, apart from a few days off thanks to a back injury, I was lucky enough to get a quick referral to a physiotherapist who not only diagnosed the problem and helped solve it, but also gave me some exercises to improve my core strength to make running easier. It turned out to be a pulled back and after a few days not running I was allowed to try and run and see if there was any pain. I was delighted when there wasn’t and then once I had seen the physio for a second visit and been given the go ahead I was able to resume normal training. I have a half marathon race this weekend and then just three long runs, an 18, 20 and then a 15 mile before the big day. It seems close not, only a calendar month which is both exciting and frightening, I think I am getting to the point now where I just want to to get it done and then the mammoth talk which seems to have taken over my life will be over, I guess now all I need to do is decide what I am going to do afterwards.

An afternoon with the authors.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to attend an event at Simon and Schusters London offices. We were able to meet with a panel of four authors who all spoke about how they wrote and it all proved very illuminating.

The authors were; Rebecca Chance, writer of Divas, and Bad Sisters, Benjamin Wood, author of The Bellwether Revivials, Penny Hancock writer of Tideline and Lloyd Shepherd author of The English Monster. Questions had been submitted by attendees in advance and so we began with some of these questions.

The writers were asked if they read and wrote in the same genre or why they had chosen the genre they have written it. It transpired that  Lloyd ‘found himself writing historical fiction by accident.’ All of them loved the idea of being able to invent people, places and events and draw readers into the world they have created. Rebecca has written in a range of genres but said that she found writing the ‘bonkbusters’ more fun. All of them agreed you have to love it otherwise writing can become stale. All the writers are avid readers and as many students on creative writing courses will have heard they all agreed reading as much as you can from a wide a range as  you can will help to develop the writer within.

We talked about the conflict between e-books and print, by the end we seemed to have reached a vague consensus that reading devices do have a place in the modern publishing world providing convenience and access to books in places that would otherwise require us to carry heavy books around, although we agreed that print books wouldn’t die out. One look at my treasured folio books is enough to ensure that, I’m hoping that someday my children will look after them and treasure them as much as I do.

The writers were then asked to talk about the hardest part of their books to write, Benjamin said he found getting the inciting incident correct at the very beginning difficult, Penny talked about the difficulty of getting into a particular character with whom she had nothing in common, Lloyd talked about the importance of portraying the memories of people who had really lived correctly and Rebecca said she found actually moving characters around difficult. There were several nods at this point and the frustration of trying to get characters into the same place for an essential showdown without using too much contrivance seemed to be a common problem.

Perhaps the most revealing question from my own point of view was how the different authors plan their work. Rebecca Chance said when she writes she has an outline, starts at the beginning and goes through to the end then goes back and edits. Penny on the other hand had an ending in mind and then worked out how to get there. Ben outlines first and then works thorough. Lloyd starts at the beginning and works though to the end, he doesn’t outline. One thing he said stuck in my mind ‘it’s a bit like driving in the dark, you can’t see very far froward but you get there in the end.’

As someone who would, at some point, like to be sitting where the authors were sitting I found the afternoon highly informative and found it encouraging for my own work. When asked about their next projects Lloyd revealed he had just delivered his second novel to his editor and it sounded very intriguing. Penny is working on her second novel and Benjamin has a novel due to be delivered next year. Rebecca has two forthcoming novels which both sound like good fun. I would like to add my thanks to Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to meet the panel and talk to them afterwards.

The authors stayed to talk to us and we were all given the opportunity to view many books from the forthcoming catalogue as well as having copies signed of the books we had been hearing about and helping ourselves to as many books as we could carry home on the train. When you are starting out in an industry the opportunity to hear how other people do things and see their success works as a real motivator for others. It was also great to meet people who love books as much as I do, have written or are writing them and even some more Stephen King fans!

My own writing has temporarily stalled as at the moment I am still trying to finish formatting the site so reviews end up in the right place and then I can add some of my own work. Being busy with the children and training for the marathon seem to be squeezing all my time at the moment and although I have spent some time going through my research and projects I haven’t spent as much time as I would like to actually writing them. In just over seven weeks the marathon will have been completed and in just a few months all of the children will be out of the house for a few hours for school and I am hoping that by the end of 2012 I may well have a first draft of a novel I have been working on in fits and starts for a bit as well as finishing the first story for story I have planned. Time will tell.

Half Term and back to training

Half term seemed to come around very quickly, and we spent the majority of it at Centreparcs, the Elveden Forest site. I have to admit that having read a few reviews on various websites I was a little apprehensive as they had several bad reviews listed. Many were disappointed with staff attitudes, cleanliness and availability of activities. Still we packed up and headed off arriving just after lunchtime. You cannot get into your accommodation until 3pm but you can arrive onsite early, park up and make use of the facilities, however, the only facilities included in the holiday price are the sub tropical swimming paradise and the outside play areas. Sports, kids clubs and craft activities generally cost extra and at peak periods such as school holidays get booked up quickly.

On arrival we were greeted and given our keys but told we couldn’t go to the villa until 4pm as they were running late with the cleaning, this wasn’t a problem and we made ourselves comfortable in one of the on-site restaurants and met up with the rest of the family. We planned the rest of the meals for the week and booked them while we were waiting and managed to get pretty much what we wanted, we were also able to book in for the spa.

On arrival at the villa we were pleased to see how close it was to the main village and that we wouldn’t require bikes in order to persuade the kids to venture out, as we hadn’t brought any – there were a lot around and you can hire them but beware there are a lot of wobbly riders out there and some do not look where they are going and can be tricky to navigate around on the more narrow pathways. The accommodation was clean and tidy and for a family of five fairly spacious. The remainder of our party were in a villa opposite us and beside them was a semi-famous person; Max from Eastenders and his family – not that we bothered them as they were clearly having a family holiday and did not seem to want to sign autographs etc.

We ate in the villa and again everything was clean and tidy and in working order. On Tuesday the kids were attending a queen of hearts tea party, this enables the adults the opportunity to try the swimming pool without them – the rapids were indeed rapid and not to be tried after a trip to the hot pools as the temperature difference is huge! The slides are fast and for the faster one there is often a large queue. The males of the party enjoyed the competitiveness of clay pigeon shooting whilst the rest of us spent the time exploring the site and using the climbing frames and so on.

We all enjoyed our dinner at Hucks, the kids thought the buffet was brilliant and there was a play area for the kids to keep them occupied while they were waiting, as well as a computer bank for the older kids. The food was quick, the staff friendly and I would definitely go there again. Our second full day was busy as we paid a visit to the swimming pool with the kids. The yellow and orange buoyancy aids supplied were a big hit and gave them all the confidence they needed to try the wave machine, slides and in Hpop’s case the rapids. It seemed a world away from the days when my little imp refused to go near the water, as soon as he  came down a slide he was out and back into the queue. Pixie declared in true Pixie fashion that she didn’t like the swimming pool because it was too wet, and she didn’t like the slide because it was too skiddy, right before she asked to go on again.

We tried ten pin bowling in the afternoon, another hit and then in the evening we had a magic show at the Pancake House. The food was buffet style and plentiful and tasty and magic Olly came around to do some close up magic before the show. The trick he did with our children and the multiplying sponge balls amazed them and was brilliant to watch. During the show itself he picked on Pixie to help him with the ever growing wand trick, she was unfazed by a roomful of people and wasn’t afraid of telling the magician exactly what she thought of his giant wands. They were thoroughly entertained and we had another quiet evening.

Thursday saw another visit to the swimming pool before the men took over kids entertainment duty and I and my MIL escaped to the spa. It was a long walk from the village but well appointed, the only thing that was slightly disappointing was the necessity to change in open plans rooms, when we went the place was quite busy and for those who are self conscious for one reason or another this can be a problem. We participated in the 3 hours spa around the world experience where you roam around two floors of rooms at your own leisure and decide where you want to go, we really like the Indian steam room and the Turkish one as well. Again a slight niggle that people spending the day enjoying the facilities had taken up residence on the loungers and water beds meaning that despite the signs asking people to be no more than 15 minutes these facilities were rarely available. It wasn’t the warmest of days but even so the outside pool with various massaging water jets was warm and lovely.

Dinner was at Cafe Rogue and again was fine and another play area to keep the kids occupied. Back at the villas we had to start packing up once the kids went to bed as check out is 10am. On this occasion we decided to leave then and come home to do some other bits before the children returned to school but you can stay on and use the facilities if you wish. All in all a good break with plenty of fun for everyone.

With the snow and ice gone it was back to a proper training schedule. Running at CentreParcs was lovely, the air was fresh, no cars are allowed on site after check in day and you can smell pine trees all the way round. There are some lovely views of the lakes as well and so I felt fairy revitalised running there. At the weekend I ran a half marathon and have to admit I found it very difficult. This week the training has gone well and I already have 20 miles on the board and tomorrow aiming for a 15 mile run. Fundraising is going well with a steady flow of contributors. (http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/melsmarathonmadness) It has struck me however how isolating the training can be. You spend a lot of time running at the most miserable time of year, it is cold, wet and dark for most of the time but you need to get the miles into your leg. A lot of people you know see you running or hear about what you’re doing so you spend a lot of time talking about running as well as doing it, but at the same time it can be lonely. If you run for a club or train with someone the experience is probably different, but for me doing the majority of my training by myself due to the hours in which I can train  (school time) it can be difficult. Pixie has just switched to going to school in the morning so that makes life easier. I can have breakfast with the kids, take them to school, run and then  have lunch with Pixie when I pick her up after my run but at the same time for the last few months I have had to say no to invitations for evening events because I am due to run early in the morning, a couple of birthday parties of lunches because it conflicts with training and even getting up earlier than usual to run or going out in the evenings if Mr T is home early enough. In reality I am one of the lucky ones, I work around the kids so although the writing is suffering at the moment I can prioritise training whereas those working full time still have to fit their running in. Despite this there have been times when I have wondered what on earth I am letting myself in for, why do I want to run just over 26 miles and the answer is because it has always been an ambition of mine, precisely because of the doubts that I can actually do it – I have to now prove it to myself and for the charities that I am raising money for.

A lot of people talk about a running bug, that once you start you won’t stop. I can honestly say that I won’t stop altogether but I will not be running every day after the marathon, I’ll cut down to 2-3 times a week with a maximum of 5 miles. There are other things I enjoy that are less severe on knees and ankles and carry less risk of getting injured. I have been touched by the interest people have shown and the those wanting to come and watch and am also in the process of trying to work out where it would be best for them to be if they want to be together. I have no idea how I am going to feel once I have actually completed the course but I am sure it will be worth it in the end, 8 weeks and counting …

Hearts and Flowers

It’s that time of year again – everywhere you look there are pink hearts, flowers, embarrassed people in card shops trying to buy something suitable and yet at the same time not be seen to be buying anything. Lots of tacky gifts that will be consigned to a cupboard, loft or drawer once the novelty value has worn off but at the same time, when they are given they will be gratefully accepted. It is also a time when people can feel lonely and isolated.

Restaurants, shops and the back rows of cinemas may be filled with canoodling couples but then there are those who have been left alone after relationship break ups, death of a loved one or by their loved one being away for an extended time. I’m not saying we shouldn’t enjoy the day but  I do wonder if Saint Valentine would have approved of the large amount of flowers, chocolates, and teddies that will be exchanged in his name. Of course we all like to be spoiled, in my own time I have been known to have a small strop when the day has passed by unmarked!

It did make me think however when Hpops announced she had to make a card, last time we spoke about boys she reacted by hands over her ears, eyes closed and tongue out. Apparently though she wants to send them to her family, which is quite sweet and when I was last in the card shop I couldn’t help noticing the myriad of cards for sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and even cats and dogs.  I know if I took pixie into the card shop she would straight away want to buy cards for everyone she knows because she is at the age where she still loves everyone and they are all important to her!

Hpops has her first junior school disco tonight followed by her first girly sleepover tomorrow. I am not sure how they are going to go, she had to be a little persuaded to go to the disco – after all  there was the outfit to consider, would it be trendy enough, would she look cute? (where did she learn to apply that word to her own appearance?) and what dance moves would she be expected to perform. I guess I’ll see how that turns out later. The sleepover tomorrow is something she is excited about – she has a ready bed, pj’s and overnight bag all ready and I am just hoping that when it comes to sleep time she doesn’t freak out and need to come home, luckily it is a local party but would prefer for there not to be a 2am call out!

This week marathon training has been hindered, like most other things, by the snow and more recently the ice, whilst the roads are fairly clear the pavements are lethal except in a few places where driveways have been cleared. Many people have resorted to walking in the road but I have decided not to run in the road as I fear a car skidding on ice trying to go round me or injuring myself jumping out of the way of the traffic. I did manage to walk 2.5 miles in the snow on Monday and Tuesday and have been cross training every day so hoping that when I do get back to proper training all of the hard work hasn’t been undone. I am planning on using the treadmill at the gym until the promised big thaw begins.

Half term approached and we are celebrating Mr T’s parents ruby wedding anniversary! As Mr T is going to be around I should get in a full week of training and be back on track by the time the kids go back to school! Pixie swaps so morning school after half term so for the first time I will be dropping all three kids off in the morning, and whilst I have to pick Pixie up at 1130, I will get to train and have a coffee before collecting her. She seems quite excited at the change despite being in the same school and class with the same teacher! I hope she will still be as enthusiastic when she attends all day in September.

So to all my friends, readers whether you be loved up or not a happy valentines day and remember that even if the right one is still hiding in some far flung corner of the world each of us is special and someone somewhere loves you!