The First Monster is a team duathlon that takes place along the shores of Loch Ness, Scotland. The actual event is a 120km loop around the Loch with running and cycling sections. Each team member is required to complete both a run and a bike leg. Four team members from Save the Children Farringdon volunteered to put themselves through their paces.
Our Children’s Emergency Fund, which I’m raising money for is massively important at the moment. Whether it in emergency situations in Kyrgyzstan, Niger or Pakistan, the children are the most vulnerable and the most at risk.
Save the Children have confirmed that I can run the 2011 Virigin London Marathon under their banner, and I’m pretty psyched about that.
I went to the British 10K on Sunday cheering on our Save the Children runners. Great work by everyone who took part. I was worried that it was going to be so hot people would start melting but luckily it was cooler than it had been.
Helen and Caroline storming through the British 10K for Save the Children
I think a few people did the 10K in preparation for a half marathon later in the year. People do say that you should have a go at a shorter race before doing the big race. Can anyone recommend good 10K runs near London around the August/September time?
Anyway, it’s been another week, and how many runs? Not enough!
I did go for one run that ended up being a bit longer than I had planned because I got a bit lost — I was trying to cross over a big A road and kept searching for an underpass which didn’t materialise so I had to turn around. I need to find some new routes! I also wasn’t breaking any land speed records — at one point a bug flew into my mouth… Does that mean that you’re going so slowly they think you’re a tree?
My sporting activites this week have been a bit random. I ended up playing in a cricket tournament all day on Saturday which was really fun, but I am still not sure that my cricketing skills are anything to write home about. I only batted in one game and the other team kept me in on purpose because they knew I wasn’t going to score enough runs!
I also played netball this week — two matches in one evening, as I played for my team and then another team were short on numbers. But I’m not sure that netball is going to get me round 13.1 miles… I did feel a little twinge in my ankle which wasn’t good. If I can’t last 80 mins playing netball, then I’m worried!
I’ve started receiving donations on my JustGiving page which is exciting! I need to decide when I should do the big push of asking all my friends and family. It is still three months to go until the day, so I’m thinking I should wait until it’s nearer the time. Does anyone have any experience on this?
Tonight I am DEFINITELY going for a run….
We still have places left in the Royal Parks Half Marathon if anyone is interested…
It’s the World Cup Final on Sunday, but I’m not thinking about that. I’m thinking about the vast, pitiless void that’s waiting immediately after the final whistle.
I can’t believe it’s almost over. Never mind goal-line technology, top of Sepp Blatter’s priority list should be extending the World Cup by at least a fortnight, especially given how much effort I put into watching the thing.
Things I have learnt this week:
1. Running up hills is really difficult
2. I need to train a LOT before October
3. Running in the real life *countryside* feels lots harder than running in the gym
4. I can’t start dreading going for runs
It’s always a bit strange meeting someone whose voice you’ve heard so often on the radio but never seen what they look like in the flesh. Before meeting Mike Thomson – reporter for BBC Radio 4 Today Programme – I did a quick google on him to find a picture. In reality the picture didn’t look like him at all so it wasn’t much help!
I’ve lived in Niamey for almost a year now, and I’m never sure what to do when someone asks me for money. It’s the worst feeling to hear a kid ask you for some money because they are hungry, but it’s even worse to think about the possibility of whatever you give them benefiting someone else.
I was lucky enough to be in Ethiopia last weekend at the same time as the Everyone Race (part of the Great Ethiopian Run’s events portfolio) was being held in Hawassa. I jumped at the chance to take part. Not in the 21km race but in the 7km fun run.
The race is to raise money and awareness for reducing maternal, newborn and child mortality in Ethiopia, where one in eight children die before their fifth birthday and 94% of women give birth at home without any professional care.
Only 6 days to go until Griff tackles the Royal Parks Half Marathon
