Running Mummy

And thank you for a house full of people I love. Amen

2012-02-19T21:37:00.000Z

And back to reality…. Half term is sadly over; pe kitswashed and packed, shoes cleaned, homework (hopefully) all done. With only onechest infection, one ear infection, one trip to A&E, after an amazing rugbymatch, the eldest has a fractured collar bone and ribs, the hot water tap onthe bath giving up, the starter motor breaking in the car, so all in all, just youraverage week really!

Flynn getting cross with the ref!

However, after a few brainstorming sessions with thechildren, they have come up with some fantastic ideas for fundraising. So, thisweek I will be putting these into action. I can’t believe its only 62 daysuntil the marathon! This time last year, I had achieved so much more by now, butfrom half past nine tomorrow morning, its all systems go!

Flynn trying to get as muddy as the rugby players!

A filthy Flynnie!

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted

2012-02-11T19:38:00.000Z

The week before Christmas I bribed the eldest and his betterhalf to take the children to the cinema, this gave me a couple of hours to tryand dash round Mk shopping centre in peace to get some last minute bits, as youcan imagine, it was packed, it was hot and to top it all I wasn’t feelinggreat. When my phone started to ring, I did breathe a sigh of relief when I sawit was Brian. Finally, an excuse to sit down for five minutes and take abreather!

We caught up with each other; it must have been at least twodays since we had last spoken! Then, Brian went on to tell me about the moneythat had recently been raised for Alec’s Angels, now, can you bear in mind, Iwas sitting outside BHS in a very, very busy shopping centre..

I knew that 2,100 had been divided between Alec's Smile Fund, run by CLIC Sargent at Kamran's ward. The Lennox Trust and the Helen and Douglas House, I just hadn’t heard what themoney had been used for, I sat with goose bumps as I heard how the money forCLIC had been used..

A very young boy hadrecently been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour, he was being treated in Kamran's Ward at The John Radcliffe (which is where Alec was treated) He hadwish. His wish was for his mum and dad, who had been together for nearly twentyyears, to get married. In less than a week, a weddingwas organised. Now, I am not talking about something thrown together, I amtalking about rail upon rail of dresses being brought to the bride to be forher to choose from. The flowers arranged, the suits hired out for free, theentertainment, the church and the food, which was provided by Alec's Smile Fund………

As Brian was telling me, I will behonest, I couldn’t stop the tears, it was one of those moments when you go fromthinking “oh my goodness, people are watching” to “I really don’t care if theyare” which isn’t like me at all!

So, hopefully it’s clearer now, whythis charity is so important, and, why I am raising money to support it. Nowdon’t get me wrong this isn’t all Alec’s Angels has done for CLIC, the moneyhas gone towards helping a poorly small person to not only go on his first everfamily weekend break, but, to meet his hero, Bob the Builder. It has gonetowards some very special Christmas presents and enabled the patients and theirfamilies who were in hospital over New Year, to see in the start of this year withall the staff on the ward, with a fish and chip supper. And this charity trust hasonly been up and running for five and half months.

There is a very special little manlooking down here right now with a great big, cheeky smile on his face. I know,and all those who knew Alec know, that all these things, however big, howeversmall, would make him not only proud, but happy, and that is what is sofantastic. Alec would go to the ends of the earth to make people laugh, that iswhat he was all about, and Alec’s Angels are doing just that……

Life’s not about waiting for the storm to pass… It’s about learning to dance in the rain

2012-02-02T20:56:00.000Z

So, my running shoes were back on my feet last week and Ifeel really good about it, spending the time out on the road listening to my newplaylist on my Ipod, enjoying the “me time” and using the time to come up withfundraising ideas…

Until, Thursday morning, I was getting Flynn dressed andnoticed a couple of suspicious spots on his back, my immediate thought was; didI remember to deflea the dogs?! By lunchtime, after checking every fiveminutes, the two spots had become ten….argh! Chicken pox, I could not believeit! Part of me was pleased, he is the only one left in the house to get it, andgetting it out of the way in my book is always a bonus, but right now, I reallydo need the time he is at preschool to get out on the road,

Not all negative though, I finally got round to removinghalf the contents of the eldest child’s wardrobe from the cross trainer andgave it a dust down and I have started using that again, which of course pleasesthe youngest very much as he gets to have an extra-long bath while laughing atmummy! Not sure having the cross trainer in the bathroom was the best idea inthe world but it does mean I can contain the three year old in the room andkeep him happy while I get on! That just about sums up my life at the moment,making my poorly boy happy by letting him laugh at me as I try and get backinto shape……

When the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.

2012-01-24T10:06:00.001Z

The words “rocky ride” (see “about me”) have haunted me timeand time again over the past few weeks, unfortunately, before Christmas I fellill and all my plans had to be put on hold as I slowly recovered, so, now, withonly 12 weeks left to go before the big day, I am having to cram everythingin…the training, the fundraising and being a mum! I will admit I have spenthours working out if I would be better off deferring until next year, but, afterweighing it all up, I am going to take the bull by the horns, get my head downand get on with it. At the end of the day, the fundraising won’t stop theminute I get over that finish line, if I don’t manage to raise my target,well, the world will still be turning, so, I am going to do what I can!

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step

2011-12-01T21:20:00.000Z

You know when you wake up in the middle of the night withthat sick feeling deep in the pit of your stomach; it’s usually when youremember something really, really important that you should have done, buthaven’t ...And no! It’s not the fact that I haven’t even started theChristmas shopping, or organized the turkey...it’s the fact that in 4 months and 20 days Ihave a marathon to run, and I have done nothing about it, nothing at all! Ohdon’t get me wrong, I have had the lovely Andy (will explain about him later) naggingme, and I know I should have started the fundraising and training by now, but,I admit, I am fantastic at finding other things to do instead...

So, I have set up this new blog (here's the old one) and told myself to get a grip...only to remember my gym closestoday for a month for refurbishment! I don’t think the 900 metre run up anddown MK shopping centre and the 163 yard dash round Toys R Us are going to work...I amgoing to have to come up with a serious plan. Great timing! Its cold, it’s darkand I have Christmas to organize. Ok so the fundraising will have to wait, butfor now, I have to get back in shape. It’s all very well completing themarathon, but then spending the next seven months celebrating the fact that I have the medal does nothing for the hips!!

Now, if you would excuse me please, I am off to create some sort of get fit quick plan......