The magic number!

Here it is, my race number for next Sunday!

It's all very professional and serious which scares me slightly as I am no where near professional (although for those who have given me their hard earned cash, I am taking this seriously)!

Along with my number I was sent a magazine outlining the event, interviews with past runners, advertisements from different charities, etc. I straight away flicked to the page about what to do on the day and where I needed to go. I discovered that I had to pick an appropriate 'zone' for my running ability. OK, let's see..

"The front rows at the start are for the elite and celebrity runners only"  Nope, not me!

"The next zone is for runners capable of 25 minutes or faster. There were just 150 runners who achieved this time last year so do not promote yourself to this zone unless you are a competent and regular runner and confident of running the whole distance at this pace".  I can't say I'm competent and I'm not feeling so confident here so I'm thinking... nope, that's not me! Next?

"Behind the sub 25 minutes zone is the zone for 25-30 minutes. Again this is for regular runners..." Hmm, don't think I'm suitable for that zone. Oh, dear is there going to be a 'zone' for me? Let's see about the next one...

"The next zone is for those capable of 35 minutes or faster. Most of you who intend to jog the whole way will be in this zone." Now this is sounding a little better. It was my intention to jog the whole way, however I have not achieved this in my training. I blame the many hills I have to encounter. Norfolk is supposed to be renowned for it's flat landscape yet there seem to be an abundance of hills and gradual inclines in my area! Silver Road and Constitution Hill are a dream to jog down; indeed give me a 5K downhill route and I'd love it!  But jogging up them? I'm afraid I have to walk.

"The final two zones are for those likely to take over 35 minutes, whose main aim is to simply complete the course."  If I had done no training I know I would be able to complete the course, so that's a given. If I do the combined jog/walk approach, as I have been doing in my training, this is probably the better zone for me. My target is 40 minutes. This seems realistic for me and if I do end up jogging it all I could lead the pack! Haha! I could win (sort of)!

There is an extra line that suggests an alternative. "...if you have children with you, and/or especially if you have buggies... you should start in this zone." This suggests I could go round with Amelia in her buggy! How great would that be?! After all, it's because of her that I am raising money for Great Ormond Street Children's Charity and doing the event. I'm sure Amelia would love to go whizzing round in her buggy and certainly something to be proud of when she's older. If it really is a possibility on the day, then I think this will be the number one option.

Decision made then! All that's left to say is please sponsor me if you haven't already!!! I'm really doing this, I even have a special GOSHCC T-shirt to wear, and it means an awful lot to me. Please show that you support me by clicking here. Thank you. xxx

They said it; They showed it.

This weekend my Mum celebrated her 60th Birthday; Hollywood Style! Amongst the glitz and glamour (and Johnny Depp cardboard cutout), there was a very special cause that was brought to everyone's attention - Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity (GOSHCC).

Mum wanted to use her birthday party as an opportunity to add to the money already raised on my Just Giving page, and so told her guests that she did not want them to bring her a present, but rather give that money they would have spent on a gift, to GOSHCC.

The delight Mum had when totting up all the money was possibly far greater than the numerous gifts she would have opened. £300 was the total! An amazing amount of money. I think what it really showed to us was that all these people who said they cared - by asking after Amelia before and post op - had now actually shown they cared by donating to the cause.

With just over 3 weeks to go (goodness is that all?) until The Adidas Women's 5k Challenge and I close the door to this part of my life, I hope that those of you who have not donated, do. I know many of you cared a lot about how Amelia was doing during her operation, and you want to show you care but haven't got around to it yet. Don't put it off for another day, do it now, it doesn't need to be a lot. Click here. And if you've already donated, still click here and see how much you've helped to raise! xxx

On My Way

Training for the Adidas Women's 5k Challenge is well underway and going well. I try to go out 2-3 times a week and am gradually building up the distance. At home, I've got a certain little person keeping me on the move and I think she'd quite like to give the 5k a go herself - if crawling was allowed...

Just over 3 months ago Amelia had heart surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Just look her now. This video is her little thank you to those at GOSH for helping her get to where she is today. Please sponsor me so that more children can go on to lead a better life and do wonderful things. x

Happy Holidays!

The schools have broken up for summer and we're all hoping the sun may make an appearance. Whether it's a vacation or 'staycation' for you this year, in the true holiday style, there may be an ice cream to be had!

Before you do go chasing after Mr Whippy, I've got a quick favour to ask. Perhaps you could sacrife one, maybe even two, ice creams this summer and instead donate that money to Great Ormond Street Hospital by sponsoring me to do the Adidas Women's 5K Challenge. You might not think a few pounds will make much of a difference, but added to everybody else's few pounds it will really add up! Just look at what your money could go towards...

£10 - could contribute to the building cost for the new Heart and Lung centre or could buy a large tin of paint to help decorate the walls and ceilings of a new ward

£20 - could buy four special neonatal masks, small and delicate enough to fit a new born baby's face

£35 - could help towards the cost of an operating microscope for one of the surgical theatres

£50 - could pay for five nights up keep of a patient accommodation room

£100 - could buy four toys specially adapted for the children to help with their rehabilitation

£500 - a respiration monitor to track a child's breathing

 

What better motivation is there to give up the ice cream? You can lose pounds in more ways than one! Not only will you look fabulous in your summer wardrobe, you'll also be helping to save children's lives. Go for it, click here!

The Map of My Life

One dark, cold November evening I found myself looking in the mirror and not recognising the person looking back. I looked old! The sleepless nights, breastfeeding (drink LOTS of water Mummies or you shrivel up) and the stress and worry that comes with having a baby (plus a little bit extra in our case) was taking its toll... on my face!
A quick plea to Father Christmas ensured that I could start the New Year without looking like the life had been sucked out of my face, but rather look youthful, fresh and radiant! (I believe what it says on the box).

Today I still have a little buffet of 'anti-aging' creams on the dressing table that I like to indulge in, but when I look at Amelia and her prominent scar on her chest I have to stop and think; why do we hide these wrinkles, lines and blemishes? Each one tells a story. The little round scar form chicken pox... the scars on my eyebrows when I misjudged doors as a child... the lines of worry when we found out Amelia had a heart condition and then a few more when she was in hospital... the lines of all the happy days, both before and since Amelia... So many lines of happiness that far out number the rest. Yet we all do it, cover them, disguise them, any way we can. We try to cover up the map!

I am sometimes sad that Amelia's map has started so young. My little baby, born so perfectly on the outside, was not quite perfect on the inside. She needed a little bit of repair work and now has a souvenir to prove it!  As I come to terms with it though, I look at her scar and feel proud that she has overcome such a big hurdle and hope that she continues through life with this determination and strength. I hope she is proud of her scar and doesn't try to hide it away (although that could be awkward when she's older, considering it's position, and I'm not so sure her Daddy would be too thrilled)!

The next time you're covering up your map - and it's ok, I'm still covering up mine! - have a little think. What does it say about you and your life? Good times, bad times, they are all there and make us who we are. xxx

Our maps.

To help other children, like Amelia, so that they can be fixed, click here

Every cloud...

Do you find yourself making a wish when you blow out those birthday candles? Or at Christmas pulling the turkey wish bone? I do. Always have. When I was little I'd be wishing for those material possessions that I thought I really couldn't live without but as I got older I started to wish for the things I didn't have control over. Health, happiness, etc...

I distinctly remember when pregnant with Amelia pulling the turkey wishbone and making that wish all Mummies-to-be make; that my baby arrives safe and healthy.  For the vast majority, that wish comes true. Anyone who saw the recent BBC series of 'Inside the Human Body' will know how miraculous this is, as timing is crucial. But what happens when the wish doesn't come true? You've done everything you should during your pregnancy; taken vitamins, eaten healthily, exercised, not smoked or drunk alcohol... the model pregnant women, but your baby is born with a problem? What then? If anyone is reading this who is going through, or has been through similar, I hope this helps.

Firstly, it's not your fault. It was such a difficult thing to come to terms with when we discovered Amelia had a heart condition. The devastation and disappointment that comes with being told there is something wrong with your baby is awful. You have to question, did I do something wrong? In Amelia's case it all came down to a blip in her genetic make-up. From the moment of conception there was a tiny bit missing on her 22nd chromosome and there was nothing that could change that.

Secondly, it makes no difference what you read/don't read. I never read the section at the back of the pregnancy books that talked about the unexpected because I didn't want to 'jinx' it. On reflection, I still don't think I needed to read it. Why build yourself up to a range of different scenarios? But either way, it makes no difference. Like I said, Amelia was destined to be a certain way from the day dot.

Thirdly, you can cope with this. Hormones are an absolute nightmare at the beginning which really doesn't help. But talking to the wonderful doctors and nurses at both our local hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital is a great comfort. They are with you all the way. So to was our local doctor's surgery. We were never made to feel like a nuisance when we were worried about a cold Amelia had. Their doors were always open or just a phone call away. The NHS have personally given us a wonderful service.

Lastly, when you get through the worst days of your life you are rewarded with seeing your baby with a new zest for life. Amelia is coming on leaps and bounds. She's still behind her peers but she's catching up.  I think I perhaps appreciate each little bit of progress she makes that little bit more because it's been so long coming. I can't wait to be run off my feet, needing eyes in the back of my head and an extra pair of hands! I've had it too easy so far!

... My cloud doesn't have a silver lining. Mine is bright, shiny gold and I wouldn't have it any other way. xxx

Keeping the magic alive

The 'magic wands' post was a real success in terms of promoting my blog and getting donations to my Just Giving page. My initial target of £200 has been reached and I'm hopeful that the amount will continue to go up.

It got me thinking. How could I represent all this 'magic' that people were donating? To not only show my gratitude but to also show tangibly how individual donations build up to create something big.

I came up with this:

This wand will have all the names and messages attached from those who have donated. If you want to feature on the wand click here to donate. The plan is that I will carry the wand with me when I do the Adidas Women's 5km Challenge on 11th September, so you'll all be with me!  Who knows, it may even give me a little boost if I start to flag!

Before I end, if you're reading this thinking "Why does she keep going on about magic and magic wands?"  It's not because I have a secret desire to be Tinkerbell or Harry Potter. No. Let me just remind of Great Ormond Street Hospital's slogan...