Do It Yourself

Following my post yesterday about all the wedding talk, whilst out shopping today, EJ & I went along to HobbyCraft! I know what you're thinking we really know how to live. 

This shop brings on a whole new existence when you have a wedding to plan. EJ's face lite up & the place became a treasure chest, full of such great ideas. In theory, making & doing it all yourself sounds like a lot of fun & that you'll also be saving a lot of money, but I am wondering if you do? 

For all the great ideas we found none of us are what you would call creative so are wondering how some of these things will actually turn out. 

Lots of ideas have been noted down & once the venue has been confirmed I think we will be making many trips back to HobbyCraft. 

Has anyone else done decorations & invitations themselves for their weddings? I'd love to see what you came up with. 

A passion for the Blues

For quite a few years now I've had a bit of a strange passion, well it might be strange but I'm a girl in a bit of a boys world. I am mad on Chelsea Football Club! 

I got into watching football quite a few years ago & after going to my first match at the Bridge about 7 years ago, I was completely obsessed! My sister & I share the passion & go to as many matches as we can. We both get out shirts each season & watch all their games on the TV. 

I'm not sure what it is about the football but the atmosphere in the crowd on match days is absolutely what got me hooked. There is nothing else like it, not even a Robbie Williams concert! 

A few years ago I got so interested in the team that I started a twitter account & blog @chelsea4girls which is my place for talking all things Chelsea. Unfortunately due to a lack of time, I've since removed the blog but I still keep up my tweets & giving my views on the performances & any news from the club. And with over 10,000 followers I guess I must be doing something right! 

This season my love for the blues has been further ignited with Jose Mourinho, the most exciting manager the premiership has ever seen coming back to his rightful home. I was fortunate enough to be at the opening game of the season this year for the first time & experience the atmosphere when the 'Special One' walked out of the tunnel to roars of applause. 

A recent blues related highlight for me was receiving a personalised birthday card from Mourinho which my sister had organised, what an honour! 

We have also got my youngest cousin interested in the blues now, when asked her favourite football team, she replies "Chelsea, Chelsea"! Proud cousin alert! We got her a Chelsea t-shirt on our recent trip to Stamford Bridge & news from Auntie Debbie is that she won't let it go in the wash!! Brilliant. Won't be long before we are taking her to her first Chelsea match!  

There will be many more posts to come over the course of the new season especially if they continue to win & are as exciting as their current form. 

KTBFFH (Keep The Blue Flag Flying High) 

Wedding Fever

This week has been absolutely crazy but in a good, no, a great way! 

On Monday evening my sister EJ called to announce that her boyfriend Ash had just proposed & she'd said yes! There were a lot of tears for all of the family that night & we couldn't be happier for the perfect couple. 

After the excitement of seeing the ring & their beaming faces subsided, we have had full on wedding talk all week! I've no doubt that this will continue for months to come. 

Unlike most girls, me nor my sister have ever dreamt in too much detail of our 'big day'! Some girls I know have scrap books which they created when they were young with photos out of magazines of the perfect wedding - not us! We're both pretty laid back about it yet its amazing how quickly & easily you can get into wedding fever when it comes your way. 

I've been involved in some friends weddings in the past providing advise & support but never to this extent. 

EJ & Ash both have very clear ideas all of a sudden about their perfect day! It's all so exciting & certainly all systems go. 

The most amazing thing for me personally was EJ asking me to be her bridesmaid, we are extremely close so it was always in the back of my mind but there's nothing quite like being asked to be such a big part of someone's big day. And at least I know she'll be kind to me when it comes to the dress or it'll be pay back when my time eventually comes around! 

My sister & I talk on the phone on a daily basis anyway but this week not a spare minute has gone by when we've not been on the phone talking ideas or looking on the Internet at anything wedding related. 

First thing is first, they very sensibly sorted out their budget, I'm still stunned at how much a wedding adds up & I'm sure it will just grow & grow as the months go by. 

I won't spoil any surprises that they have planned by writing it on here as its still early days but I'm sure I'll be posting a lot more over the coming months about developments. 

Any pointers or advise on arranging a wedding would be welcome. 

Friday Motivation

 "The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible." –Arthur C. Clarke

Getting our Geek on!

As part of my birthday celebrations, I'm having a night out tomorrow with friends. My good friend Gemma, came up with the idea of dressing 'Geek Chic' which I instantly agreed too! 

I'm really excited & having checked with the bars that we're all ok to dress up & most importantly wear our trainers (for comfort & style) we are all pretty much set! 

I have the converse (complete with diamantès to add to chic aspect!), the braces, the geek glasses & t-shirt & not forgetting the frilly socks. I'm set! 

As with most themes or fancy dress the fun is in seeing everyone else's interpretations so I can't wait for tomorrow night. 

Post coming up next week with plenty of photos! 

Some good news at last

After vowing to get fit & healthy after a procedure earlier this year to remove part of my cervix, I've been working my socks off! The running is going well (bar the latest injury), my diet is much cleaner, I've lost some weight & am mentally feeling much better. 

I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone but especially someone who is going through any health problems. Healthy mind, healthy body is what they say isn't it? 

I recently had more cell samples taken for my cervical abnormalities & I'm pleased to say there is no change (as I've had to explain to a number of friends & family, this is good news!)

Providing that some blood tests I've had taken come back as fine then I should be ok to have another bit of time off the hospital & have the cells checked again in a few months. 

At the moment this really is the best outcome. Unfortunately, this may continue like this for some time but in my eyes the healthier I get then the least likely these cells are to develop. 

So having now turned 30 & enjoyed lots of celebrations with my friends & family, it's hopefully a happy & healthy few months ahead for me! And every time I'm feeling down, I just have to read through my blog to motivate me once again & look how far I've come!

Onwards & upwards as they say! 

(Unsure of who 'they' are I keep referring too but it's all true!) 

Injuries cont.

Unfortunately over the last few days my running injury has gotten worst! It initially started as a stress fracture of the right metatarsal a month ago, this seemed to ease off after a weeks rest so I continued running. Now that I'm increasing my distance I'm starting to get excruciating knee pains also in my right leg! 

The pain is so bad that it straight-away stops me from running! It came on after 6 KM earlier this week so I took the rest of my run easier & made sure I rested & iced it when I got home. This seemed to do the trick & with 2 days rest I ventured out again this morning. Sadly after 4KM I was in agony again.

Wondering if anyone reading this can advice? 

I don't want to go back to my doctors again just to be told to rest. I've carried on putting ice on my knee & resting all day. It feels fine when I'm walking its just when I run. 

I really don't want to be injury prone as I enjoy my running so much. 

With only a few months until my half marathon I need to keep up the training so any injury makes a large delay. 

Any suggestions or advise would be really useful. 

Some highlights

So this weekend was the long awaited 30th birthday celebrations & they certainly lived up to all the hype. I was spoilt rotten & had the best weekend. 

I'm sure I'll post in more detail about it all but just thought I'd share some of my highlights from the weekend. 

It all kicked off on Friday with a quite remarkable work birthday, photos of my face covering the office with balloons & presents, oh & not forgetting the cupcakes with my face on them! Amazing work by Gemma & Alex! 

Then on Saturday it was the C Party for my family & close friends. As posted before everyone had to come as something dressed beginning with C. The party was a huge success & we had all sorts, crab, crocodile, convict, cat, chefs & even a crayon! Not forgetting the winner of the best dressed, my friend Sam who had actually made a cruise liner which he was dressed in! Amazing. 

I went as a champagne bottle & although I didn't get any votes for best dressed, thought I looked pretty good. 

A good time was had by all & it will certainly be a party we'll all remember. So nice seeing all my family too & them all making such an effort for it. Not forgetting the wonderful presents I was treated too. 

On Sunday (my actual birthday) we had breakfast at the arches in Southend & I opened my presents from mum, dad, EJ & Ash. I was completely overwhelmed by some of the amazing gifts with the highlight being a card signed personally by the Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho! And a letter from John Terry wishing me a happy birthday! As a massive Chelsea fan it doesn't get much better than that! 

For the rest of the day it was off to watch Chelsea at Stamford Bridge with my sister. What a brilliant game we saw too, first game of the season, Jose's first game back as manager & the best atmosphere I'm ever experienced at the bridge. Just amazing. Another highlight was a birthday message for me in the big screen at half time which was pretty cool. 

With such a memorable weekend its hard to pick one stand out memory but one of my favourite things was my youngest cousin, Amelia, deciding that despite her dad being a Man United fan and her mum an Arsenal fan, she is going to follow in mine & my sisters footsteps & support Chelsea! She was even singing the song at my party. Needless to say we've now got her a little Chelsea t-shirt to kick start her support. One day maybe she'll be joining us at the bridge & cheering in the blues.

Thank you to everyone involved in making my birthday so brilliant & for all the messages, cards and gifts. The celebrations don't end until this Saturday when we have geek night with my friends. That should be a messy one! More to come on that! 

Wow!

Work birthday's literally rock! 
So after my post yesterday about work birthday's I can safely say I am not at all disappointed this year.

As I drove into work this morning I saw my face in our office window & knew instantly the girls had gone to town! 

They had covered a whole wall with photos of my face & decorated the office in my favourite colour - blue! I still can't stop smiling. 

I have cupcakes with my face on, giant balloons & even a few of my favourite things, planes & football! 

And to finish it all off a photo of me & Frank Lampard!! You just couldn't make it up! Sorry Christine, I've borrowed him for the day!

With lunch at Prezzo still on the agenda & I'm sure plenty more surprises to come this weekend, I'm a one very lucky soon-to-be 30 year old! 

Massive thanks to Gemma & Alex for being such wonderfully thoughtful work colleagues & friends. x

Work Birthdays

Most people that work in an office will have the tradition of celebrating your birthday with your colleagues. You get the desk all done up with balloons, the collection goes around the office for your present & they all turn up at your desk singing Happy Birthday which is the most embarrassing thing ever (well until next year when it all happens again!), generally you also have to spend a fortune bringing in cakes for those who only put a pound in your collection but it's 'the done thing'! 

I count myself very lucky, as whilst working for my company, I've had some really quite memorable birthday's over the years. My favourite was probably the year when I was the only person with the keys to the office so I had to help my colleagues put my own balloons up, in return they made me a crown & sash to crown me Queen for the day! I had surprises arriving all day long & we actually got a lot of creative work done too. 














With my work birthday tomorrow, I'm looking forward to what lays in store for me, if anything! That could be awkward couldn't it. You turn up expecting balloons and a fun atmosphere & actually don't get anything!! 
I'm sure my colleagues & friends, Gemma & Alex have it all under control. 
One thing I know for sure we are doing is the customary lunchtime drinks which this year will be at our new favourite place, Prezzo! And with one opening up across the road from our office, it'd be rude not too! 

Clean Freak!

For those who know me, you'll know I'm a bit of a clean freak, this borders on OCD. I get it from my dad's side of the family apparently, my aunt is a stickler for cleanliness too. 
I have pretty much always been like this. My mum has never had to tell me to clear up my room, in fact when I was little I used to enjoy it too and often would do my sisters clearing up. 

When I moved out a few years ago, no one had any doubt that I'd have trouble keeping my house immaculate. I'm certainly not afraid to get the hoover out at least a few times a week (at least)! In fact cleaning items were first on my list of must haves for the flat. 
I've since moved back home with my parents and I'm pretty sure they are secretly pleased they have me to do the housework at least once a week. They're also quite clean people so the house would never be in a mess even without me I just get very OCD about it. 

My pet hate is going to bed with cups left out or papers on the floor, it doesn't take long to pack everything away. 

I've also got a bit of a name for myself as the clean one amongst family and friends too and I often wonder if people hate inviting me round in case I criticise? I actually don't have a problem with other peoples mess & really am not that critical, although I do sometimes see others homes and just want to help them by getting the duster out! 

With my family party being held at home this weekend, my parents and I have spent the past few weekends making the house look spotless. Those parts of the house that don't normally get a look in, touching up the paintwork on the main doors, cleaning the skirting boards, dusting down the cobwebs from around the outside windows. For me it's been a heap of fun but I'm sure my parents wouldn't agree. 

It'll just to so nice to have all the family see our home looking so good. 

Tomorrow afternoon/evening I'll be making the inside of the house look equally as spotless, moving the furniture around & cleaning behind and around everything. 
Is it really bad that I'm actually looking forward to this? 
I never see cleaning as a chore, if I'm in the mood and have my music to listen too, I'll clean for hours & be very thorough about it too. 

No more diet...

...well not for this week anyway. 

I'm sure I've mentioned it once or twice but it's my birthday this weekend. It was always my intention to diet until my birthday then stop. I know that I've lost a lot of the weight I set out too and overall I'm feeling happy with how I am now looking but should I go back to how I was eating 8 weeks ago? It just doesn't seem right for some reason & I certainly don't want to put the weight all back on. 

From this Friday I can eat whatever I feel like over the weekend, it is my 30th after all. Then I have a big night out with friends next Saturday so plenty of bad food & lots of alcohol then but then what? 

It feels wrong to go back to what I used to eat. I'm thinking that this diet has almost become second nature, more of a way of eating & less a diet. 
Now that I'm at the weight I set out, I'll probably not take it as seriously but whilst I'm enjoying the Slim Fast diet now, I think it'll continue.

The 2 litres of water is absolutely something I'd like to carry on, maybe not being as strict with myself over it but I already can tell my body is feeling healthier for it. 
My general feeling is that I'll see how I go, if I fancy cereal I'll have it, if not it'll be the shakes. If I want to treat myself to a nicer dinner, I can but won't go crazy. As my running is also increasing in distance and intensity I don't think the odd cake will kill me either. 

I actually don't fancy too much of what I used to have, a lot of this diet is about moderation. I have the Lindt Lindor chocolates, one or two of those a day won't make me obese so why not treat myself to them, just no need to eat a whole family bag of revels in one sitting (I actually could but I won't!)! 

 

I'd be interested to hear if any of you have also been on a diet and how you incorporated it into your life after the actual diet ended. Or do people just stay on one lifelong diet? That seems a little dull. 

I'm sure I'll be writing more about how I get on but for now I'm going to enjoy the weekend ahead and especially my trip to Prezzo with the girls from work on Friday! Pizza & Rose here we come!  

Running Apps

Even since I started running I've using the Nike+ app for iPhone. I've talked a number of friends into using it too. 

It's said to be the 'most popular running app on iTunes'. You can add friends and see how you compare, even setting challenges with friends to run the further, quickest that week/month. It does get a little competitive when you're keeping tabs on who's logging the most runs and miles, but not having a running partner, it's probably the best thing to keep me motivated.  

You can record runs on the treadmill or when you're out and about via your iPhone's GPS and accelerometer which record your distance, pace, and time, these have always been extremely accurate for me. 

My favourite feature on the app is the audio feedback which lets you know a breakdown of your pace, distance, at every mile or half a mile depending on your preferences. It really helps me to stay focused & sets myself little targets. 
What I've really loved on some runs when I'm feeling particularly sluggish is the in-ear cheers you can get from your friends on Facebook when you broadcast that you've started a run. 

This app also connects to your music so this will be playing whilst you're running. Also if you have a song that gets you more motivated you can set up PowerSongs to give yourself a boost.

When your run is finished you can sync your run to the Nikeplus.com website which allows you to view your maps on a larger screen, set a new goal, and find Nike+ Top Routes in your area. 

Another app that has been recommended to me recently is Strava, I used this for the first time yesterday. I didn't find it as user friendly as Nike+ but it's certainly more in-depth and one for the serious runners. 

 

As with the Nike+ you can use Strava to track your runs with GPS, analyze your performance, join Challenges and see how you stack up against friends. 

The most accurate part of this app was viewing the map of your run, this was really clear & showed a breakdown of my pace per KM. I've not explored it fully so I'm sure it does a lot more than I've currently worked out. According to my friend you can collect heart rate data from ANT+ and Bluetooth LE sensors which would be really interesting to use. 

With both of these apps you can set personal targets and earn virtual trophies & honours. With Strava they have monthly challenges that are designed to push you further and show how you stack up against friends, locals and pros. 

The one thing I would say about the Strava app is that you have to pay for some of the features by going premium.  

I'm sure there are many more running apps on the market. Do you have your favourite? 

Ouchies

After pushing myself really hard last night on my run, beating my PB and reducing my average pace by 0.05s, I'm suffering today. 

This photo pretty much sums me up this morning! 

Happy Tuesday! 

Bonjour...

On Saturday I went on a family day trip to France. We've been a number of times over the years & it's always been a great day out. 
My sister's boyfriend Ash had never been for the day trip before so with my party coming up this week, we thought it the perfect time to have a day trip & get some cheap alcohol. 

Unfortunately, as someone who has really bad travel sickness, the journey is always the dreaded part but usually the good day outweighs the nauseous feeling. 

Departing Dover

The day started at the un-sightly hour of 3.45am! We were all bleary eyed for the journey down to Dover and thankfully it was Dad driving and not me! 

Our ferry left at 6.55am and with my sickness bands on, I was ready to take on the day. 

It was a really calm crossing and before we knew it we were docking at Calais. 

We always like to make a real day of it when we go to France so we make the hour long journey down the coast to La Touque. It's a small seaside town with a market on a Saturday and plenty of places to stroll around. I mainly like to go there for the traditional Mussels and chips to be honest! 

Me in La Touque

A stroll along the beach

We arrived in La Touque around 11am (French time) which was perfect, we had a couple of hours wondering around the market, full of fresh seafood, vegatables & looking at all the delicious looking cakes along with devouring some French cuisine. 

After a pleasant walk along the beach, we all packed back into the car for the drive back to Calais. 

British War Memorial

On the way out of La Touque we stopped at a British War Memorial. We were all struck at how quiet and well kept it is. 
At my local church, we are normally lucky to have the grass cut once a year so imagine our surprise when we saw this place with all the graves perfectly cut & cleaned. We spent some time looking around this very reflective place. 




We headed back to Calais stopping of course at Citie Europe to pick up our cheap alcohol (as much as the car boot could hold), plenty of French chocolate & of course some French bread and pate, which we all enjoyed on the crossing home. 

Unfortunately, the homeward journey was a little more rough than I had hoped and my seasickness was in full swing. It didn't help that the ferry seemed to be full of screaming children all coming home from their holidays. 

After over an hour trying to get out of Dover, we arrived home at 11pm! A really long day but well worth it and a great to spend some quality time with my family before my birthday celebrations get into full swing this week. 

Departing Calais as the sun sets

  

Party Planning

With my 30th birthday just days away, I'm in full party planner mode! 

I decided that I'd really like a 'gathering' with family and some close friends. We decided to hold the party at my parents which meant being limited on numbers especially as we have such a big family. So I'm also doing a separate celebration with friends - a 'Geek Chic night', more on that another time! 

All good parties need a theme & we came up with the perfect one 'C' Party. Fancy dress is generally the key to a good, fun party so the idea for this is all guests come as something beginning with the letter C. 

With it being a family party I wasn't too sure everyone would get into the spirit but having had lots of texts & calls over recent weeks, I am really excited to see everyone's costumes. 


To keep in with the C theme, I decided the decorations, invites etc.. would have a Caribbean feel. I got these invites made through Vistaprint - with a week turnaround I was able to send them out with plenty of notice. 

Unfortunately, I had to change the date of the party so for a small cost, I also got some change of date cards made in the same style.  

I brought most of the decorations from eBay as they really are so cheap, especially if you're only going to be using them once it's perfect. 
The garden is going to be turned into a Caribbean party with a Limbo, Giant Jenga & Twister to get everyone involved. A lot of stores where looking for £40+ for each of these but I managed to get great deals on-line. 
We have ordered helium balloons from Sancto in Southend so am excited to get decorating the house. 

There will be plenty of cupcakes & cocktails - keeping with the theme too! 

Being a very organised person, a lot of the fun for me is in the planning and preparation. I have a whole schedule for next week which I'm chomping at the bit to get started on. 

With food & drink yet to buy it's going to be a really busy time but I just can't wait. And seeing all the costumes and having a memorable night with the family & friends will be the highlight! 

Would be great to hear your thoughts on the perfect party?

A Cheat Day...

What a great day of the week Friday is, this week has really flown by for me so it's great to know the weekend is in sight.

I'm off to France for the day tomorrow with my family so there will be lots of temptation to eat bad things. After 6 weeks of being good with my food choices, I'm allowing myself one cheat day but will still be remembering the following....

Have a great weekend, whatever you are up too. 

Friendship

Note - This is one of those soppy posts! 

Today has been one of those bad days, waking up all positive, setting up my office from home & cracking on with work, then a few hours later the post lady arrives delivering another dreaded letter from the hospital. 

The letter brings not such good news once again, I'm still getting my head around it so will write about that another time. Instead, I'm focusing on the positive.  

What was highlighted to me after opening the letter is who, apart from my amazing Mum, Dad & Sister, I turn too when I need support. 

Those lucky people are my very dear friends Sam & Caroline. I've known Sam since junior school and his now wife & I have been friends for many years. These two amazing friends are the first to text me when they know I have the hospital, first to support me when bad news arrives and first to cheer me up when the time is just right.

Today their support & love was no different to any other. I knew that as soon as I reached out to them they'd be here for me, always with wise words & the perfect support whether it be a big hug, getting drunk or just a listening ear. 
Both offering their unique friendships which I'm so lucky to have. 

It's funny when people use that line 'you learn who your friends are' when you're going through a tough time. It's true and I've certainly learnt who I can just be me with & but I'm also fortunate enough to have already known. 

Friendship is simple for me, I'll be there when you need someone, you are there when I need someone. That goes for the good times as well as the bad. 

Sam, Me & Caroline - an old photo but weirdly the only one I have of us all! 

I have some really wonderful friends who have supported me through this troubling time & I can't thank them all enough. 

And to Sam & Caroline, you really are the best. 

Caroline sent me these, very true words, today

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.”

She couldn't have picked anything more perfect to say & that's why I'm so lucky to call them true friends. 

Motivated Monday!

Preventing Running Injuries

Yesterday I posted 'Common Running Injuries' so today I thought I'd share some tips on treating those injuries and most importantly preventing them in the first place. 

Here are my top tips!
Warm up and cool down

It’s essential to warm up properly before you start running. Five to ten minutes of brisk walking or gentle jogging before you start will warm your muscles up and help prevent injury. To cool down, carry on running at an easier pace or walk for five to ten minutes. This will help your body recover after your run. 

When I first started running I never done this and soon learnt that was a bad idea. I was getting really sore muscles and everything felt very tight. 
Wear the right shoes

As I mentioned in a previous post this really is my key to a pleasant running experience. It’s so important to buy the correct running shoes, and it’s best to go to a running shop to get fitted. 
Build up slowly

Don’t be tempted to increase the intensity or distance of your running too quickly. Do a similar run at least three or four times before you increase your pace or distance.

It took be such a long time to build up to 10K but now I'm adding a few KM each week and feeling much better for it.
Stay motivated

As I know very well, being injured can be very frustrating. When I first started running and got minor injuries I was tempted to just give up. But by giving myself goals, 5k charity run, this really boosted me to get back out there. In general I find that if you have something to work towards, it really helps. 

Always remember at the first sign of any running related injury...

Common Running Injuries

Having recently suffered a running injury in the form of a metatarsal fracture, I felt it was a good idea to familiarise myself with other injuries that runners can suffer from and identify the best ways to avoid these stopping me from running. 

Below I've listed some common running injuries. 

• Heal Pain - Similar to my injury, this will rear itself with pain or swelling in the heel or bottom of the foot, normally occurring if you suddenly start doing a lot more running, if you run uphill or if your shoes aren't supportive enough or are worn out. You won’t be able to run with heel pain. If you treat the pain early enough, it will normally go away in two to three weeks, after which you should be able to start running again.
  Top Tip - Freeze a small bottle of water, then place it on the floor and roll it back and forth under your foot for about 20 minutes. 
• Muscle Strains - The most common strains due to running are in the hamstring muscles or calf muscles. Strains often affect new runners, whose muscles are not used to running. You won’t be able to run with a muscle strain. Most strains can be treated at home. Stop running immediately and apply ice to the painful area for around 20 minutes a few times a day. Keeping your leg elevated and supported with a pillow will help reduce swelling. 
• Shin Pain - This occurs on the front of the leg, below the knee. It’s often referred to as shin splints. Runners are often aware of a dull pain in the shin but carry on running. Pain can be relieved by applying ice to the area regularly for the first few days. Shin pain is likely to stop you running altogether. 
• Knee Pain (Runner's Knee) - This can have many causes, such as swelling under the kneecap. The pain may be dull or it could be sharp and severe. To help knee pain at home, apply ice to the knee and stretch. Hold ice (try a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a damp tea towel) on the painful area for around 20 minutes a few times a day. If the pain is severe or the knee is swollen, see your GP straight away. Don’t run if you have pain in your knee.
• Achilles Pain - The Achilles tendon is the tough, rubbery cord at the back of the ankle that links the muscle to the bone. Regular running can cause wear and tear to the tendon over time. To treat Achilles pain at home, apply ice to the area if you can feel a lump there. You can also gently massage the area with your fingers. You could also try using heel wedges in your shoes. A sharp pain will stop you running altogether. Even if the pain is not severe, it’s a good idea to rest until the pain goes, and get it checked if it doesn't go away.

Remember with all of these treatments - 

*Never place ice directly on your skin.*

As I found out being injured can dent your motivation, whatever your injury, it’s important to listen to your body. Don’t run if you’re in pain and only start running again when you've recovered sufficiently. I learnt this the hard way! 

Perfect Photo!

Saw this image today and just had to share, perfect for where I am with my fitness journey at the moment! 

A bit of history on the who!

In a previous post I mentioned that I would give some more information on the charity I am supporting Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust. 
Here it is...

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust (Jo’s Trust) is the only UK charity dedicated to women and their families affected by cervical cancer and cervical abnormalities. Our aim is to offer information, support, and friendship to women of all ages. We work to help women understand the importance of cervical screening and HPV vaccination to help prevent cervical cancer as well as offer our own brand of support when a woman's screening shows up with abnormalities or they are diagnosed with cancer.

Jo's Trust was established by James Maxwell following the death of his wife, Jo (aged 40), from cervical cancer in 1999. 
As you can see from Jo's aim, the charity is about far more than Cervical Cancer, you don't need to have cancer to need their advice and support.

Every year in the UK, over 3,000 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer and nearly 1,000 women will die from the disease. Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women aged 35 and under.

Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by a common virus called Human Papillomavirus (HPV), you can catch the virus as soon as you start having intimate relationships. 

Something I had never realised until recently was that for younger women who are eligible there is a HPV vaccination available which protects against 70% of all cervical cancers. If only every female was vaccinated at a young age, think of the amount of lives it could save. 

For me personally my cervical abnormalities have started with the HPV so I now wonder how different this last year could have been had I been offered or aware of the vaccine? 

I've recently received my Jo's fundraising pack and will be raising awareness in my local area. Any support you can give or awareness that you can raise really would make a difference. 

And finally, I have one message to all women - GO FOR YOUR SMEAR! 
Don't be embarrassed, Don't be scared. 
It's such a really simple procedure, over with in a few minutes & it could save your life. And it'll keep me quiet if you go! 

You can find full details about the charity at their website - http://www.jostrust.org.uk/