January Reviewed - highlights, acknowledgements & successes

I want to keep track of this and that as the year progresses and where better than my new blog! It will be handy to have a record of events and highlights as 2011 progresses and a place to refer to.

2011 has got off to a great start I'm pleased to say. I think I've packed quite a lot into it and I'm happy with my level of productivity and the balance I have with time off, which isn't so much about quantity but quality.

Media

At the start of the year when the binmen in Birmingham were refusing to collect the refuse I was called upon to do a BBC Midlands Today LIVE Interview in the lunch time bulletin. This was my first live TV and I tried not to think too much about that part. Ben Godfrey was the interviewer and we had a chance to do a couple of rehearsals thank goodness. I was an 'angry resident' complaining about the state of the rubbish that was piling up. It was an eyesore and a health hazard, oh yes! I'm kicking myself I didn't record it, but it was all such a rush, I forgot. I did manage to get a snap with Ben though.






The Birmingham Post used a photo of mine on their website in an article about John Lewis.



I took this photo in September 08, and it was used in the print paper at the time. Seeing this image brought back a lot of memories. I remember taking the photo and the challenge of getting a steady shot on a longer shutter speed to capture the movement of people without a tripod!

I absolutely loved my 6 months work experience at the Birmingham Post and Birmingham Mail. I learnt a lot, and very quickly. I was very sad when I had to make the decision to leave to free up some time to concentrate on work.

Seeing this image gave me pause to reflect, in the 2.5 years since took that photograph, so much has happened! I've had some amazing experiences, worked harder than I ever have but loved every minute of it. Sometimes it hard to see the bigger picture on a day to day basis, but looking back I am so proud of everything I have done and achieved. None of that would have happened if I had just sat back waiting for opportunities. You have to MAKE things happen and put the wheels in motion.

My first post on this blog - New Year, New Blog, Here's the plan - has been written on other blogs.

Fiona Cullinan wrote about it on her post for Firehead's blog "Six Devious Tricks For New Year Career Success"

Fellow Hyperlocal blogger Jamie Summerfield says my blog post really got him thinking about his year ahead and he's written about his 2011 plans.

Media Student and uber sports fanatic Rachel Simmo has put her exciting plans and goals for 2011 in writing too!

A bit less of Karen!


I'm still on my weight loss journey that began in August last year, and I'm about 37lbs light. I've met, and exceeded my weight loss goal of 5lbs for January with a 6lb loss. You can read more about my weight loss progress here.

I've lost another 7lbs since the photo on the right was taken.

I'm going to Prague with BMI Baby, baby!






bmibaby have invited me to Prague for a weekend in March! I'm so looking forward to this, and it will be my first mini holiday of the year and I suspect I will be ready for it. I've been to Prague before for a couple of days and it's beautiful, so I am looking forward to getting more acquainted with the city. Of course I'll be blogging all about it, so you won't miss a thing!

In 2009 myself and Birmingham blogger Nicky Getgood went to Belfast with bmibaby for a weekend. It was good stuff. You can read about that belfast trip here.

Here comes the bride!

I've had my first wedding photography booking for this year! I said I wanted to introduce wedding photography in 2011 so it's wonderful to get my first booking so early on in the year. I'll be announcing my wedding photography packages soon and am just working out the details and the price. As an added bonus I received another wedding photography by email today!

So, if you or anyone you know is at the stage of thinking about booking a wedding photographer, get in touch!




Running freeeee!

I'm still hitting the roads and clocking up the miles. It's been a great experience overall and I'm learning a lot about what I can and can't do and trying not to get too carried away and listen to my body. I ran 35.5 miles in January. I can't quite believe it. My longest run (non stop!) was 4.5miles. I'm aiming to beat 35.5 for February. You can read all about my running and see some charts, graps and some gps 'art' here. I've also taken up hula hooping and I am really enjoying it! I've ordered my own hula hoop now which will be customized in my favourite colours, red/silver/black!






I'm Talking About Local


I'm really, really enjoying my work with Talk About Local and the team (and I'm not just saying that because they might read this!). I've written my first blog post about new experiences hyperlocal blogging can bring if you fancy a read.

I'm really proud to be working with such a inspiring company. It just goes to show what a small, dedicated team with passion can do. I'm very glad I listened to my instincts when I saw the job advertised when I was away in New York and followed through with my application. I'm learning a lot, and hopefully I'm making a good contribution to their work too.

Rest and play


I'm sticking to my goal of having a more of a social life and more chill out time.

I had a brilliant night at Nicky and Sas's joint birthday party, and had an equally fabulous night at Ben's 40th 1940's themed birthday bash. I got daring with a green dress, which makes a big change from my usual black/red combo.

I wasn't the only lady rocking a green frock that night!

Love this pic - we can do it!

Sorry about shoddy pic quality - taken with iPhone in the dark. I need to get my hands on a very compact handy handbag sized camera that I can take anywhere and not worry about too much.

I'm sticking to having a day off a week, and taking time out to do nothing much, maybe catching up on a film or two. I do feel the benefit to just chilling out which is something I didn't make much time for last year.

Internety goodness.

BBC Radio 4 - The secret history of social networking

Apathy deflection device - I think we could all do with one of these from time to time! :D

Made by Lush Cosmetics for the most depressing day of the year, Jan 24th, this video has lots of feel good factor.

Us Now. 'A film project about the power of mass collaboration, government and the internet' Admittedly I've got to watch all of it, but I've liked what I've seen so far.

Most popular blog posts in January.

1. New year, new blog, here's the plan

2. When should you work for free? Some thoughts on speculative work

3. Weekly weight loss report - week 1

My favourite post

A chat with my mum - home and family life in rural Donegal

So, that's January in a (big) nutshell. Hows was your January? Here's to a great Feb! :)

Weekly Running Round Up - Introducing interval training & highs and lows

Hmm, well this isn't the weekly running report I was hoping to write. It's been a mixed week running wise and as I write this I am feeling a little bit disappointed and annoyed with myself. More on why a little later in this post.

First of all, this week I decided to introduce Interval training/running. I was going to wait until February, but was too curious and decided to give it a go.

So my first run on Weds was my first attempt at interval training.

What is interval training? AKA High Intensity Training

Interval running is where you alternate fast running and then slower running (or walking as in my case). And you repeat a set distance (or time) a few times like this.

I'd been reading up a little about it and there seems to be a lot of benefits to it:

• It helps you to run faster for longer amounts of time, so on longer runs you will find your pace quickening (though I don't think it happens overnight!)
• It's a time saver! You can get more out of 15 minutes interval running that you can out of 30 minutes slow running as you will be working much harder in a shorter amount of time
• It burns more fat/calories than longer slower runs. It shakes your body up so it doesn't get used to the same old routine.
• It will help speed up your metabolism so you burn up calories for longer periods compared to long slow runs.
• It improves overall fitness by making your heart and lungs work harder.
• It helps strengthen your muscles.

It all sounds good to me! Also, it's good to add a bit of variety to running.

I made my first attempt on Weds. I did about a 5 mile slow run warm up, chose a piece of flat road (which was about 100ft long), and started my intervals. I really enjoyed doing them!

On my long slow runs I tend to keep the same pace (as it's the only pace I can go on these runs!), and although of course I am moving my body, it's limited in movement compared to the movement on interval runs.

It was a great feeling to go flat out and put everything into a run, albeit over a short distance. My legs were lifted up high, I was using their full range of motions, my feet were lifted higher too, my arms were powering. Wow! I like it!

After a short burst of this running at effort level of about 8/10, I returned to my starting position with a brisk walk. Then repeated it again. Looking at the chart below I did this about 17 times, which I am honestly not sure if too little or too much, but it felt right.

Looking back on the data, there were times when I was hitting between 4-5 minute mile pace! Of course, I could never sustain that pace for any more than a very short time, but it's good to know, and was quite amazed.

This is my running route, just a few laps of a slow running pace, then the repeated intervals in the one area.



The next day I could really feel that my muscles in my leg had be used. It wasn't painful, but I was aware. And I couldn't wait to do it all again!

So the next day (Thurs) that's what I did. And I shouldn't have. I should have listened to my own advice about having a break between runs and waiting to recover, but I didn't. This second interval run didn't go so well. My legs were achy from the day before, but thought they would be ok after a warm up run. And when I started on the fast pace part of the intervals it was HARD WORK. The day before I was able to put in an effort of 8/10, but on this run it was more like a 5/10. My fast pace was a lot slower too.

It was too much too soon. I knew better and but ignored my better judgement. I didn't give myself enough time to recover from the first run and my body was telling me that too. You can have too much of a good thing and I got carried away.

Today (Sunday) I must admit to not being in the mood for a run. I had a fab night out last night at a party and although didn't have a lot to drink, and got home before 1am, I was just feeling a bit tired out. I managed to talk myself into getting my running gear on and eventually got in the mood to run. And THEN, no sooner had I put my trainers on, my left foot started to hurt. It's a bit hard to explain but it felt a bit like cramp. I adjusted my trainer, and tried to walk it off, but it was having none of it, so I have returned home defeated.

So, a good start to my running week, then a dodgy middle bit, then a very disappointing end. Trying to look on the bright side, I have learnt a lot from this week.

• I really should listen to my body and my instincts and remember my knowledge
• One interval run a week is enough!
• I'm still a beginner at running really and must remember that

On a more positive note I went to Hula Hooping class again! It's only my third week and I noticed a big improvement already, which is always a bit of a boost. I can keep the hoop going for long around my waist without it falling to the floor. It still does drop to the floor, but not as often. And whilst it's going around my waist I can now dips my hands in and out without knocking the hoop. I couldn't not do this at all on my first attempt.

So a mixed week. I think the important thing to take from it is remember what I've learnt, and realise that not every run is going to be the best one. There will be highs and lows to come no doubt and I've got to learn how to deal with them in a positive way :)

Weekly Weight Loss Report - Week 4 - 1lb gain

So, weigh in day today show a 1lb gain. I'm not surprised and was kind of expecting that.

As you can see from the chart below, over the last 6 months, there have been weight gains along the way. The important thing to remember is that overall, my weight loss is going in the right direction.

This weeks weight loss - 1lb GAIN
Total Weight loss - 36.4lbs (2 stone 8.4lbs)





Compared to week 3, when I had somewhat lost my my appetite, it returned in full this week! I was ravenous. Hello appetite - you are back!

Here are some thoughts about this weeks weight gain. And it's only a lb so I'm doing going to make a big song and dance about it.

• I noticed a huge increase in my appetite after my longest run of 5 miles last Sunday. I spent a load of energy and my body wanted it back and I know I have eaten a bit more, not a lot, but a bit more than usual.


• Since my last weigh in, last Saturday, I have run 7.5 miles and took a hula hooping class (will blog about that tomorrow), so I'm still being active and enjoying that.


• I've had gains before, and overcome them. It'll happen again no doubt, and that's OK. I'm looking at the bigger (excuse the pun) picture and how well I have done so far.


• It's a novelty listening to my body and what it's asking for. Noticing when I am really hungry or not. There are times when I know I have eaten enough, so sometimes I am just craving something and luckily most of the time, I crave healthier food. My taste buds are changing.


• I am getting more nutrient aware, and aiming for balance in my diet, whereas for a couple of years, pre weight loss, I didn't think very much about that.
• My goal is to lose 5lbs per month and I have lost 6lbs this month

So, it's not just the changes I see on the scales, there are other changes in play now. I am (a lot!) more active, I'm making healthier choices (but I'm not an angel!), I'm listening to my body more, and a little weight gain is not a set back!

Onto more girlie things! I treated myself to some new make up. My make up draw is groaning at the moment, and if I were to look at this sensibly, I don't need any more make up. BUT! I love it! And I particularly like Urban Decay's range, especially their eye shadows.

When I got to the Urban Decay counter in Debenhams, I asked the make up girl to 'do my eyes'. I told her to go for it, and make it glam. It was about 11am and not really a day time look, but hey, why not?

I bought Urban Decay's Black Palette. I've played about with it a bit, and I can't say it's my favourite shadow palette. I know it's called the Black Palette, but the colours aren't that vibrant! A little disappointing, but I will use it when the occasion arises.



And I found this gorgeous earring and necklace set with 70% off! Making it £6 instead of £21.




I'm going to a party tonight and I can't wait to wear it for the first time! Sometimes it's the small pretty things that make me happy :D

In preparation for the party tonight, I've changed a habit of a life time and painted my nails silver instead of red! And......I'll be wearing a GREEN dress, which is a big change from my usual red/black combo!



Tomorrow I'll blog about some new running experiences and the introduction of interval training :)

A chat with my mum - part 1 - home and family life in rural Donegal

When I was little I used to ask my Mum, "Tell me about the olden days."

And my Mum would tell me tales of childhood, her school, the farm she lived on, the frightening scare crow, the haunted house across the field. That one still scares me even now.


Last Christmas, after lunch, Mum started telling me stories from the olden days. As she was talking I had the idea of sitting her down one day and recording her stories.

My mum when she was little.

So last weekend, we took some time out and sat down and Mum told her tales and I recorded them.

My mum grew up in rural Donegal in a place called Carrickbrack. I wouldn't be surprised if Carrickbrack only consisted of about 5 houses in the area. Mum had 4 brothers and two sisters and they lived in a 3 bedroom cottage. I remember the cottage well as we used to visit my Gran and Grand Dad when I was little.







My Granddad was a farmer and also worked for other farmers. He grew all his own veg, corn, fruit and kept cows, chickens and pigs. They also had their own honey. Granny didn't work, but she worked hard enough at keeping the house running and looking after the children. She baked everyday, made jam to sell out of fruits of the season and recycled everything.

Anyway, I'll let Mum tell her story. She does it much better than me! I hope you enjoy the video.... :)

When should you work for free? Some thoughts on speculative work

I could be kept busy every day of the week working for free. Unfortunately I can’t do it.

This post is prompted by a recent request for some ‘spec’ (speculative) work.

A mid sized company got in touch asking about my photography services. They detailed what they were looking for and asked how I would approach it. I then spent about 2 hours writing a plan on how I would do the work, suggesting various styles of photography, the equipment I would use, highlighting potential problems and permissions that may be required, gave an estimate of the time and a very reasonable quote. I put together an online portfolio for them to look at which show cased my photographs that were similar to the type they were asking for. Soon after sending the email, I received a phone call. They were impressed with my plan and wanted a chat.

In the middle of the conversation the caller asked if I would do some spec work before they signed the job over to me. Basically what this would entail is me providing them with the images they wanted of the subject they wanted. A free sample. They would then decide whether to pass the contract onto me or not.

I was a little surprised at this request. Although I am often asked to take photographs for free, I’ve never been asked to provide a free sample of the exact images required before a photography job is offered.

My compromise to this suggestion was to employ me for a one-off photo shoot, that way there wasn't a big commitment of an on-going contract from their part, and I would be acknowledged for my work in a fair manner. There would be no harm done either way then. They weren't so interested in this suggestion.

The work itself would take a good 4+ hours to complete. Time well invested if I nabbed the contract on offer? I'm not so sure about that, and here's why in this instance....

They have seen samples of my work online, presumably before contacting me, and definitely after I sent them through an online portfolio for them to look at. It shows what I am capable of and my style of photography, but despite that they still wanted to make sure I was good enough before they booked me. I advised the caller that I can provide references and that I have never had any of my work rejected by a client.

What they would get out of this exchange is 4+ hours of my labour, equipment use, and images for their client, for their literature and for use online. A fair exchange for the chance of a contract that was acting as a carrot being dangled?

Where would doing this work for free get me exactly? There would be no guarantee that I would get the contract. I wouldn’t get an amazing experience out of it, or indeed photographs, that although would be of a good standard, wouldn’t be of a very exciting subject. It wouldn't be a great 'show caser', and not something I would be particularly inclined to talk/write about.

I don't think it would be the best start to a business relationship. The business would have already got something useful from me for nothing. Whilst I am doing their freebie, I am not getting paid. Whilst I am doing their freebie, I could be doing paid work. Whilst I am doing their freebie I could be working on securing paying clients.

I had to think on my feet and trust my instincts on this. Also, how would I feel after doing the work should I not get the job?

Have I heard back from this company? No. Would I have heard back from them if I had snapped up their offer to do a job for them for free. I highly suspect I would. Am I glad I stated my terms and thoughts on the matter? Yes. I've never regretted not doing any of the free work that I have been requested to do thus far.

Now, I have done a LOT of work for free over the years, particularly when I was starting out in photography. I spent 6 months (one day a week) on work experience at the Birmingham Post & Birmingham Mail newspapers. This was a great start. It threw me in at the deep end, every photography job was different, I learnt very quickly and got my work published.

And not forgetting the two years I studied at photography classes part time and gained photography qualifications.

I was willing to work for free for other photographers. I would get experience and they would get my help. However, no one took me up on this offer.

I’ve done free jobs that have REALLY interested me and that I would get a great experience out of.

I have also provided free photography services to companies that have provided their services to me for free. A fair exchange.

I work for free on the 4am Project. A personal project that is a global hit with photographers and although it takes a lot of work and effort, it is rewarding for me.

All of the above has given me a wealth of experience. The photographs I take now are partly the result of doing work for free.

Doing free work is a time consumer, no doubt, and I don’t have very much free time. I have a lot of other interests too and they mainly revolve around self development in one way or another. There is only one of me. I haven’t got support staff, unfortunately. I wish I did! I have to manage my time as efficiently as possible. I’m in business, I want that business to be a success and I have to do the right thing for it and make the right decisions.

What would paying for my services get?

Years of experiences built upon working hard, learning from my failures, investment of my time and financial investment in my equipment, top notch images you will be proud of, a fast, efficient service.

When would I be more likely to considering working for free, time allowing of course?

When I would get a great experience out it. Something I would really enjoy AND have fun.

In a skills/service swap situation, providing it works for both of us and we can both offer something the other wants or needs.

If doing a particular job for free would garner a whole heap of exposure.

If I got the chance to work with some amazing people and learn something along the way.

If the contract on offer was so tempting it would be madness not to go for it.

Times when you might wish to consider working for free....

Gain experience and learn your craft.

To build on your portfolio.

To obtain references.

To make contacts.

When laying the foundations of your business.

When you are in a position where you are not 100% relying on money from your new business. Perhaps you already have a steady job and your business start up is done in your free time.

Or if you just have a huge amount of free time and would rather be productive than sit back and do nothing. And if you are starting a new business I hope you would never want to sit back and do nothing for very long!

Reasons why you shouldn't work for free….

Doing free work in general won't help towards you earning a living.

People put more of a value on things they have to pay for. Do you want your work undervalued?

Is it a really big job? Will you regret not doing work for free? Will you regret doing it for free? What is your competition? Who else will the company be approaching?

You are not reliant on companies to show case your work - you can do it yourself! Get started online.

It potentially puts you in a demoralising position and under those circumstances you may not produce your greatest work

As you can see, there are so many things to consider; how you will feel, how you will spend your time, the rewards or lack of from doing free work.

If you are contacted about doing free work, there is no need to make a decision straight away. Don’t be pushed into it. Take control and tell the person/company that you will get back to them. Formulate some questions you may want to ask them if you need any more information. Don’t be afraid to ask for something in return, whether that be their services or indeed, payment.

Jessica Hische has made this handy, and funny diagram, which might just help you say yes or no to doing free work and put a smile on your face at the same time.


click to enlarge

I'd love to know your experiences! Has directly doing spec/free work paved the way to great things for you and your business? Have you done free work and regretted it? Do you give it consideration or simply say no?

Weekly weight loss report - week 3

I'll keep this neat and brief as I have a roast duck dinner in the oven. It's nearly ready and I can't wait for it!



Another week, another loss



Week 3 weight loss - 1.2lbs

Total weight loss - 37.4lb (2 stone 9.4lbs)



That's good enough!












I wasn't really sure what to expect weight loss wise this week. My appetite has been unusually subdued, which is a new experience. There have been times when I've just not felt hungry and even faced with some of my favourites foods, I've just thought - meh. Also, a few times, I've felt full up sooner than normal and have even left dinner on my plate! I reckon I ate approx 20% less last week than I normally would. Perhaps now I weigh less, my appetite is catching up and adjusting? Just something I wanted to note. Oh, and I've discovered the joy of roasted butternut squash - where has that been all my life?!



I've done 2 x 2.5 mile runs this week and I'm aiming for my longest run tomorrow which will be 5 miles - this will be made up out of .5m warm up walk and 4.5m run. I'm looking forward to it, but a little nervous too! Let's see how it goes.



I also went back to hula hooping again! Great fun. I think I laughed all the way through it. And I even stayed for the zumba class afterwards, which was another first. I'll do a quick blog about that shortly.



It was time I cleared out my wardrobe. I tried everything on and it took hours! I've taken out 30+ items that are too big. I couldn't see the point in hanging onto them any longer, so they are going to a charity shop. I've reserved about 6 of my best/favourite items that are too big to eventually be taken in. And I must admit to holding onto a size 10 (US size I think) Anna Sui Python Print dress that has always been too small. I've never worn it, but it's so beautiful I can't bare to part with it yet!











Here's my before and after wardrobe make over! I think the rail is relieved to be a bit lighter. I feel much better knowing that everything in there now fits me (for the time being at least) so it will be easier and quicker to make clothing choices for the day.

I treated myself to a cute black lacy dress. A £15 bargain for Primark! The pictures are a bit rubbish, but it is very pretty. I'm not going to go too mad buying new clothes at the moment. I'm planning on waiting a while before investing in too many new items as I still have a way to go weight loss wise.

So! That's this week's weight loss update. Wish me luck for my run tomorrow! And if you are thinking of putting your trainers on too - have a great time! :)

Weekly Runing Round up - Running tips, hula hooping and zumba!

Another great running week and another 10 miles in the bag! As I mentioned last week, I wanted to fit my mileage into 3 runs, rather than 4 as I did that week. It's just more efficient and time saving all round. So I manage that this week, and I'd like to stick to 3 runs a week. Not only does it save time, but it also gives me more 'recovery' days in between runs.

Tuesday Run - 2.5miles

I managed this in my lunch break and thought I would try out Sparkhill Park for a change. It's close by and although not as big as Cannon Hill, it's still a good enough size to run in, though I think I will prefer it for short runs and keep longer runs to Cannon Hill.

It went well, though I did find myself getting a bit out of breath and wondered why, but then I realised I had just run up an incline! It's kinda good to notice these things and then figure out why/what's happening.

Thursday - 2.5miles

I got a bit annoyed with my GPS watch as it took about 10minutes to pick up the satellite and I didn't want to start my run without being able to track it. So a 10 minute walk later and off I went.

Pretty much as usual the first .5 mile or so was hard going. I think this is called the 'toxic 10' where the first 10 minutes of running feels a bit rubbish! I think it's when your body gets a bit of surprise that it's moving and tries to adjust. Lots of runners get this and you just have to remember that it will pass soon!

Sunday - 5 miles! My longest run yet! (well, at least for 3-4 years)

I must admit to be a teeny bit apprehensive about this one and found myself wondering how it would go.

I made sure I ate enough before the run, and also gave my tummy enough time to digest the food - rice cakes with peanut butter and banana. Does that sound odd? It isn't - it's delicious!

This run was made up of .5m warm up walk and 4.5miles continuous running. Well, actually, I slowed down at one point to have a snack! Last week I found myself getting a bit hungry half way round my long run, so this week I brought a square of dark chocolate to nibble on. I'm glad I did. I think it helped. When I used to run years ago, and did longer runs, I used to pop a few jelly babies in my pocket and devour one after every mile lol.

I'm pleased to say the run went really well. I'd say it took until 2 miles into it until I started to feeling totally at ease with the task of such a long run. After the first 2 miles, I just broke the rest of the run down in my mind, "Do another mile, you know you can do that, it will only take 12 minutes or so". And then "A mile and a half to go! That's the easy part. That's a short run. You can do it".

Cannon Hill Park was quite busy and every kid had a set of wheels of some sort. I wish they would indicate when they were pulling out lol. Thinking about it, I now think I'd rather do my long run on a Friday or other week day when the park is quieter. It's just easier to run in a straight line and I don't have to worry about tripping over anyone and causing an accident.

Despite my best efforts with my blister prone areas, I didn't come out of this run blister free. Prior to my run I put blister plasters on the areas (prevention is better than cure right?), plus I taped up the areas too, PLUS I not only had my double lined socks on, but another thin pair too. However, I still ended up with a blister on a new area! Hurumph. Someone has suggested Vaseline, so I might try that. I'm still dithering over buying new trainers (the current ones have hardly any miles on them). Hmm, I'll give it some more thought.

On my warm up walk I got arty with my gps watch again. What is it?! It's a flower! :D

10 miles for this week mapped.

If you know me, you'll know how much I love twitter and I rely on it a fair bit for a lot of things; keeping in touch with friends, making social arrangements, asking for help or information...

And I also love the support and encouragement that is there from my twitter friends.

For instance, before I went for today's long run, I updated my twitter account and shared my news. Minutes later twitter friends had responded. And again when I updated that I had managed to complete the run.

Living on my own, I often want to share good news, or sometimes not so good news, and I haven't even got a cat to do that with lol. So I just want to give a shout out to my twitter friends and say thanks. Your short timely tweets really help and they are an encouragement too :)

It's especially lovely to see tweets like this too! Thanks Libby and well done!

I've got a couple of running friends that I follow on twitter. They have a lot more experience in running than I have, and they have both been great at giving tips along the way.

Dave Harte is training for the London Marathon this year! Thanks for the mention on your blog Dave!

And Paul Bradley writes a regular running blog on the Birmingham Mail's website. There's lots of tips about running there and he shares some great stories too.


Running goals:

I think I'll stick to 10miles again this week, broken up into 3 runs with another 5 miler as my long run. I *might* aim for 5.5miles. We'll see.

In February I'll start making one of my short runs interval training. Interval training, or intervals, are a way of building up speed. So you run a short distance really quickly, then take time to recover, and repeat. I'm not too bothered about speed to be honest, but I see this as a way to keep my running outings varied.

Running tips for beginners:

If you are just beginning to run, or even if you are more experienced, don't be afraid of walk breaks. Remember, it's still time on your feet!

Again, if you are just starting out - go slow! Too fast too soon and you might make yourself prone to injury, or feel deflated and not try another run. You have build up to longer runs, allow your body to adjust and get stronger. When you see faster runners, remember they had to start somewhere too! There are lots of run/walk programmes to help get you started.

Don't dress too warmly! Even on the coldest winter days your body WILL warm up considerably as soon as you start to move, so don't wrap up like you are going to a polar expedition. If you think you are going to stick with running, you may wish to buy some clothes that are designed for it. The benefit to this is that the clothing is made from a wicking material, which means that the clothes will draw sweat away from your body. It's clever stuff and really makes a difference. It needn't cost of a fortune and if you aren't bothered by a designer name then keep an eye out for occasional special offers from Aldi and Lidl who sometimes have great running kit at a really affordable price.

In other fitness news....

I went back to hula hooping class on Wednesday. I really enjoyed it again! There were a few more people in the class, all of vary degrees of experience. Julia, the tutor, announced that we were going to play 'tag'. The idea being that we got the hoop started around our waists and then try to avoid being tagged by moving around the room. It was hilarious and really silly, but a lot of fun!




My friend Fiona came along this week. Check her out! A natural!

Julia hold a Zumba class straight after hula hooping and my friend Nicky asked me if I would go to that too, so in for a penny, in for a pound!

This was my first Zumba class and that was fun as well. It kinda worked out like this: a 5 minute song was played and Julia showed us the moves/routine. And then with the next some, another mini routine. I was laughing at myself all the way through trying to keep up!

I got a wee bit tired during Zumba. I think after hula hooping effort it was a wee bit too much for me. Or at least it was on that night. I'll give it a go again, but if I have to choose, then I think hula hooping has captured my attentions the most.

Whew! That's was a whole lot longer than I was planning!

Hope you enjoyed reading it, please feel free to leave a comment and say hello on twitter too! :)