Two more sleeps….

It’s Thursday, the office is quiet, the weather is still (or at least it was when I began writing!) and I am in a strange state of calmness. This is most likely the calm before the metaphorical and literal storm. There are just two more sleeps until I take my place at the start line in Richmond park. Months of preparation have all been about this one day. I have been checking the weather on the half hour and I am slightly relieved to know that we have avoided what was due to be the worst thunder storm in fifty years, although we will not be able to avoid the torrential rain which appears will be a constant along the London2Brighton route.

Never have I been so grateful for sandwich bags. I have severals of them packed with the little bits and pieces that I may need throughout the day, in hope that they will keep them dry from the downpours. As the weeks have went on, my shopping list has become stranger and stranger, from plasters and tapes, protein powder and probably the weirdest addition being denture cleaning tablets. I’ll pledge a fiver for anyone who can guess what I needed them for!! Now though, my pack is complete, all I need to do is make myself some sandwiches for the 25k stop and then I can hit the road. Finalising my registration tomorrow evening by signing in at Richmond and picking up my bib. That way I’ll be able to get an extra hours sleep on Saturday night, if I manage to get off to sleep at all!

In the mean time, a huge thank you to everyone who has donated in the past few days, taking the total amount to over one thousand pounds. I’m still quite a bit away from my target so I would be delighted if anyone could chip in an extra few quid. You know the drill guys. You’re already online so why not take a minute to complete your good deed of the day.

https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/anitamaguire2

P.S It seems I forgot to share my last blog post with you all, so have a nose!

See you all on the other side,

 

Peace out!

Neets xxx

Nearly there…

And so another weekend has come and gone. The weeks have closed in quicker than I ever imagined and I am now just five days away from my 23rd Birthday, when I will walk 100km for the Dan Eley Foundation. The ratio of excitement to fear is around 60:40. Although they fear seems to be increasing as the days progress.

My final weekend was spent on home shores, where after five months I had plenty of catching up to do. Training couldn’t be ignored though so on Friday morning with our sandwiches in our backpacks, Niamh and I took off for Glan. In just over two hours we reached Glan and stopped in for coffee and our picnic with Granny. Amazingly, the weather was beautiful and we were both a lovely shade of red by the time we’d made it down the mountain. It was a huge boost to feel that 30km was just a leisurely stroll for me. Huge respect to Ms Niamh Dolan though for sticking the pace. To do 30km without building up to it is no mean feat although I suspect she may have had a few aches and pains afterwards.

Saturday was a much bigger challenge for me! My nephew made his First Holy Communion and I couldn’t have been prouder of him. Although I did allow myself some communion cake, it was hugely difficult to not crack open a bottle and join in with the festivities. Eating porridge and drinking coffee is not quite as comforting as beer, crisps and chicken wings. Although it was hugely rewarding to make the trip back to London with a fresh head; somewhat of a new sensation for me.

Over the weekend I received my e-ticket from the London2Brighton team. This contained my bib number and seemed to make the whole thing seem much more real!

Huuuuge thanks for all the donations, I received over the weekend. I am getting close to my target now which is brilliant. If you haven’t sponsored me and would like to do so then please visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/anitamaguire2 . I’m not sure if there’ll be time for a blog post between today and Saturday but there will be one when it’s all over….if I actually make it past my 23rd Birthday!!

Homeward bound….

Tomorrow, I will touch down on Irish soil, get a hug from my mother at the airport and enjoy what Irish people do best…Swearing! After five months of enduring british political corectness, without a visit home for respite, this is much needed. There is no better feeling of comfort than being in a room full of people who are on the same wavelength and who you can completely be yourself around without judgement.

However time is of the essence and with just over a week until the London2Brighton challenge , I have to combine catching up with friends and family with some training. So Niamh has agreed to be my training buddy and on Friday we will set off on the 30km round trip to Glan. Nestled at the top of the Cuilcagh mountains, Glan is a tiny untouched rural village. It is also home to my Granny. Now the thought of an Irish Granny conjurs images of freshly baked bread and plump cardigan clad women knitting blankets and reading the Irelands Own with a cup of tea. This is not my Granny. My granny, who is in the latter end of her 80’s, is a lean, spritely lady with a sharp tongue and a naughty habit of giggling uncontrollably at inappropriate times. Since seeing her at Christmas she has spent the majority of her time in hospital, even undergoing open heart surgery which would be unthinkable for anyone else of her age. But, not being one to adhere to the “norm” Granny is now back where she is happiest with Noddy the cat.

Saturday will see my nephew and Godson, Jason, receive his First Holy Communion. All of the family will gather to celebrate the latest milestone is his life. Whilst the party gathers momentum, with beer and wine flowing I will be employing all of my self restrainst to not join them with a beer or two. 

By Sunday It will be time to come back to London and knuckle down for the week. Rest and recooperate and get ready for the biggest challenge of my life!

Less than two weeks to go!!

I’m not quite sure what to write in this. For once in my life I am at a loss for words. Or at least I am at a loss for words that aren’t profanities or offensive to probably every single reader.

There are only eighteen days until I set off towards Brighton, facing the south downs, along a 100 kilometre/ 62 mile route. Most sane people who are in peak fitness and want to set themselves a difficult goal aim for a marathon. I, who have never even ran in a 5k race, have commited myself to complete two and a half marathons in one go! I tend to find myself in cycles of blind fear and excitement. Every hour or so I have a mini panic attack which lasts for about five minutes and then I’m calm again which I think is probably pretty good considering the scale of the challenge I’m taking on. My panic attacks aren’t helped by the fact that my training has taken a bit of a bashing in the past week. Wisdom teeth removal and a bout of tonsilitis have very literally stopped me in my tracks. Unfortunately, my training plan did not allow time for any illness. However I am back on form and have restarted my training with renewed vigour.

My spirits have been boosted by the donations which have continued to come in over the past week. I am now well over half way towards my target amount. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated so far. If you haven’t donated yet, please do. It literally takes two minutes and it will forever win you a place in my heart! https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/anitamaguire2

Also for anyone on Irish soil who has been informed by the one and only Ms Niamh Dolan that I am doing the Davina McCaul swim, run, cycle challenge, this is not true. The main reason being that I can’t swim. I think walking 100km is enough of a challenge without adding possible drowning to the equation!!