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Today you can change a young person's life. Please donate to vInspired’s crucial work. #TBGChallenge http://thndr.it/1oZme4M

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Fundraising doesn’t have to feel like a marathon…

Fundraising doesn’t have to feel like a marathon… top event fundraising tips from @erikadallimore!

Now the dust has settled on The London Marathon 2014 (although not on my medal – that bad boy is getting LOTS of attention), you might be thinking of getting involved in 2015! You’ll be pleased to know that I won’t be putting in for the ballot this year, and therefore you may have a smidgen more chance, but if you don’t get a ballot place you could of course run for a charity. Still competitive,…

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Race Report: The Virgin Money London Marathon 2014

My Race Report: The Virgin Money London Marathon 2014 #vlm2014

[WARNING: Grab a cuppa and a biscuit because this is LONG]

If I’m honest, it’s taken a lot of soul searching and tears to write this report. Did I ever think I’d be writing this six months ago? I’m not sure. My mum said to me at the end that from the moment I said I was doing it there was no doubt for her that I would cross that finish line. Someone on Twitter said once I’d finished that I should…

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The build up to the Big One

The build up to the Big One - how I prepped for The London Marathon #vlm2014

So, I’ve now done what only a very small proportion of the global population do – I’ve run a marathon. Alright it was decidedly slow, but I’ve done it and that medal is alllll mine! Before I get down to brass tacks and bring you all the race report you’ve been waiting for (because let’s face it, it is going to be hilarious), I thought I’d tell you a little bit about my build up to the big day.

I…

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This. Is. It #vlm2014 I'm doing it. I'm running it. See you on the other side VLM.

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This one is for you

This one is for you - for everone who has supported my #vlm2014 journey

This one is for you…all the amazing people who have donated. These charities mean so much to me, and every message of hope and luck has given me chills and felt like a warm hug. Even those of you who said I was crazy or that is probably get a top 10 finish. With every mile I’ll plod I’ll be thinking of you and all your generosity. Even the strangers that donated or people I haven’t seen for…

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Testing testing - race nutrition

Testing testing - race nutrition. My #vlm2014 fuelling plan

Gels. I kind of thought it would be awesome when I got to this stage in the game. I mean, I’m basically consuming sugary treats whilst running. That has got to take the sting out of the long distances right? Wrong.

What they don’t tell you is that most gels taste like…well they don’t taste good. Overly sweet, chemically, with the fruit ones sending a shock straight to my intestines they are not…

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7 things you probably shouldn't do when tapering for a marathon

The taper. It’s the stuff of dreams. Every marathoner this Spring has been waiting for those glorious 3 weeks where the mileage goes down and it is all about restoring and repairing your body for the full thing.

Despite the fact that I still have a shit-ton of running to do – apparently the mileage doesn’t ease off that much – I have been looking forward to preparing my body, and mainly my mind…

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Sparrow v Marathon - training weeks 17 - 20

Sparrow v Marathon - my training weeks 17 - 20 (it isn't pretty) #vlm2014

I thought it might be helpful, for a wee bit of transparency, to log each week of training, how I’m feeling and whether I’m keeping up with my planned runs. I hope people will have advice for me and more importantly, cheer me on for those 5am runs. It’s pretty cold out there…

Training Weeks 17-20

If you read my last post, there is very little reason for me to actually spell out my weekly runs and…

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Marathon - the biggest mistake of my life?

Marathon - the biggest mistake of my life? #vlm2014

Today, I posted this to my social media accounts:

Do you know what? Marathons are ridiculous. This is ridiculous. I want out. I hate this. I wake up with dread. The end needs to come, immediately. Biggest mistake of my life.

I’ve got a secret to tell you. I feel like this Every. Single. Day.

This weekend pushed me over the edge. After last weekend and its total wash out of training (i.e. – I…

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Eat, sleep, run, repeat

Run, eat, sleep, repeat --> how running took over every aspect of my life #vlm2014

It’s just about a month or so until the big day is here. It’s a day I never thought would come, but soon it’ll be here and I’ll be lining up in a pen at the start line of The London Marathon. One of the most famous marathon courses in the whole world. Huh.

If you’ve followed this blog or are a friend or family member, you’ll know that I’m not really a runner at all and I would have done literally…

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Yoga classes this Sparrow has fallen hard for

Yoga classes this Sparrow has fallen hard for featuring @frameshoreditch @blue_cow_yoga and @goodvibesstudio

As part of my yoga ephipany, I’ve been trying as many classes and studios as I can get my hands on. Living in London, I’m really lucky that I get the opportunity to have so many studios at my disposal, and that many of these do free trial offers so I don’t have to commit too soon. I don’t think I have a favourite style yet, but I like that with yoga it can fit your mood – sweaty or still, calm or…

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Why I'm pounding the pavements for Great Ormond Street Hospital

Why I'm pounding the pavements for Great Ormond Street Hospital - fundraising for #vlm2014

As I wrote in my post last week about fundraising for Harefield Hospital, there is another charity that I am also fundraising for through the marathon this year that is also extremely close to myself and my family. As well as being a huge part of my own brother’s treatment very many years ago, I have had countless colleagues, friends and others whose children have been treated there.

That charity…

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Sparrow v Marathon - training week 16

Sparrow v Marathon - my training week 16 for #vlm2014

I thought it might be helpful, for a wee bit of transparency, to log each week of training, how I’m feeling and whether I’m keeping up with my planned runs. I hope people will have advice for me and more importantly, cheer me on for those 5am runs. It’s pretty cold out there…

Training Week 16

Monday – (off work) 50 minute Kettlebell DVD and 30 minute Swiss Ball DVD

Tuesday – Training Run – 40…

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How I made friends (and eventually fell in love) with yoga

How I made friends (and eventually fell in love) with yoga through my #vlm2014 training

Perhaps one of the best/only good thing/additional bonus of training for this hideous marathon (hey I’m feeling super positive right now eh?!) is the discovery that yes, I do actually love yoga. I was a self confessed anti-yogi before I started training for the marathon and I strongly believed that I would not have to do any whilst training. I’d done one class quite some time ago, I couldn’t keep…

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Why I'm pounding the pavements for Harefield Hospital

Why I'm pounding the pavements for Harefield Hospital - my fundraising story for #vlm2014

For those that know me well and have been following my progress, you’ll know that I’m raising money for a charity very close to my heart (well two charities actually, but more on the other later!). I spoke before about how conflicted I was with fundraising for charity and how racing and running has become so intrinsically linked to charity that it makes it hard for everyone to participate but I…

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Sparrow v Marathon - training weeks 14 & 15

Sparrow v Marathon – training weeks 14 & 15

I thought it might be helpful, for a wee bit of transparency, to log each week of training, how I’m feeling and whether I’m keeping up with my planned runs. I hope people will have advice for me and more importantly, cheer me on for those 5am runs. It’s pretty cold out there…

Training has been completely awful. Right in the thick of it I’ve lost my mojo and most importantly I’ve lost the ability…