Hi Everyone,
Apologies once again for the lag time between blogs but Christmas and the build up to it has somewhat got in the way of my blogging! Since I last wrote (16th Nov) my running patterns have been temporamental to say the least! November went well and I was building up distance and speed very well. I was running 10 miles in 1.5 hours which was more or less spot on my target marathon pace....and then the snow came!!! Fresh snow wasn't so much of a problem and I happily set out along the towpath on the powder but it was after a day or two when the compacted snow had frozen solid that I realised that I was much less Jane Torvill, more bambi, when it came to running on the ice. As a result I've been running in the gym but after 50 mins on the treadmill I start to go a bit mad so for the last 3 weeks there has been little to no improvement in my running. However, having shared a christmas with a father with a slipped disc and an uncle in much need of a hip replacement, I've never been more grateful for my health and fitness and this in turn is spurring me on to a new year of solid and effective training whatever the weather!
In other news...
I organised for myself and 4 of the other GSK grads to take part in a Santa Dash in early December to raise money for the Michael Sobell House Hospice in Northwood. I volunteered here back in October with some of my Oncology colleagues and decided I'd do more to support them. After a whip around the office the 4 of us raised nearly £500. I also beat all the other grads (who happened to be men, but that's by the by of course!) and most of the other Santa's to finish in 6th place.
I have also now set up my Just Giving page. I know this seems early but with a target of £5000 I'm going to be very busy. Of course you have got until April to sponsor me but I just wanted to get the word out sooner rather than later and if there is anyone else you know who might like to sponsor me then please pass on the web address to them. http://www.justgiving.com/Hannah-Musgrave
Happy Christmas and here's to a fit and healthy 2011! xx
Tuesday, 28 December 2010
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
It's official!
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to let you know that I was officially awarded my London Marathon place today. While I had been told by Help the Hospices that they were going to give me a place it wasn't until today that I was officially recognised by the London Marathon itself so I'm very excited! No getting out of it now!
I also thought you should know that Michael Howard has been named as the new Chairman of Help the Hospices and dedicated his maiden speech in the House of Lords to praising the wonderful work that hospices do. His personal experience with cancer (his father died of breast cancer aged 49) makes him a fitting person to continue leading such an amazing charity.
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/parliament/2010/11/michael-howard-makes-his-maiden-speech-in-the-house-of-lords.html
I have included the link above to his speech. But I want to draw your attention to one particular bit:
What is most remarkable about all this is the extent to which it has been achieved with a minimum of financial help from the Government. Health services are funded separately by the devolved Governments in each nation of the United Kingdom. In England, the Government contribute an average of 32 per cent of running costs for adult hospices, predominantly through primary care trusts, and about 15 per cent for children's hospices. The rest has to be found by charitable fundraising. Together hospices raise £1 million pounds a day to pay for the services that they provide. Almost 100,000 volunteers work in hospices throughout the United Kingdom, and the hospices could not do the work they do without them
This is the very reason why I am writing this blog, running the marathon and the reason I will ask all my generous blog-followers to sponsor me in April!
xxxx
I just wanted to let you know that I was officially awarded my London Marathon place today. While I had been told by Help the Hospices that they were going to give me a place it wasn't until today that I was officially recognised by the London Marathon itself so I'm very excited! No getting out of it now!
I also thought you should know that Michael Howard has been named as the new Chairman of Help the Hospices and dedicated his maiden speech in the House of Lords to praising the wonderful work that hospices do. His personal experience with cancer (his father died of breast cancer aged 49) makes him a fitting person to continue leading such an amazing charity.
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/parliament/2010/11/michael-howard-makes-his-maiden-speech-in-the-house-of-lords.html
I have included the link above to his speech. But I want to draw your attention to one particular bit:
What is most remarkable about all this is the extent to which it has been achieved with a minimum of financial help from the Government. Health services are funded separately by the devolved Governments in each nation of the United Kingdom. In England, the Government contribute an average of 32 per cent of running costs for adult hospices, predominantly through primary care trusts, and about 15 per cent for children's hospices. The rest has to be found by charitable fundraising. Together hospices raise £1 million pounds a day to pay for the services that they provide. Almost 100,000 volunteers work in hospices throughout the United Kingdom, and the hospices could not do the work they do without them
This is the very reason why I am writing this blog, running the marathon and the reason I will ask all my generous blog-followers to sponsor me in April!
xxxx
Monday, 8 November 2010
A bit later than planned!
Hello blog followers!
I'm not sure how many of you are out there yet but I've had a couple of people asking me about my 'next post' which is encouraging!
I think it's fair to say that since we last spoke the training has been going well! I had a bad cold at the end of October which put me out of action for 4/5 days and the difference that made in the following week was horrifying - fitness takes weeks or months to build up and yet it seems that you can lose it in matter of days - very unfair! At the end of this bad spell I took part in a 10k race in Battersea Park which I completed in 51minutes which I was pretty happy with.There's another event in December so I'm hoping to improve on my time then.
I've now upped my training from 3 to 4 times a week which seems to be having a positive impact on my overall fitness. Mid-week I'm runnning 3-5 miles/session and at the weekend I'm running a total of about 15miles. I've forced myself to run in the rain a couple of times in preparation for the winter ahead but the generally mild weather has given me a very gentle introduction to unseasonal running!
I've also discovered the joys of Mars chocolate milk (Mars, if you'd like to sponsor me that would be fine!). Not only is it a great refuel after a longer run but it also tastes amazing. The only issue at the moment is that once a carton is open it doesn't seem to last that long - I have my suspicions that other members of the family might have developed a taste for it too!
That's pretty much all for this post. Please become a 'follower' if you enjoy the blog and post comments too if you have any valuable hints or tips.
xxxxxxx
I'm not sure how many of you are out there yet but I've had a couple of people asking me about my 'next post' which is encouraging!
I think it's fair to say that since we last spoke the training has been going well! I had a bad cold at the end of October which put me out of action for 4/5 days and the difference that made in the following week was horrifying - fitness takes weeks or months to build up and yet it seems that you can lose it in matter of days - very unfair! At the end of this bad spell I took part in a 10k race in Battersea Park which I completed in 51minutes which I was pretty happy with.There's another event in December so I'm hoping to improve on my time then.
I've now upped my training from 3 to 4 times a week which seems to be having a positive impact on my overall fitness. Mid-week I'm runnning 3-5 miles/session and at the weekend I'm running a total of about 15miles. I've forced myself to run in the rain a couple of times in preparation for the winter ahead but the generally mild weather has given me a very gentle introduction to unseasonal running!
I've also discovered the joys of Mars chocolate milk (Mars, if you'd like to sponsor me that would be fine!). Not only is it a great refuel after a longer run but it also tastes amazing. The only issue at the moment is that once a carton is open it doesn't seem to last that long - I have my suspicions that other members of the family might have developed a taste for it too!
That's pretty much all for this post. Please become a 'follower' if you enjoy the blog and post comments too if you have any valuable hints or tips.
xxxxxxx
Monday, 4 October 2010
First Blog
Hello friends, family and strangers!
Firstly, I've never blogged before so want to apologise in advance for any technological gaffs that befall me! Secondly, I have never run a marathon before so 2010-2011 is a year of firsts for me!
As some of you will already know, I am running the London Marathon on April 17th 2011 for Help the Hospices. Last year I ran a half marathon and swore than I would never be able to, or wish to, run a full marathon. Well here I am 1 year on and starting my training for the full 26 miles and 385 yards! I've always wanted to write a blog but didnt have anything interesting enough to write about...until now! I plan to regale you with tales of sweat and sorrow as I commence my 6 months of preparation.
I am thrilled to have a place on the London Marathon as with every year that passes the places are increasingly hard to get hold of. Most of my friends who applied have not got a place so I feel especially lucky and this in itself is a real motivation. But of course my main motivation will be the amazing charity that I am running for. Help the Hospices is a cause close to my heart for a number of reasons. My grandfather, Patrick Newel, was a fundraising consultant for Help the Hospices and more specifically for the Duchess of Norfolk, founder and president of the charity. He eventually died at the Princess Alice Hospice in 1992. My mum, Alison, also works at the Shooting Star Children's Hospice who provide amazing care for children with life-limiting conditions and support their families through impossibly difficult times. Finally, Jacko's father (Jacko being the boyfriend for those of you who don't know me so well) is the Chief Executive of St Richard's Hospice in Worcestershire, another extraordinary place which transforms people's lives when they need it most.
Of course this blog is not entirely without alterior motive and I will be tapping you for cash at some point but before I do I want to earn my sponsorship and plan to use this blog to provide you with entertaining (hopefully!) anecdotes of my foray into the world of running as well as trying to tell you a little bit more about the amazing work that the hospices do.
Wish me luck! xxx
Firstly, I've never blogged before so want to apologise in advance for any technological gaffs that befall me! Secondly, I have never run a marathon before so 2010-2011 is a year of firsts for me!
As some of you will already know, I am running the London Marathon on April 17th 2011 for Help the Hospices. Last year I ran a half marathon and swore than I would never be able to, or wish to, run a full marathon. Well here I am 1 year on and starting my training for the full 26 miles and 385 yards! I've always wanted to write a blog but didnt have anything interesting enough to write about...until now! I plan to regale you with tales of sweat and sorrow as I commence my 6 months of preparation.
I am thrilled to have a place on the London Marathon as with every year that passes the places are increasingly hard to get hold of. Most of my friends who applied have not got a place so I feel especially lucky and this in itself is a real motivation. But of course my main motivation will be the amazing charity that I am running for. Help the Hospices is a cause close to my heart for a number of reasons. My grandfather, Patrick Newel, was a fundraising consultant for Help the Hospices and more specifically for the Duchess of Norfolk, founder and president of the charity. He eventually died at the Princess Alice Hospice in 1992. My mum, Alison, also works at the Shooting Star Children's Hospice who provide amazing care for children with life-limiting conditions and support their families through impossibly difficult times. Finally, Jacko's father (Jacko being the boyfriend for those of you who don't know me so well) is the Chief Executive of St Richard's Hospice in Worcestershire, another extraordinary place which transforms people's lives when they need it most.
Of course this blog is not entirely without alterior motive and I will be tapping you for cash at some point but before I do I want to earn my sponsorship and plan to use this blog to provide you with entertaining (hopefully!) anecdotes of my foray into the world of running as well as trying to tell you a little bit more about the amazing work that the hospices do.
Wish me luck! xxx
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