Day 25 of Run December

Ho ho ho.

"And a jolly christmas to you to young lady!"

At least that's what I think the harrassed looking grumpy sod said as I breezed past today with a "Merry Christmas!" on my lips. In reality his response was more along the lines of "What?!? Bugger off you mental woman."

But despite this slight set back the run today was fun. I headed out from my parents house down to the beach and a deserted sea front. With a smattering of snow falling and the odd (some very odd) santa hat, it was a nice break from the endless eating, drinking and cracker jokes.

So that's day 25 done, and christmas day to boot. I'm off to smugly watch Doctor Who and eat 3 times more calories than I've burnt off in the past year.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Run December - Day 22
Distance: 1.9 miles
Time: 20:29 mins
Weather: All cold and icy
Surface: hilly and pavements

Run December - Day 23
Distance: 1.4 miles
Time: 14.53 mins
Weather: Cooooold
Surface: Icy

Run December - Day 24
Distance: 1.02 miles
Time: 9.39 mins
Weather: Sunny
Surface: snowy

Run December - Day 25
Distance: 2.2 miles
Time: 20.42 mins
Weather: Xmassy
Surface: Snowy

Here's christmas pud in your eye.

Tick, Tock

85 hours to go. That's right, I've resorted to hours, rather than days.

The training has all been completed and I am now sitting around, bored witless while I build up my energy reserves and allow all those niggly little aches and pains to settle down.

My lovely (but rather bright!) running vest from the RNLI turned up last week and my official marathon pack plopped on my mat the following day. So it's all rather real now. In 85 hours I'll be standing on a start line with a few thousand other maniacs feeling a bit nervous and needing the loo for the 6th time that morning. And (hopefully) in 90 hours I'll be an emotional wreck hobbling over the finish line with mascara streaming down my cheeks and a frizzy afro.

Unfortunately my hotel (which I booked over 6 months ago) has kicked me out for 'maintenance' and moved me 1 mile away to a "fabulous hotel with free use of the gym and pool". Oh excellent. I can do a few miles on the treadmill the night before *sigh*. To add insult to injury my mate, Collette, who is running as well, hasn't been moved. So the logistics of driving up the Edinburgh, dropping off at 2 hotels, getting into town for a tweetup, meeting my friend (whose birthday it is!), getting back to 2 hotels, figuring out where to leave the car during the race, getting back to the car afterwards, and then driving all the way back to Nottingham is giving me a headache.

Never mind. The weather is supposed to be perfect and I've just stuck my name onto my vest. So if you see me on the day, give me a wave. I'll be the only one in yellow who isn't a daffodil.

I'll let you know how it goes, after I get back, recover a bit and break my month of 'on-the-wagonness' with a day in the pub. Apparently alcohol numbs the pain. Honest.

Here's mud in your eye.

Let's spend more at Christmas.

Now I am one of those people who are annoyingly chirpy about christmas. I love it and I don't care who knows it. Christmas is a big excuse to eat, drink and be merry while being surrounded by twinkly lights, carols and loads of Ho ho hoing Santas.

There are a lot of people who hate christmas. But invariably what they actually hate is the spending - the commercialisation. Well if this is all you see, then you have my pity. Yes, the commercialisation of christmas is depressing and sad. I can't deny that decorations and carols in October make me want to cry. But that is not christmas.

If you are one of those people who hate christmas, then I want you to try a new experiment this year. Spend more. Spend some time with people you like in the local pub without paying a fortune on overpriced meals or parties. Spend time looking for fun presents which cost little and mean more (? of present does not equal amount of love however much your girlfriend tells you it does). Spend time looking at the lights instead of rushing past with a scowl. Spend a few minutes listening to the carols and seeing the faces of small children when they get to meet Santa.

Let's see if we can't capture some of that wonder and excitement of christmas again this year and let me know in January if it works.

Here's mud in your eye.