The Dobster is fundraising for RNLI - Royal National Lifeboat Institution - JustGiving

The Dobster is fundraising for RNLI - Royal National Lifeboat Institution - JustGiving

Yes, I am. So please by nice and sponsor me a little bit.

WHY!?!?! I hear you cry...

Well for one thing I'm a diver. For another I grew up by the sea and know the hard work the staff and crew of the RNLI put in every day of the year. But mostly its because they get no government funding, their lives are in danger on almost every call out and (as the recent floods prove) we all need their help, no matter where we live.


Up until now I have done a couple of minor runs, the odd 10k race and one (painfully slow) half-marathon, which involved more walking than running. So this year is going to be a bit of a challenge. But then if you have read my previous posts, you'll know my thoughts on challenges...

So what am up to?

28 February - The Beast. 5 miles over a x-country horse run, complete with (horse-sized) jumps, thick mud, hills and water-features rather deeper than is healthy for a 5ft 6 woman.

14 March - Britain's first Kilomathon. Its a marathon, but its in Km instead of miles. So thats about 26.2km to you and me. Its from Nottingham to Derby. I'm just hoping we don't have to walk home afterwards.

23 May - Edinburgh Marathon. The biggy. Its big. BIG. Never done a marathon before and this one looks great. I'll give you a wave when I pass a tv camera.


So, I hope you can help me get to my fundraising target, and if you specifically sponsor my blisters I'll post you pictures of them as proof. No really, I will.

Here's mud in your eye.



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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.

You're doing what...?

"You're doing what...?" are words I have heard a lot lately. Along with words like mental, nutter, insane, crazy... You get the picture. It's all because I have decided to embrace life and stop sitting around regretting not doing stuff. So about 14 months ago I made a decision which has pretty much changed my life and I joined another group of nutters trying to get fit. Since then I have got back into running, made a few new friends, discovered I can do a press up and spent many hours in the shower trying to de-mud myself.

My family thinks I'm insane and I'll grow out of it. I think it's a bit late for that. But one of the best quotes I have ever heard (please let me know if you know who it's by) is "Do something every day which scares you".

What have you done today?

Here's mud in your eye.

Hello World.

I am the Dobster... which is a bit like being a walrus but with smaller tusks. And in 2010 I'm going to be doing some stuff which I thought I'd blog about because someone might be interested.

Most of the stuff will be in my on-going campaign to make myself a little bit thinner and a lot more able to run for a bus without having to use the 'Reserved for red and sweaty people' seats.

I'll be doing this by entering a load of ridiculous races, running around my home town of Nottingham a lot and getting extremely knackered and muddy. In the process I'm hoping to raise some money for the RNLI.

I'll even consider requests for getting involved in ridiculous stuff (if you promise to sponsor me and it won't actually get me killed). So hopefully you will enjoy my whimsical ramblings and possibly even get something out of it.

Signing off for now, but will be back soon with a bit of background to me, my challenges and why I'm going to do them.

Here's mud in your eye.