I love 'The Biggest Loser'

Tuesday night is my inspiration night... New seasons of the Biggest Loser, both USA and UK, shown one after the other. The US version is so much better, purely because the trainers are so real. Bob and Jillian truly are experts in their fields and they've been doing this for 10 seasons now and they know exactly how to work it! I love Jillian Michaels. She is someone who would be able to get the best out of me. Anytime I'm flagging in the gym or on a run I imagine Jillian next to me, giving me hell! 


The biggest reason for loving this programme is seeing real people change their lives in such a brutal yet honest way. These guys lose serious weight week after week by working hard and eating right. I am quite passionate about healthy eating and exercise and I learn so much by watching this programme. I started watching the US show 7 seasons ago and it has been an amazing teacher.


Plus anytime I feel my motivation lacking I watch an episode, see these hugely overweight people working out and killing themselves in the gym doing workouts that I would struggle with and I realise, once again, that it is possible. Anyone can do anything, it's just hard but then, anything worthwhile usually is hard. 


This 13 race challenge is gonna be extremely difficult. I still have no idea how I am going to run a half marathon in 35 degree heat in Africa BUT if the final four on the American biggest loser can run a marathon after just 4 months on the show, usually with starting weights  of 300, 400 and in a couple of cases 500 lbs then I know I can do it! It will not be easy but the end result, raising awareness and money for the Bantaba Project, will be more rewarding than I can imagine!

Get well soon to my Gambian mum.

I am lucky enough to have been adopted by Musa's family. This means I have a Gambian family who look out for me and the chippie while we are in their country. Gambian children adopt the tribe of their mother so I am a member of the Mandika tribe. On my last trip I made a concerted effort to learn my tribes language but it is really difficult. One word in Mandika can have seven different meanings and one sentence can be interpruted a number of different ways. Still, I bought the books, the language CD's and the dictionary and I am determined to be a little better by my next trip at the end of this year! 

I speak to Musa one way or another usually about once a week, be that by facebook, text or phonecall. Last week I found out that his mum, my adopted mum, is not very well at all. They cannot get her to the hospital in the city, the 'local' doctor cannot treat her so she has gone to the villages to see the native doctor. The language barrier means this is an much as I know but apparently she is starting to make a recovery so here is my public 'Get Well Soon'!

This running lark is expensive!

Yesterday I spent 2 hours and £115 in Alexander Sports, Portsmouth buying the perfect running shoes. My mum worked for Saucony for 12 years so all the time I have been dabbling in running I have worn Saucony trainers and they have been fine but on my training run on Friday night I got blisters on my instep, for not the first time. I decided to go and see the experts and get the right pair of trainers for my stride. 


Trust me and my expensive tastes! I tried on and ran in 6 pairs of shoes and yes, of course, I liked the most expensive pair best. And I learnt something, trainers need to be rested, like feet! I now need to buy a second pair. With all the miles I'm going to be running I should be alternating my trainers ensuring that each pair gets rested. It protects and maintains the performance in the technology. 


I am pleased to say though, that between the new shoes and finally finding the perfect sports bra (a 3 year task which has seen me running and training in two sports bras, a normal bra under a sports bra and always feeling like I'm in a trussed up corset!) my 10 k training run this morning was a lot easier than before. I hardly move and can actually breathe normally in my freya active underwired sports bra and my feet felt cushioned and protected in all the right places. 


1 week to go and at least I have now conquered the 10 k distance. My confidence is a little better having now done it once!

First race next weekend.... Nervous!!!

Ok, so the Chichester 10k, the first of my 13 races, is next Sunday and I am already nervous. My race number just arrived and within the information pack it had this terrifying piece of information... Race starts at 10.30am. Race officials will remain at the course until the last runner completes or 11.45am, whichever occurs first! That suggests they are expecting the slowest of the bunch to be done within 1hr 15. I was hoping to do about 1 hr 15 as this is my first 10k since 2009 and now I am feeling a little bit of pressure. 


I can run a 5k in about 32 minutes but I really don't think I can sustain that pace for double the distance so soon. I know it's my own fault, I shouldn't have entered a race so quickly but I had to to ensure the success of my fundraising efforts. 


So... training a go go! Sensible fuel eating yes yes yes! Max Hydration done and done. I will do everything I can to do this race right but I am so very nervous. Luckily I have the best motivation! 

What is a Bantaba???

Usually the first thing people ask me about my fundraising project is "what is a Bantaba"? 

Bantaba means " the meeting place." It is the tribal language of Mandinka and Wollof for the place where the elders of the village would meet at a tree to discuss and debate on all village matters. This is still the case in remote villages.

Usually, this tree would be a very big spreading tree, like the Baobab tree, this tree is totally usable,from roots to all the rest of it.The leaves and roots are used for medicine, the skin of the trunk and branches is used to make rope/twine.The fruits for eating. A very famous African tree!

Why The Gambia?

Alot of people ask me, why the Gambia and it's a simple answer. The country stole and broke my heart at the same time.

I had no interest in visiting Africa, it was never something on any agenda but in 2009 my partner (the chippie) and I had one weeks holiday to take and not a huge amount of money. The chippie had already visited South Africa before we met and had loved it. He has always spoken of visiting Africa again. So, the available options for our weeks holiday within our budget were Spain, Portugal or the Gambia. Neither of us wanted to go to Spain so I agreed to give the Gambia ago.

It was a week that changed my life. I had never visited a developing country before and the one thing that I found truly astounding was how happy the locals were, despite having nothing. It was true happiness and I was infected! In that first week we met Musa, who we now count amoung our best friends as well as many other locals who we are in regular contact with. Musa showed us the real Gambia, away from the strip. I worked in a school for a day, we visited villages that tourists hardly ever see and we saw how truly deprived the Gambia was. But I never met anyone who felt sorry for themselves. I never met a child who didn't love school or value their education. The Gambia is made up of 9 different cultural tribes and are 95% muslim, 5% christian yet they are an African country that are peaceful and could teach the rest of the world a thing or two. The muslims recognise Christmas, the christains support Ramadam and thet are truly peaceful.

The fundraising Challenge

The full fundraising challenge that I will be undertaking is:

100 miles completed over 13 races throughout the year ranging from 5ks to the final half marathon that will take place in the 35 degree Gambian heat in December.

I am not a natural runner and although I have dabbled with it several times over the last few years I have not yet reached a place where I enjoy it.

I have only just started my training this week and my first race is Sunday 5th February - The Chichester Priory 10k.