The Habulous Blog result New venture

Over the last few months I have been overwhelmed by the commitment needed to train for a marathon, it really does become all consuming. The dedication needed to just get around the course let alone focus on a good time is massive.  For some their time is important, however I have reached the conclusion that to just make it around is a bloody brilliant achievement. Hats off to everyone who has ever done one, I salute you.

My training has had its ups and downs, I’ve lost toe nails, been hailed on, lost all feeling in my limbs, played ridiculously petty mind games, etc, etc, etc.  I think the toughest element for me has been the solitude, its very hard to keep positive without someone else beside you.  If I was training again, I would definitely try to run with others (although I must say I have no intention of doing this ever again).

Today was to be my final long run and I’m pleased to say other than an early stop for a photo for this blog, I ran well.  Well that is for 11 miles and then my calf went ping, literally ping.  I tried to struggle on but the pain was to much and more importantly I can’t afford to do to much damage.   Much to my dismay I had to admit defeat and call friends who kindly came to my rescue.  I can’t believe that after all those months of training, that I have now injured myself.  I am still doing this, I will not be defeated by a mere muscle.

So my next few days will involve lots of ice packs and hopefully a session with a sports physio.  Fingers crossed it heals well, as I really do want to run not walk this marathon.

If you have sponsored me don’t worry, I will still be doing it but maybe even slower than anticipated... On the note of life giving you lemons; I may as well share another one of my card designs which we hope to launch in the upcoming months (It seems apt to me).  I’ve raised other £1000.00 to date and still have a way to go for Back Care, so if you are able to support me hobbling or running in 3 weeks just click on this link to donate to my page.   I’m signing off now with my leg in the air!

Right now, I’m feeling refreshed after two nights away with my hubby Paul and no children (that’s right no kids......  we bribed my Mum into having them for the whole weekend).  Over the course of the weekend I was struck by what it meant to be kid free, here’s just a few of the highlights:

• No constant background bickering
• No standing on the sidelines of a football pitch, trying to keep upright while the wind comes straight for you at 50 mph
• No need to spend 8 hours in a hall watching table tennis and worrying about how big my bottom is becoming and what I could be doing if I wasn’t there.
• TV remote freedom (goodbye Harry Hill, I do not have to watch you this weekend, in fact better still no TV)
• Travelling in the car without a single “Are we there yet”
• Eating with no one moaning about the vegetables on the plate.
• Not being compared to all those allusive (they are never named, in fact may not exist) parents who let their children do exactly what they want, when they want.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the point; don’t get me wrong I love them to bits but a break from their demands once in a while is a real pleasure.  Needless to say we had a really relaxing time; it’s not often that we have no real agenda.  We walked, we ate and we slept, absolute bliss.

The weekend was near perfect, I can highly recommend “The Lugger Hotel” at Portloe.  It is rare that everything goes just the way you want and for the most part it did.  Sure enough though it was the start of getting back to reality on the last night, when the waitress knocked a freshly filled glass of red wine all over me.  Amongst the commotion we became the focus of every single person in the restaurant, as they watched to see how events would un-fold, looking down at the state of my dress we decided a quick exit was the only course of action we could take.  Back to the safety of our room we retired early to dream about our missed puds.

The weekend away came at the perfect time, as we have been really busy the last few months, literally working around the clock trying to get our latest project up and running.  Paul and I have now been running our stores for 13 years and over the last few years we have worked with lots of talented designer makers to bring more handmade elements to our stores.  We have also launched our own handmade ranges; Paul makes some amazing wooden letters and I make a small range of hand thrown pottery and of course our very successful fragranced soya wax melts.

Both of us have a real passion for art and design and are currently working towards launching our own range of cards (at last we are putting our Art School days to full use!)  Here’s one of our designs, it really is great to get our teeth into a project like this.

I am finding the London Marathon training really tough now, I didn’t really realise how much of a time commitment it would be.  This time of the year the weather can be pretty rough and my last 3 long runs have all involved hail (it hurts a lot).  As soon as I finish this post I’m going to have to change into my trainers and do a mere 20 mile run.  I spent last night planning the run and for those who know the area this is what I have planned.  Running from my house to the Burrator reservoir, to complete 3 circuits, then on to Meavy and using the back lanes run to Yelverton, from there I will join the cycle path and run into Tavistock.  I say run I’ll probably be dragging my feet at the end.  If you see me yell something encouraging, I need all the support I can get.  Bloody typical the heavy rain has just started.   A lovely surprise when I crawl back in through the front door later, would be to be a little bit closer to my fund raising target, so if you can please give generously!  Here’s the link to my fundraising page.  Bye for now.