HELLO!!!  It's the day after!!!!  I am fine! I have 4 blisters, whcih is a first, but I think that is because of the rain - wet socks a feet rubbing and we have been so lucky with our training, had not had rain like that.  But anyway, it was fantastic!  Especially the first 13 miles, they were lovely.  Up to 20 was not too bad.  After 23 was really quite hard and I had to dig deep and did end up walking quite a bit. I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has sponsored me.  I haven't done a final count yet and I know my Dad and sisters have all done a little fundraising for me, so the amounts from them are as yet a surprise, but I think it will be in the region of £1800.00!!  WOW SO COOL THANK YOU SO MUCH!!  Now I just have to collect the majority of it in so fingers crossed that this next part of my challenge goes as well as the first bit.  Lots of love to you all.  Chrissie xx

Hello Everyone.  ONE WEEK TOMORROW!!!!  To be honest I can't wait!  The training has been so hard and the committment to give one day of your weekend for the whole of this year so far over to running, thats just the long runs.  And that day is an early start to emulate Marathon day!  So yes, it's been hard.  Tapering down though at the moment is brill!!  We did 13 miles last weekend and it was easy peasy in comparison to the 20 the week before!!  So that was a little boost.  Now I know that it is just a false sense of security and the 13th will be soooooooo hard.  Especially the 20+ bit which we haven't yet experienced.  BUT it will be so cool to, to finally get to do it and experience the crowds and the other runners and when we are going through the pain at 22 miles, to know that we don't have to do any more running if we don't want to after the next 40 minutes!!!!!!!  BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY to know I have rasied loads of money for a really good cause and in memory of my lovely Aunty Barbara.  (Am obviously quite tired this Saturday morning as this is bringing a tear to my eye.)  I want to thank here as well, my partner Kev for all his support and motivation and patience/acceptance of the drain on my time, and also my family and Kev's family for their support too.  Annabel, well it goes without saying, that I extend my thanks to her as without her I would not have been able to do all this training.

Please sponsor me, if you are reading this and havent yet.  Even a small amount will be fantastic.

Please think positive thoughts on the 13th to get me round that last bit - and yes I do believe in all that stuff so gets thinking!

Love Chrissie xx

Hello Everyone.  Really sorry that there has been no update for almost one month!!!  BUT in my defence IT HAS BEEN A HARD MONTH!!!!!  Today is 22nd March and I must admit, I haven't ran since last Saturday when we did 18 miles, which I found tough.  And tomorrow we are doing 20 miles!!!!  Ashvale to Alton.  It is our last big run before tapering down to the Marathon, which means after tomorrow - no single run longer then 12 miles - yipee!!!  The reason I haven't ran this week is that I have been to Cumbria to see my Mum and chill out.  Since 29th Feb Kev and I completed on a house purchase (which should have completed ages ago).  It was pure 1970s so every spare moment we are in there stripping walls, ripping out kitchen and bathroom and taking up all the carpets.  So I have been really tired, as work has been busy too and hence I have to admit I have found the training very very hard indeed.  I am still really glad I am doing it and it is fantastic that I will raise at least £1,500 for MS, but am I allowed to say that I am glad it is nearly over!!!!  I will stick to halfs after this (if not just good old 10Ks!!).  I may even try a SMALL triathlon!  But all other fundraising events will not be over 13 miles!!! 

SO 4 weeks tomorrow it will be over!!!!!!!!!!!!  PLEASE PLEASE, if you are looking at this page and you haven't yet sponsored me, PLEASE DO SO.  All amounts gratefully received (and yes I will get Kev to sponsor me too at some point!!)  Thanks All - Take care of yourselves - and remember I need prayers, thoughts and positive energy from you all Pleeeeeeeease XXX

Dear All, A quick update as at 24/02/08.  I am not as tired today as I was at the last update, which is nice!!  Since last update I have done the Brighton 1/2 marathon in 2hrs 11mins (10 min miles).  It was actually lovely!!  Great weather, mostly flat course - which is exactly how I like it.  Although the hills it did have were in the last 5 miles, as were several doubly back bits which were NASTY - Lets take the course within sight of the finish, and then turn u right back around again!!!!  Yesterday, we did 15 miles which was tuff, (2hrs 38) nice route and all that around Alton and Odiham but still those last few miles .................  But since having done Brighton, we know that the crowd helps, as do the other runners and we especially liked tribal type bands - very motivational beats.  Sunday coming 2/3/08 we have Reading half marathon, which looks like it is lots of HILLS, oh I could cry now!! Really I would rather it be the week later when we are gonna try 17, hopefully flat over 13 with hills.  But it will make the Marathon easier I suppose!!                        Also another boost has been to see all the lovely sponsors coming in.  THANK YOU THANK YOU if you have sponsored me.  Chrissie xxxxxxxx

Hello Everyone, Update as at 13/2/08.  I am having a really tired day.  In fact I am exhausted.  We did 13.2 miles on Sunday which was ok.  And we have the Brighton half marathon this Sunday (6.30 start to get there).  But I think the pressure of the training / the fundraising / a new job and buying a house is showing slightly today - so I am gonna have a big lie in tomorrow!!!  I am worried about not reaching my fundraising target.  I am planning a post marathon party where I am organising a quiz and a raffle (or trying to) but I do find myself worrying that I seem quite far away from my target at this point - so if your reading this page PLEASE DO SPONSOR ME, ANY AMOUNT!  I am now gonna go and do one of my short runs - ideally about 6 miles and it is running club tomorrow - they beast me!!  But it will benefit me in the long run and when the money is all collected, it will benefit MS too!!  I hope you are all well.  Chrissie xxx

 Hello Everyone.  Here is my latest update as at 4/02/08.  Yesterday Annabel and I ran 13 miles.  We were so chuffed, but could have killed Kev within one mile of starting.  A nice route he had planned for us, advising me that there was a big hill at the end that we may want to walk up!  Now no doubt you might think like me, that the hill he mentioned was the only one of consequence??!!  NO.  The reason he advised we might want to walk up it was because it was about the 20th MASSIVE hill he had sent us up!  In fact we didn't even go up the one he was mentioning as we were too tired and had to change the route!!!!!!  But 13 miles we still completed and in at least 12 minute miles.  I am hoping we improve to 11 minute miles or even 10, but do appreciate there is a pretty big further 13 miles to go!

My fundraising has been a bit lax of late so now I really really need to get started.  I am planning a raffle, maybe a quiz night and some packing shoping at the local waitrose if I am allowed, BUT PLEASE PLEASE still sponsor me on here.  MS is such a good cause and need your support and I need the boost of seeing the funds raise to get me through the next two months. THANK YOU Chrissie xx

Hello Everyone,

Thank you so much for coming onto my Just Giving site to see what I am up to.

Well my latest crazy idea is to run the London Marathon, along with my obviously equally crazy, lovely friend Annabel.  What started off as an innocent chat in the summer, has now become a reality! Albeit that back in Summer it seemed quite safe to say, "Yeah, I'd love to do it - shall we?" because it seemed so far away, (We'd never really do it, would we??!!)

Well a month or so later it was time to apply and sit back (or actually start training!) during the long wait to see if the application has been successful.

Annabell however, had a guaranteed charity place for Animal Care Trust.
So the pressure was on for me to try and get a place.

Annabel's rejection came through but mine hadn't - a house move and redirected post made big delays.  Then my rejection came through.  Panic??  No.  Like all reasonable and sane people I phoned the Multiple Sclerosis Society and BEGGED to be allowed to run for them, even when they said their deadline had passed.  I did not allow logic to give me the easy out of, "Oh dear there are no spaces left Annabel."  I BEGGED to be allowed to run.  The lady from the MS Society said "You clearly want to run for us very badly and that is exactly who we want to have running for us.  You have a place - Congratulations." 
She was right; I did want to run for MS very badly.  My lovely Aunty Babs died in December 2006. She had a very slow form of the disease, but I do know that it affects people in different ways and has different speeds, leading to complete disability and also death sometimes very quickly.  I know of several colleagues who have MS where I work in Hampshire Constabulary and also a close family friend in Cumbria.  So this is why MS is really close to my heart.  Many people who have MS or their families and friends will need the support and respite provided by MS Charities and therefore I want to assist in topping up the funds needed to do this.  Also they rely on research.  And so I take on the challenge to raise £1,500.00 for MS and train for the marathon all at the same time - just over 3 months till 13th April 2008.

Annabel and I are not runners!!!!  Annabel ran Race for Life for the first time last year and I have ran it nearly every year since it started, but we need to find 23 or so miles on top of Race for Life to complete the Marathon.  But we have both been training hard - working up to 10k - 6 miles which we achieved around Christmas - but then due to Christmas that is where we still are!!!  We are meeting up tomorrow 6th Jan for our first run together (all training so far we have done alone as we live in different towns) and we will attempt between 10k and 16k, slowly!!!  I am confident we will complete the challenge of this Marathon - but I won 't pretend that it is not hard - it is really hard and as easily as I have just said we will succeed - when I am running tomorrow I will be thinking, "How the heck are we ever gonna get through this - not so much the Marathon on 13/4 but all the blinking training leading up to it!!!

I will keep updating this page if you are interested in watching the progress and please please keep your fingers crossed or say a little prayer to protect us from injury and illness as we WANT TO SUCCEED!! 

Thank you.

Chrissie

PS - The REASON for this site - PLEASE PLEASE do sponsor me and support MS.  All donations will be gratefully received, but please remember it is a big total to reach and a lot of hard work too achieve the goal.  THANK YOU SO SO MUCH. 

AND I've mentioned the date a few times Sunday 13th April 2008 - come and see us - it would be so cool to see as many faces we know as possible and I am told it's a great day for all. X

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: MS Society will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.