I enjoyed a weekend in London recently and decided to take a trip to Brick Lane in East London. I’d seen a television programme that week that was all about the history of the East End. I wanted to see it for myself – so went along to explore.
There was street art everywhere I looked. I went snap-happy with my camera and loved every moment. Here are some of the amazing doors I found!
Firstly guys, I would like to say “Hello, I’m back”. I haven’t blogged for over a month. Work has been manic and so I haven’t had a moment to think.
At the end of September I flew over to London to take part in the first ever ‘Big Gay 10k’ run. I was very excited about doing the run. It was my first ever run. I was going to crawl and possibly die in a gutter do my best and try to get a good time.
For those who had read more on my Just Giving charity site would have known that I had been training to run since the beginning of July. Fun, fun, fun…
Well – 400 people took part in the 10km run in London. Some were runners, some were walkers and the rest were mincers!
The route was fantastic! Here are some photos from the fantastic day. (I’m in the blue vest, my fiancé is in bright yellow). Our super friends Sue and Caroline came to support us.
The fantastic route with London’s finest landmarks all the way around.
The race was started by Cheryl Baker, in pink in the photos (from Bucks Fizz, the 1980s pop group who won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981). I even met her and had a post-run-sweaty photo together. Once the race was started, Bas and I were off like a shot. My music was playing and I was high on adrenaline. I wanted to get a good time. So far my best time had been 10km in 52 minutes (I was averaging 55 mins).
We kept up with the front group and split from the main ‘pack’. The streets of London were packed. As we all reached the Embankment, where the London Eye stands we had to wriggle and jump in and out of the tourists. As it was the first Big Gay 10k in London the organisers had been unable to clear roads or pavements, meaning for us that we had to contend with human-obstacles. They must have wondered what was happening…
Halfway through the race I realised that I was well over my usual pace. I got ahead of Bas who probably got caught in the crowds. Bas caught up with me at about 7 or 8km into the run. That was when we came face-to-face with the photographers. (Time to look as though I was loving it…).
At 8km I hit the wall. Not literally – a wall of pain. I really didn’t know if my body would get to the 10km finish line. Bas was brilliant and ran along side me the rest of the way. The last bridge was the last hurdle. I said to Bas “I don’t want to go uphill anymore”. He replied that we were there.
We had made it.
We came 28th and 29th (seconds divided us). 29th!!!! From 400!!!!!
Stunned. You can see my time below. Just under 51 minutes. It probably took me those 41 seconds to stop my timer.
You can see how much money I was lucky enough to raise for a great charity in London! Brilliant supporters – thank you!
Proof on my time! I am still in shock that I managed it.
The breakdown of the route.
The amount I raised for ‘London Friend’.
I used to hate long distance running. I would watch runners go past and envy the fact that they could do it – and wondered why they liked it.
Strangely enough that all changed earlier this year. I had heard about an App for my phone which could help you get from ‘couch potato’ to a runner (possibly good enough for the Olympics… okay, I can dream).
I have stuck to the challenges and kept running a few times a week (once every two days when I’m being really good).
A friend of mine in London posted information about the first Big Gay 10K in London on Facebook and I was hooked…
A real challenge for me. Will you support me? Here’s my page.
What have I got myself into? The next thing I knew I was signing up for my very first ‘proper’ run. I am currently running distances of 3-4K. The 10K might just finish me off…
Here I am – Looking my most sporty….
I have set up a Just Giving page so that you can track my progress and see if I am still alive. Of course, I’ll be blogging more about it here too.
In short – this is what it’s all about.
I would love it if you took the time to check out my Just Giving page – You may even like to make a small donation for the wonderful charity. (That’s the easy bit – I’ll be the one running around London in September).
I saw this website on Facebook earlier today. Mo Farah, the British athlete has created a storm of fans after winning two gold medals in the London 2012 Olympic Games. His expression at the end of his final race captured the imagination of some viewrs and inspired someone to create a website all about Mo.
It’s brilliant! you have to check it out.
Check out the brilliant website here ‘Mo Farah Running Away From Things’.
I wonder which other backgrounds he could be captured with… Suggestions?
I get tingly arms every time I think about the moment that London were announced the host city for the 30th Olympic Games.
I remember being at work (way back in 2005) and refreshing the page on the internet to see the announcement come through LIVE.
Would it be London?
Could London possibly beat the favourite, Paris?
Here’s a video of Trafalgar Square in London. You can feel the tension as the crowd nervously await the news…
What a moment!!!
Tonight all eyes will be on London as they open the games with a huge ceremony in the Olympic Stadium. Tonight I will be more than ever to be British. Here’s to a fantastic games. Good luck to all taking part.
60 years on the British throne.
She’s pretty amazing.
I like this new side to the Queen too.
For more great shots and captions, look here.
I have blogged about the Queen before. She is on Facebook (just in case you didn’t know). Check that post here.
I saw HRH The Queen at her boat flotilla – yay! I was so pleased. If you want to see how I’m getting on with my 2012 ‘To Do’ list – check here.
Tensions between Scotland and London have been hotting up over recent months. The question about whether Scotland should split from the rest of the United Kingdom is not a new one. It’s also not a question which can go unanswered for much longer.
Personally, I think it’s a good thing that the question of independence be put to the people who will be affected. I would however prefer for Scotland to remain as part of the UK. I don’t see many benefits for an independent Scotland or a smaller UK within Europe with the current economic troubles.
I saw this referendum voting slip. Of course, it’s just for fun, but I do like it.
On a serious note, there have been strong debates over what the question will be. Will it be a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to independence or will there be a compromise; a semi-independence. I hope not. I think it should be ‘in’ or ‘out’. Too much hangs on it.
What will happen to the rest of the United Kingdom without Scotland? Will it still be called the UK? Some say yes, some say it cannot. What will happen to the Union Flag? The blue (from the St Andrew’s flag) will disappear…
Will Scotland enter the Euro? Will Wales and Northern Ireland also seek independence?
Countries dividing is nothing new in Europe. It wasn’t that long since Yugoslavia split into other countries (Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, etc) and that Czechoslovakia split into Czech Republic and Slovakia. It just feels weird that this time it could be my own country, the UK, splitting up.
The future of the UK looks set to be interesting over the next couple of years.
What do you think should and could happen?
Known as the Shard London Bridge, Shard of Glass, 32 London Bridge or simply The Shard – no matter what the name it is known by, the building will stay in the memory of everyone!
It has been designed with various triangular shapes connected and will be covered in glass from the base to the very tip. For the brave visitors out there, there will be an open-air observation deck on the 72nd floor (right at the top).
I know where I’ll be visiting next year! What a vision.
Image via Wikipedia
This is a real call made to the emergency services in the UK. OK, for many of you the accent may be difficult to understand. (It’s quite strong). I managed to find this great typography video on YouTube that creates graphics from the words. (I hope it helps you follow the conversation).
I was stunned when I heard it! Really stunned!!!!! Some people are so stupid. I couldn’t help but share it with you all, bloggers. Enjoy!
I love the fact that she is calling because someone has stolen her snowman….. The fact that she admits that her street is not that great is hilarious. I’d love to have seen her snowman with teaspoon arms and coins for eyes. Hahahaha…..
Image via Wikipedia
The news in England has been focussed on the student protests for some weeks now. It is true that in a country where freedom of speech is respected (most of the time), these students have a voice and should be heard (irrespective of whether we agree or not). But, I do question the lengths to which they are going in order to put across their point.
During the last couple of days London has witnessed protests that have gone far beyond the boundaries of what is acceptable. In order to make yourself heard there is no reason to become violent or destructive. It is also clear from news footage that many ‘students’ are using the current issue simply to cause havoc and mayhem. Some people are happy to jump on the bandwagon and put a point across, which many I suspect do not understand.
The attack on the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall on their way to the Royal Variety Performance in London was shameless. I believe that by acting in this way towards people who are unrelated to the protest is outrageous and that those protesters deserve no respect.
Having an opinion and wanting to be heard, listened to and acknowledged is one thing. Attacking members of the royal family, vandalising National monuments such as the Cenotaph (at Whitehall) and those at Trafalgar Square should be condemned. No protester has the right to act this way! These actions show no respect for anyone other than themselves. They are so caught up in ‘their moment’ that they don’t think for a second that people witnessing such events and destruction will be hurt deeply.
I watch the TV is disbelief seeing how peaceful demonstrations have escalated into riots of vandalism and hate. It’s a sad state of affairs in London at the moment. No matter which view you take on the ‘issue’ that they are protesting over, it is the way in which people make themselves heard that matters.
It comes down to money in the end. But, how much money will be needed to repair the damage done during these protests? I expect that they don’t think about that.
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