The Birmingham half marathon - it's all done and dusted (with photos as evidence!) Thank you to you all for your support!

Yesterday it was the day of the Birmingham half marathon and to those who wished me well, who made a donation to Edward's Trust, who gave up their precious time and came out to cheer, who watched it on TV in the vain hope of spotting me (thanks Mum), who made banners, who ran with me for the last half mile, through the tunnel, through the crowds along Broad Street and up to the finish line shouting encouragement at the top of his voice (thanks Freddie) a HUGE THANK YOU!

This was where I saw the family, plus friends, just after mile 12. Clearly sunglasses were not required for the sun but they have a "rose tinted" effect on my surroundings. And they help me to channel my inner Paula. Something needs to!

Before every race I skim through my favourite book - Running Like A Girl" (£6.79) taking comfort and inspiration from some of the quotes in it, such as:

"The moments of anger or desolation that runners experience at desperate points of a lengthy race are basic physiological reactions to the situation. But once you have accepted what they are then you have learned to conquer them, and you will begin to believe that anything is possible" i.e. It's normal to feel really, really terrible at times. It's all part of the process. You've just get to get on with it and things will get better. And it's true, they do.

This is another of my favourite quotes: "[Running] is an honour, a privilege and a gift." And it truly is. When the going gets tough - and it does get tough, especially when slogging up a hill at mile 11 - I remind myself how lucky I am that I am able to do this and that I mustn't ever, ever, take it for granted.  

And this is the reason why I really like this book, especially for those women who think that running really isn't for them - even though they may secretly want it to be:

"This book is the one I didn't have but would have liked to have read before I went on my first (disastrous) run. Something for those people who think they can't run for whatever reason. For the women who think they aren't slim enough to wear running kit or that it's not worth it if they don't want to compete an entire marathon, for the women who think that running around in circles is an idiotic way to spend the best part of an hour. For those women who don't yet trust that it really is a source of immeasurable pleasure, self-belief and unexpected companionship, rather  than a necessary purgatory - that they might, just might, enjoy the confidence, the physical ease or the mental clarity that running brings."

Mr SG did a fab job of taking photos, especially given that I whizzed past at such a cracking pace (!!)

I think that I've yet to find a running outfit that is actually flattering but I do have favourite brands and one day I may do a post on them. One thing I do really like though are my Saucony Guide trainers (£110). These are about my 5th or 6th pair now. Earlier in the summer I went off grid and bought some Asics, really because I found the colours of the Saucony ones boring (hello, Mrs Shallow alert here) but I paid the price in more ways than one and I won't be making that mistake again. Although I should add that some people love Asics. It's just what works for you as an individual really.

I realise that the time has sort of passed but if anyone would still like to make a donation via my Just Giving page, it will be open for a while longer. I am so, so grateful to everyone who donated. Some of you know me only through here so once again, thank you! (And special thanks to Libby, my running pal who made every step so much more fun.)

I am hoping that next year I will be accompanied by a group of friends who will either be running a half marathon for the first time, or who will be running again having had a couple of years off. So, if anyone wants to join in, you know where to find me! In the meantime, London beckons....

How to create a fail safe outfit for an evening out....could I ask a favour please?

On Saturday night I was out at the Edward's Trust Ball. Edward's Trust is a fantastic charity which provides a wide range of support services to bereaved families and children. They don't receive any government funding despite the NHS referring children, so they really rely on charitable donations.

I've previously been to the Edward's Trust Garden Party where I saw an exhibition of the artwork done by children who had lost a parent. There were pictures painted both prior to, and having received, the support of Edward's Trust and there was no better way to demonstrate the impact that the work of ET has. Even thinking about those pictures makes me want to cry. But being a snivelling wreck doesn't help anyone does it? However running a half marathon for Edward's Trust hopefully will. So on Sunday 18th October, that is what I shall be doing - running the Birmingham half marathon for Edward's Trust.

Last year I asked if anyone would be happy to donate to my Just Giving page and I was overwhelmed with the kindness of people who supported me. So despite it making me feel slightly uncomfortable, I'm going to ask again - because sometimes doing what feels wrong, is actually the right thing to do. I hope that no-one ever needs to use the services of ET or a similar organisation but knowing that it exists offers comfort. So anyway, here's my just giving page. Just in case anyone would like to give - even just a little. (Thank you, I'll try not to let anyone down.)

As with most events these days, I prefer a slightly more dressed up/dressed down look - mostly because I find it warmer and more comfortable. So this is the look that I opted for on Saturday night and how I went about creating it.

1. Take one pair of black trousers....

I love my silky track pants from Topshop and Boden has a great pair this season, which you can see here (£69 but currently in the sale for £60.03). The reviews are actually very, very positive for Bodenites and I am tempted with the navy. Because of course we all need about 10 pairs of navy trousers in our wardrobes don't we?

For anyone looking for a slightly different style of trousers, joggers - ignore the term, it conjures up images of 1980's style shell suits and headbands - are a great place to start. They are versatile and flattering both with flats and heels, blazers, biker jackets and long coats. And not many trousers can make that claim!

2. Take one top with enough coverage to keep warm (yes there was a vest underneath, albeit silky and black) but which has enough about it so as not to look like a t-shirt or a work top!

I also wore a brocade top from Miss Selfridge which I bought last winter, just before Christmas. I've checked and I can't see anything similar at the moment but leave it with me and I'll see what I can come up with. In the meantime, Jigsaw has this cropped top (£79) which (I think) would be the perfect length with these trousers. It's not really cropped in the sense that we think of cropped, rather just waist length as opposed to hip length or below. It sold out in ivory in the summer so it's good to see it back in stock. It would be great with a big statement necklace to make it slightly dressier and it would also work with anything which has a slightly higher waistband, such as a pleated skirt.

3. Add a pair of heels- go a high as you can!

As for shoes, I ordered these from the Karen Millen sale after Christmas for £40 instead of £140. It was the first time that I wore them and they were really comfortable. High, but comfortable! They are currently on the site for £90. I would be tempted to ring Bicester!

4. Stick on a pair of chandelier ear-rings from Stella & Dot (£40) - and Bob's your uncle.

The only problem is, I don't have a gold watch. So that's my Christmas pressie sorted, which Mr SG is pretty happy about.

I have to apologise for the photo. My photographer thinks that every other photo should be of her so she flips the screen without me knowing to take a photo of herself. This leaves me with half of the photos that I would normally get. And believe me, I need more than two to choose from.

An injection of colour which should earn its keep and I have a great excuse for a whole new outfit...

I think that it's probably pretty fair to say that we all have a lot of black/navy/grey in our wardrobes during the winter months and it can get a little tiring. Equally it can be tricky to find brighter coloured things and if we do, they stand out like a sore thumb after having been worn a dozen times so we end up getting bored of them too. Which is why I thought that this scarf could come in handy in injecting some colour into all manner of darker things. It was £20, reduced from £80 in the Whistles sale (bought at the same time as the bargain basement boots) and I stuck it with this Jigsaw jersey dress which is about four years old now, giving it a new lease of life. It will also work well with an older, navy, traditionally styled Jigsaw coat that I have, together with plain jumpers - so hopefully it will be worn enough to justify its £20 price tag.

This ruched jersey dress from Baukjen (£99 down to £59) is very similar in its style to the one above and I've also linked to other Baukjen black dresses which may suit different shapes slightly better - there's a wrap one, a v-neck one, a midi length one an A-line one and a very nice leather one too!

Now, despite my efforts to wear everything that I own already without any new major additions, tomorrow I will be kitted out, head to toe, in new gear. Because tomorrow I am going to "learn to ski in a day" and for that, new gear was required.  Can you imagine it? Me learning to ski in a day that is? Although I'm pretty bendy and pretty active, I am rubbish on anything slippery. When I was a kid I only had to see a hill with some snow on it and I would sit down, which the children have told me that I must not do under any circumstances, because I will only go faster. And I don't do speed either which doesn't bode well. True, I've challenged myself quite a bit over the last couple of years - running the half marathon, doing various other forms of exercise and last summer doing the high ropes too. However, the problem is that when I'm scared, really scared, I have to distract myself and I do this by singing One Direction very loudly. I'm pretty confident that my singing is probably as bad as my skiing (will be) so I'm not holding out much hope for anyone, or anything, within close proximity to me tomorrow. Thankfully Mr SG is no longer planning on popping in to "see how I am getting on" (ie videoing me so that he can take the p*** out of me mercilessly) on his way back from a meeting tomorrow.

Running gear for when the temperature drops...

It was suggested to me by some readers that it might be a good idea to write a post about what to wear when running in the cold winter months, so I rose to the challenge and asked some running friends of mine for their tips and, together with my own tips, hopefully we have come up with some useful suggestions.

Between us we must have run thousands and thousands of mile. The friends that I spoke to have run marathons which include London, New York and soon to be Florence, along with half marathons which include Birmingham, the Great Parks, Stratford, Bath, Long Marston and no doubt several others.

Aside from what clothes to wear I would say that good trainers are a must. Generally trainers come up small so it's good to try them on before buying them. Running clothing can be picked up for a snip at Primark and until you get into longer distances, really great wicking fabrics aren't that important but from day one (I would say) that everyone needs decent trainers - not of the standards of Olympic athletes, but decent.

So what was the advice and what were the suggestions?

One friend always runs in compression clothing and in winter, that includes thermal compression clothing. She sometimes wears the leggings the day after a long run too. Her favourite brand is Skins. Beware, apparently the clothes can be tricky to get off though, particularly the tops!  Having never tried them I can't really comment but if I decided to train for a marathon I would definitely give them a go. With longer distances and colder weather, everything helps.

  

 

I wear capri length running bottoms all year round and I have a couple of GAP pairs that I really like. Something like these from GAP (£15.99) work fine for me, although I do like a splash of colour on them somewhere if possible.

 

Another friend said that she felt that the winter was all about layering. She has a thermal Nike Dri fit top which she loves as it's really soft.

I always start off with a very fitted running vest top, just to keep everything in place and snug - maybe something like this from GAP (£22.95)

On top of that I wear a long sleeved lightweight running top - maybe something like this from H&M (£24.99) or the Helly Hansen range of base layers is really good.

 

On top of that I wear a waterproof/windproof jacket, maybe something like this Gore windstopper jacket (£112.49) which one of my friends absolutely swears by. I have a Reebok one bought from an outlet in Brighton about 9 years ago now for £10 and it's brilliant. Another friend loves a jacket with detachable sleeves so that she can turn it into a gilet for those days when only core warmth is needed.

 

For less expensive options, H&M and as I mentioned earlier Primark, have a good selection of running gear as does Decathlon. Sports Direct has a huge choice of Karrimor running gear, which not surprisingly is made of great fabric.

As to hats, most of the girls find that they make them too hot when running but the neoprene or fleece bands are useful for adding some warmth and keeping unruly, curly, hair under control.

Lightweight gloves were suggested for looking after hands. When it's really cold I run in leather gloves. The pain on a cold day when the feeling comes back to your fingers can be excruciating so anything that can prevent that level of cold in the first place is a must.

Oddly none of us seemed to have different socks for summer or winter running but there again the most comfortable ones are padded and quite thick anyway. One of the girls preferred the double layered ones as they prevent blisters. I picked up four pairs of running socks in GAP when they were reduced to £1.99 each and they have been just as good as some running socks which have cost me £12. After wearing proper running socks there's no way that I could run in anything else. They are one piece of kit that, for relatively little investment, can make a huge difference. 

We didn't seem to chat about bras. I think it very much comes down to the level of support required. Some vest tops have a built in bra which will be sufficient for some.  I always wear a bra too, although not a sports bra which I know I should. However I've never found one that I'm comfortable with. I must investigate them again but frankly I'm not sure that they're going to rescue anything anymore! Here's a link to technical running socks and bras for those interested.

I have one friend who is a real ninja in the Sweaty Betty sale and she picks up some great running pieces. They are really stylish and look great. I haven't quite made it to the lofty height of SB yet, only having bought my first set of "matching" running gear last year, despite having been running on and off since the age of 15.

And one friend swears by leaving layers on her route and collecting them on her way back. Apparently no one ever steals anything from allotments!

Updating a piece from last winter with bits and bobs bought over the summer...

Jack Wills shirt, Dune boots, New Look jeans, Topshop T-shirt, Accessorise bracelets.

As I think is pretty obvious, I don't do glamour in Wales. Not that it's not a glamourous place - far from it - have you seen Catherine Zeta-Jones, or Katherine Jenkins, or Catherine Middleton? (OK so she's not strictly Welsh, in fact she's quite possibly not Welsh at all but she's married to the Prince of Wales' son and she lived on Anglesey for a while). No, it's just that a) I am always under instructions to "pack light" which means that everything has to work together and b) we tend to be walking on the beaches, lighting fires, crabbing off the pier and chilling at home, so heels and dresses don't really fit into my lifestyle over here.

Now let's face it, a checked shirt is never going to set the world on fire but checks are a huge trend this season - from scarves to shirts, to coats and even shoes. Here are a few of my favourite checked pieces this season:

Warehouse checked cape £30 which I really like as it's a relatively inexpensive way of adding something to your wardrobe which is warm, practical and which will give a lift to an existing jeans/coated jeans and boots type outfit.

This Jigsaw cropped checked shirt (£59) is 100% cotton and comes in burgundy, which is having a huge revival this season, or blue. Easy to wear with black, blue or grey, it's a nice alternative to a denim shirt for a weekend look - especially for those who aren't fans of double denim.

And at New Look there's this orange checked scarf for £9.99 which I first spotted on a friend who was out watching the half marathon. She observed that only I would notice a scarf after 11 miles, the last of which was uphill, but it was so lovely and I was so desperate for a distraction from the discomfort that it was a welcome sight (as of course, was she.)

And the orange scarf sort of leads me on to this beautiful orange sky which greeted me a couple of mornings ago, having been woken earlier than I would like to have been by the youngest.

All of which completely misses the point of this post which was to talk about how things that you may have added to your wardrobe over the summer, can be used to re-work pieces that you may have had last winter.

In the above photo I've added in my favourite Topshop yellow T-shirt and a stack of bright bracelets from Accessorize, both of  which pick out the colours in the shirt. It's not revolutionary but it's worth having a rifle through your wardrobe, taking out something that was OK last winter but perhaps not quite as it should have been and see what else you can add to it to make it work a little better - or in a different way. Just a thought for a rainy afternoon!

I love this jumper which I've seen on several people. I think that there's something wonderful about wearing a jumper with 1970 written on it....unless like me you happen to have been born in that year - in which case it's not necessarily something that I would choose to advertise.

Double denim and a statement necklace

 

[New Look jeans, Dune boots, Gap top, Boden jacket, necklace pressie from friend]

In my last post I wrote about just managing to hold things together on the home front and how I knew that, when I'd left the wet washing in the basket for so long that it went stinky and it had to be re-washed, it was time to have a few days off from blogging.

Well a friend made me feel much better because she said that they couldn't actually do any washing in their household because they had run out of washing liquid. And things weren't looking too good on the loo roll front. Glad to hear that I'm not alone.

Today I ran the Birmingham half marathon. I don't think that I was actually overtaken by the smurf but at times it was close and getting around the Sumo wrestler was tricky but do-able. I wanted to say a huge thank you once again to all of you who donated to Cancer Research UK and also to friends and people I know who cheered along the way. It all made a huge, huge difference at times when things were hard.

After the race we headed to Pizza Express to re-fuel. Mr SG had dropped in to the pub after cheering me on so was unable to drive which meant we were left with the choice of walking there: "It will be good for you, you're meant to keep moving after a race aren't you?" (Mr SGs helpful contribution to the discussion), or with me driving.  Oddly at that stage walking didn't hold any great appeal. The above shot is what I wore when we went out - flats and all manner of stretchy, comfortable things.

A grainy shot of me at mile 12 doing some bizarre hand gesture of the waving variety - I think! 

Some lovely Jigsaw staples - and what does Jeremy Clarkson know about anything?!

Firstly thank you so much to those of you who have donated to Cancer Research UK via my Just Giving page. I am so grateful to you and totally over emotional about the whole thing, to the point that I will probably drag my way around the half marathon course like a heaving, snotty, blubbering wreck - which let's face it isn't really going to help anyone. So thank you for your support.

As to Thursday's event at Jigsaw (a store which was first introduced to me at law school in Chester in 1991 and I've been a fan ever since, so it was heaven for me to be working there) we had a fantastic time and thank you to those of you who came.  I didn't manage to take any photos so instead I've pinched the top pic from twitter. I managed to take the quick snap of the lovely labels above which were written out by one of the girls who works in the store. Apparently she used to do them all the time for the cakes in her parent's café in Kent which was good because had I done them, they would have looked like the work of our six year old.

[People ie Jeremy Clarkson (if you can call him a person) like to slate Birmingham but one thing that we do have is a beautiful Jigsaw. And let's face it, what more do you need in a City?]

We had lots of ladies there plus fizz, canapés and a raffle in support of Edward's Trust an incredible local charity which supports bereaved families; parents who have lost children and children who have lost parents. They offer counselling, holistic therapies and retreats. I went to a garden party last summer and observed the artwork of bereaved children both before, and after, counselling. Let's just say that too resulted in tears. What is it about having children that turns you into an emotional wreck?!! 

For the event I wore all Jigsaw clothes - partly my own and partly borrowed. To start off with I chose these metallic shoes - Jigsaw (£149). I have to say that they are possibly the most comfortable high heeled shoes that I have ever worn.  When I read about them, I saw that the outside was made of kid suede and the inside was kid leather - which probably explains their softness.

For anyone who struggles with finding high shoes that are comfortable I would definitely recommend trying these. Speaking from experience, one pair of comfortable heels, especially metallic ones which will go with everything, are far better than 5 cheaper pairs of shoes which are crippling.

I also wore this silk front batwing top Jigsaw (£79) which was lovely. As it has a band around the waistband, there's a little bit of "overhang" of fabric just above it which is sufficient to accommodate any other type of "overhang" that might be going on in the tummy department. Perfect for a meal out. And the batwing isn't really batwing at all, just in case anyone steers clear of them either to avoid connotations of a 1980s type, or because they have a larger bust. I would go so far as to say that this is my perfect black top.

I also wore the Jigsaw woven riding leggings (£79) which are great. Thick, supportive, with a decent rise and tight but in a good way, rather than a scary way.  

And finally I wore the large stone drop pendant Jigsaw (£49), albeit with a slightly different coloured stone and which sparkled when it caught the light.

 

For anyone on the look out for some good staples, I can definitely recommend the shoes, top and trousers. For anyone on the look out for anything else, there are some fantastic pieces from the clutch bags to the jewellery, from the cashmere hoodies to the lace party dress, the pleated skirt, the black fur swing jacket (yes lovely friend, your husband had great taste in buying that for you for Christmas - didn't he do well?!!!) to the check coat and the cropped striped sweatshirt. Jigsaw is a very tempting place right now.

Kylie, cancer and the girl from school...

On Tuesday evening Mr SG and I went to see Kylie in Birmingham except, to start off with, we went to the wrong venue in Birmingham - a venue which isn't strictly in Birmingham at all - but rather one which is near the airport.

As we were driving out of the City we noticed the traffic and commented to one another on how there must be something happening in the City that night to cause the hold up. We even discussed how it had taken Mr SG 40 minutes to get home that evening because "something was going on" and still the penny didn't drop. In fact the penny didn't drop until we reached the "other" venue and there wasn't any traffic at all. Then I actually read the tickets and we did a very quick about turn.

 

[Always good to read the ticket first. Note, the LG Arena and the NIA are NOT the same venue]

What I've realised about those nights out is that they often act as a time for reflection. Yes, you're listening to the music but as well as that there's time to process the things that you don't get time to think about otherwise.

During the concert I looked at Kylie. As well as noticing the miracle of her walking and dancing in ridiculously high shoes and in getting up from a kneeling position without a wince in sight, I noticed her long curly hair and how it had grown back after her chemotherapy. I remember exactly where I was when I heard that she had been diagnosed with cancer - standing in a lift going to the 22nd floor of the building where I worked at the time.

[See, we got there in the end!]

And I remember exactly where I was sitting just a few months ago, when my Mum told me that a girl from school had been diagnosed with cancer. A diagnosis of cancer is never a right thing but this just felt so wrong. On every single level it felt wrong.

There's not much that I can do to help - I'm not a doctor or a miracle worker and I don't live near - but I can run (of a fashion!) and in just over a week I am running the Birmingham half marathon. Via a friend I asked the girl from school which charity she would like me to fund raise for and she said Cancer Research UK.

And that was what I reflecting on when watching Kylie. Should I mention it on here and ask people for sponsorship?  And then I concluded that I would. The blog is generally my voice and sometimes it's good to give someone else a voice.

This morning, my running vest arrived and I took it as a sign that it was time to take action, so here is the link to my Just Giving page for anyone who would like to sponsor me. It's taken me until now to work out how Just Giving works and you know it's really handy because it's just like buying a piece of clothing online - something most of us are pretty good at!

We all have huge demands on our resources whether it be time, money, energy, or all three, and many will have commitments to other charities. But for anyone who feels like sparing a few pennies or pounds, I would really, really appreciate it. And so too, I am sure, would the girl from school.

Mum on the Run - literally - and a very stylish plaid outfit from Next

At last, the day of the Birmingham half marathon dawned. Despite the initial downpour, the sun came out and as we were warming up true Brit style, complete with an instructor who was doing some serious 80's moves, it was really warm.

 

For the most part, I had a blast. The course is relatively flat most of the way and I remember having a little sing along to my extraordinarily bad play list. In fact my friend and I concluded prior to the race that if anything were to happen to me during the race, any possible street cred that I may ever have had would have gone right out of the window when they realised what I was listening to.  Hanson anyone? See, I told you it was bad!

 

OK, so I had spotted family at this point hence the inane grin but I fear that I looked like that quite a lot of the way round - other than at the evil hill towards the end but fortunately a friend was at the top to cheer me on. I just remember shouting to her "It's hard, it's really hard."

Anyway, the point of the post is to show you my lovely Next grey checked - but let's be "fashiony" shall we and call it "plaid" - Onesie, given to me by my friend as a pressie to be worn specifically after the race.  Ah, it's lovely and warm and I plan on wearing it from now until Spring.

The bobble positioning may require a little attention but you know, all in good time.

I made this last night, specifically for today as a treat on returning home. Sadly I haven't made as much of a dent in it as I would have liked but there's always tomorrow.

And to all my lovely friends, family, followers and twitter peeps - thank you for your phone calls, texts, banners, cheering, tweets, tips and belief in me, all of which meant so much. And special thanks to my hubby - amongst other things he's a brilliant chef and great taxi service. Yes, I can highly recommend him (but like lots of husbands, his jokes are still REALLY bad.)

Beth x

One fashion dilemma solved, one to be solved and an embarrassing "50 Shades of Grey" style encounter (in public)

So when I volunteered to assist the (male) yoga teacher this morning in a demonstration, little did I realise that I would be asked to do the downward facing dog, with him standing behind me, belt wrapped around my hips and him tugging on it whilst the rest of the class watched. It felt more like something that you would read about in 50 Shades of Grey as opposed to something you would witness in a sleepy Birmingham suburb. Oh the embarrassment!

Anyway, moving swiftly on, there's no outfit photo today as I stayed in my yoga gear all day. It even elicited a response from my usually fairly unobservant husband who said "Are you really going out dressed like that. What if someone sees you?" As I am in strict preparation for the Birmingham half marathon tomorrow (eating lots of pizza and running around the conservatory to see if drumstick sweets were easier to pull apart and eat than jelly babies) clothes were the last thing on my mind.

That aside, several of you have asked about the M&S slip that I mentioned the other day which does a fantastic job of smoothing lines. Yesterday my lovely client from Bristol sent me a link to it with the advice that it is definitely best taken off downwards, rather than over one's head.

Marks and Spencer secret slimming light control full slip (£25)

Nervous of committing a fashion faux pas, I have taken advice from a friend on where it's best to pin my race label. It has to be on the front but I wasn't sure whether it was best placed on the belly or the boobs. The answer came back just below the boobs but thinking about it I'm not quite sure how that's going to translate in real life. There's always a fashion dilemma in life isn't there?

A school run outfit of Nike, Boden, Gap and All Saints to help with sore toes!

You may remember that I mentioned that I had somehow inadvertently ended up training for the Birmingham half marathon. Well last night saw us run 14 miles in preparation for it - just to be on the safe side. The reason that I tell you this is because it directly impacted on today's outfit.

 

My purple Nike trainers were the softest thing to wear against my slightly sore toes for the walk to school this morning. Feeling the need for warmth, comfort and the clothing equivalent of a hot stew, I also wore my Boden cashmere striped jumper together with skinny jeans and an All Saints mac. The thought of a clutch also appealed more than a handbag, so I used my snake print Marc Jacobs neon clutch instead. I have to admit that I am coming perilously close to buying a onesie to wear after the event (but don't tell anyone).  

 

Having done only a few long distance runs, I can't pretend to be an authority on them but through trial and error, and taking on board what others have said, I have found a few things that help in preparation. So for anyone interested, here goes:

• An hour's nap in the afternoon is a good plan (sneaky I know but I did our last 13 mile run after a six hour shopping day and that was really, really, hard);
• Carb loading on fresh white home baked rolls and butter an hour and half before running seems to work and it is also slightly indulgent;
• Jelly babies are good to nibble after about 10 miles and are a good distraction (but they make you really thirsty and your teeth feel horrible);
• Chatting on and off makes the time go much quicker (we tried to convince ourselves that we were in our local pub, which worked to an extent but certain things were missing ie alcohol);
• The Endomondo app is good for providing information of your speed for each km run, which oddly acts as a good motivator. It also enables you to see your speed as you are running. Naturally we concluded that it wasn't entirely accurate and that the signal failed somewhere along our tree dense route so that we were, in fact, actually faster than it gave us credit for;
• Running in trainers which don't have holes in the bottom of them is probably a good idea (well, how often are you meant to check the bottom of your trainers) and good running socks are worth their weight in gold.

If anyone else would like to share their tips I would love to hear them. Anything and everything is welcome! I would particularly like to know how to convince yourself that you are running at night time (which I much prefer) even though you are running in the morning. I'm thinking about wearing sunglasses but I'm not sure that it will work.

Making friends happy with clothes - thanks to Whistles, Gap and Boden

My "day off" today started with an hour long session with the personal trainer I have been seeing over the summer and finished with an 8.5 mile run. Somehow I seem to have inadvertently ended up training for a half marathon. I don't quite know how it happened, and how you can "inadvertently" train for a half marathon is beyond me - but anyway there it is.

In between those activities, I nipped into town for an hour. As I arrived in the car park, lots of car alarms were going off. It was as if there was some huge announcement that the Lita leather jacket had come back into stock in Whistles but sadly that was not the case. I think that the car alarm situation could have been caused by the loud music from the car in front. It was ridiculous. Didn't the young man inside realise that I wanted to listen to Woman's Hour for goodness sake?

I had a great time in town, picking up pieces that friends and clients were after and then dropping them off. I think I'm slightly odd as I get a real high from finding the "unfindable"!

Before any of that happened though the Boden Patsy heels were delivered for a friend of mine. They have a great heel height and as she last bought something similar when she was pregnant with her son who is now 8, she is delighted.

I picked up the Whistles terrazzo scarf for a friend who was at work. The 25% Grazia discount voucher came in very handy, reducing it from £45 to £33. The colours are actually much prettier in real life. It has a very pale pink and an icy blue in it.

Now there's a whole story behind getting hold of the Whistles Lita leather biker jacket in grey. In a nutshell it goes like this: A friend of mine was after one but it was sold out online and in store. Liking a challenge, I offered to try and track one down for her. Whistles customer services (who were brilliant) advised that it was out of stock but that 7 units (not quite sure what that means) were due to go on the website at some point.

After dinner this evening I checked the Whistles site and there it was. I quickly stuck it in my basket and after a flurry of phone calls and texts to said friend, during which she gave me the online Grazia discount code (my voucher with the details on it was long gone.....) it was mine. Or hers. Or mine until she has run the half marathon and then she's allowed to have it. However up until that time I will no doubt try it on and pretend it's mine, just as our eldest does with my shoes when I'm out and I come home and find them in random places around the house. 

These GAP skinny mini camo trousers which are sold out on line but which were in the sale in our local store, are on their way to Newcastle to a friend up there who couldn't get hold of a pair locally.

These GAP true straight pants will be dropped off tomorrow to a client who lives locally. They didn't have her size when we shopped yesterday but did so today. They are an absolute favourite of mine at the moment. They are amazing for anyone who is after a pair of smart trousers, which can also be worn at the weekend. They are machine washable, made of 95% cotton and 5% elastane, come in black, navy and grey, cost £34.95 and whilst slim fitting aren't skinny, which means they are more up to date than a boot cut trouser but they aren't too skinny for work. The rise is good too. Have I raved enough? One pair of trousers won't suit every shape but these are definitely worth a look and just as good as the Reiss Paris trousers which are considerably more expensive.

So all in all a good day. I like making people happy by finding them things that they like. Did I pick up anything for myself on my trip? Yes, I fear I may have done so. But more about those pieces another day...

On the Run - If you're going to wear stripes, they may as well be bold....

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday as I spent a large proportion of the day with a headache and the rest of it at our daughter's school watching her dance production (with an even bigger headache) but a very proud one, if there is such a thing.  As the Queen of headaches it might actually help me to give them characters - they spend so long with me - but that's all getting a bit too much like voices in the head so perhaps I'll stop that line of thought before it goes any further.

This evening I have been at a swishing party. Yes, that's right, SWISHING.  It was held at the children's school and it was really very good.  I was open minded about the whole idea of clothes swapping but not really sure how it would operate from a logistical point of view. However I was pleasantly surprised with how it all went.  The ladies were very chatty, got involved, listened to what I had to say (something I'm not used to at home) and all went home happy. Later it was back to school to collect the eldest thus completing my marathon evening of six round trips for the evening.

This outfit was the one that I wore yesterday. I am not really sure how I decided upon it.  It probably stemmed from the need to find something different to wear every day!  I do like my H&M jumper dress though. I know it's too big but I like the relaxed feel of it and with heels it just styles it up a little bit.

Yesterday's outfit was:

H&M jumper dress (there were similar in GAP last week)
M&S tights, Jigsaw shoe boots

Special thanks to ten year old Lily for the photo!

If you would still like to "Like" my outfit for the Easy Living Magazine competition, you can do so by following this link http://www.facebook.com/EasyLivingUK#!/photo.php?fbid=340703882632950&set=a.337285469641458.68306.129074297129244&type=1&theater

Chic Knits

You know you have those items in your wardrobe that really should be worn only either a)when you are indoors with loved ones or b) if you are going out but not liable to see anyone?  Well, I have one of those and it's not a pretty sight.

When I was on my Personal Styling course last year, I was told that I should always dress in a way that was either "inspirational, aspirational or both".  Ha!  The item to which I refer does not fill either of those criteria. The only "fill" that it deserves to be in is landfill.  This item is a navy blue boyfriend cardigan from Oasis.  Minus the bobbles it is actually quite nice and it is certainly warm - which is why I was wearing it when I was out yesterday evening.  It had been a cold and exceptionally wet day.  Against my better judgment I had run in the rain (again), despite knowing that I was likely to be in for a cold. This realisation hit me at 5am when seeing to our youngest and I noticed that my throat felt scratchy.  She was demanding her usual kiss and cuddle before going back to the land of nod for another couple of hours.  All right for some.  "Fabulous." I thought "Up at 5am, scratchy throat, unlikely to get back to sleep and about to go running with seasoned half marathon runners. Bring it on!"

Anyway, I became even more aware of the shortcomings of my cardigan from a style perspective when I got chatting to another Mum whilst out yesterday evening. Saying that I was out is really an exaggeration and makes my trip sound much more exotic than it was - all that I was doing was waiting for my son and his friend to finish their tennis lesson whilst simultaneously entertaining children numbered 1 and 3 at what is really a very tricky time on a Friday evening. 

So, there we were, chatting about the Style Event that I am doing this Thursday.  I was explaining how I would be assisted by 7 models, that I would be covering the trends for the season and doing sections on a capsule wardobe, new brands and so on.  I don't know what it was, and I may be wrong, but I felt that she was perhaps taking a glance at what I was wearing and frankly why not.  You can't hold yourself out as someone who knows about these things and not expect to be scrutinised from time to time.  After she had gone I too looked down and noticed the bobbles and not only were they bobbles but they were big bobbles.  I doubt that even John Lewis sells a comb big enough to deal with those babies!

So, reluctantly I came to the conclusion that I would have to buy some new knitwear.  I am sure that you can only imagine how distraught I was about that.  Fortuntately, having spent many hours in Kew this week for one reason and another, I had a pretty good idea what I wanted.  As an aside, I have to say that I think the knitwear in Kew this season is some of the best on the High Street.  So having established in my own mind that I needed three pieces, grey, navy and cream, this is what I came up with.

The grey cardigan costs £79, the navy one also costs £79 and the cream one costs  £86.  The cream one fastens with a pin, so it can be styled differently to how it is shown in the picture.  Now whilst they are not cheap, they should keep me warm.  Whilst I love layering and fine knit cashmere etc nothing beats something as thick as a blanket when it comes to warmth and these are stylish with it.

Of course during the course of my travels this week I have also come across these other items which I love.  I have to say that I have invested in the grey boots, which are from Dune and cost £155, simply because having put them on, they were far too comfortable to take off.  OK, well there was a bit more to it than that, but not much.  The top of the boot also folds down to reveal a sort of grey sheepskin look - so not only are they practical (check out the sole on those) they are also versatile. However I have also just spotted these lovely tan ones, also from Dune and also £155. It was really a pair of tan boots that I was after this season so now what do I do.  Maybe style someone else in them so that I get the pleasure from them vicariously?

 

The final items that I have my eye on are all from Reiss -  a navy pea coat (£225), a bracelet (£35) and a bag (£265).  The coat is the perfect fit for me - many are too large but this is neat and feels lovely and heavy.  The bracelet goes brilliantly with the seasons minimalistic look and the bag is just gorgeous.  I prefer the bag in black but it doesn't seem to be featured on the internet.  The bag  comes in two different sizes and the largest one is big enough to carry a baby and all of its equipment in so on the whole, good value really - if you have a baby.

So anyway, that's what I have been up to this week.  Hours in the shops styling my models for the event on Thursday and inevitably, spotting those things that I would also quite like for myself.  Can't complain really!

Have a good weekend

Beth