#33 Climb Monument

311 steps up and 311 steps down. Some amazing views from the top. I even got myself a certificate!

#13 Live life for a day on facebook

Yesterday I woke up and spent the day on Facebook. My original intention was to be very explicit about the minor details of what I did during the day (i.e. I'm walking down the stairs now, I'm looking in the dridge now etc), but on getting some feedback from friends I knew I didn't want to annoy my facebook friends too much! Maybe by bed time I was beginning to push the boundaries of my friends' good natures. One facebook friend commented on my final post for the day, "Well done for achieving it but I must admit it will be a relief to be able to easily find other people's posts on facebook!". Enough said.

So to the stats:
19 status updates, 9 photo uploads, 29 likes and 29 comments. And of course an unknown number of annoyed facebook friends!

#26 Run the Circle Line

So a couple of months of training towards this day put me in a good position for attempting and completing this challenge. At times (even on the morning of the run) I doubted whether I would be able to achieve this goal. But in short, I did it! I prioritised documenting the challenge with a photo on each platform, and because of this I had to stop half way to re-charge my mobile phone. But anyway - to the statistics:

I calculate the run to be 33.44km in distance. In all reality though, taking platform tunnels and steps into consideration, it would have been about 35km - very good training for the London to Brighton in just over 4 weeks!

Running time was 6 hours precisely. 3 hours in the first half, then another 3 hours in the second.

The Circle Line visits 37 stations in total. 2 of these are visited twice (Paddington and Edware Road). I also visited these stations twice. There was one station though I did not visit as the station was closed for the week. I did however, run right past it - Cannon Street.

#15 Zorbing

Today Owen and I went zorbing in Cornwall before heading back to London after our few days away. Unfortunately we didn't get a video of it, but I've found one on youtube from the same venue so you can get a good idea of exactly what we went through. It was a very disorientating experience.. white, green, white, green, white, green... the white being the clouds, the green being the grass on the hill we were rolling down.

#16 Ride the UK's Longest Zipwire

490 metres long. 40 miles per hour. 50 odd metres high. 5 hour drive from London to Cornwall. A large element of this activity was to unreservedly throw myself off the side of a cliff, and that's exactly what I did. I tried not to get myself too excited by nerves, but it didn't so a few sneaking in anyway. After the initial jump/step (watch the video and you decide what it was) it wasn't much more than a ride over a disused quarry. The only fear at that stage was how they plan on stopping me - it was too far to see from the starting point.

#20 Ride a Boris Bike

I was at my Olympic volunteering training today in Hackney and stole an opportunity to jump on a Boris Bike on my return to Liverpool Street. Because I was on my own, I was unable to capture myself riding it, but I did at least take a photo of the bike in question!

In other news - I began my attack of the 125km Capital Ring yesterday, running from Hammersmith to South Kenton. I'm planning on running from South Kenton to Finsbury Park next Saturday which should amount to about 50km of the route complete in the space of two runs. I'm definitely feeling more confident about my London to Brighton Challenge with the knowledge I am clocking up quite a few miles - including plenty of hills and off-road routes. More information about the Capital Ring can be found here.

Pounding the Pavement

Have you noticed that one of my #52NewThings is to do the London to Brighton 100k in May? I've really been building up my running over the last few weeks and continue to because I am hoping to run a significant portion of it. It's all on foot. People run it. People walk it. I hope to walk and run it! But there is a lot of sweat and tears going into this - I'm using my #26 Circle Line run as a significant training tool, as I am with plans for the #39 walking of the London Marathon route. I also hope to begin regular sections of the #25 London Capital Ring. That one is 125km in length and will take some time to complete with regular weekly runs.

I've run the London Marathon three times, so I am choosing this London to Brighton Challenge because it is truly going to be a challenge for me. I don't even know how I will cope. It is an unkown quantity. You can find more information about it at http://london2brightonchallenge.com/

But what I want from you now is to consider popping to the Virgin Money Giving icon on my homepage and sponsor me a few pounds, or dollars, yen, or whatever currency tickles your fancy. As you can see, I am regularly sponsoring myself £10 per month, but I don't expect anything to that extent from you. Maybe 10c or 10p per kilometre? That would work out to be a £10 or $10 donation. 5p or 5c per kilometre would be $5 or £5. Anything would be greatly appreciated.

I am undertaking this challenge, as with the rest of my #52NewThings for a small charity close to my heart - New Family Social. This small charity is there to support gay, lesbian and transexual individuals, couples and families going through the adoption and fostering process, and offers support and a network of fellow adopters and foster carers after the adoption or fostering process.

#28 Pop Popcorn Without the Lid On

I'm slightly underwhelmed with this one. I was all set up with the vision of corn popping all over the kitchen. I envisioned myself knee deep in popped corn, and had even set myself about half hour of time to just clean the kitchen afterwards. Well, the evidence is in the video.

Maybe if I'm tempted to do this again I'll use a fry pan.

#14 Eat Sushi with Chopsticks

Although it seems I'm getting off to somewhat of a slow start with my #52NewThings, I am definitely moving in the right direction. I have been quietly planning and plodding away on some of my longer-term projects - including my 100km London to Brighton, the Undersground Circle Line run, the walking of the London Marathon route and the London Capital Ring - to name just a few! I expect the pace to begin picking up.

As for today, I put a quick survey up on Facebook this morning with the hope of having a decision made about what project I would undertake today. This was voted to be eating sushi with chopsticks - so the evidence follows.

Again, not the worst experience in my life, and strangely somewhat refreshing. I am not sure I would eat a whole load of the stuff daily, but I could imagine myself eating away with a large pint of water to wash it all down.

#18 Eat an oyster

So the deed has been done! A number of members from my family absolutely love oysters - particularly fresh oysters. But admittedley it's always been something I've felt somewhat uncomfortable about. Firstly, the idea of eating a 'meat' raw. Secondly the smell. And well, the similarities it has with a range of body parts and bodily functions comes to mind as well.

But the challenge was set and this morning I popped over to the fish shop after the gym and purchased myself 5 fresh oysters. Not five because I anticipated enjoying the first so much I'd like to try a second though. The extras were so I could coax Owen into trying one as well, and the others as 'spares' just in case something went, well quite frankly, wrong.

Gladly, nothing went wrong, and we now have three spare oysters in our fridge. Anyone want them? I don't think I'll have another one. But we might just try a cooked variety!

#3 Get a fish pedicure

So I've been a little quiet on here. I have been plodding on with #5 Watch 26 films that I've never seen starting with each letter of the alphabet, and have also been making the odd arrangement here and there for some others. Yesterday I had the opportunity to check myself in for a fish pedicure. Science and fear mongering aside, it was a strange yet pleasant experience. The fish nibbling at the skin on my feet and in between my toes felt like mini electric pulses more than fish actually snapping at my dead skin, however it somehow felt like whatever they were doing was working.

After thirty minutes on the complimentary iPad was up, it was over for some foot moisturising, nail clipping, filing and buffing. Do women actually put themselves through that?? Is it not just a silly waste of time and money? Whilst it was all a pleasant enough experience for me, its not really something I will be rushing back for. Worth having a go though!