Sorry...

...for my looooong absence from this blog. I have utterly failed to keep up with it!

Since I last wrote I went to Ireland for a writing break which was absolutely fantastic. I was over in Donegal in a little apartment with views across a breathakingly beautiful bay. I had no internet and minimal phone signal so distractions were few and I spent my days writing, reading, running and swimming. I went for three sea swims which were warmer than the Serp but no less lovely. On one of the days I had the whole massive sandy beach to myself. I will try and post a photo at some point when we relocate the camera! I went on some brilliant runs as part of my training too.
I managed to write a play I've been meaning to write for 5 years! It was a personal journey and one that I think has been blocking me up because since then I have felt so much more able to write other stuff. I think I just needed to get it out of my system.

Christmas and NYE came and went and was hugely enjoyable but I got my traditional cold on NYE and spent a good week getting over it. Then I made a bit of a silly mistake...
I thought I was better and decided it was time to return to the Serpentine for a swim but happened to choose the coldest day of the year to do this. There was a hole cut in the ice, it was minus 2 degrees and we were accompanied by a gang of BBC cameras and photographers. I actually ended up on the front page of the Daily Express and page three of the Evening Standard as well as the BBC news...here's a link to one on the guardian website - I'm the one in the blue hat.
It felt amazing and I felt fantastic doing it but later on that day I felt the familiar strains of my recent cold and thought 'oh bugger'.
It then kicked in again and I spent another week getting over it. So that meant over 2 weeks of not being able to run! Booooo.
But I am now back in the game. Last week I got back into it with a 4 mile, 7 mile, 3 mile and 14 mile run and it felt really good. Yesterday I ran 4 miles then had a game of netball too. It is beginning to feel a bit addictive and am loving watching my body change.
I have also been off the booze which was initially a January ban but am considering a partial ban until the Marathon now. Obviously I will have to jump off the wagon for my 30th in March!
I have a clear day today to work on a new play that I've bene writing so am hoping that not too many displacement activities get in the way today!
Apologies again and I will endeavor to be better at doing this!

xx