Tough 10K - Week 1

My first week of training has been a short and sweet one. I've gone out twice during this week and have done 1 mile each time. I'm an early bird so I've been running first thing in the morning before work but I might switch that up in the upcoming weeks and see how I feel going for a run after work. On top of that the weather has been rather cold and rainy but I guess I should get used to that since that's usually the forecast for November!

As you can see both of my miles were run in around 14 minutes which isn't too bad. Hopefully in the next couple of months I can knock that down a bit and also look at increasing the distance of my runs.  If I'm honest I never thought running was for me and I'm still not 100% sold on it yet but that might change in the next couple of weeks so let's do it!

Tough 10 Talk - Introduction

Fitness and health are something that tends to play on my mind a lot. Whether it's because of a news article, a magazine cover or a conversation at work it seems inevitable. The latter of these options is prominent in my life considering that I am undertaking a PhD in regenerative medicine and share office and lab space with students and researchers from different disciplines. 

So one way I though I could help both my fitness as well as give back to research was to challenge myself to complete a race. I chose Cancer Research UK as my neighbour recently passed away from pancreatic cancer, a rather difficult cancer to treat. I'm taking on the tough 10K which is a new set of runs that are over more difficult terrain. Mine is taking place at Margam Park along the mountain bike paths, and considering that it is in November it's likely to be pouring down with rain. 

Over the next couple of months I'm planning to keep you all updated on my running progress and being a complete novice I'm sure the journey will be a painful one but well worth it in the end. If anyone wishes to donate they can do so at my justgiving page.

Check in next week to see how my first week of training has gone!

The Number One Rule For Girls - Rachel McIntyre

Title: The Number One Rule For Girls - Rachel McIntyre
Publisher: Egmont UK
Series: N/A
Service: NetGalley
Release Date: 25/02/2016
Pages: 309
Format: Kindle PDF

Rating: ★★★

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Daisy knows a thing or two about love and romance. She's surrounded by it - in fact, there's no escape! Not only are her parents childhood sweethearts turned soulmates, they also run a vey successful wedding agency 'Something Borrowed', helping couples tie the knot in whatever frilly, quirky, tasteful, outrageous way they choose. So it's no surprise that Daisy has a pretty clear vision of how her life with her boyfriend Matt is going to pan out.

There's one major flaw in this plan - Matt and Daisy have split up! Determined not to brood, Daisy sets out to re-invent her life and her dreams. And that's when Toby enters the scene, who appears to be perfect, but is turning all the Rules upside down...

An irresistible exploration of post break-up life featuring Rachel McIntyre's trademark wit and observation.

Give us a few words…

Why do you say that?

I was invited to read The Number One Rule for Girls and was interested to pick it up and find that it wasn't entirely what I expected. The book follows 16 year old Daisy Green after she has split up with her boyfriend and deciding to attend college instead of sixth form. Daisy meets he prince in the form of Toby Smith but not everything is at it seems.

Rachel McIntyre dives into the world of girl codes, growing up and questionable choices in boyfriends.

The main theme that stuck out for me in this book was the controlling and abusive nature of Toby. Although it frustrated me how much Daisy would forgive him I also understand that rational thought is not always there, especially at 16. She sees him as her saviour and doesn't have to deal with loneliness at college when he is with her. Daisy ignores the advice of her friends starts to feel ostracised from her old group of friends.

I enjoyed seeing the development of the girls friendship throughout the book. They started as close friends with a solid set of rules and the strain of being at different colleges slowly takes its toll. New friendships are made and jealousy inevitably rears its ugly head.

As much as I did enjoy the book I did struggle with some of the embarrassing language and more cringe worthy scenes that felt a bit stereotypical for teenagers.

Overall I would recommend this book to an audience younger than myself. A mixture of lightheartedness and serious tones that we all deal with as we grow up.

Reasons To Stay Alive - Matt Haig

Title: Reasons To Stay Alive - Matt Haig
Publisher: Canongate Books
Series: N/A
Service: Own
Release Date: 07/01/2016
Pages: 254
Format: Paperback

Rating: ★★★★★

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What does it mean to feel truly alive?

This is the true story of how Matt Haig came through crisis, triumphed over mental illness that almost destroyed him and learned to live again. Moving, funny and joyous, Reasons to Stay Alive is more than a memoir. It is a book about making the most of your time on earth. 

Give us a few words…

Why do you say that?

Reasons to Stay Alive  has been a book on my TBR list for a little while and I am so glad that I finally got around to picking it up. As a person who has anxiety and depression it peaked my interest and really didn't disappoint.

I'm slowly getting used to book approaching mental illness from a more clinical and psychological point of view however Haig  does none of that in this book. He writes with a raw honesty which is appreciated and can be related to. This book journeys through his experience from the first moment, the rocky road he then struggled through for years before the break in the clouds and learning how to deal with his depression and anxiety.

For me, this book was heart breaking and yet made me think with Haig's own revelations not coming across as preaching but as possibilities. As I made my way through the story I couldn't help but think of people in my life that I would give this book to. Not just those who also suffer with mental illness but to those people in my life who don't quite understand it. I think Haig does a brilliant job in really stripping away the thought that it's just a down day or nervousness whilst still explaining that you do not have to let it win - which is a hard balance to strike.

I know this is a book I will be talking about to people for a long time. I highly recommend picking this up and taking a read if you wish to understand a little more about how mental illness can effect a life.

January Wrap Up

Hello there! January always feels like the longest month of the year to me. The weather has been atrocious in Swansea with rain being a constant talking point.

New year, new start. I've made a commitment to the gym. This month I finally took the plunge and spoke to a personal trainer in order to help me lose weight and gain some definition. I haven't started yet but it took a lot for me to go and speak to someone about it. I'm actually looking forward to absorbing some knowledge from someone who is more knowledgable than myself.

Adulting? I often think about my future and where it is heading. For the longest time I have been thinking about studying medicine and becoming a doctor. A few of my friends know this and have encouraged me but this month I spoke to my PhD supervisor about it and he's giving me his backing and has been so helpful. It's terrifying thinking that I want to stay in education for another couple of years after finishing my PhD but I never want to live a life of what ifs...

Finished Reading:

• Animal Farm - George Orwell

Currently Reading:

• Binge - Tyler Oakley

It's been a short list this month but I plan on upping my game. I didn't realise just how much I had missed reading until I started again. It's been helping me keep my anxiety in check and it's nice to be away from a screen after being attached to it for work. 

According to Goodreads I've read 1 out of 20 books for my challenge so far and I'm on track. 

Hope you all had a more exciting January than I did!

2016 goals and plans

The start of a new year beckons people towards making goals that they hope to achieve in the next 300 and odd days. I am no exception to this and so I thought I would go ahead and share some of the goals and plans I have for 2016 with you all.

1. To really give my all to my PhD. Things have been rocky over the last year as far as my research is concerned but this year I am ready to knuckle down and knock it out of the park. I want to show everyone what I am capable of!
2. Lose the weight I've gained over the past year. I let my unhappiness at work seep into many parts my life and one of the results was gaining just over a stone in weight. I've been tired and feeling horrible and so this year is going to see me drop that again. I want to become fitter and healthier again.
3. Do more of the things I love. 2015 saw me become a slave to work and not make time for anything I enjoyed. This year I want to reconnect with things that make me happy. I want to read more again, learn to surf, take up gymnastics - anything that makes me happy.
4. To be more open about how I feel. It saddens me to see that there is still a stigma around mental illness and I want to try and shake off the taboo, if not in a wider sense then at least in my own life. I want to be more open about my highs and lows with the people I feel are closest to me in my life and maybe that will help with the rough patches I encounter.
5. To be more grateful. In general I think I can get really caught up with the things I don't have. I really want to be able to appreciate the things that I have in my life and be grateful for small things.

So those are a dew of the things I'm aiming to do this year. What about you? Do you have any goals or plans for 2016?

Panic - Lauren Oliver

Title: Panic - Lauren Oliver
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Series: N/A
Service: Via Bookbridgr
Release Date: 06/03/2014
Pages: 343
Format: Paperback

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What do you fear most?

Would you face that fear for someone you loved?

Or perhaps for a wealth beyond your wildest dreams?

Welcome to Panic…

A legendary game played by graduating seniors in the no-hope town of Carp, where the stakes are high and the payoff even higher. A game in which competitors will face their greatest fears - and hop to live to defeat them.

We all have something to play for.

Give us a few words…

Why do you say that?

I've heard of Lauren Oliver due to her Delirium trilogy however it never appealed to me. So when I read the blurb for Panic a few months ago, I was excited to discover it was by the same author.

Panic is a game played by all graduating seniors in the hopes that they will win a large pot of money to help them get out of the sleepy town of Carp, New York. Judges are selected at random and help set up the tasks where contenders face their fears. But not everyone plays fair and the game itself can become rather sinister but it is a tradition that refuses to die out.

The books chapters alternate between two of the main characters, Heather and Dodge. Both of them come from similar backgrounds and yet they are very different characters. Their reasons for joining Panic and the way they take on the tasks are interesting. The characters of Natalie and Bishop add sparks of friendship and romance. Although the characters were likeable I felt that I couldn't fully feel for any of them. Something just fell a little flat for me, especially with Natalie and Bishop. Things were hinted at but never really cleared up which left me feeling a little unsatisfied.

An aspect I did enjoy was that this was less focused on romance than many other contemporary novels that I have read. Although there was romance, I was glad to see that it took more of a backseat and was balanced with friendship, family and life in general. I thought the balance was struck well adding to my reasons to recommend Panic.

As far as the plot of the book goes, I really enjoyed it. Panic keeps your heart in your throat for the entire book. There are secrets and motives
twisted all over the place and you are kept guessing about who you can trust and whether any of the friendships formed are real. Oliver does a fantastic job of drawing out suspense so that readers feel the heart racing palpitations that the characters go through. I lost count of the times I realised I was holding my breath only to release it after a test was over.

The ending of the book was slightly lacklustre in my opinion but not disappointing. I just felt there needed to be something more climactic to finish off the book.

I would highly recommend Panic to anyone brave enough to take on the challenge because, just like the game, once you are in you won't be able to pull out…

On The Map: New York 14/15 (Part 3)

Another early start, and fuelling ourselves on grilled cheese sandwiches, we made our way to Grand Central Terminal. Now, I had heard a lot about this station and just how gorgeous it was but it didn't really hit me until we got into it. 

After that we took the subway to the north entrance of Central Park and swung by the cathedral of St. John the Divine. We trekked more than half way through the park before deciding to branch off and visit the American Museum of Natural History.

The museum had a mass amount of exhibits ranging from biodiversity to American history. We weaved along with other people taking in the massive whale and all the dinosaur bones, soaking up all the information. It's surprising just how many hours you can while away there!

We stopped at Tiffany's wanting to revel in a shop that is known around the world for the iconic blue colour and high class jewellery. They still had their tree up, decorated in lights and little blue boxes and every member of staff was very helpful and friendly. Sai and I both decided to buy something small knowing we probably weren't going to get another chance to visit. 

We waited until later that night before going up to the Top of the Rock. Surprisingly it was nowhere near as cold as the statue and ESB but the view, in my opinion, was ten times better. New York is often called the city that doesn't sleep and yet we had yet to really see that. Up on the observation deck the was no doubting why it had the nickname. The entire city stays lit up and the movement doesn't stop. If I had it my way, I don't think I would have left the deck. 

The next day we found ourselves back at Central Park and decided to take a short carriage ride around the bottom half. The guy who drove the carriage was lovely and pointed out different places including the ice rink and Lady Gaga's apartment. As we went around it began to snow which was unbelievable. He told us we were lucky and we knew that we were!

Later on that that night we went to watch Les Miserables at the Imperial theatre. It was an absolutely fantastic show with Ramin Karimloo giving an amazing performance!

With our last day in New York we couldn't call ourselves book bloggers without heading out to The Strand, boasting 18 miles of books, we always knew we would visit. I was so excited when I saw the red banner. I have never seen so many books tucked away in a shop. We spent a couple of hours browsing the aisles and heading upstairs to look at the rare books before making a couple of purchases and then heading over to IHOP for lunch. 

The week in New York was probably one of the most amazing weeks I've had in my life. Even though we didn't cross everything off the list we definitely packed a lot in for the week. Plus it give an excuse to go back and visit again!

Me And Mr J - Rachel McIntyre

Title: Me And Mr J - Rachel McIntyre
Publisher: Electric Monkey
Series: N/A
Service: NetGalley
Release Date: 05/02/2015
Pages: 309
Format: E book

Rating: ★★★

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Fifteen year old Lara finds her soulmate. There's just one problem - he's her teacher.

Lara's life has changed radically since her father lost his job. As the eldest, Lara tries to keep upbeat, and the one outlet for all her problems is her diary where she can be open about how dire everything is at home, and worse, the fact that she's being horrifically bullied at school.

And then a shining light comes out of the darkness - the new young MALE teacher, Mr Jagger. The one person who takes Lara seriously and notices her potential. The one person who is kind to her. The one person who she falls madly and hopelessly in love with. The one person who cannot reciprocate her feelings… can he?

Give us a few words…

Why do you say that?

The diary of 15 year old Lara Titliss explains her world to us pretty clearly. Her father has lost his job and after her mother refused to move them, so Lara could continue at her school, they have hit on hard times. If that wasn't bad enough Lara gets bullied at school for various reasons including her red hair, her scholarship position and her surname. When her English teacher goes on maternity leave she, along with the rest of the school, can't believe their eyes when the replacement is the young and gorgeous Mr Jagger.

I wanted to pick up this book to see how the student/teacher relationship was approached and I think Rachel McIntyre did a superb job!

My heart goes out to Lara throughout the entire book. She works a paper round in order to lessen her family's financial burden and keeps her head down at school to get good grades and yet the bullying is relentless and at times causes her to despair. When Mr Jagger turns up and asks for her help on a talent show she is more than happy to oblige as a way to get away from the bullies at lunch and break time, plus he is gorgeous.

The progression of their relationship was perfect for me. The fact that he stepped away from Lara after the talent show due to a quiet word from the headmistress was realistic and this showed a teacher trying to be just that, a teacher.

I thoroughly enjoyed the end of this book, when Lara writes a letter to Ben, updating us all on her life a year or so after the aftermath of their relationship. My only issue with this book was how young Lara could seem at times, younger that 15, but the epilogue made her sound more mature and like she had grown from the events that had occurred in her life.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a contemporary novel that pulls at your heart before breaking it with a dramatic ending.

On The Map: New York 14/15 (Part 2)

We made the decision to miss Times Square for the ball drop not wanting to get crushed by the hoards of people and ignoring the ever growing call for the bathroom. Instead we decided to head up to the Empire State Building. Another round of security and we snaked through a short history of the building before getting into a lift and rocketing up several floors.

Heading out onto the deck I was hit by just how cold it was and I kept my hands firmly in my pocket for the most part as we jostled around taking in the view of the city. I knew the New York was packed with buildings but I don't think I really appreciated just how much until I was up there. I used the binoculars to look out over the city and was shocked to see just how far off the Statue of Liberty was having just visited the day before!

We dived through the gift shop and picked up a few things for family and friends before hitting the streets of New York again. 

Being massive Avengers fans we decided to visit Discovery Times Square that had a current Avengers exhibition. You are inducted into S.H.I.E.L.D and go through various stations that revolve around a specific member of the Avengers. We tested our strength against Captain America, checked our DNA against the Hulk and got to control Iron Man's arm. 

We curled back up at the hotel and brought in the new year with a lot of food and cake and being able to hear the roar from Times Square from outside the window. 

The next day we got out early to visit Madame Tussaurds and I am still baffled by why we were so enthralled by wax figures!

We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the floors of Macy's and trying on various items of clothing before picking up a few bits. 

A day on our feet pretending to know celebrities and shopping led to two very tired sisters and we decided to call an end to the day early and rest up for the last few days we had for the trip.