Day 26

Did 100 today.
Got a lovely letter from Ray at Cecil and Larter. He's lovely :-)

Going to the seaside with Mr Hugh tomorrow because it's his birthday.

I've got less than 7000 lengths to go!!

2270 down, 6990 to go.

Day 25

110 down today :-)

I wasn't very fast though. But still feeling good :-)

Please sponsor me if you haven't already. You can do it online at http://www.justgiving.com/Alex-McCourt1, or text LEXY91 £5 to 70070

2170 down, 7090 to go

Day 25

I'm just back from the pool. I did 120 today. It felt good.

I'm not sure what else to say- maybe in part because this is the third blog post of the day!

I'm off to bed now. Night night everyone :-)


2060 down, 7200 to go.

I need your help

Right, so, JustGiving, the website which I use for my online donations, launched JustTextGiving last week. It means that people can sponsor by texting a code and the amount they pledge (£1, £2, £3, £5 or £10) to 70070. My code is LEXY91, so if you wanted to sponsor me £10, you'd send a message saying LEXY91 £10 to 70070. The message doesn't cost anything, and the donation is taken out of your credit balance/added to your bill at the end of the month (as applicable).

"To celebrate the launch of JustTextGiving, we are running a creative video competition. Just think of a fun and inventive way of fundraising with your text code. Will you print it out on your running vest? Will you write it on your forehead for a week?! Just watch our video, create a short video response with your idea, and get all your friends and family to view it. The video with the most views by 23rd July will win a £500 donation to their fundraising page and be featured on our blog. Two runners-up (picked by a panel of judges) will win £200 donations too. It could make a huge difference to your charity… and a bit of fun for you!" (From the JustGiving blog: http://blog.justgiving.com/community/justtextgiving-video-competition/)

Now, being competitive as I am (and also wanting to raise extra money for TAG), I'd like to enter this competition.

But the problem is, I'm not particularly creative. I can bake, but you can't really make a video out of that, and also baking cakes in the shape of my code, or icing my code on fairycakes has already been done.

So, I'd like to ask your help in thinking of an idea (I'll also be asking your help to make my video the most viewed, but first things first).

If you have any ideas, please could you let me know? You can email me at justkeepswimming-alexmccourt@hotmail.co.uk

Thank you :-)

I'd also like to thank Ray at Cecil and Larter. I wrote to them last week and he sponsored me £50. I'm now almost 90% of the way to my total, and over £800!! I'm really, really pleased :-)

A bit about TAG

So I found a link to this appeal on the TAG website (http://www.tagonline.org.uk), and I'd though I would share it here. It explains a little bit about what Arthrogryposis is, and what TAG do.

I also managed to embed it all by myself (and I'm not particularly computer literate), so I'm very proud :-)

There was no blog yesterday because one of my beautiful cats got hit by a car and sadly she didn't make it (Emmie, for those who know), and I didn't feel like talking. I still don't really, but the show must go on. She was a happy cat who had a wonderful life and we don't think she suffered.

This picture of her was taken by my Granda while he was visiting last week.


I did 30 lengths, but then other people got in and got in my way and I just couldn't deal with it all. I'll blog again after my swim this evening.

Day 23

No time to swim today. And as I found it so hard yesterday, maybe the day off will do me good. That's what I'm hoping anyway.

The pub today was entertaining. Mostly because I can be a bit dizty. Today, a woman asked for a Carling and lime, so I put a slice in her glass. Turns out she wanted lime cordial. It seems obvious now, but my thought process was that when someone asks for a Coke and lemon you don't put lemonade in it! And also, one has lager and a slice in Corona :-P

(Update 28/9/6/11 one of the regulars came in yesterday and asked for Carling and a slice of lime. I thought she had been told the story and was taking the mick. Turns out that she likes lime in her Carling. So I'm not that silly!)

I'm off on a date with my lovely Hugh, as well as Aiden and Hannah today. It should be fun :-) I don't know where we're going. Exciting stuff!

Day 22

This wont be very long as I'm writing in a rush. I'm off to the pub in a few (I sound like an alcoholic. I'll be behind the bar, not propping it up. Promise!)

Did my 100 after I finished at my pool-work today. It was the hardest physically so far. I'm having a day off tomorrow as I'm working at the pub the entire time that the pool is open, so hopefully I will feel better and faster on Monday.

Thank you to Alex who gave me 50p (although he did originally take a brownie without donating, so maybe he doesn't deserve any thanks) :-P

1910 down, 7350 to go

Day 21

I did my 100 this morning. Again I was planning to do more, but I don't swim very fast when I've just woken up, and I got distracted by the chickens.

I'm making a scrapbook today. Jackie suggested it at the party last night, so I bought one this morning.

If you hadn't guessed, I like my projects!

I also had to track down a copy of last week's Bury Mercury. I had one, but it got left downstairs for so long than my parents threw it away (can't blame them). I eventually found the EADT offices, and they had a mis-print lying around so let me have that :-).

Please will you sponsor me? You can do it online at http://www.justgiving.com/alex-mccourt1 or by texting LEXY91 + donation amount to 70070. Thank you :-)

1810 down, 7450 to go.

Days 19 and 20 and donating by text

I apologise about the lack of the blog yesterday. My Granda is visiting from Edinburgh and I just didn't get a change to write one.

I'd like to thank him for sponsoring me. I'm now within £200 of my target, and 80% of the way there. It's really fantastic :-)

I did 80 lengths yesterday and 100 this morning. I was aiming for more today, but it's just not a fast day today. I'm planning on going a bit earlier tomorrow to get more in (although I am doing another morning session so no promises!).

I've now done the distance of the marathon. And it's only taken me nearly 16 hours. Swimming is no where near as fast as running!

Justgiving have now launched justtextgiving. This is where you can sponsor by text. You send a message saying LEXY91 £5 (or however much you'd like to donate) to 70070. The message itself is free, although you are obviously donating the money you pledged.

I hope that made sense. I'm not very awake!

Anyway, I'm off to go drinking with my family (and 10am you say. I am half Scottish. And a student. It's 5 o clock somewhere)

1710 down, 7550 to go

Day 18

120 today. Feeling goood :-)

Thank you to Tahi who sponsored me today :-) I'm nearly at £700.

1450 down, 7810 to go.

Day 17

I only did 30 lengths today. I got one of those horrible cramps where it's like someone has grabbed your calf muscle and won't let go. I can still feel it now. But this will be awful for my average (which I need to keep up or I'll be cramming in the distance before I go on holiday). So I shall be swimming twice tommorrow, 100 lengths in the morning and 70 in the evening.

I got some sponsorship from Hugh's friend Ross. Thank you so much :-) especially as you don't know me!

And thank you to Rui and his brothers who sponsored me too :-)

1330 down, 7930 to go

Donations update

Thank you to my Granma and Grandad who gave me their coppers in their change jar :-)

Also, I was persuaded to open the tins at the Leisure Centre, and there was £5 in there. So I'm 70% of the way there. Thank you everyone who has supported me in some way thus far :-)

Day 16

Right, so I lost count today. Twice. I know I did at least 90 before the first time (I was singing 'Johnny 99', and so counted 99 for at least 3 lengths). I then started again, assuming I'd only done 90, and I don't know how many more than 20 I did.

So I know I did at least 110, so that is the number I have put for today. (My Dad and Christian thinks that I should put 4, as that's all Christian saw me do. It's not my fault if he's never on pool!)

1300 down, 7960 to go


I've got less than 8000 to go!! (I have to celebrate the little milestones or else I would get completely overwhelmed by the task.)

Harry, I've reached Newport Pagnell!

Please will you sponsor me at http://www.justgiving.com/Alex-McCourt1. Thank you :-)

Day 15

I don't think I'm getting my food/hydration right. I did 80 lengths today in 40 mins (and then the pool shut), whereas I did the full 100 in 45 mins yesterday. And I was trying really hard today whereas I wasn't yesterday.

Just have to work out what's best for my body (without living off energy drinks!). Any suggestions would be much appreciated (bearing in mind that I'm vegetarian).

If you haven't already (or if you can afford a bit more (aimed at my colleagues who gave me £1 and promised more would come) :-P ) please can you sponsor me? You can do it at http://www.justgiving.com/Alex-McCourt1

Thank you x

1190 down, 9150 to go.

Collecting tins.

I have one on the reception at the Bury Leisure Centre, one on the bar at the Spread Eagle, one at Eric's Butchers, one on the bar at the Rose and Crown and two others which are moving about (one is currently in the Staff Room at BLC with brownies, and my godmother has one to put on her stall at the Rougham fair next weekend (I think it is Rougham... I was a bit drunk last night when she told me) ) .

I opened one which was with brownies at BSEAODS and in it was £18, which is fantastic, so thank you very much.

But the point of this post is to say how overwhelmed I've been by the response at the Spread Eagle. I brought the tin home today and I had nearly £70! Thank you so much to everyone who gave me money, (especially the woman who gave £20 because she had nothing smaller!), and thank you to Hazel who let me be distracted and persuade people to donate.

So this means that I have £630. Thank you to everyone. I'm nearly three quarters of the way- only another £60!

And thank you to my godmother, Bat, who will not only have my tin on her stall at the aforementioned fair, but has given another £10 to buy more business cards as I've run out :-)

Day 14

Did 100 today. Not very much else to say as I wrote a lot earlier and I'm in a bit of a rush- my sister's in a show tonight.

I did it in 45 mins! I'm getting closer to my 20 min/mile target!

Please sponsor me at http://www.justgiving.com/Alex-McCourt1

1110 down, 9150 to go.

Hugh made me a poster :-)

Thank you Hugh :-)

And thank you to Aiden and Lianne for sponsoring me yesterday.

I'd also like to thank people who've put money in my collecting boxes. There's one at the Spread Eagle pub (and I only sweet-talked a few people men into putting there change in it while I was behind the bar last night), and there's one at Bury Leisure Centre.

I'd also like to thank my sister Carli. She made two batches of brownies yesterday (and kept an eye on my two batches while they were in the oven). She then took a HUGE box of brownies to BSEAODS rehearsals last night and told everyone they could only have one if they donated some money. So thank you to her and thank you to all of the people who gave money (Carli informs me that someone gave a fiver. Thank you especially to them). You don't know me, and yet you're still supporting my cause. I really appreciate it.

Anyway, this is started to sound like an acceptance speech. I'll blog again after my swim this afternoon, although I probably wont have much to say as I seem to have said it here. I'm sure I'll think of something. I have the gift of the gab. 

BLC, it's your turn. I'm bringing brownies this afternoon. Bring money.

PS, I was also in the Bury Mercury this week. I shall put up a scan when I have time (how do I fit uni work in during term time?!?), but it's basically the same as the EADT article.

Day 13

So as I said earlier, I received a package from Jacqui at TAG today. In in was some collecting boxes, and I'm working out where to put them. One is at Abbeycroft Leisure Centre in Bury, so if you go there, please donate your pennies :-)

I did 50 lengths today. I felt like I had an asthma attack coming on, and I don't want to kill myself doing this!

I shan't write about lane etiquette today. I just got frustrated yesterday by people getting in my way. If I see that someone is faster than me, I will try not to impede their swimming, but that doesn't happen very often (I didn't get up at 5:20 3 mornings a week for however many million years not to be faster than most!), and so I often find that I'm crashing into people because they are swimming in the middle of the lane (for no reason!) going one way, and I'm trying to overtake someone going the other, and then I get tutted at as, because I am young and fast, I am obviously the female swimming equivalent of a boy-racer.

Anyway, rant over.

If you haven't already, please will you sponsor me? You can do it at http://www.justgiving.com/Alex-McCourt1

Thank you :-)

1010 down, 8250 to go.

I got an exciting package!!

Thank you Jacqui from TAG for sending me all of this. Very exciting. Now just to make a lot of brownies :-)

Day 12

Hello.  This is Hugh, because Lexy is hammered.  She did her 100 lengths earlier and got a serious case of lane rage!!  So she came home and had a drink...or three.

Thank you to Ursie who brought over her change jar today and sponsored Lexy with it.  If you haven't sponsored her yet, please could you at www.justgiving.com/alex-mccourt1

Tomorrow, Lexy will be writing this blog, and will discuss all about lane etiquette, because that is what annoyed her earlier, and drove her to drink.  If you are a swimmer at Abbeycroft Leisure Centre, and happened to get in Lexy's way, please don't do it again, as her parents and I have had to deal with a very difficult and drunk young lady!!

960 down, 8300 to go (OVER 10% OF THE WAY!!!) :-D


This is Alex again. I'm not really that drunk. I had some XO marmite on toast and I've sobered up. I shall talk to you all tomorrow after my lunchtime swim :-)

Day 11 & a bit about me

Another early morning swim today. I'm looking forward to having a lie-in tomorrow!

I only did 50. This was partly because I was running late (read: didn't want to get out of bed), and partly because my swimming costume was too big and I had regular wardrobe malfunctions. So I'm about to order some new costumes and then I'll have no excuse!

Please sponsor me. I still have another £430 to raise. Thank you :-)

860 down, 8400 to go.

Thank you to Kirsty (who the video is for, as she told me when she sponsored me this morning to 'just keep swimming' like Dory), David and Alastair (Hugh's sister, brother-in-law and nephew) for sponsoring me just now. I'm over £500 :-)



I thought that maybe, as I don't have much else to say, I should write a bit about me. I'm a girl-Alex. I'm currently home from university where I study Human Biology and Law. I'm spending my summer working (I'm a lifeguard (means that I don't have to pay to swim everyday- could be expensive!) and a bartender). If I didn't, I would spend my summer sleeping, baking and swimming, so I'm working for the sake of my family's (and Hugh's) waistlines.
So why TAG? When I decided to do this swim I wanted to do it for a charity that had something to do with people I care about. I considered a variety of options, but The Arthrogryposis Group always stood out. Hugh is affected by Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita and TAG have helped him, so I want to help them in return, especially as they aren't very well known.
Hugh and I have been together for so long that thinking about it makes me feel old.
During the holidays I live with my Mummy, Daddy and my ickle sister. We also have two cats who know that their ancestors were worshipped by the Egyptians, and so think that we should worship them too. They are spoilt rotten. There are also 4 chickens in the garden, but I don't take much of an interest with the outdoors.
I don't know what I want to be when I grow up graduate- I'm not sure I'll ever grow up. Thus the strange degree. It's keeping my options open. My life plan varies depending on which lecture I enjoyed the most that week. At the moment I want to be a geneticist; before Christmas I wanted to be a human rights lawyer.
I also make the best brownies in the world (according to Hugh. He may be biased). It's actually my Mum's recipe, I've just adapted it slightly, and now I make them to bribe people with (for example: I'll be selling them for 50p a pop at my lifeguard-work and various other places. I've told the people (especially the boys) that they can't have any over the entire summer unless they've sponsored me.

Anyway, I'm bored of talking about me now. I'm going to have a nap before I go back to my pub-work.

Day 10

I was my hardest swim so far today. The chlorine is making me really itchy and because of that I didn't sleep very well last night, which made getting up at 7am very difficult (especially as I'm a student, and getting up 'early' for me is the 8:30 alarm which I have for work). I didn't want to go, and I must admit that I did burst into tears when I couldn't find my shoes!

But I'm feeling better now. My Dad bought me a packet of Haribo* (he said if I name-check them, they might send me a big, big box of tangfastics. It's worth a shot :-P ), so that was my breakfast, and in an hour I'll be off to the train station and I'll see my lovely Hugh. We're having a trip into Cambridge.

The swim itself wasn't too hard. Thank you to the lifeguard Emily who let me stay in a little bit later, as I was only on 98 lengths when she closed the pool. I'm not finding it too difficult physically, but it is difficult in my head in that it feels like I've been swimming forever and I'm still less than 10% of the way. But it will get easier as I get fitter. Right now it feels like I'm spending my whole day either swimming, sleeping or working, but as I swim faster (my aim is to be able to swim the distance in just over half an hour) it will take up less of my day and I'll have more time to do other things.

On a different note, I've been looking at the stats and I see that I'm getting an awful lot of hits from America (I do have family in the USA, but I doubt they've been checking out my blog half a dozen times a day!) and a few from Germany and Poland. I'd really appreciate it if you could sponsor me (and tell all your friends about what I'm doing so that they can support me too). Please could you at least email me, or comment on this post? I'd like to know who you are :-)

Right, shower time now. I didn't have one at the pool as my shampoo exploded (today's not really my day, but things can only go up from here!), and the itching is getting unbearable.

Please sponsor me. Everyone's generosity is what is keeping me going.

810 down, 8450 to go


* I got told off for this. Apparently it was my Mum's idea, but my Dad's implementation. So thank you to both of my parents.


Another 7am start tomorrow. Can't wait.

Day 9

Hello everyone :-)

Just done my lengths for today. Was planning on doing 200 so that I didn't have to go before breakfast tomorrow, but I got bored (I am only human!) and finished after my normal 100. Looks like I'll be up early in the morning!

I've also today made a graph to show how I'm doing against how I should be at this point (I'm my mother's daughter!). I'm only a little bit behind average, and I'll be back on track by tomorrow (this is because I could do 80 lengths a day and I'd manage the distance in the time I'm home from university, but I'm actually doing 100 lengths a day. This means that I don't have to cram in the distance before I go on holiday.).

I've also been meaning to post a picture of my business cards which arrived earlier in the week. The top one shows the front and the bottom one shows the back. I think they're so cute!

Thank you to Todd and Christian (again) who sponsored me today :-) I'm less than £10 away from £500!!!

Please will you sponsor me? I'm overwhelmed by people's generosity over the last two weeks, but I still have so far to go.

710 down, 8550 to go

Day 8

Back to the pool today. The day off worked. It didn't hurt :-)

Thank you to Michael, the drunk lady at the pub last night, Joe and Alice for sponsoring me over the last 18 or so hours. I'm over halfway and nearly at £500 :-)

I'm too tired to write much more. I blame the blood loss from our family trip to the blood doning session yesterday.

Please sponsor me. I'll bake you brownies (terms and conditions apply :-P )

610 down, 8650 to go

Day 7

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm having a day off from swimming today.

My first day at my second job went really well, and now a couple of hours off before I head down to the pool (I might not be swimming today, but I just can't stay away from the place. And also, I need monies)

Thank you to Jenn who sponsored me last night. I'm now only £10.16 away from half way. It's so wonderful :-)

And I think I might have persuaded Joe to sponsor me too, so I shall be even closer...

Apparently I was supposed to be in the Mercury yesterday, however we don't get it delivered to my house. If you do have a copy could you possibly scan in the article and email it to me? The address is justkeepswimming-alexmccourt@hotmail.co.uk


Update: I just got off the phone from Jacqui at TAG and she's going to send me some collecting boxes and some other things, as well as putting a piece about me in the TAG newsletter. Thank you Jacqui.

And my Hugh is going to do me some posters tomorrow (he's the creative one, I just bake!), so thank you to him too :-)

Thank you to Roz for sponsoring me too. I'm now only £5 away from half way!!!

Thank you to everyone :-)

Day 6

Hey all,

I didn't manage the whole 100 lengths today. Wasn't feeling well so I stopped after 50. My Daddy reckons it's exhaustion. I've not swam for a year and then suddenly I've done 12km in less than a week!

Well I'm having tomorrow off. It's my first day at the new job, then I'm working a shift at the current job and then I'm giving blood. I always feel rubbish after I donate and I don't want to risk fainting in the pool (and I think Lewis and Hannah would rather not get in to save me!).

So I'll probably do 150 on Saturday, but perhaps I shall stick to 100. I think the key is not to kill myself doing this (well, I think that that is, in face, the overall goal). I have the 3 weeks extra if I do need it, so we shall see how I feel on Saturday. I don't want to have to have a day off a week, like I'm having this week, so I don't want to work myself too hard.

Anyway, I'm exhausted. Have been in the pool 3x in 24 hours. I hope this is all making sense. I have a tendency to say random things that only I (and perhaps my family and Hugh, although not always), can understand.

Night night

Thank you to Chris who sponsored me today. Please sponsor me too. I'm less than £20 away from halfway. Love <3

510 down, 8750 to go

Justgiving

A couple of people have told me that there is a problem with donating via justgiving. If you do want to sponsor me and it's not working, we can do it the old-school way. Either give me the money when you see me, or email me at
justkeepswimming-alexmccourt@hotmail.co.uk and I'll send you my address to post a cheque to. You could also contact justgiving and they might be able to help you.

They suggest on their help page that you check your browser security settings.

Thank you, and please don't let this stop you sponsoring me :-)

Day 5

So I've just done swim number 5. It's definitely getting a lot easier. only took me 50 minutes today and I did a mile in one go.

20 minute miles, here I come!

My business cards arrived today so I've been handing lots out and hopefully it'll be worthwhile.

Anyway, off to make some brownies to bribe my work-boys into parting with their money (a way to these men's hearts is definitely through their stomachs!)

Please sponsor me if you haven't already. I've got a phenomenal amount in just over a week, but I still have so far to go!

460 down, 8800 to go

Thank you to my Auntie Marie and her family, and Chris for sponsoring me today. I've broken £400!!

And thank you to everyone at work I'm nearly halfway! :-)

A couple of people have told me that there is a problem with donating via justgiving. If you do want to sponsor me and it's not working, we can do it the old-school way. Either give me the money when you see me, or email me at
justkeepswimming-alexmccourt@hotmail.co.uk and I'll send you my address to post a cheque to.

Day 4

I can feel myself getting fitter, although boy is it hurting. I managed 50 lengths on the trot today, whereas I only managed 30 without a break yesterday and 10 at once on Sunday. As every day passes, the crazier I think I am!

The previous post is the article in the East Anglian Daily Times this morning. This picture isn't as bad as I thought it would be! Now just for the Mercury on Thursday.

Thank you to my Granma and Grandad for pledging £30 today. I'm so close to £400. In just over a week. It's so fantastic :-)

Please sponsor me. Work people- you wont be allowed any brownies at Staff Training tomorrow unless you've donated.

Night night.

360 down, 8900 to go

I'm in the East Anglian Daily Times!

Click to zoom


Thank you to the Bedfords and the Bankses, who sponsored me last night :-)

If you haven't already, please can you sponsor me? Every pound is appreciated.

Day 3

So I've just done my third swim. It was easier than yesterday but I'm looking forward to being as fit as I was again!

I don't seem to be in the EADT today. They told me this might happen and if I wasn't in today's, I'd be in tomorrow's.

Not much else to say today. I'm exhausted and am going back to bed. Ta-ra.

PS Please sponsor me. Thank you :-)

250 down, 9010 to go

Thank you to Ursula, who just brought me round some sponsorship money from her and her friend Sam, so thank you to him too :-)

Day 2

A late one today. I've had a busy evening at Hugh's parents' who have just come back from Portugal. Lucky sods!

I did 100 lengths today and it nearly killed me! I'm not as fit as it used to be, but it shall come. I've got 90-odd more days of this! I didn't catch up the extra 50 from yesterday, but as my Mum rightly said, it would be a bit of a shock to the system to go from 0-50-150 lengths in 3 days.

I used my MP3 player in the pool today. It was good but I need to adjust it as it cut the blood circulation off to my ears!

You all should buy the East Anglian Daily Times tomorrow. I'll probably be in it with a (not so) beautiful picture of me.

Just a short one today. Super-sleepy.

Please, please sponsor me, if you haven't already.

150 down, 9110 to go

Day 1!

So it's been a busy, busy day today. I bought wayyy too much costume jewellery at the auction this morning, and then I did my first swim.

As the auction overran and I needed lunch etc., I only did 50 lengths today, but I shall make it up tomorrow, I don't want to be too far behind too early on!

I also had Tudor from the East Anglian Daily Times come to take some pictures of me in the pool, and Hugh took some as well, which I'll stick on the blog. However, I must say that I am not the most photogenic person in the world, especially in a swimming costume, hat and goggles.

The 50 lengths were quite hard. Mostly because I kept getting distracted by the lifeguards! This is what I bought my waterproof MP3 player, however I haven't filled it up with music yet. That's on my to-do list tonight.

Thank you to my Hugh for sponsoring me and taking lots of pictures of me and generally being a sweetheart.

If you haven't sponsored me, please can you? I've raised almost £300 since Tuesday, but I still need more! Thank you so much :-)

Make sure you get your hands on the East Anglian Daily Times on Monday, and the Mercury on Thursday, there will be a lovely (or maybe not, see above about swimming costumes etc.!) picture of me, and a nice article about me :-)

50 down, 9210 to go.

I'm in the Bury Free Press!

(Click to zoom)

Thank you also to Jackie who sponsored me today :-)

T-1 day

I'M GOING HOME TODAY XD XD XD

Thank you to Hazelnut for sponsoring me last night. I'm nearly 25% of the way there now :-)

Please will you sponsor me too, if you haven't already? I'd really appreciate it :-)

T -2 Days

Again today's posting will probably be a short one. I was out last night and I'm a bit hungover this morning. I also have a big pile still to pack, as well as all of my kitchen stuff. How have I accumulated so much??



However I have also packed a lot. I'm not sure if it's all going to fit in the car...


I've just have a lovely phone call with Jo from the East Anglian Daily Times. It's all getting exciting now.

I am getting a bit daunted by the length I have to swim... Just want to start it really... Only two more days.

Please, please sponsor me. I'm overwhelmed by the response already, so thank you everyone who has donated already. Nearly £200 in three days is fantastic. But I still need another £723.54. Please help. Thank you :-)

Update: Thank you to my Rusty-housemate for sponsoring me, I'm now over £200 :-)

T -3 Days

So today's post will actually be a short one. I bored my family and boyfriend with talk of this yesterday and ideas what to do, so I've promised them I'll do something else today.

So I'm going to pack, as I'm moving home on Friday, and I'm going to look at some holiday destinations.

I got some more sponsorship, which means I'm nearly 20% of the way there, in only 48 hours. This is fantastic. Thank you to everyone, and thank you to Angharad who sponsored me this morning, and to Jen and Justin, and my aunt, uncle and cousins who sponsored me just now :-)

Also thank you to Harry who donated £5 after losing a drunken bet about whether candyfloss at the Students' Union was free or not (it was. Moral of the story: I don't lose bets).

If you haven't already, please sponsor me. I'll love you forever.