The Colour Run

Yesterday I took part in The Colour Run a 5k run in Wembley Park, London.

It had been something on my bucket list  and something I’ve wanted to do for a long time!

Running 5K whilst getting absolutely covered in coloured powder, all the while raising money for charity. I’d say that’s pretty good going for a Sunday.
In total, 18,000 people participated in the London Colour Run. Such an amazing turn out.
Me and my sister had been lucky, as they re-opened entrance for the London run, so we were able to get the last few spaces.

We arrived early, around half 12 to try and soak in as much of the atmosphere as possible. We needed to collect our Colour packs, as ours hadn’t arrived in the post. I was very surprised how efficient and easy it was at the info tents where they wer handing out Colour packs and giving info to all the runners. It really was a well organised event!

We managed to get a quick bite to eat at one of the restaurants in Wembley Park, before it started to get manically busy.
In the space of half an hour, the entire population (it seemed) of London had made their way to the Wembley Park and were raring to get started.

We were one of the first groups who made it off the start line, I think it must have been about half 3 when we started running. It was such a good build up! Capital FM had sponsored the run and had been playing music at the start line which added a really enjoyable atmosphere and got everyone excited!

All types of ages and abilities were taking part in the run, which I feel added a sense of togetherness. Everyone was there to enjoy themselves, get messy and to have an amazing experience which was definitely the result.

Each 1k was a different colour, you’d run across the 1k marker and there would be about 20-30 workers ready throwing coloured powder at all the runners.
In the distance you could see the coloured clouds of powder at each check point. A coloured fog that would swallow all the runners. It was so exciting.

It didn’t feel like a proper run, as you were just excited to get to the next check point to have another colour thrown in your face adding to the collection of colour bombs on your t-shirt.

After 5 check points I’d had; pink, blue, yellow, orange and purple powder sufficiently covering my body including my mouth – where I’d got all excited shouting and someone had lobbed a handful of powder in my mouth.

Such a brilliant day! Hopefully they will be bringing the Colour Run to my city soon!

Thats one off the bucket list – Check

 

That’s One Off the List

This week I was finally able to cross something off my bucket list – Donating blood.
I went with a friend from work clearly for morale support. I hadn’t really thought about the fact I was going to have 1 pint of blood taken from me. I do know that sounds ridiculous, but it hit me when we arrived, when I could see about 7 people hooked up to their own little donation stations: All doing their good deed for the day. At which point I started to become nervous.

After having my medical check, I was then ready to sit in the donating chair. (Which were amazing). The chairs were a sort of arm chair that swung back – similarly to garden furniture but on a swing mechanism, that tilted backwards.

The nurse that was assigned to me was very reassuring and kept me chatting the whole way which was lovely 🙂 Thanks Peter!

It didn’t actually hurt as much as I thought it would. The worst part for me was the little pin prick they do to test your blood before hand. That I always hate that.

I was hooked up to the machine and waited until the required amount had been taken, which for me was 9.44 seconds.

All was fine, I had done it!
The process of getting out of the chair however was a little more problematic. To ensure that you don’t faint with the rush of blood when you stand up, they bring the chair up in stages to allow you body change to balance.
Apparently my body didn’t want to balance out and instead gave me the feelings of fainting. It was not very pleasant at all! Every time I would get to the half way point, I would have a horrible feeling in my stomach and then my head would start to become all rushy and the edges of my vision started to blacken. The nurse then pushed to chair straight back down and then rush of blood straight back to my head would make me feel better again. This went on for another 45 minutes. Which was highly frustrating and embarrassing!

In the end after eating 4 chocolate bars and biscuits, I was finally feeling better to leave.
Apparently it affects people in different ways, and a number of things could have contributed to me feeling faint.
The amount I ate (which I thought I’d done pretty well), relief as it was over being my first time, my weight, bloody pressure.

Overall I’m very glad I’ve done it, and was lovely to know that my donation will save three people’s lives. 

I will definitely carry on giving blood when I can. Although I had a little problem after the donation it really wasn’t as bad as I thought. Was very quick and easy. My only suggestion is to make sure you eat a lot!

 

 

 

 

My Bucket List

Travel to Thailand
Attend Loy Krathong, the sky lantern festival in Thailand
Watch all of ‘The Lord of the Rings’
Ride an elephant
Speak another language
Sky dive
Live abroad for a year
Swim with sharks
Complete the colour run
Dive in The Great Barrier reef
Visit the great wall of China
Volunteer abroad
Complete the Mongol Rally
See the Northern lights
Sledging with husky dogs
Fly in a hot air balloon
Stand on the equator
Go skinny dipping on holiday
Visit Japan
See the Grand Canyon
Be an extra in a movie
Ride in a gondola in Venice
Go white water rafting
Travel to Australia
See a show in London
Go paintballing
Run a marathon
Visit Alcatraz
Road trip in America
Visit Milan
See the Taj Mahal
Fly in a helicopter
Ride a camel
Go whale watching
Go to the airport take next available flight
Start my own business
Become more patient
Attend a cooking class
Have flying lessons
Have kids
Throw dart at a map – go where it lands
Play ‘Moonlight Sonata’ by heart on the piano
Live/work with family in the out back in Australia
Do an African Safari
Stay in a beach shack
Donate blood
Buy a house

Have you done of the things on my bucket list? Let me know what it was like.  I’d love to hear your stories!