Life tip: get yourself a friend who will drag themselves round races with you, but will also visit Gloucester services en route to pick up FOUR different cakes to split.

Suddenly remembered that time when, during a half marathon, a lady decided she needed to cross the route at a very specific point so proceeded to inch her way across, dodging us runners whilst dragging a full on suitcase and nearly took loads of us out. People do weird things....

We go again! Nothing says "happy birthday" like signing up for the next challenge! 🎉

Cardiff Half Marathon ballot results are out this week and, after jokingly saying to hubby that I'd "just do Rome instead if I don't get in", I don't know which way I'm hoping the result will go any more! 😬

Day 2 of half term: nobody is dressed, littley has done everyone's hair and makeup, we've made clay dinosaurs, had 3 dance parties, and are now camped out on the sofa with fish fingers and kids movies. It's only lunchtime. And it's absolutely fabulous.

Men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations should get annual #ProstateCancer screening. The IMPACT trial finds BRCA1 carriers are 3 times more likely to have aggressive prostate cancers than non-carriers. Results from the international trial shared at @myesmo.bsky.social www.icr.ac.uk/about-us/icr...

I've had time to reflect on Sunday's race for a few days, and I'm super proud how much I've improved with consistency. <2 years ago I ran 5k at 6:16/km and felt lousy for the rest of the day. On Sunday I ran >4 times that at 6:06/km and felt AMAZING (see mile 12 pic!) Commitment works! PROUD! 💪🏼

One of my favourite signs from Sunday's race said "you know therapy was an option, right?" So naturally I've entered the ballot for one of the superhalfs instead 🤷🏼‍♀️

I'm a *massive* data nerd so seeing the consistency in today's km splits AND an increase in pace over the last 5k has made me extremely satisfied (and proud). Okay, nerding over.. for now.

600 km of training, £660 raised for @icr.ac.uk and 1 completed half marathon in 2:10:31 (my first solo HM!). Feeling VERY proud of myself but also extremely tired and hopefully won't be walking very far in the near future.. 🥴 Royal Parks 2025 over and out! 💪🏼

Sometimes it takes a literal (jelly baby) village. The troops have been assembled: 16 black/red jelly babies to get me through 21.1 km in the morning 💪🏼

Everyone: "Ooh you get to carb load now, this is the fun bit!" Me: "Nah that's just my normal diet, except now I have an excuse attached to it" 👀

Andddd that's a wrap on @royalparkshalf.bsky.social training! Half easy, half race pace, plenty of hills, and I'm feeling ready to go! 💪🏼🔥

Me: spends hours tearing my hair out over the direction of odds ratios not making scientific sense, & about to accept that science is weird sometimes (a lot of the time). Also me: finally thinks to set the correct reference level & the world is suddenly the right way up again... 🤦🏼‍♀️ And breathe....

Tonight's dining table shenanigans: timing how long each of us can sustain and control a single exhaled breath. Apparently, I've discovered some hidden talent as I managed to do this for twice as long as my husband: 52 seconds! 💪🏼 I'll thank being a saxophonist for that, I guess 🤷🏼‍♀️

Last long run of my training block done! 600 km of training runs done, and just one more race pace practice this week and then it's show time, @royalparkshalf.bsky.social eek!

It's Friday night, there's a new Swiftie album to binge, and all I want is a bucket of wine.. except I've promised myself no alcohol until after @royalparkshalf.bsky.social but oh lorrrrrrrd is that finish line savvy b going to hit different 🥺 (Actual footage in the attached GIF)

First impression of #TheLifeOfAShowgirl: 7/10. Some absolute bops and a 10/10 track 5. Top spots go to "Opalite" and "Wood", but excuse meeee Taylor Alison Swift *those* lyrics?! I can absolutely no longer comment on Sabby Carp's level of raunch after that! ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 (brb off for listen #2....)

Also, the fact that I've saved an easy training run that's almost the exact length of The Life of a Showgirl for release day, enabling a start-finish listening session to bring the best vibes says a lot about my personality..... Basic af but very happily so! ❤️‍🔥🏃🏼‍♀️

Happy Taylor day to all who celebrate! ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Got to Sainsbury's still wearing my work lanyard and tried to find the swipe pad thing to beep in and open the barrier at the entrance... Is it the weekend yet? 🥴

Very sad news indeed 😔 I read "In the Shadow of Man" during lockdown and it was absolutely incredible. Such a big loss for the zoology world 🦍

The taper has well and truly begun, the training plan now fits on a single page, and the weather forecast is now being reported... It's starting to get very real counting down to @royalparkshalf.bsky.social! Eek!!

September: the month of Burghley Horse Trials, Eventing European Champs, McFly/Busted with my besties, a half marathon, and some *really* excellent dogs.. all topped off with taking littley on her first proper rollercoaster today! I'm off to take a nap.... 🥴

"My family portraits" by C Jemmett, age 4 🥺

Husband is playing a very difficult video game and I am *definitely* helping by scrolling TikTok to provide the soundtrack to boss fights. Current highlights include dubstep Offenbach and Vengaboys. I'm sure I'm not an annoying wife at all... right @philjemmett.bsky.social?.. 😇

I'm very guilty of rereading the same books over and over for comfort, but none more so than the Inheritance series - I absolutely *love* this book so of course I turned to my battered copy of Eragon today after accepting I've totally burnt out over the last few weeks and need to slow down 🫠

For anyone just trying to get through to the weekend, here is your friendly reminder that voting for fat bear week (aka the most important week of the year) is now open 🐻 www.explore.org/fat-bear-wee...

Introducing littley to Disney's "Enchanted" tonight. A princess for her, and a singing James Marsden for me - seems like a fair deal! 😏

The scene: it's 6:45 in the morning and I'm having one of those "my hair won't cooperate and I hate everything in my wardrobe" moments. My 4 year old daughter: "Mummy I think you might need some wine". This girl knows what's up!

Gold 🥇 and bronze 🥉 for our fabulous GB riders in the final day at Blenheim today! 🥳🇬🇧

It was not to be for Team GB today, but I had the most fabulous day at the Europeans supporting the vet team behind the scenes, and celebrating successes with all competing nations. I think running a lab in a literal field gives a whole new meaning to "field work"!

There's a chance today could be the best day of my career so far.. I'm heading to the European Eventing Championships to run bloods and assist vets on behalf of the International Equestrian Federation and I am fangirling *SO* hard over the horses that will be in the stables today...

The fear I felt reading an email subject "Royal Parks Half Marathon: New Route!" quickly disappeared when I realised I'll now get to run past the Horse Guards Parade (inner horse girl is *very* emosh about this), and also The Mall twice rather than just once! 3 weeks to go! Bring it on! 🥳

10/10 way to end a working week - would highly recommend!

Today I delivered a tour of our pet centre to some American colleagues. Amidst the discussions of puppies, and dog names, I also introduced them to: - The concept of a Jaffa Cake - The origin of "it's raining cats and dogs" - Maltesers It never occurred to me that these would be alien topics! 🤷🏼‍♀️

I used to think Bake Off was the most wholesome thing on an autumnal Tuesday night. Now I know that truly the most wholesome thing on an autumnal Tuesday night is belting McFly classics with your uni besties - such joy! 🫶🏼

Things I could really do without given current energy levels and amount of time in a day: a McFly vs Busted concert tomorrow night.. 🥴 See also: things that I'm excited for! Eek! 🤘🏼

Just worked out that I have TEN training runs left before @royalparkshalf.bsky.social and I genuinely don't know if I'm more excited or nervous at this point..

I fear that I may have dug myself into a hole for future costume making here, but littley won a prize for being Matilda (from the music version, of course) for Roald Dahl day at school today! I may have enjoyed making a stack of Roald Dahl books as a prop a little too much....

Happy Taskmaster day (or Thursday if you're boring) to all who celebrate! Yippeeeeeee! 🥳

PBs are nice and all that, but the feeling of sticking with your pal throughout 3 hours of them wanting to quit to keep them moving and make sure they cross that finish line is the best feeling. Super proud of what we pulled off as friends yesterday: finish lines > finish times 💪🏼

It was *very* soggy but a job well done! 1 down, 1 to go.. roll on London Royal Parks Half Marathon in 5 weeks time!

Tell me it's race day tomorrow without telling me it's race day tomorrow... It's show timeeee - 1st of 2 half marathons for @icr.ac.uk! 🏃🏼‍♀️💪🏼

The Burghley blues are very strong this morning as the competition continues online for me, but I'm hugely appreciating the lack of wind, rain, and mud in today's office!

And that's a wrap! An absolute privilege to represent Mars Equestrian at the world's greatest 5* event today. Dressage, countless dog cuddles, and seeing the top riders in the sport has made for one of those "pinch me" work days and I can't believe this is my job! So lucky!

When the office looks like this, you know it's going to be a fabulous day. It's a slog working in research, but my goodness I'm so lucky to be rewarded like this! I've always come to these events as a paying spectator, so getting to be here to represent Mars Equestrian is a huge deal to me!

Twas the night before Burghley Horse Trials and all through the house, Not a creature was stirring... Except for a frantic Mars associate who totally forgot about the dress code and is now scrabbling to find something that fits the bill ready to play ponies and cuddle dogs all day! 🐴🐕

Ahh race week! Aka "excuse to live on bread and pasta and count it as carb loading" week! 🫶🏼 5 days to gooooo!

Apparently I'm making a habit of doing my longest runs before soft play parties (admittedly it's my own kid's party this time!). 🤷🏼‍♀️ Felt good to get this done this morning. Well, it was actually extremely tough. But that's my longest pre-half marathon run done! Next week is race day! 😬