Juneathon Day 9: The Garden Dash

I have just got home and again all I want to do is snuggle in bed with my book, but I have a blog post to write! (I'd forget if I didn't do it straight away). 

After finishing work at 5:40pm I walked to my sister's house - I ended up staying until 11pm! 

We played with her tortoises (more interesting than I imagined) and socialised in the communal garden with her lovely neighbours, both of which (tortoises and neighbours) I met for the first time today. 

Zoe (sister) kept edging the conversation onto Juneathon, eager to see me embarrass myself. Eventually everyone agreed on the exercise I should do - 5 squats, run to the other side of the garden, do 5 more squats and do all of that 10 times! The complaint that I was still in my uniform didn't stick as Zoe grabbed a pair of tracksuit bottoms for me to wear. 

The garden is about 20 metres long, and I'm not known for a love of running. I'm the type of person (usually) who if seen running is usually due to being chased. 

I was so embarrassed by the idea of this challenge for two reasons 1) there were people watching me (some of whom I had just met) 2) there was a possibility others may see too if they heard the noise and looked out of their windows. Originally it was myself, Zoe and her boyfriend Pete, and their neighbours Lavinia and Nick but when another neighbour walked past to get to his flat Zoe invited him to join and watch me - much to my embarrassment.

So, with a McDonald's top, three-quarter-length tracksuit bottoms and my fake converse on, I began. As is the theme of Juneathon it started off easy and got a lot harder, but at least once I'd got going I wasn't so embarrassed by my audience. In fact, the audience actually proved useful as they were cheering me on and I wouldn't have done it as quick if I'd been doing it alone. 

Another reason my audience was lovely and rather useful is that each of them joined me on one lap! All of them beat my speed, but they were only doing one lap! I even got carried away at the end and did an extra squat thinking I hadn't finished yet - but luckily everyone else had counted for me. 

It took me about 5 minutes to recover because I was so out of breath and my heart was beating so fast, Zoe handed me my Strongbow and I took deep breaths!

Please take the time to sponsor me and donate to Macmillan Cancer Support: http://www.justgiving.com/Shelby-Juneathon

Shelby's Juneathon Challenge

A while ago exercise-shy Shelby decided (going against all of her natural instincts) to participate in an exercise challenge for Macmillan. To make it even harder for her, she didn't choose what she would be doing, that she left down to you.

After receiving suggestions we created a Survey Monkey and got you all to vote, the winner which we announced a few weeks ago on Facebook, was Juneathon.

Juneathon is a month-long exercise challenge, in which participants must exercise each day in the month of June and then blog about it. Shelby will be blogging her experience using this blog, but to stay up-to-date with the posts as they're being uploaded make sure to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter!

You're probably looking at your calendar in confusion, yes June is now five days in - but, Shelby (and the other Angels, Megan and Jess) has been on holiday and only returned today! But fear not, Shelby will be continuing for Juneathon for five days into July to make up for those missed while away. 

You may also be thinking this all sounds a bit too easy (not to Shelby!), but don't worry we're going to make her really work for your donations. We will be taking suggestions and running daily (potentially) votes to decide which form of exercise (torture) we'll be making Shelby do each day - so make sure that you send in your suggestions and vote too!

First day suggestions, take a vote! 

• Run around the block three times (Am at my parent's and they live on a hill).
• Walk to Capstone Park and back (about four miles total).
• Do 50 sit ups and 30 leg raises. 
• Any other suggestions?

Vote by commenting, and we welcome suggestions! 

Stay tuned via: 

Facebook

Twitter

And find out more about Juneathon here: 

http://www.juneathon.com/

(A Just Giving page will be set up shortly and the link added here).