Gratitude.

People are too materialistic, they are too into obtaining possessions, which results in greed. Greed, is the main reason this world has wars and why people are unkind to one another. I myself, admit that I take for granted the food I eat; I gobble it down without even savouring, tasting the food. I don't take into consideration where the food comes from, and I never have to worry about the next meal, because I expect it to always be there.

People who are without are on the other hand are brimming with gratitude. My friend visited Uganda and when the people there who have next to nothing are given food or possessions, they share it with others whereas you would expect somebody with so little to be slightly greedy because they wouldn't be used to so much food, but it's the opposite, the people who will always have the possessions and enough food to feed much more than they need, are the greedy ones. Strange isn't it?

Also, you would expect there to be some people who think that God isn't real because he wouldn't deprive anybody of food and water, yet these are the people who have the strongest beliefs. Then there are the people who have plenty and many aren't religious and have a lot less gratitude.

Just something to think about anyway. It's on my mind a lot.

Favourite song of today: "Please forgive me by David Gray"

Swami Vivekananda

Well hello there! Haven't written on here in a little while!! It is half term wooo!! I'm going to see all my family tommorow which is exciting! I'm staying up there for a week. I'm going to a fancy dress party next month and i am going as a traditional indian woman- i've ordered a sari which i'm really excited about wearing!! I got rid of lots of old clothes today and walked down into town to a charity shop to donate it all, which felt great :D On the way back my mum and i stopped in a little shop called "Wild Wood" and we bought an incense holder and some new incense sticks which smell awesome!

What You Need to Keep in Mind

1. Love Is The Law Of Life: All love is expansion, all selfishness is contraction. Love is therefore the only law of life. He who loves lives, he who is selfish is dying. Therefore, love for love’s sake, because it is law of life, just as you breathe to live.



2. It’s Your Outlook That Matters: It is our own mental attitude, which makes the world what it is for us. Our thoughts make things beautiful, our thoughts make things ugly. The whole world is in our own minds. Learn to see things in the proper light.



3. Life is Beautiful: First, believe in this world – that there is meaning behind everything. Everything in the world is good, is holy and beautiful. If you see something evil, think that you do not understand it in the right light. Throw the burden on yourselves!



4. It’s The Way You Feel: Feel like Christ and you will be a Christ; feel like Buddha and you will be a Buddha. It is feeling that is the life, the strength, the vitality, without which no amount of intellectual activity can reach God.



5. Set Yourself Free: The moment I have realised God sitting in the temple of every human body, the moment I stand in reverence before every human being and see God in him – that moment I am free from bondage, everything that binds vanishes, and I am free.



6. Don’t Play The Blame Game: Condemn none: if you can stretch out a helping hand, do so. If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way.



7. Help Others: If money helps a man to do good to others, it is of some value; but if not, it is simply a mass of evil, and the sooner it is got rid of, the better.



8. Uphold Your Ideals: Our duty is to encourage every one in his struggle to live up to his own highest idea, and strive at the same time to make the ideal as near as possible to the Truth.



9. Listen To Your Soul: You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.



10. Be Yourself: The greatest religion is to be true to your own nature. Have faith in yourselves!



11. Nothing Is Impossible: Never think there is anything impossible for the soul. It is the greatest heresy to think so. If there is sin, this is the only sin – to say that you are weak, or others are weak.



12. You Have The Power: All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.



13. Learn Everyday: The goal of mankind is knowledge… now this knowledge is inherent in man. No knowledge comes from outside: it is all inside. What we say a man ‘knows’, should, in strict psychological language, be what he ‘discovers’ or ‘unveils’; what man ‘learns’ is really what he discovers by taking the cover off his own soul, which is a mine of infinite knowledge.



14. Be Truthful: Everything can be sacrificed for truth, but truth cannot be sacrificed for anything.



15. Think Different: All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything


My Wish: Rascal Flatts

be the best U can be

Been ill these past few days, watched the commonwealth games a lot, really enjoying the swimming, cycling and excited about athletics :D It is hopefully my first cross country of the season on sunday i hope it goes well despite my illness, hopefully it'll be training and i'll enjoy it :D. Party tommorow night which will hopefully be good, outside so i'm wearing a coat, jeans and boots! Being 16 doesn't feel any different, but i am enjoying my present of new xc spikes hopefully they'll come in handy on sunday for the race!!

Autumn is here :D

i love this time of year!!

Favourite song today: When you say nothing at all- Ronan Keating

Happy Birthday Bruce Springsteen!

Wow. Everything is going sooooo fast!! It's my last day of being 15 years old tommorow! Did a killer session tonight- 8 x 500m reps. Way off target, fitness/speed levels low. Thats what trainings for though! :P. School tommorow- i have badminton which is a laugh and also Gym hopefully after school.

Here are some funny pictures of me and my little sis!

Friendship is not something you learn in school.But if you havent learned the meaning of friendship,you really haven't learned anything-Ali

Favourite song today: As i'm leaving- David Gray

The love you take is equal to the love you make. (Beatles)

Wow. This time next week i shall be 16 years old! Time seems to be flying by. I haven't posted anything for a while because i have been busy with homework. I also have entered my grade 4 piano exam so i am going to have to write up a schedule to practice. I am playing Valse Lente by Vaughan Williams as one of my pieces and i love it a lot. I am excited about the Cross Country season ahead of me, even though my shins are trouble. Hopefully mum and dad can get me some xc spikes for my birthday :D Exciting times! Thats all, i have tonnes of homework!

There's beauty in the silver singing river
There's beauty in the sunrise in the sky
But none of these and nothing else can match the beauty
That I remember in my true love's eyes
- - -Bob Dylan, "Tomorrow is a Long Time"


White Blank Page- Mumford & Sons

You laugh because I'm different, I laugh because you're all the same :)

I am in love. Love with the world! There is so much beautiful music, beautiful nature, it just makes me feel so alive. I love sitting still, listening to whatever is around; the waves on the beach, the feel of the breeze, the rustle of leaves. The feeling i get sometimes is indescribable; i can't explain it. I just feel so filled with love, passion, excitement and gratefulness. The satisfaction i have with what life has offered me is overwhelming.

I still get upset; i got upset last night because of what somebody said to me, they just snapped and it was unfair on my part because i was shouted at for no reason. However after crying i felt better and whilst i pretended to be asleep they came in & said; "good night, Alice". And all was forgiven. I feel on top of the world, i don't feel scared about what the future may hold; i feel mentally strong enough to challenge and face whatever the future may hold for me.

Today was lovely. I went for my piano lesson which was great as we had a cup of tea before and lots of nice chocolate biscuits. We talked about how today's society is so wound up about perfection & how success is so important.

However we believe that it is the effort put into anything which is the most important- not the sucess or who is the best. If everybody was great at everything it would be pointless. It would be boring. Likewise if everybody looked the same- this "perfect body" image which the media portrays, it would be so boring. It isn't actually physically possible to have a skinny stick-like figure & big boobs/bum. But this is the image which the media gives off to young women. And it is ridiculous.

Anyways, enough of my ranting, nobody really reads this, but it does help to put down my thoughts and feelings especially when most people don't want to listen or just don't understand.

Love, Alice

Favourite song today: Somethin' Special- Sheryl Crow

Someone to crowd you with lovesomeone to force you to care someone to make you come through who'll always be there as frightened as you of being alive

School tommorow! The start of Year 11. The last year of high school. 2 years of College after, then University!!

On Tuesday i had a good fitness run, and today a 30 minute tempo run. A few strides tommorow, then rest on Saturday for Sunday's racing which i am really excited about!

This last day was spent with my little sister & grandma. We went to town on the train which was much much cheaper than the bus. I bought an Athletics Weekly Magazine, but that was it! It was nice walking round town though and drinking Banana Milkshake & M&M's :D

I've gotta go now, prepare for tommorow!! Hopefully another successful school year of hard work! Hopefully i come out of it with good grades!

I love this quote:

"If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace." John Lennon

Favourite song today: Thankyou- Jamelia

They aren't hungry for bread, they are hungry for love

Today was a beautiful day. Went to the beach with the family, i just walked straight into the sea and swam. People were saying it was really cold but i didn't feel it! I just walked straight in and swam & it was so invigorating. I felt so alive. So relaxing i just floated on the water which i normally cannot do because of being tense! Had a nice icecream- black currant & clotted cream :).

David Rudisha broke the WR again- 1minute41.01!!!

Favourite song today: Picture of you- Boyzone

When you're weary, feeling small
When tears are in your eyes, I'll dry them all
I'm on your side when times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down
- - - Simon and Garfunkel. "Bridge Over Troubled Water"

The truth is you can always run faster. Sometimes, the truth hurts

Not posted on here for a few days! Went for a late morning run for 30 minutes. Felt so much fitter & better & fresh! I feel like i could actually race now! I won't rush into things though- i am racing next Sunday- 3k & 800m then a rest until October the 10th when its the first xc of the season! Excited!!!

I have had two good training sessions this week one speed session: 2x1km reps & 1 mile rep. And a fast 5 mile run which i felt drained after!! Treated myself to some Ben & Jerry's chocolate fudge brownie which was very bad of me!


I went shopping yesterday with my older sister which was nice :) I bought some new nike racing shorts & a white karrimor running top. They look nice together! I also bought a bikini top from Fat face because it was in the sale but alas! I have no bottoms to go with it, there were only size 18 bottoms in the shop! So i was a bit stuck.

Today my Grandma is coming, i am really excited as i love seeing her. Most of our relatives live up north (excluding the family living in Cornwall). Which means we only see them about once a year. So it's extra special when we see them :) Grandma is coming down with my Auntie & Uncle so it will be great to see them also =)

I watched the last Diamond League on friday night which was great, many great performances including:

*Blanka Vlasic (HJ)
*Janeth Jepkosgei (800)
*Priscilla Lopes-Schliep (100mH)
*Allyson Felix (200)
*Tyson Gay (100)
*David Rudisha (800)
*Vivian Cheruiyot (5k)
*Reese Hoffa (Shot Put)

I love athletics. And i also love Cross country!!

Favourite Song Today: The World's Greatest - R Kelly

Gcse results! Year 1 of 2!

Haven't posted in a few days! This morning i got some of my GCSE results. (Parts of them, not whole gcse grades)They were:

English- A
History- A & A
Religion- A
P.E Theory- B
Science (Double Award- chem, phy & bio) - B

I keep getting annoyed with myself for being disappointed with these grades. I believe it would be harder to maintain high grades, say i had got all A's, than to know that i can do better, and i will have more knowledge of how to do that.

It is ironic though, that the two subjects i cared about the most, are the ones i scored the lowest in. However, we were told before the P.E exam that the grade boundaries were high, so i am fairly satisfied with a B. Likewise, my science was 78 marks out of 100, my friends A mark, told me that my b is high.

So therefore i should stop being disappointed as i now have motivation, aims, goals, drive & the commitment to get the grades this time next year. This is what i would like to get/will aim for the grades next year

Music: A
P.E (Theory & Practical): A
History: A/A*
English (Double Award): A A
Maths: B
Science (Double Award): A
Religion A/A*
German: A/A*

So yes, my expectations are high, but i believe in always dreaming big.

David Rudisha broke the 800m world record on Sunday: 1minute41.09! It was so so good to watch!

Favourite song today: Babylon- David Gray

Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today

It has been a nice two days! Yesterday i went to town with my mum and big sister. I went in Debenhams cafe with my mum and we shared a carrot cake, she had coffee and i had lemonade, which was really nice :) The me and the rest of the family had a surprise birthday for my second cousin who was 7. It was really nice, the food was nice and i miss talking to lovely people!

Today i had a pretty lazy day, i tidied my room, went for a 30 minute run followed by 20 minute stretching/yoga. Had some chocolate cake today as a treat :)

Song: Til there was you- The Beatles

An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind

Wow. i just saw Mo Farah break the 13 minute barrier for 5000m! PB & National Record,(I have his autograph!!).Chris Solinsky of the USA was fighting for first three places with the africans with a sub 13 performance again! There were other great performances, my favourite being;

Veronica Campbell Brown, 100m, 10.89 (2nd Carmelita Jeter with same time!)

Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, 100m hurdles- 12.53

Wallace Spearmon, 200m, 19.79

Jeremy Wariner, 400m, 44.13

Allyson Felix, Women's 400m, 50.39

David Oliver, 110m Hurdles, 12.93

Saw some really cute puppies today, visited them with my friends. They were cross breeds so i dunno what they were but they were adorable!

That's pretty much it today!!


Favourite song today: The CandyMan- Sammy Davis Jr.

Who are you to judge your neighbour?

Today i had a massive clearout. I chucked away loads of old school books, which before i felt i should keep so i can look back and see how i've progressed and how i've changed, but i really feel like they take up a lot of room and are really a waste. So i spent the majority of the day doing that (believe me, i was hoarding a lot of stuff!).

My little sister was going to a party and wanted a nice dress to wear so i let her borrow this flowery top/dress with white leggings and it suited her so much! I think i'll let her keep it, it doesn't compliment my light skin tone! How posh i sound, and how boring!

I went for my piano lesson which was nice. We worked on "Valse Lente" by Vaughan Williams, by introducing the pedal. I love using the pedal, it blends the harmonies so beautifully sometimes!

I had a rest day today, because my body just didn't feel upto it! The core workout yesterday was quite intense for me. The penultimate diamond league is tommorow in Zurich, which i am excited to watch :) Oh how i do love athletics!

Favourite song today: Dreamer- Chris Brown

Good things come to those who wait

Today was a pretty relaxing day. Walked to town to post some plants 1st class. Did a core body workout- mountain climbers are so hard!! Ate Moussaka for tea made by my big sister which was delicious! And homemade banana muffins too! I wanted to go running today, but i knew that i shouldn't rush things. My shins need time, i think. They keep hurting so i just gotta lay off, take it easy and gradually increase everything. If it gets worse, i shall for certain see the doctors again.

-Alice

Favourite song today: Inner Smile- Texas

Party!

Yesterday and today was really good.

The party was great because most of my lovely friends were there which made it very special.

We first of all did lots of trampolining, playing duck, duck, goose, wink wink murder & heads down thumbs up.

We then had tea (lots of Pizzas- ham and pineapple, cheese, pepperoni) and lots of dips with raw vegetables and crisps.

Then everyone decided on going for a walk around the area which was nice and we went down to the river and it was beautiful with the gorgeous sunset.

There was a hot tub which we then went in which was really warm and relaxing. It was nice to be looking up at the stars in the sky :).

We watched Dirty dancing, ate Ben & Jerrys Icecream (Half-Baked & Phish Food) and later on ate chocolate fondue with strawberries and grapes!

We then spent several hours at least playing truth or dare which was eventful!

I had literally no sleep which was amazing, because i would have thought i would just suddenly drop off! I was hungry early in the morning (around 6am) so i had my breakfast which was nice!

My friends wanted to go to town and the beach so we went on the bus and spent a few hours eating an early lunch (11am!) and lying on the grass at young's park reading Flo's funny magazine!

By this time i felt tired, but when i got home i wanted a run so i went the normal route but carried on down the golf course to the farm and round all the fields which was nice. I was around 55 minutes and my pace was pretty constant- i got very hot though!

Favourite song today: Everywhere- Michelle Branch

Be who you are in every situation (Michael Johnson)

Today was a great day! :P I had a lovely lunch in a little teashop and then my friend and her dad and i went to the gym. I felt quite strong and i was surprised at how not bad i was! I am excited about the cross country season ahead, and i hope i am able to develop some solid fitness and core strength. I want to be up there contesting for the first 3 places in the races i do! I want to believe i can win!





Favourite song today: My little girl- Tim Mcgraw

A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.

Had a nice relaxing day today. Some of the lovely family came round and we had home-made lasagne for tea which was nice and strawberry cheesecake that i made this morning with my two sisters. Very very tasty! :P

I watched the Diamond League (London Grand Prix)for most of the time. My favourite performances were from:

*Priscilla Lopes-Schliep in the 100m hurdles 12.52 (world leading)

*Blanka Vlasic in the high jump 2m01

*Tyson Gay 9.78 in the 100m (world leading)

Friday the 13th today!



Favourite song today: Why do fools fall in love?- Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers

Isaiah 40:31

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

Keep strong, i am praying for people to keep strength.

Had a lovely day today, an early morning run @ 7.00 (30 minutes tempo). Felt ok, definately not near 100% health. Had my haircut: -it smells lovely. The cinema with my friend was good too! (Toy Story 3!)

Asafa Powell is injured now! I was looking forward to watching him in london.


Song of today: Pack up- Eliza Doolittle

Thats all for today, i am tired :)

Follow your conscience, not the crowd.

I'm here again! I have a busy rest of the week ahead

Tommorow- Having my haircut (i love having it done), in the evening going to the cinema with a lovely friend!

Friday- having lots of family over for tea!

Saturday- gym with a friend

Sunday- Sleepover with friends

I cycled to my piano lesson this afternoon. It's funny; I haven't cycled in months however i put on my jersey, some shorts, helmet, trainers and I got on my bike and it was as if I've been doing it everyday! I love cycling on roads, but I'm not too keen on all the cars- some of the drivers intimidate me.

I am planning a run tomorrow morning on trails for around 40-60 minutes depending on how I feel. 20-30 minutes out, and back. I like those sort of runs as it gives you an idea of how well you can pace, judge and your fitness.

It's sad to hear Usain Bolt's out injured, but i feel it wouldn't be real if he carried on being invincible- we are only human! It was sad to hear of Antonio Pettigrew's death yesterday too, so young.

However Life is good for me at the moment, hopefully post something tomorrow!

Favourite song today: Imagine- John Lennon

Don't speak evil against one another

First blog post!

I know nobody is going to read this, but it's kinda like writing an online diary, and i think it will help me to write out my feelings. I've had a lovely summer hols so far, i came back from France on Saturday. I am aiming for the forthcoming cross country season, i want to have fitness by December, which is when the xc season starts rolling. My aims are to get in the top ten and qualify for the Uk Intercounties cross country which i have done for the past three years. I am approaching training differently this time. I am now entirely self-coached, and i have decided to concentrate on stamina as i think it has always been my weakness in races. My training week will include:

-Tempo Run
-Long Run
-Speed
-Short Run
-Rest

*Tempo runs (20 minutes out, 20 minutes back. (40 minute, even pace) )

*Long runs (60 minutes/ 7.5km)

*Shorter runs 2/3 distance (40 minutes/ 5km)

*Speed (Track races at the weekend/in week ranging from 200-1500m)

*Short Run/Recovery run (30 minutes slow pace )

*Rest normally 1-2 days (saturday/sunday) (After races 2)

However, this plan is slowly going to be incorporated as i do not want my shins to start aggravating me again! Excited about watching the diamond league at the weekend in London. The Europeans also was great, but i didn't watch much live as there was no TV where we were staying. Hopefully write another post soon, Alice

Favourite song today: Written all over your face- Rude Boys