A few weeks ago I was been nominated for The Liebster Award by runner extraordinaire Lucy from EuroGirlRunning and thought I’d get involved. I’ve been nominated a couple of times before (check out THIS ancient post; my love for ribs has been going on for some time!) and it’s always fun because it’s proves for generally quite random post.
The Liebster Award is just a nice blogging thing where you shout out to some blogs you’re enjoying currently. You get some questions to answer from the person who nominated you, then you pass on some of your own questions to other bloggers you nominate. Nice little chain. Now onto the questions!
1. Is there a sport you’d love to try, but haven’t yet? What is it and why?
Generally at school I did loads of sports. I was kind of a Jack of all trades and a master of none. For example, I was part of the basketball team. I’m 5ft4. I also did cricket, hockey, gymnastics and trampolining. I’d love to get into mountaineering and rock climbing though. My granddad was and still is an amazing mountain trekker and climber and has been all over the world scaling dizzy heights and teaching others. It’s just a bit expensive sadly (with all the gear and me having no idea) and the fact that the South Coast is generally quite flat.
2. Where did you go on your last holiday?
Boston…I won’t harp on about it again!
3. Who inspires you the most?
As cheesy as it sounds, my parents. They’re such hardworking and giving people. They also know not to take life too seriously. 
Growing up our house was always full of laughter. Granted, things were often disorganised and a bit chaotic (and I blame them entirely for my poor time-keeping skills 
) but they showed me that life is not a rehearsal. I have a fantastic relationship with them today and without them last year would have been really hard. And they have such a strong, loving relationship. Of course they argue, but they are the definition of soul mates. They don’t compute without each other. Unfortunately this instilled in me that love was everlasting and sadly I found out this wasn’t entirely true for everyone.
4. Why do you blog?
First and foremost because it’s a nice cathartic process and I love keeping a record of how races went (not just split times), how my training was and just things in general happening in my life. I enjoy the process of writing it, taking photos and just recapping things of significance. If no one read my blog, I’d still write it.
Secondly, I love the blogging/running community. If my blog is helpful to just one person then that makes me happy. I love reading people’s comments and I also enjoy reading other people’s blogs and commenting on the things they’re getting up to. I’ve made some good friends through blogging 
5. What’s number 1 on your bucket list?
Currently it’s doing all the Marathon Majors. So far I’ve done Berlin and Boston. Next up is Tokyo, then London, New York and Chicago. Then you get a HUGE medal to say you’ve done them all. Other than that, I’m not sure. There’s nothing I’m absolutely dying to do or go.
6. What’s your happiest memory?
I have several really good memories. One of them was finishing my last exam at university. My friend Charlotte, who was on the same course, and me arranged a day of fun straight afterwards…silly things that we loved like getting a Starbucks, eating sushi, going to the cinema and eating lots of sweets. The sensed of relief we felt finishing that exam and essentially our entire degree was AMAZING. We’d done this each year after finishing our last exam. Hilariously we managed to recreate the first year’s post-exam photo at the cinema each time.
We had good fun doing this! (Let’s not talk about my hair in the first photo, clearly the first year exam’s were quite stressful for me…).
Another good memory was picking up Alfie and driving him home. He was such a tubby little puppy. I remember feeding him a bit of apple (the only other being I’d voluntarily share my apple with, true story) and he then threw it up on my lap. Ahh good times.
7. If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be?
Hmmm. This sounds weird, but maybe the queen? I find it bizarre to imagine her getting up in a morning, eating breakfast and that sort of thing. What’s her life on a daily basis like?? We only ever see this perfect, austere women in the public eye. It’d just be a great insight, not that I particularly fancy being an old lady for a day.
8. Road or trail?
I like road for properly racing and trail for taking my time and enjoying the scenery. Either are good. I just love running
9. What’s your dream job?
I’d love to work for parkrun. Sounds weird but I just love parkrun and I love what they’re doing for running and the community. Whether I’d be any good is another story though and I’m sure it’s not “all the feels” that running is in reality. As a fun job though probably something involving eating cake. Like a cake taster. I don’t care that that might not be a real job. I’d make it a job.
10. What was your favourite race/event?
The Cakeathon was pretty damn good last year and I’m SUPER excited to do it again this year (in less than two weeks). So relaxed, so much fun, lovely people, LOTS OF CAKE and the best medal of my life.
And for the past three years I’ve done the Romsey Beer and Cake 5 mile race. It’s a tough course but I just love it. It’s the only short distance race I genuinely enjoy. Nothing about the cake at the end obviously…
There were obviously loads of blogs to nominate to answer my questions, but here are a selection of good’uns ]who I thought might be tempted to get involved…
Maria @ RunningCupcake // Mary @ AHealthierMoo // Jane @ ExtremeKnitting // Steph @ BeyondTheSofa // Jemma @ CeleryAndCupcakes // Kat @ KatalystHealth //Staci @ TheGirlRuns
And here are my questions:
1. If you could have only one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?
2. On a similar note, what would be your last meal on Earth?
3. If you could have a superpower what would it be?
4. What annoys you the most in life that other people do/don’t do?
5. What’s your favourite movie?
6. If you had to dress up in fancy dress, who/what would you be?
7. What’s your biggest weakness?
8. Favourite exercise and why?
9. If you could go back in time and tell yourself something when you were at school, what would it be?
10. If you could only RACE one distance ever again, what distance would it be?
But feel free to answer these questions in the comments – I’d love to hear your answers!
I have often wondered what the queen actually does too. I mean, she is the head of our country, so what does her day look like? I think she just eats cake all day.
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy recently posted…Comment on Kale, Feta and Watermelon Salad by Priya
Royal cake eating. That’s something I could easily get on board with.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Random Life
I thought the Cakeathon would be your favourite race. I remember when you posted about it and you came across so excited.
It was such a fantastic day. I hope to do it again! Finger’s crossed…
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Random Life
I love this! Yes, the Queen for a day would be pretty cool. We watched The Queen a couple of weeks ago, and I really enjoyed it (if you can enjoy such a film – enjoy is the wrong word, but you know what I mean!). You would be a great parkrun employee given you’re a pretty great ambassador for it! I had no idea about the Super Medal for the 5 Majors – that’s so cool!
I am totally going to Liebster myself up 🙂 Thanks Anna!
Steph recently posted…Non-Weigh In Wednesday 17 and My First 10 days
I’ve never seen the Queen, I really should watch it as I’ve heard it’s brilliant from so many people.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Random Life
Okay, I need to get on your level for running races. A CAKE race? I want to do that! And I love that you’re after all the marathon majors. Not only for the running experience, but how cool to travel everywhere!
Exactly! I’d never go to Tokyo on my own really but to go for a race?? I am THERE.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Random Life
I love posts like this!! Getting to know you more is fun 🙂
And just so you know, the kind of love that your parents have IS for everyone. I know you’ve had a bad experience with it, but you can have more than 1 love in your life. I know this for a fact. There’s just other things in your life right now, when the time is right he will come 🙂
Thanks so much for the nomination girl!
Kat recently posted…Thinking Out Loud #86
Ahh thanks, Kat. I’m sure there is someone out there but at the moment I’m doing OK on my own 🙂 No desperation yet anyway haha.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Random Life
Congrats! It was really cool to get to know you better through these questions. I just recently started following you after finding your Boston Race report, and I look forward to hearing the adventures continue!
Elizabeh C. recently posted…Launching My Book: Boston Bound
Yay thanks Elizabeth, nice to have you as a reader 🙂
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Random Life
I love reading posts like this. If I could be someone else for the day I’d be an elite marathon runner. I quite like the idea of spending a day running, eating and sleeping.
Emma recently posted…Race Report: Hill West 10k
But it would be hard work!!
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Random Life
Oooh ooh oooh I shall answer!
I’d love to meet the Queen: I’ve been to a Garden Party! But I only got to meet Camilla, who’s much horsier than expected, really quite tall, and sounds like she smokes 50 a day….
Jane recently posted…The first runs back…
I imagine Camilla to be so very horsey hehe.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Random Life
I’ve already had my turn with the Liebster award (I was the one who nominated Lucy :D), but I want to answer your question no10! I would pick a 10k, maybe 15. Let’s be honest, running a marathon or half marathon on a regular basis is not for everyone, but a 5k is too short, there would be times when I would want more.
Yes I agree, a 5k is too short! I like to run two marathons a year but more than that and I do find it very taxing. So only to run two races a year would be quite sad 🙁 So for me I guess it would be a half.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Random Life
If I had to pick a super power I’d say teleportation. It would be so fun to travel anyplace really fast. I hate driving and flying is too expensive. Just think if you could wish it and be there!
My last meal would probably be bananas and peanut butter. Anything with bananas and nuts would satisfy me forever!
My favorite exercise is running (obviously!) but I haven’t tried anything like Zumba or barre or whatever yet because #expensive but who knows, maybe I’d like them too!
Great questions Anna, I enjoyed learning about you.
Ellie recently posted…Training Talk: Things I’ve Learned About Myself by Training For A Marathon
Good power!!
Yeah Zumba is too expensive for me on a regular basis and the fact that I have NO rhythm whatsoever. I’d like to try barre but sadly it’s just not that big outside of London here.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Random Life
The marathon majors is such a brilliant thing to aim for! I would love to go to Japan, but maybe not for a marathon! (Only because I am not contemplating another one right now!). I also thought you had already run London? Maybe you have qualified with a GFA and I was getting muddled?
Thanks for the tag- I will get around to this at some point as it looks fun 🙂
Maria @ runningcupcake recently posted…Track session round 2
I qualified for London and was going to do it until I then decided to do Boston instead because the timing was right. I haven’t done London though. I really must!
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Random Life
Thanks for the nomination! I love surveys, reading everyone else’s answers and finding new blogs that have been tagged too. Expect my answers up on the blog soon! 😉
Love your aim of running the marathon majors. I read a little while back how many runners had run them all and was really surprised at how small the number was.
At uni our ritual on the first day of each year was to watch Anchorman and order a takeaway. I love little traditions like that though – your photos are great to look back on, especially seeing how much you changed between years!
Also, good answer with The Queen. I would never have thought about being her for the day but it would be really interesting.
Mary recently posted…Five things Friday