Busy Busy Busy

I'm back! Phew! My life has been very busy since my last entry. Life can be very difficult. The trials of this life will test our obedience to the truth which has become cheap in todays society.

I spent Christmas in Kenya and it was fantastic to be with my family and friends once again.

In January I had a book launch at the Kenyan High Commission in London which was a great success and I got lots of positive feedback about my book, 'In My Dreams I Dance'.

Also in January I spent a morning in the Gibberd Gallery in Harlow working with pupils from Harlowfields Special School. I really enjoyed interacting with the young people and they produced some wonderful work.

My training in January was tough but as usual it was very rewarding and I really worked hard to get ready for the coming season.

In February I travelled down to Canvey Island to help judge a fantastic event,'Singing Olympiad' - 'Sing Up Canvey Island'. The event had 9 schools competing in a singing competition and some of them had used me as inspiration, something I felt really humbled by but also very pleased. The performances were wonderful and in the end all of the competing schools won gold because they were all equally brilliant. I really enjoyed this event so thanks to the organisers for inviting me, and to the children for entertaining me and the other judges.

I trained really hard throughout February and my coach, Ken Day, really had me sweating as he made me push my limits hard. He's a great coach and I really enjoy working with him.

On Sunday I did my first race of the season, the Silverstone Half Marathon, and I was quite pleased to finish in one hour twenty minutes but I know I can do better. At least it was better than last year, and I was raising funds for disabled women in Burkina Faso so it was a very worthwhile exercise. I'm struggling with my chair and need a new one.

Yesterday was International Womens Day and I was very pleased to have an article I wrote published on the Guardian website. http://gu.com/2nt2p