I'm afraid nothing that interesting has happened this week; I've just been working more and running home from the Marina more often. However, the past few days I haven't run home because I think my foot has been subject to too much pounding on the concrete, so I'm taking it easy.

The health check was also this week and I was surprised to learn that I've lost 4kg. I think this is due to my evening work affecting my appetite because we only have a limited time to eat on our breaks, so I usually make do with a sandwich.

I was also filmed at the health check and this was a rather embarrassing experience because I had to run slower in a Baywatch-esque way, but full credit to the camerman - he had to run backwards!

Overall, this 10,000 steps challenge has been good fun, not just because I get to tell people that I'm a walking ambassador (!), but because it has been quite interesting to see how varied activity can be from day-to-day. I find that wearing a pedometer is one of the simplest ways to encourage people to become more active because all it takes is a little glance down at the pedometer too see if you need to do a bit more walking.

Fortunately, I try to lead a particularly active lifestyle and I'm not confined to an office, but I think

that trying to do the 10,000 steps a day when you're a full-time parent and have got a full-time office job would be hard because the car is usually the easiest, and often, the only option, as it's so convenient. I've also found that the weather has a big bearing on how much you want to walk, for instance if the weather looks 'iffy' you're more likely take the car.

However, I do feel that we are a lazy, impatient nation and I think that if more people took more time and tried the 10,000 steps challenge they'd benefit from it too because they'd realise that any distance is walkable; it just takes a little more time and effort.

I hope everyone has had a good final week, and I am amazed at how quick 10 weeks has gone! I look forward to seeing you all on Thursday.

This week I've pretty much been re-adapting to life on my own again back in Brighton, hence my higher step count.

I'm still trying to work loads and the evening shifts are great because I can enjoy the day, then go to work, then run back from the Marina.

Also, the free time that I've got since BIMM has finished has meant that I've eventually started to run more to get trained up for the Great North Run in October. However, I'm still trying to find a good running route that's on a par with the one in Chesterfield (I've tried The Level but that was just too boring!).

I can't believe it's the end of the challenge next week - 10 weeks has just flown by.

Hope everyone has had a good week.

It has been my second week back home in Chesterfield. On Monday I went cycling round Derwent Valley and this was the area the dam busters practiced their bouncing bomb. Strangely enough some of the cycling registered on the pedometer but I think this was down to the bum-numbing terrain!

Later on Monday I also played football with my mates at the astro-turf and I think all this activity caused the flattening of the pedometer's battery on the Tuesday. Fortunately, the visit to Coventry on Wednesday to see my Gran proved lucrative because she had a whole pack of batteries - thanks Gran!

On Friday I walked to and from my friend's house which is about 6 miles each way and I played tennis at his which boosted the days step count. I've also found that doing the jobs I was assigned to do by various family members increased my activity, such as painting fences and moving slabs. Once I'd finished those jobs I was then allowed to go back to Brighton ;)

Overall, I found that I do more walking in Brighton than in Chesterfield when I'm not working, but when I was a 'proper' student last year in Chesterfield and working as well, I think I will have done much more steps than what I do in Brighton.

Now I'm back in Brighton, and my pedometer works fine but where's the sun gone???

Hope everyone has had a good week.

This week has been my lowest average step count yet, and I blame this on studying for my end of term exams. Although, there isn't much studying involved for a Diploma Drums exam (it has to be one of the biggest dosser courses around!), it's still enough to reduce my step count. This has made me aware that for next year when I'm studying for my Biology exams, where they'll be siginificantly more revision to be done, I'll have to try harder to achieve the recommended 10,000 steps a day. Also, at Durham I won't be able to do as many hours at work (that's if I can find a job!) because I will be busier studying and playing sport, so hopefully being this busy will boost my step count.

Friday was my last lesson at BIMM (Brighton Institute of Modern Music) and my last exam is this Thursay, then that'll be it - my last time at BIMM! No more lessons means more free time to explore more of Brighton, but I'll be going back home first to Chesterfield for two weeks.

P.S. Walking not only has its health benfits, we picked up a FREE sofa the other day just as we were walking around the Hanover area, and on Saturday, I picked up a free loaf of bread at Jubilee Square, compliments of Hovis ;)

It's been another busy week again this week.

On Monday, my Mum and I walked to Rottingdean along the Undercliff walk. She found it particularly boring because it was all flat, but her moaning soon ceased when we reached the 'Historic Town of Rottingdean'. Here she marvelled at how quaint the village was with its stone walls, and the Kipling gardens.

On Wednesday, I had a photos taken for The Argus because they're running a feature on the 10,000 steps challenge. It was a particularly cringeworthy experience because I had to pose by the skate park at The Level (at least I didn't have to wear a cap backwards and speak 'street'!).

The rest of my week has been occupied with college and work but Saturday was quite an eye-opener when a massive parade of naked people on bikes passed me once at Western Road and another time at North Road. Fortunately I didn't see the cyclists again, otherwise I may have been accused of stalking!

The Mini-Challenge this week was to get people to comment on the blogs. I managed to get a grand total of one person to comment (my nutella addicted friend Tom Flint). What's my excuse for not trying to get more people to comment??? I wouldn't envy the person that would have to massage my feet if I won the foot massage!