“Champions keep playing until they get it right.” – Billie Jean King

Hey hey – time for another little life update!

This week, I decided to try something new: Padel tennis. Ever played it? If you have, then you already know what’s coming…

I strutted onto the court feeling pretty smug. I mean, I played loads of tennis as a kid, and from ages 13 to 18 I was even an assistant tennis coach. I figured, “Padel? How different can it be?” (Cue dramatic foreshadowing.)

Turns out… very different.

First of all, the racquet is tiny. Like, laughably tiny in my case. I kept swinging like I had a full-sized tennis racket in my hand and whiffing the ball like a total amateur. And then there’s the whole “you can hit it after it bounces off the wall” situation — which I thought would make things easier. Spoiler: it does not. The ball suddenly comes back at you like it’s got a personal vendetta, and trying to guess where it’ll land or how fast it’s moving? Honestly, I might as well have been playing pinball.

That said… I had an absolute blast. Sure, I was objectively terrible, but I had so much fun laughing at myself and chasing the ball in all the wrong directions. Humbling? Definitely. But also a reminder that trying new things is always worth it — even if your ego takes a little hit along the way.

What else did I get up to this week?

Oh, you know… just a casual amount of running. (Read: a lot of running.)

I kicked things off with a lovely little jog from Polzeath along the coastal path – one of my absolute favourite routes. Honestly, it was the perfect way to wind down after a full-on day of studying and filling out job applications (seriously, who knew applying to coffee shop jobs could feel like submitting your résumé to NASA?).

Midweek, I joined the Wadebridge Running Club for their social Wednesday run. And guess what? The hills didn’t fully destroy me this time and I wasn’t dead last in my pace group. That, my friends, is what we call progress. Plus, they’re a genuinely lovely bunch – just the kind of midweek motivation I didn’t know I needed.

Saturday was, of course, parkrun day. I was going to mix things up and headed to Bude for the first time. Spoiler alert: I didn’t, I still ended up at the Eden Project. But it was brilliant nonetheless, and hey – all this hill stuff is great prep for the upcoming Ultra (or so I keep telling myself between gasps for breath.

Then I rounded off the week with another Wadebridge RC run – this one started bright and early on Sunday, with a 8:15am meet-up for a lift to the start line (because who doesn’t love coordinating logistics before sunrise?). The run kicked off at 9am and took us along the coastal path for 1 hour and 50 minutes of gorgeous, challenging terrain. I was loving the first 8 miles, I had some brilliant chats and the crew were great at keeping me company when I struggled on some of the uphill sections…we even managed to avoid the rain. It was tough, but also kind of magical. And dare I say it… I think I’m starting to enjoy hills?

Watch this space — I might even start referring to some of them as “gentle inclines” soon. Personal growth, or just runner’s denial? You decide.

Swim-wise, things were a bit quiet this week.

In fact, it wasn’t until Thursday that I finally took the plunge — quite literally — with a post-job interview sea swim. And let me tell you, it was glorious. The parents even joined me for part of it (yes, we are now officially a family that sea-swims together). Honestly, is there any better way to wrap up a day than dunking yourself in cold, salty water? I think not.

Friday evening rolled around and called for a pool session. I was planning to try out a new pool for a bit of adventure… but let’s be honest, I was mainly in it for the post-swim steam room and jacuzzi, and my usual spot delivers every time. No regrets, 10/10 recovery vibes.

Then on Sunday, I squeezed in a teeny-tiny sea swim — more of a gentle float-and-splash situation, really — to try and ease out the post-run soreness. Does sea swimming actually relax your muscles? Probably not. Did I pretend it does while bobbing around like a happy seal? Absolutely.

As I’ve mentioned before, there’s been a fair bit of studying happening too—because why not add a little brain workout to all this running and swimming? I’m currently doing the classic flip-flop dance between whether I prefer AI or Cybersecurity. Honestly, it probably depends on my mood (and how much coffee I’ve had).

And then there was the networking training. Not just the techy kind, but people networking too. Yep, chatting with actual humans is apparently a skill—and one I’m still mastering. Who knew that the butterflies before a swim race are basically the same ones that show up when you’re trying to work a room? Bring it on, small talk. I’m ready(ish).

Keeping all the balls in the air sometimes feels like a full-time circus act — and honestly, some days I’m the star performer, and other days I’m just praying I don’t accidentally juggle my coffee cup instead of my to-do list. Between studying, training, job hunting, and trying to squeeze in a social life (have I forgotten chill time?), it’s easy to feel like I’m spinning plates on a unicycle… blindfolded. My top tip for juggling it all? Prioritise like a boss and get comfortable saying “no” or “not right now.” Because let’s be real, life balance isn’t about doing everything perfectly — it’s about knowing when to drop a ball, laugh about it, and pick up the coffee again.

Speak soon,
M x