To train in Spain or not to train in Spain?

It was the last week of the Summer Break and we had the opportunity to be in Spain on what most would regard as a holiday, but we tried desperately not too!

Whilst the wife was at work there, we could dedicate the last portion of Summer to my daughters' 11+ exam (as cramming time) and more marathon training for me in the heat, but for once it would be at least very flat. Beaches have a habit of being pretty flat and San Sebastian was no exception.  The promenade was about 4k long in a huge curve and that provided great flat training to help build a bit of speed.  So in fact we did spend 5 days sat in a hotel room and the piano bar to get some last minute revision work done and I got 2 runs in.  Not much for a week with a huge platform to run on but theres a reason. 
A couple of days before we flew out to Spain I had completed a second big run starting at 6am and managed 31k in 3 hours, walking the last kilometre home as my left leg started to have a slight pain.  I was very happy with having run comfortably for 3 hours and didn't want to push a niggle to an injury - plus I had a full days work ahead of me and an all night session at the studio with my band - followed by the flight to Spain - so i was happy with 31k!  

So in Spain when I first ran it was to see if the pain had gone - and it hadn't really.  I managed a fast 5k then a normal speed 10k run but wasn't gonna push anything whilst there.  I knew that I had to be fit for my return cos I was entered to run the Kenilworth Half Marathon on Sunday (next blog) once home and we weren't due to land till Saturday eve in London and be home around midnight.

So the week in Spain with a pain, possibly a sprain, was a blame for the lame amount of training! Or something!!

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Tiny reminder about the marathon relevance to Pop Star Party news:
In October this year I will be running the Dublin marathon so am currently training 4 days a week to build strength & passion for running - I will be running for a charity also and that charity is ChildLine Ireland.
https://sse-airtricity-dublin-marathon-2018.everydayhero.com/ie/roger
I'm taking a food supplement for extra energy & all round organic support to diet:
PopStarFood
If you would like a Pop Star Party then click here
Book Your Best Party Idea Ever Here

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Marathon training in Massachusettes & New York

So our actual holiday (still heavily loaded with learning for 11+ and running training) was a trip to Boston to my wife's parents' home and a trip to New York on a rather fancy black bus (pictured below - big up LimoLiner you were really cool)

The heat was great and hitting temperatures of 30 degrees Celcius regularly - this made for early morning runs only and well planned training. The family home is in an area where it's very hilly and there's lots of forest, so mosquito bites are common and tons of spraying is needed if you are anywhere outside.  Training gets you sweaty and mossies love sweat so we had to be vigilant.  I got a couple of good 10k runs in around the Hopkinton neighbourhood and in Boston Common before we went to New York and was hell bent on running a half marathon in Central Park, New York.  We hired a bike for my daughter and started the run in the rain hoping that Apples weather forecasting was gonna be accurate and we would finish it in dry warm air - which we did.  The park is not remotely flat and has lots of interesting features making for a really good run but I had mad neck pains at the start of the run which miraculously disappeared during the run - running is therapeutic!!  
Obviously whilst in New York we did tons of sightseeing and visited many places like the Hard Rock Cafe, Harlem Gospel Choir (dinner) and Stardust (where upcoming actors sing to you whilst serving food) but nothing quite compared to standing in peacefulness of the Ground Zero site and seeing the massive sink hole water features made to remember 9/11.  Just amazing and really pleased we visited this area and the museum there too.

Park Run in Boston Common

Park Run in Boston Common

Park Run in Central Park New York

Park Run in Central Park New York

The new American Nike image !!

The new American Nike image !!

Big Black Bus - travelling in style

Big Black Bus - travelling in style

Tiny reminder about the marathon relevance to Pop Star Party news:
In October this year I will be running the Dublin marathon so am currently training 4 days a week to build strength & passion for running - I will be running for a charity also and that charity is ChildLine Ireland.
https://sse-airtricity-dublin-marathon-2018.everydayhero.com/ie/roger
I'm taking a food supplement for extra energy & all round organic support to diet:
PopStarFood
If you would like a Pop Star Party then click here
Book Your Best Party Idea Ever Here

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Running in Hot Countries

At the start of the Summer we had to go to Belgium and as I have tried to explain to friends and family this was not a holiday but a relocation for training and study.  

We took an AirBnB house which was away from a town and basically right alongside a cornfield.  We were only there a few days but I got 3 big runs in and achieved the new goal - to run a marathon distance every week in the lead up to the big date in October. A friend of mine who has previously done triathlons (representing England) gave me the advise that doing the distance every week was important to training, so the challenge was set.

Another challenge was also set around this time (from 14th August in fact) - no more alcohol. Running training was to increase, alcohol was to be cut out and diet was going to be assessed more closely.  So a world of low alcohol and no alcohol drinks was unleashed and some of them are really good - especially this Hoegarden lemon&lime drink - awesome.

Zero alcohol beer - weird!

Zero alcohol beer - weird!

Living with a corn field - weirder

Living with a corn field - weirder

Tiny reminder about the marathon relevance to Pop Star Party news:
In October this year I will be running the Dublin marathon so am currently training 4 days a week to build strength & passion for running - I will be running for a charity also and that charity is ChildLine Ireland.
https://sse-airtricity-dublin-marathon-2018.everydayhero.com/ie/roger
I'm taking a food supplement for extra energy & all round organic support to diet:
PopStarFood
If you would like a Pop Star Party then click here
Book Your Best Party Idea Ever Here

Pop Star Party supports ISPCC.png

Parties - everywhere I go there's parties

So it's been a month since the last blog about running - and its been a very busy time for me.

Generally the summer is a quiet time for parties and this year we have absolutely packed our summer out with family trips to make the running training interesting and varied, but also to keep life interesting for my daughter who is studying for her 11+ exam in September - a lot of work is going into this!

But this blog is a short one to mention a very special party for a very special Mum - my mother in law turned 70 this year and we had a bit of a 'do' for her in America whilst visiting earlier this month.  Here is her cake - we do like cake at Pop Star Party - a lot.

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Tiny reminder about the marathon relevance to Pop Star Party news:
In October this year I will be running the Dublin marathon so am currently training 4 days a week to build strength & passion for running - I will be running for a charity also and that charity is ChildLine Ireland.
https://sse-airtricity-dublin-marathon-2018.everydayhero.com/ie/roger
I'm taking a food supplement for extra energy & all round organic support to diet:
PopStarFood
If you would like a Pop Star Party then click here
Book Your Best Party Idea Ever Here

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Best big run to date - boom!

Very happy today.

I got up at 5am for todays big run and was out by about 5.40am ready and prepared for what I hoped was to be a 32k run - that's 3/4 of a marathon and from what I've learned most people training for their first marathon would not do more than this distance in their training - and it would be about a month before the race date.

I've brought the distance forward a bit because today is a big day too.  Running parties is what I do usually for kids having birthdays who are about 8-12/13 but today is my brothers birthday and he is 50!!

Fifty - that's like a half century!!  Happy Birthday IAN.

So because my brother Ian will be running the marathon with me in October (he has run marathons before) I figured I should put max effort in today and do a serious big run to mark his birthday.
Some of the parties that have happened this month have been an inspiration too and I have asked the kids to sing Happy Birthday to Ian to celebrate his 50th - these have now all been sent to him in Cairo where he lives.  So thank you to all those kids that helped out.

So the preparation went well - good protein/carb meal last night about 9pm after getting back from the studio and early to bed to get good sleep. Up at 5am with my ever supportive wife (training for a half marathon in September) and a small breakfast, plenty of liquids and off we went.

I stayed with wifey for the first 10k then she split off to go home.  Our daughters at Brownie camp so this was a perfect time for us to do this.

After 21k (half marathon distance) I decided to have the muesli bar I had brought with me for extra energy but OMG never doing this again - I couldn't chew - it took around a half kilometer to eat the bugger and I nearly coughed on it twice.  They are not the right food for energy on the go.  I've got to get some of the gels people talk about.  So things went really tho and the heat was not a problem this time.  5am to 6/7am is a cool time of the day with all the smells of pollen and calm roads.  By 27k I was flagging tho but the need to smash 30k was enough to keep me going and smash it I did - brilliant feeling to keep going under psychological pain.  At 30.5k I was faced with the biggest hill in Kenny and out of water, so i decided to walk and not get a needless injury.  At the top of the hill was an old man doing something random in his drive and I asked him if he would mind refilling my water bottles - he gave me the hose pipe saying "its all the same stuff!" and then miraculously for like about 1 minute it rained! But I was refreshed and refuelled so kept going and ran to 32k. I was happy with that but had sort of set my goal on 34k really so I walked 1k and ran the last. 

After running for so long then walking, my calf muscles had given up i think and so maybe this wasn't the best idea - I've heard trainers saying that it's better to keep going and run really slow than stop and/or walk - now I know why. Anyway - I feel really positive now that a marathon is possible for me - 34k is only 8k away and about 80% the distance - I've got 3 months training left and visiting Belgium, Boston, New York and Spain is going to be inspiration to keep training hard.  Bring it on!

Pop Star Party - best run to date.png

Tiny reminder about the marathon relevance to Pop Star Party news:
In October this year I will be running the Dublin marathon so am currently training 4 days a week to build strength & passion for running - I will be running for a charity also and that charity is ChildLine Ireland.
https://sse-airtricity-dublin-marathon-2018.everydayhero.com/ie/roger
I'm taking a food supplement for extra energy & all round organic support to diet:
PopStarFood
If you would like a Pop Star Party then click here
Book Your Best Party Idea Ever Here

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This Is Me - actually it's not, it's Eve.

Eve had the last party of the school year yesterday with a select few mates from school. Her birthday is actually in August but her very organised parents sorted out her party just before everyone shoots off to hot places over the Summer - not that we need to pop anywhere right now - this mad heatwave is relentless.

Singing Camilla Cabello's 'Havana' seemed entirely appropriate in the heat and fortunately the group all sang very well helping the song to be recorded quickly - even the rap didn't prove too tricky and Eve delivered it with conviction!

Photoshoot and Booster Buffet next and they munched through everything ready for the filming session.  The Greatest Showman really does have the best soundtrack - 'This Is Me' starts off quiet but quickly builds and stays full on to the end making a song for the party atmosphere and easy to make a video to.  The girls did well, glow sticks, a formal routine for 'this is me' bits and some very cool shades.  Video looks and sounds ace.

Afterwards when I was trying to ask which out of her 10 birthday parties did she think was the best I got cut short before finishing the question and Eve just shouted 'This One' - my work is done!

Top party to top a great school year.

Oh - and yet another inspired cake - well done Mum!

Tiny reminder about the marathon relevance to Pop Star Party news:
In October this year I will be running the Dublin marathon so am currently training 4 days a week to build strength & passion for running - I will be running for a charity also and that charity is ChildLine Ireland.
https://sse-airtricity-dublin-marathon-2018.everydayhero.com/ie/roger
I'm taking a food supplement for extra energy & all round organic support to diet:
PopStarFood
If you would like a Pop Star Party then click here
Book Your Best Party Idea Ever Here

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Running in the Global Heatwave

I can't even remember how long this heatwave has been going on, but it's a long time.

It first reared its' ugly head when I was due to run a big distance training run which I had decided I wanted to do at least 30k on and crack the 30k barrier.  Previous to this I had managed 24k (twice) so felt I was ready.  I was - but I was also a bit unprepared and didn't eat anything like enough the night before.  I set off what I though was early enough but after 2 hours the sun came out and just roasted me - luckily I was close to the sports centre at Warwick University so was able to grab so fresh water, but it wasn't enough and the sun soon won the battle against my will to continue.

So yes I experienced the wall at the end of June - it wasn't nice but I guess at least I know about it now.

Tomorrow I am hoping to succeed and have planned out a 33k run, will be piling in the carbs for tea tonight and will be leaving at 5.30am to start the 3 hour run - this will be my longest run to date and I'm told not to push closer to the marathon distance if 42k before the race in October cos it can be detrimental - Im not sure yet - I might give it a go in a month!

Pic below is from when I did the 2 Castles run in June.  Tomorrow is gonna be like running that 3 times!

2 Castles Run pic.jpeg

Tiny reminder about the marathon relevance to Pop Star Party news:
In October this year I will be running the Dublin marathon so am currently training 4 days a week to build strength & passion for running - I will be running for a charity also and that charity is ChildLine Ireland.
https://sse-airtricity-dublin-marathon-2018.everydayhero.com/ie/roger
I'm taking a food supplement for extra energy & all round organic support to diet:
PopStarFood
If you would like a Pop Star Party then click here
Book Your Best Party Idea Ever Here

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10 Year Olds from Tamworth Shake It Off with style

Lucy brought a big party of friends to the barn recently and had just an amazing party.  All her party pals were great singers making the recording side of things quick and easy to achieve especially with the first song choice of This Is Me from The Greatest Showman (such a cool song) leaving plenty of time for posing on the red carpet, munching their booster buffet and of course filming their pop video to Shake It Off.

The sun was out (well we are having a heatwave) so we took the filming out onto the decking too after doing the green screen run.  All the kids were smiling and jumping and having fun all the way through each filming run so the video just looks wicked with all those smiley faces.

Her Mum made a very special cake in the design of a mirror ball which had multi coloured and layered inside with surprise skittles inside too - top effort Mum!!

Mirror Ball cake at Pop Star Party

Mirror Ball cake at Pop Star Party

Lucy with her finished CD

Lucy with her finished CD

Most of the gang

Most of the gang

Tiny reminder about the marathon relevance to Pop Star Party news:
In October this year I will be running the Dublin marathon so am currently training 4 days a week to build strength & passion for running - I will be running for a charity also and that charity is ChildLine Ireland.
https://sse-airtricity-dublin-marathon-2018.everydayhero.com/ie/roger
I'm taking a food supplement for extra energy & all round organic support to diet:
PopStarFood
If you would like a Pop Star Party then click here
Book Your Best Party Idea Ever Here

Pop Star Party supports ISPCC.png

Party in Portugal - with sardines!

Last month has been an eye opener in so many ways.  June took me abroad a second time but this time to Portugal where there are forrest's of Eucalyptus trees - or used to be.  They suffered tremendously last year in the fires but are showing superb signs of growing back - it will take a good few more years to fully recover though.  Anyone who pictures a forrest will imagine vast expanses of green - not black.  

A friend of mine has a property in Portugal that he is doing up and I offered to pop out and help in the labouring department and be a moral boost - I also got a really cheap holiday and the chance to train in a different environment - the forrest is on a mountain and everywhere is steep steep steep. Running around these roads was exhilarating and of course I was careful not to overdo anything, as with different terrains you get different sprains.  I clocked an 11k run in Coimbra district which was good enough for me.  Sleeping on a camp bed and working hard in the 38 degree heat was interesting - fortunately this area is very rural and completely the opposite to Norway - wine is mega cheap!!  

And then one night we went to the local town and watched the Sardine Festival - I never imagined I would be writing this in a zillion years - yes the town had gone sardine mad - everywhere people were grilling sardines and selling them and a procession came through with people dancing, holding giant sized sardines on sticks so big it took 2 adults to hold them - bizarreeeeee.

I think this town is very comfortably stuck in the 70's - not a care in the world.  I will be back.

 
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Pop Star Party Sardine Festival.jpg

It was  a great break full of hard work and intense heat, running and seeing yet another different side of life - the world's a big place - or sardine even!

Tiny reminder about the marathon relevance to Pop Star Party news:
In October this year I will be running the Dublin marathon so am currently training 4 days a week to build strength & passion for running - I will be running for a charity also and that charity is ChildLine Ireland.
https://sse-airtricity-dublin-marathon-2018.everydayhero.com/ie/roger
I'm taking a food supplement for extra energy & all round organic support to diet:
PopStarFood
If you would like a Pop Star Party then click here
Book Your Best Party Idea Ever Here

Pop Star Party supports ISPCC.png

Time's flying by

OK so it's been a month since my last post on running parties and running a marathon - there's good reason - I've been running around like a mad man!

The last few weeks have been amazing.  But training has continued throughout.

This is a quick blog about time in Norway.

Anyone who knows me will know that I don't do things by halves and holidays are no exception.  Last year when trying to look for a unique place to go I came across an area of Norway (like a county) called Rogaland - that was all I needed - we we're going.  Only it wasn't possible last year so finally this year we got chance to go.  In the area theres a place called Pulpit Rock which is described as the 'best view in the world' (probably by the Norwegians!) and it definitely lived up to expectations.  It took a ferry, a coach then just over 2 hours to hike to the top but the view was fantastic.  Amazingly there were marathon runners along the way trying to run to the top - a lot were failing as the ascent is mad crazy steep in 4 places.  Tom Cruise was filming here very recently for his next film which I think is out in July?

 
Sat on the edge of a 604m vertical drop

Sat on the edge of a 604m vertical drop

 
View from below in a boat

View from below in a boat

So don't think I was lazy whilst on holiday here - I managed to get 2 runs in including a 10k run to a very weird place called the 3 Swords from our hotel in Stavanger.  After getting to the sculpture it got even better as I realised I could get in the sea and swim to cool down - awesome.  Was a little bit worried about the jellyfish - no stings for me tho'!

 
Pop Star Party 3 Swords.jpg
 
Pop Star Party Jellyfish.jpg

 

So Norway was was fantastic - a lovely country to visit and amazing scenery - things do get expensive there tho'.  It is an expensive country generally and alcohol is very highly priced in public areas - best bet is to buy it in shops but you have to find the right times and places. There is an index called the Big Mac Index which measures the relative cost of a Big Mac in every country - Norway comes second highest to Switzerland.  A trip to Norway needs careful planning.

 

Tiny reminder about the marathon relevance to Pop Star Party news:
In October this year I will be running the Dublin marathon so am currently training 4 days a week to build strength & passion for running - I will be running for a charity also and that charity is ChildLine Ireland.
https://sse-airtricity-dublin-marathon-2018.everydayhero.com/ie/roger
I'm taking a food supplement for extra energy & all round organic support to diet:
PopStarFood
If you would like a Pop Star Party then click here
Book Your Best Party Idea Ever Here

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A Right Royal Weekend

What a fantastic weekend it was.

Prince Harry marries Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle, parades around in the horse drawn carriage and later drives off to the evening party in an E Type Jag - class all the way.

So much glamour on show but done in a very cool way.  The gospel choir singing Ave Maria in the chapel and the Most Reverand Michael Curry delivering one of the most funky and up to date sermons ever at a royal wedding.  Such a well planned event. Congratulations to them.  Below are a couple of snaps from the telly (as you do) showing the Long Walk parade and the couple in the carriage - so cool.

On Friday before the weekend I ran my monthly half marathon and pushed it further completing 24k in 2.5 hrs which is a personal best for me.  21k is a half marathon and the heat was about 20degrees but it was worth the strain so I could enjoy Saturday. The Dublin marathon in October is only getting closer.

Pop Star Party Harry & Meghan Marriage 1
Pop Star Party Harry & Meghan Marriage 2

Tiny reminder about the marathon relevance to Pop Star Party news:
In October this year I will be running the Dublin marathon so am currently training 4 days a week to build strength & passion for running - I will be running for a charity also and that charity is ChildLine Ireland.
https://sse-airtricity-dublin-marathon-2018.everydayhero.com/ie/roger
I'm taking a food supplement for extra energy & all round organic support to diet:
PopStarFood
If you would like a Pop Star Party then click here
Book Your Best Party Idea Ever Here
 

Pop Star Party supports ISPCC.png

Super Solo from Abi at Pop Star Party

Every party is different and fuelled by the kids. This is so true and the kids who a Bronze party with us over the weekend totally enjoyed their experience of singing together but also of seeing Abi do a wonderful solo.

The group song chosen was Justine Timberlake's 'Can't Stop the Feeling' and amazingly, with all the girls kitted up with headphones, this went really smoothly in a very short time because they all knew the song so well and followed instructions on how we record in the party situation with ease.  Top job girls.

After a cool photoshoot and their buffet break in our special Party Hangout room they bounced back in to see Abi do her solo - stood on the hotspot box and under the heat of spotlights she rose to the challenge like a champ and sang 'How Far I'll Go' from Moana really well receiving a massive round of applause from her friends.  Well done Abi.

Below are a few snaps from the party - if you would like a party with us then please get in touch.

New Package added to the Parties page

Listening is vital and after some market research we have made a few changes to way things are done and what we offer.  Massive thanks to all those who contributed to the feedback requests.

The biggest thing we learned was that singing is the main focus so in our Bronze and Silver Packages we are going back to how the party service originated and focussing more on singing.  Lots of people really like the video that's produced after the party, but these do take a considerable amount of time (up to 2 hours) so to reflect this there will be more time in the party to discuss the filming process so kids really understand what they are doing.

The disco is also one of the best parts for many kids - and adults! - so we've been shopping and bought more lights - everyone loves a good disco.

A fourth package (Platinum) has been added to accommodate those that want to do everything.

The disco just got better!

The disco just got better!

Injuries do happen

Just a little post to say that I suffered a small injury - just a hurty hip and twisted knee tendon but since everyone I spoke to said take it easy, I decided to not run for 2 weeks.  That time is up now and the pains have subsided - hopefully gone forever but something tells me they might sneak back - but I did learn a lesson - it is possible to over do it and I haven't been stretching properly before/after runs.  Lesson learned and running starts again today.

Later this month I am travelling to Norway to see some beautiful countryside in an area called Rogaland (pronounced Roe-gar-land apparently) but it's the closest I could find to anywhere being named after my first name - ha!  I'm hoping to be running about 10k from the hotel to a monument site where there are 3 massive swords (carved from rock) stuck into the ground.  Fortunately it's dead flat.

Bring it all on.

Tiny reminder about the marathon relevance to Pop Star Party news:
In October this year I will be running the Dublin marathon so am currently training 4 days a week to build strength & passion for running - I will be running for a charity also and that charity is ChildLine Ireland.
https://sse-airtricity-dublin-marathon-2018.everydayhero.com/ie/roger
I'm taking a food supplement for extra energy & all round organic support to diet:
PopStarFood
If you would like a Pop Star Party then click here
Book Your Best Party Idea Ever Here

Pop Star Party supports ISPCC.png

Cake (just keep saying it!)

Cake - birthday cake in particular - surely the best invention ever!
We get to see so many amazing designs and creations at Pop Star Party because at least 90% of our groups bring their cake to the party.  All cakes are welcome and I do try to make sure I get a good pic of the cake before its cut, smashed, lit etc.  

So why not bring your cake to the party - and just incase you are stuck for decoration ideas here's a few that have been brought along recently.

Book a party with us and the rest is done for you - but don't forget the cake!

www.PopStarParty.rocks

London Marathon Heat Warning

Well this weekend it is the London Marathon and thankfully I'm not running in it - apparently its the hottest its been since 2007 so they are expecting a lot of runners to find it hard and need medical attention.  The most ideal temperature for marathons is 12.5 degrees but this weekend it could reach 24 or more, especially when in a massive crowd. 

I've run 10.5k and 12.3k this week and am hoping to do 20k tomorrow in the crazy heat we're experiencing.  A marathon is 42k so I'm glad my training is still quite low!!

I'm also not running any parties this weekend as I've got family commitments so haven't booked any in, but there's good things brewing in the Pop Star Party camp and a few changes will be being made to the party structure and packages very soon.  After a little market research I am taking some time to make the changes.  Exciting stuff!!

Pop Star Party 12 year olds 1.jpg
 
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Pop Star Party 12 year olds 3.jpg

These pics were from one of our recent parties with a group of 12 year olds from Warwick.  If you would like to have a party with us at the barn then please call, email, tweet, message or just shout in our direction. I can do the rest!

A tiny reminder about the marathon relevance:
In October this year I am running the Dublin marathon and am currently training 4 days a week to build strength and passion for running - I will be running for a charity also and that charity is ChildLine Ireland.
https://sse-airtricity-dublin-marathon-2018.everydayhero.com/ie/roger

Running your parties all year round! Running my 1st Marathon - Oct.'18

Running your parties all year round!
Running my 1st Marathon - Oct.'18

Guinea Pig Day for Greasby!

Yep it's right I have been a guinea pig - sometimes the only way to find out if something is good, is to try it - which is what I started last October when I was introduced to a food supplement.

Long and short of it is - it works - and I'm still using it - so would you mind if I tell you about it?

Anyone who knows me well knows that I don't like lies - I generally have good gut instincts about situations and won't spend money on rubbish.  So, when I was introduced to a food supplement that is 'everything in 1 bag' I was very dubious.  I have never taken food supplements, I have never got involved with multi-level marketing organisations and I have never had any faith in stuff not sold in the shops, but for some reason I agreed to go to an evening presentation about this new product.  The lady who took me along runs an alternative healing clinic (who I have been making tons of short videos for at the studio) and is a genuine successful practitioner - so I trusted her - trust is such an important thing.  As it turned out it's not that new - it's been around a couple of years but I was sufficiently interested to give it a go.  Let's face it, I'm training for a marathon and anything which gives me more energy, fire and enthusiasm I am willing to consider.  But there's way more to this than just energy lift.

Clinton Sellers the CEO of the (local) company impressed me from the onset.  Here is a man who has worked in the food supplement industry all his life and decided to radically change everything - from the product, the packaging, the website & back office to the distribution and the price.  There's 1 product & 2 ways to get it - buy it or supply it. 

Integrity has to be Clintons middle name - everything he has done is squeaky clean, tested in the massive Brunswick labs in America, 100% organic, organically registered & approved and there's no bulky packing agents - this last point being one of the most impressive aspects to me.  I have a Chemistry degree so kind of feel I understand the nuts and bolts of packaging food - this doesn't have any 'stuff' in it to keep it fresh or bulk it out - it's just 100% useful product rammed full of the stuff we don't get in everyday foods (that have been genetically modified or 'processed' for us) sourced from the really cool ingredients of many, many foods we wouldn't normally buy, because they are expensive or unavailable - all the info is on the label, everything is transparent with this company and it just works.

What works? - what does it do? - well there's a question!!

Initially I was interested in the food supplement side of things to get essential minerals and natural chemicals into my body which will help with digestion and general healthiness to boost my running, but after 6 months of testing it myself, going to presentations every 6 weeks at Warwick Castle and hearing genuine testimonials from people who have (had) medical complaints I'm just amazed at how much more is going on - the antioxidants in the product is mind blowing, the pre & probiotics in the product is amazing and the healing properties seem too good to be true, but everyone is telling how their psoriasis, fibromyalgia, hair loss, rheumatism, arthritis and allergies are reduced/eliminated.  Now I'm genuinely lucky that so far to date, I've not had a medical condition that's needed prescribed drugs to keep under control so I can't actually vouch for whether any of these things are true myself, but I can't deny what my ears have heard consistently for 6 months now - this stuff is like magic!!
Last night I was at a massive awards ceremony in the Grand Hall at Warwick Castle - so many people being rewarded for their involvement in the company (see pic of Rhian at bottom).
Quote from Rhian: "it ticks boxes for things we don't even have boxes for" - Quite simply a game-changer!!

So what is it?

It's called NewGen Direct Superfoods Plus and the company is based in Warwick.

Here is my page on the company website which details everything you need to know about the product:

https://www.newgendirect.com/PopStarFood

There is a promotion on for another week until new stock arrives - they just put in an order for £1 Million worth of stock - you can try it it for yourself for £27.99.  Less than what you probably spend on cups of coffee in a month. PLUS - free shipping until April 22nd 2018.  Surely this is a no-brainer!

PS - I called my page PopStarFood because you will notice the model used in the brochure is actually a pop star - her name is Yennis Cheung who you may also have seen in the James Bond film SkyFall as a casino cashier.  Well, since I run Pop Star Party and know that a lot of singers take supplements and are fastidious about their diet/health I realised the potential right there.  But I wanted to test it on myself first and now feel 100% satisfied that this product absolutely rocks.

 

PopStarFood - Warwick Castle Awards.jpg

And now for something very different

We tried a different experience yesterday with a large group of 17 year olds.  This was a birthday celebration but we didn't run the event like a party.  These guys just wanted to have a karaoke party really so we ran about 10 different songs and whoever wanted to sing jumped on a mic and we recorded the lot.  It was fun - it was hectic - it was chaos, but everyone had a great time.

These guys had a slight political angle to their fun and we created a stunning picture for that lasting memory of the day.  Other political views do exist!!

Pop Star Party is all about people having fun and getting an experience in the studio focussed on recording songs.  If you want a party with us then just give us a ring - we will do the rest.

www.PopStarParty.rocks

Pop Star Party 17 year olds recording experience.jpg

New promo video for Pop Star Party

If you would like to see what the party pals get up to at a party and how a video can look after they have filmed the footage, then this is the perfect video to watch.

The party pals are filmed from 4 different perspectives after they have recorded the singing so a fairly complicated video can be constructed after the party (believe me I really need a bit of peace n quiet to put the video together) and sent out to the person who booked the party - this can then be shared by them of course.
Roll 1 - wearing headphones around our headphone hub recording the singing
Roll 2 - using any accessories they choose from hats & glasses to wigs & masks
Roll 3 - using our lights, smoke & lasers for atmosphere and club feel
Roll 4 - having fun in the green screen filming room - easily large enough area for 12 pals

The video is viewable by clicking this link (scroll down once there):
http://www.popstarparty.rocks/

Although a format is followed every video is unique and changes according to what the group want to do and the general vibe from the group as a whole.
 

Pop Star Party - Headphone Hub.jpg

My Medal from the Coventry Half Marathon

Just a quickie to finish the story on running this years Coventry Half Marathon (albeit a day late!) and to show the wonderful medal they had produced.  Its a beauty so it was well worth collecting. The organisers had made around 3000 of these and posted on Facebook that anyone who could prove they had run 'a half marathon distance' since they cancelled the race would be eligible to collect a medal.  A good idea by the organisers which helped ease the frustration of not running it for a real but kind of rewarded you if you had done it anyway.  Since i had run the route the next afternoon when most of the snow had melted and recorded it on Strava I was eligible.  So determination and hard work does pay off sometimes!! Many thanks to the organisers for this kind offer.

Pop Star Party Medal.jpg