Gail Emms' Blog by Gail_Emms

Hello! I hope everyone had a very Merry Xmas?! Mine was pretty good actually and the best bit is - I survived!! As well as everyone else as I was cooking! Woo hoo! So, 11 people descended on us on Xmas Day and it was all down to me and my very small kitchen and very small oven to put on a good show. And apart from a 15 minute meltdown in between starter and main course, I was okay! I have to say I had massive help from my dad who did the turkey in his oven and brought it over with him, and the wonderful M&S were very good in preparing all the food for me so all I had to do was put it in the oven. But if they were kind enough to offer to do it all for me for a price, then I am willing to pay!

The only thing is, I think that people eat like I do, so when I was calculating how much food I would need, I may have gone a little bit overboard. Very much so. I am in Christmas leftover food hell and Xmas Day was over a week ago! Help!! I can't really do anything about the leftover desserts and chocolate in my house, except eat them, but for the rest of the food, I have had to get a bit creative. I have made a turkey tetrazzini (so lush and it uses up turkey and cream and wine!), bubble and squeak of course for the leftover veg and potatoes, but I am struggling with party food! There is not much I can do with pork pies and scotch eggs! I think they will have to be thrown.

The weird thing is that when I went to the supermarket to get some milk and fresh stuff, it was packed! It amazes me how we can throw so much stuff away, yet still need to pack the shops the next day for more and more food. I think it comes to a point though, where you actually get sick of food and I am very near that point! Which is good because January is all about the healthy eating. Bring it on! I did try and do a bit of exercise over the Xmas period. I went to British Military Fitness on Christmas Eve, went jogging on the beach in Mersea Island when we went there, and on Boxing Day, me and my boyfriend Ed decided to go for a 5 mile run.

Ed's little brother Sebs decided that he wanted to run with us. NOW bearing in mind that he doesn't run and he smokes a lot, We tried to tell him that he wouldn't keep up, But he was adamant that he would! He is not from Milton Keynes either and we told him to take a phone or at least remember the way we were going so if he needed to stop, then he can get home okay. But he was still insisting that he was going to be fine. You just know what I am going to say next, don’t you....?!! So, off we went and Ed and  were aiming for 8 minute mile pace but because of his little brother being a bit of a pain in the bum, Ed decided to set off really fast - at about 7 min mile pace! I was thinking, okay, I don't know if I can do 5 miles! After a mile, the inevitable happened and Sebs had to give up, and we told him to head back home.

We did the lap of the lake and after 3 and a half miles, I decided to leave Ed to it and go home too and make sure Sebs was back. But I got back and Sebs wasn't there. I ran around the houses, shouting his name, asking people if they had seen him, but nothing. Ed was on his way back and he hadn't seen him either, even though he had done a loop and didn't pass him. So we decided to get the bikes out and start a search party. I felt like I was a part of a weird triathlon/Challenge Anneka situation, yet we couldn't find him anywhere.

Two and a half hours later, I came home, cold and exhausted and then Ed got a call from Sebs. He had found himself in a local shop and for some reason he could remember Ed's mobile number and someone let him phone it up. He was completely the wrong side of where he needed to be, and had tried to carry on after he stopped and then lost his bearings and ended up wondering around. So the moral of the story is.... if you are running in an area you don't know - take a phone!! Let's just say, that although we were very happy that Sebs was okay, we were not the happiest with him!!

Most of the Xmas period with my family was talking about the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year that I was lucky enough to be invited to. I love the event and I was so happy that Mark Cavendish was the winner. I think he had the athletes' vote and he won by a mile. I seemed to be on the camera a lot as I was sat behind Mark Hunter (gold medal rower). Alistair Cook and Stuart Broad but they were all tall people so I had to twist my neck all the time to get to see anything!! I was sat near Sir Steve Redgrave and Mark Cavendish so I definitely had a good seat! Rumours of me paying the cameraman a few quid to get on the TV are completely untrue....!

It was a great night and good to catch up with everyone after the show at the party. Gossip for you? I couldn't possibly reveal any! But Karen Pickering was looking her usual gorgeous self, Phil the Power Taylor and I may be playing badminton soon, Matt Pinsent apologised for announcing on Twitter that I was pregnant and I think I have a secret crush on Robbie Savage... he was looking very fine in his suit!! A good night and a bit of a hangover the next day! And finally, as I am writing and wanting to know what New Year Resolutions everyone is making? I think I am going to be sticking to exactly the same ones that I always have as I am blooming useless at keeping them!

It's usually along the lines of eat healthy, exercise, drink more water, stop biting my nails, and be more organised! All a bit pathetic really, but I guess that is all I need! I am looking forward to 2012 as I think it will be an exciting year for sport and hopefully for me and work. The Olympic athletes who are training hard for London will have watched the clock tick from 23.59 Dec 31st to 00.00 Jan 1st and think - this is it. This is the start of the biggest year of their lives. Good luck guys - keep up all the hard training and I hope the injuries stay away. Happy New Year everyone!!