50th Royal Welsh Show, 2013

Many of you are heading  to the 50th Royal Welsh Show in Llanelwedd, Builth Wells this week. With over 50,000 people attending each day it's sure to be a bustling affair, showing off the best that Wales has to offer - livestock, food, produce, crafts and entertainment - there's something there for everyone!

However, whilst this glorious sunshine will help to attract people (particularly as there is no danger of cars getting stuck in the quagmire of parking as in previous years!) it can add to the overall exhaustion experienced by some people at this huge event. I'm hoping to get to it myself over the next couple of days and I'm planning a few things to help me enjoy it all the more...

• It's a long drive, so set off early, avoiding the heat of the day (and hopefully a few of the queues!). Allow extra time too to break the journey and stretch your legs - prolonged sitting, particularly in a car-seat, plays havoc with stiff backs and rusty hips.
• Wear comfy shoes - the show ground covers a huge area and you may have a bit of a walk from the parking area. You'll be on your feet all day, walking around the exhibits, so you'll cover a fair distance.
• Drink plenty of water - dehydration is something you really need to watch out for, so drink plenty of water, even if you're not feeling particularly thirsty. If you're making the most of the beer tent, make sure that you have a couple of glasses of water between pints - alcohol will dehydrate you even further.
• Watch out for the sun - hats, cool cotton clothing and plenty of suncream are essential - and head into the shade of the tents whenever possible. Take particular care of the elderly and the young - they are not as good at regulating their temperature and are more likely to burn.
  
• Staying over? - many people will be camping for a few days - try to make your 'bed' as comfy as possible, an extra blanket or duvet underneath your sleeping bag can make all the difference and make sure that the ground you're sleeping on is as flat as possible with no awkward rocks or hummocks sticking up.
• Prolonged standing and walking can often make the small of your back and your buttocks ache - we tend to 'sag' and overarch our low backs when we're on our feet for a long time. Try to keep your tummy pulled in gently and tuck your bottom and pelvis underneath you - it can help to ease the pressure on the base of the spine. A few pelvic tilts, or hugging one knee up to the chest (lean against a handy tree!) can help to stretch the spine and buttocks out too.

It's sure to be a fantastic event and I'm looking forward to going - who knows, I might even bump into a few of you there (amongst the 49,999 other people!).

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