Marathon Day

Sorry its taken so long to get around to up-dating the blog but I’ve been to busy eating for the last month.

Seriously though I wanted to end the blog being able to let everyone know our total sponsorship raised and it has taken until now to get it all in. I’ve also had to gather the pics shown here from various family members who were there on the day.

Jo and me travelled down on the Wednesday before the marathon, with James and Claire meeting us in London on the following day. We had the use of an house in East Dulwich which we used as our base whilst down there. I don’t even know the guy who owned the

place but would like to thank him for its use. It was very much appreciated (Jill can you pass on our thanks please). We travelled down early so that we could collect our running numbers and bag whilst the Expo centre was still quiet. The organisers don’t send out your stuff like many other events you have to attend the running exhibition at the Expo centre to get it. Well its one way of getting you there.

On Friday, Jo, Claire and myself travelled down to Greenwich to get familiar with the tubes and trains and see what the start area was like. It was hard to imagine that in less than 24hrs this place would be filled with 35 thousand plus people.

Saturday saw the arrival of the support crew which involved Zack, both sets of parents, Claire’s sister Kate and Auntie Margaret. I must take this opportunity to thank them all for their support not only on the day

but especially at our fund raising events which without their help would have been a whole lot harder. Special thanks go out to Claire as our number one events manager and cheer leader.

That night we retreated back to our base in Dulwich and had our last pasta supper before the big day. We were all getting a bit tense at this stage and the lack of alcohol didn’t help.

The race day started with a light breakfast around seven and then we headed off to the start. It was really amazing to see so many people just walking to the start, it certainly gave you an idea of what lay ahead. We got there about an hour before the start and took on some last minutes fluids and made the inevitable panic trips to the toilet and then it started to rain, only for twenty minutes but enough to make sure we had a good soaking.

The race started bang on time, although it did take us ten further minutes after the horn went before we finally crossed the starting line and our first London marathon. The crowds around the course are truly amazing and I can truly say that I can barely remember a gap in the crowd around the whole twenty six miles.

The bands and the music were amazing, from trombones and trumpets through to steel bands and disco’s. It really was a carnival atmosphere. people do tell you about it but you can never appreciate it until you have done it. We were glad we had put our names on our shirts as the crowd cheered you on by name and it did make you feel just a

little bit special. Although two thirds of the way round the L did fall of my shirt and I was thereon cheered on as Pau(Paw), I thought it was just the London accent until I looked down and realised.

Our race plan pretty much went to plan up until the 17 mile mark. I started developing cramp in my ham strings which caused me to stop for treatment at mile 18 and meant that I had to run/walk the last third, in some pretty bad pain at times. Jo did stop with me and spurred me on. I did tell her to go on and she did shoot off only to return within the minute. Don’t know whether I told her at the time but that really meant a lot to me. I never suffered with cramp all through training and can only put it down to cutting out my salted peanuts and scratchings the week before the race. I do sweat heavily during running and usually finish with a white face of dried salt, I reckon the scratching and nuts were providing me with that salt or at least that me excuse for my next run. James also had problems with his lower back. He had been troubled by it pre race and it came back to slow him down from around mile twenty.

We all crossed the line outside of our target times but it didn’t really

matter. This time last year we were preying we could make it round let alone have a target to aim for. James although slowed by his back finished in a good time of 04:11;53. Jo came in next slowed down by my good self with a time of 05:36:18 followed very closely by moiré in exactly the same time. There are pictures available of James, Jo and myself if for some reason you may wish to purchase or just have a good laugh at.

Would we do it again? Of course we would. Both James and me have applied for a ballot spot for next year to try and get the times that we wanted this year. Jo has decided to give her body a rest for next year but does want to do it again.

Our final fundraising total is £3,410 which is on its way to the children's charity Wellchild. Please do visit the site..oh yes and watch the video

on the home page with Emile Heskey. Emile had came up to visit Jo and see what the Wellchild nurses get up to. If you haven’t given any money the Justgiving site is still up and running and awaiting your money

View Full Album

Please have a look at the full album of photos from our training ,support races and fund raising events through to the marathon itself. Thanks for reading.

The End of the LSR

Thats it, its finished.  Well it almost is.

After a weekend of three letter abbreviations in Dudley, including EDL and UAF(search them on Google if you can be bothered) I thought I would introduce you to one that has been putting us through our paces over the last couple of months.  LSR is the three letter abbreviation that stands for Long Slow Run and I’ve just completed my last one before the Virgin London Marathon in three weeks time.  We will now be reducing(known as tapering) our runs over the next couple of weeks in an attempt to get our bodies fully fit for the run.  The longest I got to was 18miles, we have a feeling James did quite a few more last week but not sure how many. To say we are looking forward to the big day is an understatement, well perhaps not that day but certainly the day after.  By then we will have hopefully completed the 26.2 miles and be resting up in a nice bed scared to get out because of the pain in our legs.

For those that don’t already know our last fundraising event had to be cancelled due to a fire at a nearby car garage, which just happened to be next to a petrol station.  Jo and Claire had been at the club for most of the day getting the room ready.  they had come home for a bite to eat before we all returned to add the finishing touches and start welcoming the guests.  Unfortunately the police decided to evacuate the club about five minutes before the start.  We literally had people at the top of the road in full fancy dress that had to turn round and return home.  We have re-arranged the event for the 17th April at the  Millfields Social Club.  Its going to be a brilliant night, Dancing Through the Decades.  Once again fancy dress is optional.  If you want tickets or more info please contact us on 07905274047.

Training is getting us there with all three of us suffering in our own ways.  Jo is still suffering with her IT band and has now included plantar fasciitis to her list of injuries.  She’s basically been band from running for the last four weeks and keeping fit on the cardio vascular machines down at the gym along with a weekly trip to the physio.  Gareth Jones is his name and he comes high recommended. James has also been suffering with foot problems which we believe is something similar to what Jo’s got and even had a Radcliffe moment a few weeks ago.  Have a look to the left to see one of my problem, forgot to put the plasters on the old nips and this was the result.  They really are sore..

Don't forget you can make this all worth while by supporting us in our efforts by visiting our JustGiving site and making a donation to our Charity Wellchild.  Once again if you don’t like donating over the net please contact us on 07905274047 and we can arrange something.  Please do donate, we have seen first hand the things that have been achieved by this Charity and it is for a brilliant cause.

 

I

Adidas Silverstone Half Marathon

The sign says it all really, Silverstone “Home of British Motor Racing” and here we were about to run round the track.

On a Sunday morning when I would usually be settling down for the opening round of the Formula 1 season we found ourselves arriving at a freezing cold Silverstone race track. Now don’t be mistaken I have also wanted to start a race from this grid but never thought it would happen, let alone on foot. 

The morning started with me taking a temperature check in the back garden and coming to the conclusion that it was going to be a warm day for a change.    Jo and me headed off to meet James, Claire and her parents Matthew and Jill before taking the one hour journey to the track.  Upon arrival I realised that my weather forecasting from our back garden had not paid off.  There was a bitter wind that cut through you, making the decision I had taken to run in my vest seem a  little on the daft side, especially as everyone else seemed dressed for the conditions, with some even donning woolly hats!!!  So it was off to the on-site shop to buy a t-shirt.  We then grabbed a free bottle of water from a nearby stand and necked that to up the hydration levels.  That was mistake number two, the queues for the toilets were not exactly massive but big enough when you are bursting.  Poor James had to visit twice.

We headed down to the start line opting for the post two hours group.  We had discussed our target times during the journey and whilst not massively important had expressed our individual hopes of 1hr 45ish for James and around two hrs for me and Jo.  I would be more than happy with 2hrs 10mins.

The race started and to be fair I was glad we had made the decision to take part in a big race.  There were over ten thousand entries with around six thousand starting on the day and they all shot off like a bullet from a gun, that's when I realised what folk mean when they say to run your own race.  We were being pulled along at a pace more in line with 1hr 30.  James was soon out of sight as expected, I don’t know how he does but he could keep up with that pace. I couldn’t and so slowed it down a bit and after about five miles started to catch the “sprinters” coughing and a spluttering.  Jo’s knee went on about three miles and she did drop behind me for quite a few miles before suddenly appearing over my shoulder. “How’s the knee” I enquired, the reply came back, “can’t stop running, my leg will seize” and off she went.  I wonder how she does it with the pain from her IT injury.

Anyhow after thirteen and a little bit miles we all finished safely, James recording a brilliant time of 1hr 48mins 13 sec’s in a very good position of 1232.  Jo achieved a very respectable 2hrs 09mins 15 sec and placed 3385 and I scraped in 42seconds over my target on 2hrs 10mins 42 sec.  Still a PB but wished I had pushed that little bit harder to get inside my target.

Several first’s on the day too.  It was our first half marathon race, we received our first medals and probably more important, we were the first to race round a newly laid and improved track albeit on foot.  We couldn’t recognise the place from earlier visits with all the improvements they are making.  The main stand has even vanished!!!

Can we thank Claire and her parents for their support on the day.  They were brilliant and I still swear Claire had a loud speaker, her shouting was so loud.  Oh well, thats half way, back to training with five weeks to go.  If you’ve enjoyed reading please leave a comment below.  Tell you what leave a comment if you haven’t just so we know someone reads the blog!!  Oh yes, if you are impressed by our achievements to date please show your “appreciation” by sponsoring us through our Just Giving site. If you don’t like making payments on-line please contact us on 07905274047 and we’ll arrange something.

 

 

PS. Its 18 miles this weeks followed by our charity “through the decades” disco at Lickey End Social Club, Bromsgrove.  If you want further details or tickets please ring on the number above.  Oh yea, you don’t have to do the run to attend the disco. 

Its getting closer

Well the promise of keeping you more informed on our progress didn’t go to well.  Jo’s just gone out on her sixteen mile run so I thought I’d put an update on here.  Jo’s being having even more trouble with the IT band that i was telling you about on the last blog.  Its basically a band that runs from your glutes (bum cheek)  down the outside of the leg and connects onto the knee.  In Jo’s case it’s tightened up which causes rubbing on the knee.  Very painful and not a lot you can do about it.  We’ve tried different specialist’s to try and cure the problem with everyone having a different view.  We are now trying new trainers and massage to hopeful provide correct support and see what that does.  I know we keep going on but we are trying really hard for this marathon and believe me its very hard on a Sunday morning, in the snow, with pain running through yours legs.  Please support us by visiting our Just Giving site and making a donation.  It really does lift us to know people are supporting us and our charity Wellchild

Our next fundraising event is at Lickey End Social Club.  It’s a “Dancing through the decades” fancy dress party.  Please do try and attend, fancy dress is not essential but it does make the night a bit more enjoyable.  The last one we did was for Halloween and it proved a great success, selling out 130 tickets.  If you want to come along please contact us on 0779907074.  We are also looking at doing a quiz night but I’ll post details on that as soon as we have them.

Just out of interest has anyone being watching Eddie Izzard: Marathon Man.  More accustomed to high heels this man took on the challenge of running 1,000 miles, which is basically 43 marathons.  Don’t know how he did it, its killing me doing one!!!!!!!  We are enjoying it though and it does give you a great sense of achievement.

Next Sunday we are running in the Silverstone half marathon.  I’m really looking forward to it.  Not particularly the running but starting a race on the official British F1 track.  Okay, its not in a car but its the closest I’m ever gonna get to it. Down side to all of it is that why we three are running around Silverstone the F1 season kicks off on the telly. 

Just to Darn Busy……

Well so much for keeping everyone updated on our training progress for the London marathon.  I had all intensions on updating after every run but it ain’t that easy.  I had read several books warning on the dangers of marathon prep and wondered how it could become so time consuming but it really does.  Straight home after work, grab a few carbs and then out for a hour run  , get back jump in the shower and then do the tea and then if we are lucky sit down around half eight to try and chill before bedtime……and you’re not even allowed alcohol to help. Okay you know us to well, but only a couple on rest days and a shot of whiskey before bed but that is purely medicinal. ;)

Anyhow training according to our programme kicked off on the 4th  January and what an introduction that was.  Hoping to run in the nice fresh, clean air was quickly dashed by that white stuff from the heavens and confined us to the gym.  Now I hate dreadmills at the best of times and even more so when forced on them, James on the other hand is growing very fond of them but he has got tellys at his gym.  I have still to work out why every mile seems like five on a dreadmill.

We eventually got outside; the pains and aches are increasing by the day.  Jo’s had further problems with her IT band(its something to do with the knee and nothing to do with computers) but in general we are getting further, fitter and recovering faster.  You start to read your body after a bit and know the dangerous pains from the general “it will be okay after our rest day” aches.

We had a lovely run the other morning in the frost and snow.  It was a little bit tricky underfoot but it was beautiful along the canal.

I’ll try and keep everyone a little better informed from now on and please do leave a comment so that we know people are actually reading the blog.  It does encourage us to see the visitor counter keep climbing but we do wonder if it’s just from ourselves checking to see if comments have been left.

Oh yea and please feel free to take a glance at our progress by clicking on the “My Workout” located on the right hand side of this blog.  It gives details on the routes we run and the mileage we are covering and please do visit our Just Giving site and sponsor us.  By donating this way we rasie even more money for our charity through gift aid but if you feel you don’t like to use the Intenet to make donations please speak to us direct.

  We are doing this marathon to raise money for the Wellchild Charity and its the knowledge that we are doing it to help children with complex needs to have a better quality of life that motivates us when we are out running.  Please give generously.

PS there’s another Charity night coming up soon but I’ll update you on that later in the week.

Kinver 10k

Technorati Tags: DK running club,kinver 10k,running

  Okay, so its been a couple of months ago but it was our first race so I thought it deserved a mention.

We were supposed to be entering the Birmingham half marathon but soon decided that going on holiday to Turkey a few weeks before was probably not the best training program.  We happened across the Kinver 10k whilst browsing the DK running club pages.  New to this running business we signed up and thought we would give it a go.  It was more to get an experience of the racing scene and how it works that the race itself that made us want to enter.

We duly turned up on the day in our best running gear, well to be honest our only running gear at the time and proceeded to the start.  Then came the shout from behind.  We had by pure luck and chance parked next to Jo’s cousin John.  He had been talked into running the 10k by his brother in law Gary Wall who we have since become good friends with. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Gary for his advice on setting up this blog and introducing me to the world of running on-line.  Oh yes and we all got our picture in the local papers.  Not bad for the first race.

Anyhow the horn blasted out and we started running and that is when we discovered just what a slog the Kinver 10k is. All up hill and bloody steep at that.  We have since mentioned the run to others at DK and you always get that same sharp intake of breath and the look that you must be half mad.  The scenery was nice though and the support from the locals around the course was brilliant.  We finished in around the hour mark and was well pleased with the t-shirts we were awarded for completion but its a medal we want now.   

As we speak, well type, the postie has just dropped my race number through the door for the Turkey Trot in Wolverhampton on the 20th Dec…….We must be mad

 

 

Note the race number…until recently the cardiac arrest emergency phone number in hospitals..are they trying to tell me something

It has to start somewhere

Well here it is the first entry on my first ever blog.

What do I write? Thats always a hard one for me. Not in an educational sense, you understand(well maybe a bit) but more of what I think people may want to hear/read. But then again do I write what I might want to read myself at some later date.

Well we'll just see how it goes.

The reason I am keeping the blog is to try and record the next four or five months of my life. You see me and the other half, along with the brother in law have decided to run the 2010 Virgin London Marathon.

The other halfs name is Joanna and she worked until recently for the National Childrens Charity Wellchild(http://www.wellchild.org.uk/) for who we are running the marathon. She now works for Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Jo's brother, James, is twenty six and just about to start a new job with the NHS. He's the fit one out of the bunch, well he was until a few months ago when he managed to strain his back kicking a trainer!!(don't ask) At least I'll be able to keep up with him a bit more now.

I'm Paul and at forty two years old should know better than starting to take up running. Nuff said!!

It was back in May that we decided on the great feat and we weren't even intoxicated at the time. Wish we had of been at least then we could have had a excuse to back out. Blaming it on the drink has worked loads of times before.

We have been in training of some sort since about July, the main aim up to this point is trying to build up a base level of fitness ready for the start of the serious training in January. Can I just say at this point that none of us has ever had any inclination to run since we left school and the only time I ran then with any form of gusto was to get to the front of the dinner que. Jo did do some serious running at school until female development slowed things down a bit.

Its gone okay to date with the exception of James bad back, Jo's IT band problem and my aching knee but I suppose we had better get used to that or educate ourselves to spot signs of injury earlier.

Hope to keep you posted on our training and here's hoping you enjoy reading the blogs

Paul, Jo and James