FINISHED THE BELFAST MARATHON 3RD MAY - 4HRS 20MIN :-)

Hi, and thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

On 3rd May 2010 i will be running the Belfast marathon for the Shine a Light charity.  My aim is to try to drag my short, stumpy, ginger legs around 26.2 miles of Belfast for a great cause in 4 hours or less. 

Shine a Light is a Belfast based, voluntary organisation focused on improving the quality of life of young children diagnosed with cancer.  It's goal is to give the help and support to children and their families and to let them know that they are not alone.

There are many ways in which Shine a Light help to improve a child's quality of life.  This varies from trips to Disneyland, London, Paris and various other places to taking them to see their favourite artist in concert or to see their favourite football team.  These are some of the many ways in which Shine a Light helps these children to forget their illness, even if it is for just a short time.

So please, help me to support this worthwhile cause and donate whatever you can!

http://www.shinealightni.com/


Training Update (1st Feb 2010):

I have just entered week 13 of a marathon training schedule (http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/marathon-training-schedule.html) to help me do this (though the beautiful Belfast weather didn't help much over Christmas).  Running around 11 miles on the long runs at the minute but increasing every week.  Hitting between 8min 30s and 9min miles at the minute which will hopefully turn into a good enough speed to take me under the 4 hours.  Almost went on my hoop last night a few times (Sunday 31st January) thanks to a mixture of ice and being hungover but due to awesome balancing manoeuvres i managed to stay upright.

Training Update (11th March 2010):

I have just entered week 19 of a marathon training schedule (http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/marathon-training-schedule.html).  Building up the longer distances now so 18 miles this weekend should be fun.  Bringing my times on the shorter runs down now closer to 8 minutes and 8min 30s or less on the longer runs.  Things that have got me through the long runs include...a woman walking into a lamp-post, a kid getting hit on the head with a football and the smell of chippys as i run past them.  Heading to a physio this week to try and sort my dodgy old man knees as well...damn being 27! :-(

Training Update (19th April 2010):

I've just finished doing a few weeks of the long distances.  I've ran 16 miles a couple of times and 18 there yesterday.  My dodgy knees are still giving me real issues especially when i hit about the 13-14 mile mark making it very difficult to keep up a decent pace and i've also managed to knobble my right wee toe (possibly someone is trying to tell me to stop).  Anyways...it's looking like the time i'm aiming for will have to be revised from 4hrs to around 5hrs but whatever happens, i'll make sure i give my all in the run!!

 

Race Day (3rd May 2010):

 

Well the day started with me getting down to the city hall, munching a load of ibuprofen and pwoerade and then realising i needed to pee about 10 minutes before the marathon.  Luckily an alleyway presented itself and i started the race a few minutes late (good job the timing measured from when you crossed the start line this year).  The first few miles flew by and it was all pretty comfortable up until about the 17/18 mile mark when the legs and knees started to go.  The last 8 miles or so were complete hell but eventually i got finished in a time of 4hours 20minutes!