Update 22/04/10
Dear All,
The training is now over (barring a quick 5km today and tomorrow) then it’s on to the race on Sunday of this week.
Thankfully the volcano has finally decided to behave itself and flights appear to be getting back to normal so i’ll be heading to on Saturday morning, followed by an early night on Saturday, an early start on Sunday, a quick jog around then a few celebratory beers.
By the time of my next update i'll have finished the run and will no doubt have countless stories of banamen, supermen and sore limbs so stay tuned.....
There’s still time to show your support by way of a donation so please dig deep and visit either my wooden spoon sponsorship web site (www.justgiving.com/steveslastmarathon) or send me a mail if you wish to make a donation towards the Palm Association, and I will advise the payment details.
By the time of my next update i'll have finished the run and will no doubt have countless stories of banamen, supermen and sore limbs so stay tuned.....
Take care and thanks again to those of you that have already made a donation!!
Steve
Ste's Latest Update.......
Dear All,
Only three weeks to go until the big day so I’d thought I’d give you a small update on my preparations, a BIG updated request for some very welcome sponsorship and a VERY BIG thanks to those who have already made a pledge to my charities.
I’ve certainly trained harder for the previous two marathons but with a manic travel schedule and the usual stream of visitors to it’s been a little more difficult to run to the usual training program. That said, I’ve completed a number of long runs ranging from 15 to 25 km, completed the Bahrain Half Marathon in 2 hrs 2 mins at the end of February and actually feel fitter than I have felt in a long long time. I’ve scheduled in three more long distance runs in the next 3 weeks (20km, 25km and 30km) which is relatively in line with the required program for novices like myself so will be raring to go come 8 a.m. on Sunday 25 April!
Now on to the important issue of donations. As I said earlier, a huge thank you to all those who have either made a donation via my just giving web site or sent an email with details of the amount kindly pledged.
For those of you that have not yet had a chance to consider making a donation to this very very worthy cause, here is a quick overview of the charity and details of how you can show your support:
The Wooden Spoon charity in the (www.woodenspoon.com) has a long running relationship with TNT, was founded over 25 years ago and has raised over 13 million pounds which has been used to fund projects and a wide range of services to ease the hardship of children and young people that are disadvantaged in life. If you wish to place a donation to the Wooden Spoon, please visit my JustGiving website (www.justgiving.com/StevesLastMarathon) where you can make an on line payment. Alternatively, if you wish to pay by another method, please drop me an email on stantons_bahrain@hotmail.com and I will advise the necessary details.
I’m certain that I don’t need to remind you that every little helps, no matter how small a donation, so please dig deep and let me know if you are willing to pledge your support.
I’ll be in touch closer to the big day with another update.
Thanks,
Ste
Initial Update........
11.00am, November the 5th 2003 and I ached like I had never ached before. Michelle was dragging me around the various department stores with each of my steps accompanied by an “ooohhh” or an “aaahhh” (with particularly loud ones whilst walking down a set of stairs in Century 21). Unsurprisingly, we managed to attract plenty of stares from passers by and at that point I had decided to hang up my running shoes and never ever complete another marathon having just completed the 26 miles through the five Boroughs of New York the previous day.
Five months later I myself was staring - at the back of over 30,000 other runners and asking myself 'why?'. Why was I at the starting line of the 2004 London Marathon? Why was I just about to put myself through the joy and pain of running non-stop for another four and a half hours. Why had I not remembered how much I could possibly ache the following day when I said 'yes' to the evil person who asked me to run again? Along with my trusty side kick Jeremy, it actually turned out to be an amazing day which is why at that point I probably knew that at some time in the distant future I would again spend seventy quid on a pair of trainers that made me look as though I was really in to this running ‘lark’ and take to the streets to for another 26 miles....oh, and to try and increase the GBP 8,000 that the first two marathons had raised for charity....
So, in 2007 the little voice that is almost surely in the back of all marathon runners’ heads started to speak up and I was again in planning mode to run my last marathon. Six weeks before the April marathon I managed to a slip a disc in my back and so fell foul to another period of again not running my last marathon.
I've had plenty of time over the last few years to have a good old chat with my knees and on the 25th April 2010, I am definitely definitely DEFINITELY running my last marathon...........ever. Period.
Seeing as it's my last one and therefore last chance to raise some much needed funds for an extremely good cause by way of a marathon, I’ve decided to run for the Wooden Spoon charity in the UK that has a long running (get it??!!) relationship with TNT and to try and raise as much cash as possible. In a nut shell, the Wooden Spoon was founded over 25 years ago and has raised over 13 million pounds which has been used to fund projects and a wide range of services to ease the hardship of children and young people that are disadvantaged in life.
I can think of no better reason to run my socks off, raise some money and give children across the a better start in life! I'm possibly no fitter than i was in 2003 and 2004 and almost certainly no younger but with a bit of luck and a fair amount of hard work over the coming 14 weeks I'm aiming to match my best time of 4 hours 13 minutes. Hopefully the nice lady who was handing out Mars bars around the 20 mile mark of the 2004 marathon will still be there so i'm planning on doubling up on my rations and giving it my best for the final 10km!
I obviously need to finish with a comment on the current times in which we live. An unprecedented economic situation has made the lives of many many people around the world a great deal harder than in recent times. I can therefore understand the difficulties in asking friends and associates to contribute charitable donations however I would like you to remember two things:
1) If times are a little harder for us then they are almost certainly a little harder for those amongst us that are less fortunate in life.
2) Every penny, no matter how small, when combined with many other donations can really make a BIG difference.
I'll try to keep this page updated as regularly as possible with details of my training progress and guarantee that a photo of me is posted on this site to prove that i've actually managed to drag myself across the finish line so for now will sign of with a heartfelt request to everyone to please give as little or as much as you possibly can.
Take care and thanks in advance for those of you that are able to help.
Stephen
