A RIGHT ROYAL RACE
Thanks to David Lewis and Martin Rome for joining me to make a Community Foods team to compete in the Royal Parks Half Marathon on 9th October. Martin did very well to run 4 minutes inside his target time of 2hr15 while David and I lumbered around slightly outside of ours in 1h47 crossing the line hand in hand.
November will bring the Stevenage half marathon before some well earned rest.
We have already signed up for the Silverstone half maraton and Milton Keynes Marathon for 2012 and will be aiming to repeat a number of the events run this year.
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ULTIMATE GOAL ACHIEVED
During August we managed to take part in a couple of events as a build up to the Nottingham Maraton. With the help and company of Michaela, Jacob and I went around the Sailsbury 54321 off road marathon. We took (and needed) plenty of time finishing in approx 6h20. Pushing Jacobs buggy over a ploughed field and over several gates and fences were just some of the memorable moments.
While on holiday in the isle of wight Jacob an I managed to take in the isle of wight half marathon. This was an extremely hilly course described in the local press as 'brutal'. It was an 11 am start on a very warm day. In the end I was pleased to get round in one piece in 2hr11. Thanks to Mum, Benajamin, Rebekah, Chris and Bob for their support.
This all paved the way for Jacon and I to finally complete the Nottingham Marathon. Thanks to Tim Dutfield for driving me to and from the course and joining with Benjamin in cheering me at several points on the course. The course ws a really enjoyable one and despite running into a headwind for the last 6 miles were thrilled to finish in a time of 4h40.
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RAIN AND HILLS
Jacob and I have managed to keep things ticking over since the London marathon with decent outings each month since.
Shortly after the Marathon I managed to smash my PB for the Pednor 5 mile (not pushing) by about 8 mins with 36m28s.
We have then enjoyed three events together. The Bupa 10k was just as packed and friendly as ever and we completed the course in just over 50mins. Thanks to Chris and Bob for travelling from the Isle of Wight to support and for Mum cheering me on (when she managed to see me).
ST Albans half marathon in June was a pleasant if hilly course on a quite wet day (Jacob was dry under his rain covers) . We completed in 1h56m. Thanks to Mum, Benjamin and Rebekah for cheering me on. Well done to Jonathon, Oli and Jo for your excellent times also. Thanks also to Oli and Jo for kindly feeding us afterwards!
July bought the Wycome half marathon and the challenge of begining the race with a 1 mile climb up Marlow Hill. After the first mile up the hill put me 3 mins behind my normal time pushing after mile 1 i was pleased to complete the course in 1hr 57m. Jacob was once again happy to view from underneath his rain covers on another wet day. Well done to Jonathon and Tim on an excelelnt race.
Only about 8 weeks to the Notingham Marathon so the training is now being ramped up. If they let me push I may add in the Isle of Wight half marathon at the end of August.
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Milestones
Since the last update Jacob and I have broken our PB for 10k ayt the miles fo missing people event - down from 55mins to 48mins! Thanks Paul and Sue for your help and support on race day.
Dave has also now completed his first marathon at the London Marathon on 17th April.
Thanks to Lesley and Daniel (mile 11) and Tracy (mile 18) for fantastic support en route and afterwards. I am told Lesley and Daniel also saw me circa mile 23 but by then by brain was mush. It was also great to see Tim, Ben and Sam and Chris and Annette (who had also run) at the end.
The race was everything I had been told it would be. The atmosphere was great all the way around. All went acording to plan through 18 miles then at 19 I cramped. It was then every bit as tough as I could have imagined but I just about managed the cramp for the last 7 miles at a much slowed pace and finished in 4hrs 21mins.
Next Up Bupa 10k at the end of May.
Since the last update I have managed to add the Wycombe Half Marathon on 17th July at which I will be able to push Jacob.
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The Journey so far.
Training for the London Marathon has been going well and the fruit of this has been seen in the first two events of the year.
A time of 1hr44 in the Berkhamstead half marathon and 1hr54 in the Reading Half marathon are personal bests for not pushing and pushing respectively.
Both were thoroughly enjoyable. The Reading particularly so having the fantastic company of Paul Moore for much of the race. Paul ran really well and knocked 16mins off his previous half marahon time coming in at 1hr58 - great effort Paul and thanks for the support and help in parting the sea of runners to create space for Jacob in his chariot to eat up the miles.
Special thanks also go to Tracy, Fran and Charlotte for their support on the way round.
The roar from the crowd as Jacob and I entered the Madejski Stadium for the final few metres will live with me for some time.
Since the initial planning of events for the year a couple more have been added in - both with permission to push Jacob.
Miles for Missing People 10k in Regents Park on 2nd April
St Albans Half Marathon on June 12th
I will add some Photos from Reading soon.
DAVE AND JACOB
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Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
I began running pushing my Autistic son Jacob in a buggy in Autumn of 2009 having been inspired by seeing footage of ‘team Hoyt’ (Google it for a dose of inspiration).
Our first full year of running in 2010 saw us compete in several events including several 10k’s in Regents Park, fundraising for Autistica by doing the Bupa 10k together and a solo run in the Royal Parks half marathon and climaxing in completeing the Stevenage half marathon together.
For 2011 we are upping the anti. The fundraising target to support Autistica is going up as is the level of the events. We will still aim to continue competing in as many Regants Park 10k’s as possible. The events calender is now shaping up as follows:
Berkhamstead half marathon – 3rd March – not able to push Jacob but likey to still run.
Reading half marathon – 20th March – confirmed place pushing Jacob
London Marathon – 17th April – confirmed solo run
Bupa 10k – 30th May – pushed last year – hoping to be given OK again.
Robin Hood (nottingham) Marathon – 11th Sept – awaiting confirmation that I can push Jacob following a positive initial response.
Royal Parks half marathon – 9th Oct - solo run
Stevenage half Marathon – 6th Nov
I am hoping to raise as much money as possible for Autistica across these events. Autistica raise money to fund research into the causes of and treatment of Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Find out more at http://www.autismspeaks.org.uk
Autistica is the leading charity funding biomedical research into autism in the UK. This pioneering research is vital to a better understanding of the causes of autism, and is designed to help scientists discover more effective interventions.
Autism is an enduring disorder that arises from atypical development and functioning of the brain. People with autism have difficulties communicating and forming relationships with others and find it hard to make sense of the world around them.
The impact of autism varies form individual to individual. For many autistic people such as Jacob it has a significant effect on every aspect of their day to day life and impacts on the lives of families living with autism. As a consequence of this autism is estimated to cost the country approx £28 billion every year, a far greater sum than any other costed medical condition.
Despite this autism attracts less than 0.2% of all state medical research funds (circa £2 million per year). This is why the work of Autistica in funding research is so vital.
Any money given will be used to fund research in to the causes, biology, diagnosis and treatment of autistic spectrum disorders.
There are circa 7000 autistic children born in Britain every year. More research is important to help children like Jacob to reach their full potential in the future.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
So please dig deep and donate now.
I am aiming to keep a blog to track the highs and (hopefully not too many) lows of training. Keep an eye on it to see how the training is going and we get on in the events.
It can be found at http://daveandjacob.wordpress.com
Why not save it to your favourites for quick access?
Thanks for reading.
DAVE AND JACOB
