Story
Thank you for visiting my fundraising page.
Dor died on the 15th March 2007 after a six year struggle with Multiple Myeloma, during that time, and typical of the woman I was married to for forty years, she never complained, moaned or said why me? She just carried on and adjusted her life as this hideous disease destroyed the body around her. Dor had a fantastic zest for life, right up to the last, and enjoyed nothing better than socialising with family and friends, always more concerned for others than herself.
In a curious way the last years provided a lot of laughs and fond memories through the pain and a closeness that only facing adversity together can bring.
The picture, thanks Kathy, was taken in happy times on holiday in Greece and I think captures Dor's personality so well.
Multiple Myeloma is quite rare but is becoming much more common, in fact it is the second most common form of bone marrow cancer. A treatable disease, but one with no cure at present, and one with an extensive and devastating range of side effects and complications.
We were helped greatly and are indebted to Myeloma UK for the information and support they provided. They are also funding the only genetic study into the disease in the UK.
I was my Mums fat lad, (plump babies were fashionable then), and anyone who went to school with me would know that physical activity and particularly running were never my bag. In fact I would do anything to skive off cross country or take the first short cut back. However I feel that I need to do something that requires significant effort on my part to justify my asking you to dig deep into your hard earned cash so I will be competing in the Edinburgh Marathon on 25th May 2008.
Currently I am running close to half the distance with a long way to go, it won’t be fast, it won’t be pretty but I will get there. I will try to keep you posted on my progress.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to donate: Myeloma UK will receive your money electronically and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in Gift Aid will be added to your donation at no cost to you.
Please donate generously.
Many thanks for your support.
DOUG'S WEEKLY TRAINING BLOG
9th March 2008, I managed to kick one of the stairs at the Hotel I was in last Wednesday and either badly bruised or cracked two toes on my right foot. I was on my way back from a boozey dinner so it serves me right, I suppose.
Killed my running this weekend, fortunately I am a week ahead of plan so I should be able to absorb it, unless I do something else silly.
I will get into it tomorrow, (no I really mean that!!),with a 30 minute jog, a few more short ones, a fast 1 hour and a comfortable 2 hour one on Sunday, (pray for Sunshine and no mud.
I will get into it tomorrow, (no I really mean that!!),with a 30 minute jog, a few more short ones, a fast 1 hour and a comfortable 2 hour one on Sunday, (pray for Sunshine and no mud.
Knocked out by everbodies generosity.
16th March 2008 Managed to keep to plan this week but my toes complained a bit. Saturday was a sad day for us but it gives me more purpose and we, Estelle & Paul's family and I, went out for dinner to mark the day. Saturday night and Sunday brought the rain so I decided it was an indoor run. Scheduled for two hours I did it while watching Lewis Hamilton win the Grand Prix in Melbourne, on the 3pm repeat. No problems but it is too hot running that sort of distance inside. May have to invest in wet weather running gear, I don't know how far Lewis went in the 2 hours but I did 11 miles, which means if, (and it's a big if), I can run the whole thing at that speed, I will be below 5 hours.
25th March, Snowing yesterday so it was another indoor half marathon which took 153 min for the 20 kms (13 miles). Knees ach a bit this morning but no serious adverse affects.Training now will be for the second half and into new territory, running more than 3 hours.
26th March - Just went over the £2000 mark with Roy & Pam's donation, well on the way, a very big thanks again to all you generous donars. 40 min run to fit into today.
6th April Did an hour and half outdoors on Wednesday, want to get more outdoors running in now. Sunday, its snowing again so its back on the tread mill for a 15 mile run which I did OK. Next weekend should be in Australia so, hopefully, I can do 2 weeks of outdoor training
Been off line for a while for internet coonection so here is a update
12th April arrived in Sydney late yesterday and went out for an early run of 2.5 hrs, nice to be out in the warm.
19th April, down the coast a Mollymook all this week, keeping to schedule and running along the beach and the headland, plenty of hills. Did 2.5hrs on Sunday.
26th April Needed to do my main run a day early as I am flying out Sunday. Bought some new Asics gel filled runners much lighter than my Nike Air shocks and used these for a 33km 4hr run. Bit stiff for a day after but not too bad. Nearly at the distance.
2nd May. Back in the UK lost 1 days training but making it up, 2 more big runs to do then I am scaling down for the event.
5th May Great to see we have passed the Target, but if you were thinking of donating don't let that stop you. It's a great cause and the more the better.
Did 4.25 hrs yesterday, round (& round & round & round) Maulden woods, took a couple of tumbles in the mud fortunately no casualties other than my pride!! Started at 5am nice morning with just a light drizzle, not long now.
11th May Up to date with training and starting to taper off now, apparently that's what you do so I just had a short run of 2.25 hrs on Sunday. Feeling good with it all however time will tell wether I am finely honed or just an overconfident idiot, (maybe even both).
18th May -Was off in France doing a tour of the Somme and the 14-18 war sites with a few old chums, but kept to schedule untill Sunday morrning when I needed to do 70 mins.Unfortunately it was heavy drizzle and cold, I know what those poor buggers felt like 90 years ago, so I postponed it to Sunday Night when I got home and did it on the treadmill. No more significant runs now just the odd half hour or so till Sunday. Bring it on.
22nd May - Last day at home before the trip to Edinburgh tomorrow with the support crew, just a 10 min jog on Saturday and into it Sunday. Signed off the booze from this morning (sad) till Sunday night Hurrah!!
Knocked out by the contributions to date.
25th May - Here we are. Now is the time I have to make good on the promise to all your generosity. It's 8:15 and we are lining up for Team Myeloma Photos then down to the start with the other 13000+ competitors. It's cool, time to get rid of the outer clothing but I keep a Tee shirt on as I go into the Pen for the 4:30 to 5:00hr runners. My personal target is to get below 5:00 hours.
Start to get nervous now but talking around so is everbody else even those with lots of marathons to their credit. Just before 9:00 I peel the Tee Shirt, bad mistake, it's cold and we take some time before our group, in Pen 6, get down to the start line. But then we do and about 9:12 we are running. Down Regent Road and off round Holyrood Park, the first 3 miles are downhill which is good, I quickly settle in to a routine and enjoy the carnival attitude of the crowd and my little band of supporters. There are a few fallers, tripping over cones and kerbs as the crush starts to open out.
Past the 3 mile mark and we are up on the Leith Links and down to the Portebello Prom. Time looks good, running over 6 miles an hour. Cockenzie Power Station looms through the mist and looks far, far away, I know we have to run past it but I don't know how far, maybe it's just as well.
As we run allong the Seafront the wind is whipping the sand of the beach and giving sand blasting us.
We get to Musselbrook Race course, roughly a third of the distance and the place where we will finish. Big crowd here. Its out and back along the coast now. A few aches starting to creep in so I switch them off. Keep finding yourself overtaking the same person but you never see them go past you, another guy I am chatting to makes the same observation. I catch up with a runner with D. Mullen on his back running for Meningitis, he turns out to be called Devon, we shake hands as we pass.
Cockenzie comes up at 2hours, that's 13miles so still pretty much ahead of schedule but I know it will fall back later. It's here we pass the leaders as they come back, a few individuals at first then some larger groups. Aches start to become more insistant and the conversation drops as everybody starts to dig deeper. The course turns a loop and for a moment I think we have turned for the return leg but no we are only at 16 miles still 2 miles to there, sets me back a bit. I get passed by a Gorilla!!
We turn into the Park at Gosford House on to an uphill gravel stretch the muscles are screaming now, lots of people start walking, don't even go there, I know that once you stop you are beaten, I can feel my pace has slowed but I am still running.
We turn at the house, 18 miles, lost about 10 minutes on the last 6 miles but I still have more than two hours to get home inside 5 hours. The muscles have calmed down now, replaced by a uniform weariness but at least we are on the way back.
Lots of walkers now making it difficult to progress, it would be easy to join them but keep going, it's a jog now.
Pass 20 miles, I know I can do it now, just keep going a few more fallers, the Ambulance people are busy giving First Aid and Oxygen. I pass a Girl who has pulled up and is inconsolable at dropping out. Heads are down now, the sun is out and strong but the wind just keeps us cool. I cannot distract myself now. My vest has rubbed my arm sore, I think about stopping for some Vaseline from the First Aid Post but decide it's too dangerous just tough it out. I am counting steps and counting down miles now 23, 24, 25 and suddenly my right leg goes, I manage not to fall but I am limping and each impact hurts, I manage to keep jogging.
I see the race course coming up and the limp passes off, it still seems a long distance away but suddenly I am on the track, then on boards, don't like these they wobble and our legs are nearly gone, then off the boards back onto track, I want to sprint but there is nothing there. Past the grandstand, I see my band of followers, my arms go in the air and across the finsh line. I get the timing tag off, receive my medal and grab a drink, look at my watch, still inside 5 hours and ran all the way my two objectives achieved. Where is the pub!
29th May. Official Times came through today, on Dor's birthday too!! 4hours 54 minutes and 23 seconds and I came 5424th out of about 13500.
Recovery went well I was able to go out Sunday night for Beer and a Curry and we were up early Sunday and flying back to a rain drenched Luton. Tuesday back in the old routine and off to work in Mansfield after a few delays due to car problems.
30th May Worked out some details for anyone who is interested, my times were 57min 36s to the first 10Km, then 2hrs 7m 36s to 20Km, 3hrs 13m 45s to 30Km and 4hrs 54m 23s to 40Km.
If my maths serve me well that means I was doing 6.82 milesper hour on the first segment,then 5.61mph, 5.94mph and finally 3.91mph. I can't account for why my 3rd sector was faster than the second, there was no concious attempt to do that and no stops, maybe it was just as the field opened up or just second wind!!
Got press coverage locally in the Times and Citizen.
Just a finally thank you to all you generous folk out there and to those that were hanging back to see if the old git could make it, well he did so dig deep.
Postscripts
The Times & Citzen brought in a few more donations from people we had met with Myeloma or at Bedford Hospital, a big thank you to them.Lovely comments too.
The limp turned out to be a groin strain, which I found when I tried to jog, I must have twisted it when I had the pain.
Got interviewed by Chiltern Radio don't know if it was broadcast or not. Apparently it was!
I am continually amazed by the generosity shown and the latest from Jo Faccenda & John Harris and Maggie Bailey all struggling with their own problems but kind enough to respond to this appeal, thanks to you all and well done on that walk Maggie.
PPS 4/7/08
Just when I thought we were all about done I received a cheque from Vera and Barry and last night down the Pub John presented me with a cheque for £150 which he managed to get from a market research firm doing a survey and kindly donated it to Myeloma UK, well done John and that takes over my, (revised) target of £4000. I just here Donna and Estelle are planning to do City to Surf in Aus next year in August, might just have to join that and make it a real family run.
Didn't want to take Dor's pic off the page but thought I ought to let all you generous people see the proof of me coming over the line.
By the way just because we are over target don't let me stop you sticking anything else in the pot before I close down which must be soon.
Change of plan as the money has been paid over to Myeloma UK already the page will stay live till Feb 2009.