THATS IT PEOPLE, KEEP IT UP. WE'RE PAST HALF WAY NOW TO THE TARGET OF £350, SPREAD THE WORD BY FORWARDING AN E-MAIL PLEASE. 

THANKS TO YOU ALL SO FAR, ESPECIALLY SOME THAT HAVEN'T EVEN MET ME PERSONALLY. 

ALSO CONGRATULATIONS TO ELTHAM SWIM CLUB ON ANOTHER SUCCESFUL RELAY SWIM ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL YESTERDAY!!!    (25TH SEPT 09) JUST OVER 15HRS.  GREAT SUPPORT BY MUM JULIE UNIT TO HER DAUGHTER ALICE WHO HAS BEEN GAGGING TO GET ON WITH IT..WELL DONE ALICE. ~ALICE IS AT STILL AT SCHOOL, AND ALREADY A TOUGH COOKIE!

WELL DONE JACKIE COBELL ! !  IN MID 50'S JUST HAD A SHOULDER OPERATION AND STILL SWAM ACROSS TO FRANCE IN THE RELAY TEAM~AGAIN ! 

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previous web links www.justgiving.com/runbikeswim    2009  www.justgiving.com/jellyfish    2008

www.justgiving.com/dougieruns   2005

6th may 09 after getting trashed off my push bike on sunday evening i'm waiting to recover.  i'm on anti biotic's for an inFection to my hands from the accident. good job i wore a helmet, or i would be in some serious damage now. 

19TH MAY I'M BACK ON THE BIKE NOW, ALSO SWIMMING IN GOOD FORM AGAIN. MY HANDS AND ELBOW ARE STILL BRUISED BUT THE SCABS HAVE MOSTLY GONE.  I HAD MY FIRST OPEN WATER SWIM OF THE YEAR LAST NIGHT,  IN THE MORNING AFTER WORK I SAT ON A GYM BIKE FOR AN HOUR WHILST I READ A NEW BOOK.  AN AUTO BIOGRAPHRY OF RANULPH FIENNES.  CALLING IT ''MAD BAD AND VERY DANGEROUS''  SEEMS LIKE THE RIGHT TITLE, I'M ONLY A LITTLE WAY IN, BUT THIS BLOKES A BIT OFF HIS TROLLEY FROM AN EARLY AGE.  ANYWAY AFTER THE BIKE I RAN ON THE TREADMILL FOR 4MILES, WHIPPED HOME FOR GRUB AND A NAP.  ON WAKING I RUSHED OFF TO TONBRIDGE.  HAYSDEN LAKES WAS THE DESTINATION.  MY RE FOUND COUSIN VALERIE PLACE (HALLIDAY) HAS INTRODUCED ME TO A TRI ATHLETES CLUB.  THEY WERE JUMPING IN WITH THEIR WET/DRY SUITS.  I HAVEN'T GOT ONE YET, SO THE POOR MAN DOES WHAT THE POOR MAN HAS TO, I WENT IN IN MY TRUNKS.  IT WAS VERY DARK AND FULL OF ALGAE.  BUT THE WATER WAS A REASONABLE 15* TEMP I EXPECT. ROUND THE BOUYS I WENT ON THE CIRCUIT.  ITS SO NICE NOT TO HAVE TO TURN AROUND EVERY 25MTR'S.  I THINK 1 CIRCUIT IS 855MTR'S  OR MORE AND THE SMALLER ONE ABOUT 400.  AS I ARRIVED A BIT TIGHT I ONLY DONE 1 AND A HALF CIRCUITS.  I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT VISIT, THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING CHARACTORS THERE TO TALK TO, IRON MEN AND THE LIKE.  SOME CHANNEL ASPIRANTS ALSO.  AS I'VE ENTERED  MY FIRST TRI-ATHLON FOR SEPTEMBER THE 20TH, THIS CROWD CAN MAYBE EDUCATE ME TO A DEGREE.  THE HALF MARATHON FOLLOWS THIS ON THE VERY NEXT SUNDAY FOR RNLI.  I HOPE I'VE NOT TAKEN ON TO MUCH. 

25TH MAY MONDAY EVENING, I'M GOING TO BED SOON FOR A WELL EARNED REST.  AFTER SEVERAL HARD SESSION'S OF TRAINING LAST WEEK, INCLUDING GUINESS AND CARLSBERG!  I DECIDED TO GET A VISIT IN TO THE IN-LAWS AT DOVER ON SUNDAY.  WHAT A GOOD EXCUSE TO POP DOWN AND HAVE A SWIM IN THE HARBOUR.  MANY OLD CHARACTORS FROM THE LAST 2 YEARS WERE THERE, AND MANY NEW ASPIRANTS.  ALL STRIPPED DOWN AND IN THEY WENT.  I GOT IN FOR A SOCIABLE DIP FOR AN HOUR, I'M TOLD IT WAS ABOUT 11/12 DEG'S.  AFTER I HAD DONE ABOUT 3/4 OF AN HOUR I SPOKE TO DAVE COBELL WHO WAS ON HIS BOAT, HE'D JUST TOOK ONE SWIMMER BACK TO THE BEACH WHO WAS STARTING TO STRUGGLE WITH THE TEMPERATURE, AND ON THE VERGE OF HYPOTHERMIA.  AFTER NEARLY AN HOUR I COULD FEEL MY FINGERS STARTING TO BECOME MORE SPREAD AND DIFFICULT TO KEEP TOGETHER.  I AM UNDER NO PRESSURE THIS YEAR, SO WHEN I GO DOWN I CAN CALL MY OWN SHOTS AND ENJOY IT MORE.  I HAD ABOUT 45MINS WARMING UP, AND DECIDED TO GO BACK IN FOR ANOTHER 1/2HR BEFORE GOING UP TO WATCH THE MILITARY SHOW IN DOVER CASTLE.  A BARBACUE ENSUED AT THE IN-LAWS AND THE DRINKS WERE FLOWING.  ANYWAY MONDAY EVENING I GOT DOWN TO HAYSDEN LAKE ONCE AGAIN AND DIVED IN.  3 AND 3/4'S OF A CIRCUIT DONE AND OFF HOME IN TIME FOR ~BRITAINS GOT TALENT~.  JUST UNDER 18 MINUTES WAS WHAT IT TOOK ME FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT AND THE 2ND ALSO, I DID NOT RECORD THE TIMES FOR THE REST. 

6TH JULY  I HAVEN'T POSTED ANY CHAT LATELY BECAUSE THE SITE WAS BEING UPGRADED.  IT SEEMED TO CAUSE ALL MANOR OF PROBLEMS AND PEOPLE COULDN'T LOG INTO THIS PAGE.  I HAVE SOME DONATIONS TO GO INTO THIS PAGE AND THE WWW.JUSTGIVING.COM/RUNBIKESWIM PAGE.  ANYWAY I HAVE BEEN QUITE BUSY WITH TRAINING AS MUCH AS LIFE IN GENERAL.  I HAVE PROMISED TO BE A VEGETARIAN FOR TWELVE WEEKS, I'VE JUST COMPLETED MY 3RD WEEK NOW.  THE FIRST WEEK WAS DIFFICULT TRYING TO AVOID MEAT, INCLUDING FISH.  I HAVE DROPPED UNDER 14ST SINCE I STARTED THE VEG DIET.  I WAS ABOUT 14ST 4LB TO 8LB DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF DAY PREVIOUS.  I'M NOW CONSISTENTLY UNDER 14ST AND DROPPING.  I DON'T FEEL ANY WEAKER AS OF YET, BUT I HAVE READ A FEW PAGES ON HOW TO AVOID A DEFECIENT DIET. I HAVE BEEN CONCENTRATING ON MY RUNNING MORE AT PRESENT, ALTHOUGH STILL SWIMMING.  I COMPLETED THE LONDON TO BRIGHTON BIKE RIDE ON THE 21ST JUNE IN JUST UNDER 5HRS.  CATCHING A LIFT THE MAJORITY OF THE WAY BACK WAS A BONUS!   I'VE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT SOMEONE USUALLY HAS A HEART ATTACK OR DIES SOME WAY OR ANOTHER ON DITCHLEY BEACON EACH YEAR.  I'M NOT SUPRISED, IT'S A BEAST OF A HILL 6 MILES FROM THE END OF AN APPROX 56 MILE BIKE RIDE.  IT WAS WAS CLOGGED UP AT EVERY HILL POINT FOR ME.  I STARTED AT MY 09:30 APPOINTED TIME.  MY LIFT HOME WAS FROM A FELLOW AND HIS COLLEAGUES WHO ALL STARTED AT 06:30.  I HAD NEVER MET THEM BEFORE, BUT I WAS TOLD OVER THE PHONE IF I COULD MAKE IT THERE IN GOOD TIME I WOULD GET A LIFT.  SO WITH 3HRS HEAD START ON ME I HAD TO KEEP PEDALLING.   FORTUNATELY FOR ME 'STAN' THE VAN ORGANISER HAD 4 PUNCTURES!  I FINISHED OVER AN HOUR BEFORE HIM AND HAD TIME TO SWIM IN THE SEA AND EAT MY SNACKS FROM MY PACK LUNCH WHILST BASKING IN THE SUN.  I'VE GOT MY HALF MARATHON TRAINING PLAN LINED OUT FROM THE WEB PAGE WWW.NIKERUNNING.COM   IT GIVES YOU ALL THE TIPS AND GOALS AND SOME. IT WORKS WITH YOUR I-POD.  ANYWAY A FEW WORK COLLEAGUES HAVE TAKEN UP THIS NIKE CHALLENGE AND ARE DOING WELL WITH IT, WAYNE BRITCHFORD FOR 1 IS CRACKING ON !

16th july 09~  5 WEEKS NOW, 5WEEKS VEGGIE !  I'M GETTING ON FINE WITH IT SO FAR CONSIDERING!  THATS CONSIDERING I'VE BEEN TEASED AT AT LEAST 3 BARBICUE'S RECENTLY, YUM YUM AS THEY MUNCH AWAY ON THE SAUSAGES AND BURGERS, THEN A REAL TEST AT TRAIN OPERATOR ROB IRWINS BARBIE, NOT LIKE THE OTHERS WITH DODGEY SAUSAGES ETC, DECENT MEAT SERVED UP, PORK, CHICKEN AND ALL VARIETY OF GOOD MEAT.  BUT I TOOK MY OWN VEGGIE BURGERS, ONLY ROB BURNT ONE SIDE OF THEM.  WAS IT ON PURPOSE?  ANYWAY THANKS TO DENISE IRWIN WHO SAVED MY DAY, SHE STOCKED UP ON VEGGIE FRINDLEY FOOD.  IT WAS BAD ENOUGH WATCHING THEM ALL GET STEAMING WHILST I KEPT SOBER FOR THE DRIVE HOME.  OK THEN, I VE BEEN BUSY SWIMMING AS USUAL JUST ONLY 2/3 TIMES A WEEK NOW THOUGH AND STEPPED UP THE RUNNING TO PREPARE FOR THE TRI-ATHLON AND HALF MARATHON IN SEPTEMBER.  I'VE DROPPED TO AN AVERAGE DAILY WEIGHT OF 13ST 11/12LB SINCE THE VEGGIE D/DAY, FROM AVERAGE 14ST 4/6LB.  ANYONE WANTING TO JOIN IN THE WWW.NIKERUNNING.COM CHALLENGES I'VE SET UP CAN LET ME KNOW VERBALLY OR VIA E MAIL.  WE DO IT AS A TEAM CHALLENGE OR YOU THEN CAN SET YOUR OWN TRAINING PLAN WITH THE PROFFESSIONAL GUIDANCE ON LINE.  MY RUNS NOW TEND TO BE 7 MILES MON, 3/4 MILES TUES, 7/8 MILES WED'S AND 8 TO 12 ON FRIDAY.  WITH LESS SWIM SESSIONS SINCE I'VE STARTIED HELPING THE ELTHAM KIDS LEARN, I'VE STEPPED UP WHAT I DO IN 1 SESSION.  COMPRISING OF 145 LENGTHS WITH SPELLS OF MULTIPLE MEDLEYS / 3 LENGTH BUTTERFLIES / PRESS & SIT UPS AT THE END OF THE POOL AND SPEED WORK, I GET A GOOD WORK OUT.  SHORTLY I'M BOOKED INTO A COURSE FOR A LEVEL 1 TEACHING, TO HELP PEOPLE LEARN TO SWIM.  £370 PAID FOR BY ELTHAM SWIM CLUB AS AN INVESTMENT FOR THE CLUB.

17th aug 09 WELL AS I LIMPED HOME YESTERDAY I REALISED WHY I KEEP GIVING UP PLAYING FOOTBALL.  JUST WEAR AND TEAR ON MY LEFT KNEE OVER THE YEARS LEAVES ME FRUSTRATED, I PLAYED THE FIRST FULL 90 MINUTES ON GRASS I'VE PLAYED IN 3 YEARS ISH.  IT WAS A FRIENDLY GAME AGAINST QUITE A FEW YOUNGER PLAYERS.  SO PLAYING CENTRE MIDFIELD I WAS CONSTANTLY MOVING.  I GOT THROUGH THE GAME GREAT, AND EVEN DONE A DRAG BACK TURNED QUITE A FEW PLAYERS AND HIT THE CROSSBAR AFTER CHIPPING THE GOAL KEEPER.  BUT, THE INEVIETABLE HAPPENED AS USUAL.  MY KNEE STARTED TO LOCK UP AND STIFFEN.  AFTER ICE PACKING ALL NIGHT I COULDN'T WALK PROPERLY STILL EVEN IN THE MORNING.  BUT, MY MOTHER SAID AS I LEFT MY HOUSE ''YOUR STILL MAD'' AS CYCLED TO WORK.  ANYWAYS I'M RUNNING CYCLING AND LESS SWIMMING LATELY HOPING TO RAISE FUNDS FOR RNLI AS I NOW WATCH THE NEWS OF A YOUNG GIRL WHO DROWNED OFF CLACTON BEACH.

 I'M 9 WEEKS NOW INTO MY VEGETARIAN DIET TRIAL, AND I'M CONSTANTANTLY AROUND 13ST 10/11 LB.  I'M RUNNING 8 MILES NOW IN THE SAME TIME I USED TO RUN 7MILES.  I AM SWIMMING A BIT QUICKER PROBABLY DUE TO DRAGGING LESS THROUGH THE WATER. 

21/9/09 I'D LIKE TO SAY FARE WELL TO ONE OF MY LONGEST KNOWN FRIENDS, BARRY (BARNEY) DARGEN.  I PROBABLY DONE MORE THINGS WITH HIM THAN ANYONE ELSE I KNOW. FROM MEETING AT 15YRS OLD, HANGING ABOUT TOGETHER, HOLIDAYS WITH MATES TOGETHER AND MY FAMILY, LOCKED IN A POLICE CELL ALL WEEKEND TOGETHER, ATTENDING THE TERRITORIAL ARMY TOGETHER, BEING HIS DRIVER AND CAMERA MAN ON HIS WEDDING TO TRACY, GOD PARENT TO ONE OF HIS SONS, MATES FOR 30 YRS, BLIMEY WHERE DID THE TIME GO.  BARNEY DIED SUDDENLY FROM A HEART ATTACK IN AUGUST AT THE TENDER AGE OF 44.  THE SAME WAY AS MY FATHER EARLIER THIS YEAR.  STRANGE THAT I WAS RAISING FOR BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION B4 THIS CHARITY.  GOOD BYE MATE. X

ON A DIFFERENT NOTE, I'VE BEEN PRETTY ACTIVE AND GOT TAKEN IN BY MY COUSIN VALERIE, SHE IS BIG ON TRIATHLONS AND VERY GOOD AT THEM TOO, AND HAS INTRODUCED ME HOW TO DO THINGS.  I'VE NOW DONE 2 SPRINT DISTANCE TRI'S.  ONE AT SOUTHWATER COUNTRY PARK AND THE OTHER WAS THE WWW.7OAKSTRICLUB RUN ONTHE 20TH OF SEPT, IT INVOLVED A 400MTR SWIM(1/4MILE)~25K BIKE (15MILE) ~8K (5MILE) CROSS COUNTRY RUN ALL AT FULL PELT WHICH TOOK ME 1HOUR AND 49MINS.  IT WAS THROUGH SOME LOVELY PARTS OF KENT.  I'M FOLLOWING THIS UP WITH THE RUN TO THE BEAT HALF MARATHON THIS SUNDAY 27TH SEPT. 

ALSO I'VE ACCEPTED A CHALLENGE TO SWIM FROM BALLYCASTLE IN NORTHERN IRELAND TO RAITHLIN ISLAND.  A 9 MILE SWIM IN 11 DEGREES APPROX, IT HAS TO BE DONE AT A FARE LICK BEFORE THE TIDES TAKE YOU OF COURSE. WHICH APART FROM THE TEMPERATURE IS THE HARD BIT AS I'M NOT AS QUICK AS I'D LIKE TO BE.  SO ITS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SWIM TRAINING FOR ME NOW, WHICH SHOULD HELP WITH MY TRIATHLON EVENTS FOR NEXT YEAR.  YES I'M AIMING AT HALF IRON MAN THEN THE FULL BIG BOY~IRON MAN~  SURELY IT HAS TO BE DONE? ANYONE GOT A SPARE CARBON FIBRE                    TRI-ATHLON BIKE THEY DON'T NEED?