Thank you for taking the time to visit my fund raising page.
2008 has been a year of loads of sweat, possible blood and definite tears for me. All this will be in aid of the British Dyslexic Association (http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/). Together we can, and will, make a positive difference by helping fund the essential work they do. Being severely dyslexic myself this charities aspirations are extremely important to me.
(See charity brief on the left).
My eight for 08 events are:
Event 1: Fradley 10K
completed in :56.30 mins - New Personel Best
Event Date: Sunday 9 March 2008
Two laps round the village and largely traffic-free fast flat rural course
Event 2: Rotary Shakespeare Half-Marathon
completed in :2:09.50 mins - New Personel Best
Event Date: Sunday 27 April 2008
A half marathon around the town and countryside of Stratford Upon Avon
Event 3: London 10k
51:50 MINS- New Personel Best
Event Date: 26th May 2008
The BUPA London (10k) will take place on Bank Holiday Monday, May 26th 2008. The race will start and finish in St. James’s Park.
Event 4: Midland fun run
completed in 1:24:mins
Event Date: Sunday 1st June 2008
The run is staged over an 13.67k route starts in Sutton Coldfield town centre from where you enter Sutton Park at Boldmere Gate, negotiate approx 4.5 miles in the park including 'Cardiac Hill', before returning to the finish in the town centre.
Event 5: Birmingham and Black Country Half-Marathon
completed in 2:01 mins - New Personel Best
Event Date: Saturday 5 July 2008
The race takes place entirely on the canal network around Birmingham and the Black Country.
Event 6: The Reebok Bristol Half Marathon
completed in 1:59 mins - New Personel Best
Event Date: Sunday 14 September 2008.
The Reebok Bristol Half Marathon is one of the UK’s leading road races. The race is now one of the largest and most popular half marathons.
Event 7: Run to the Beat
completed in 2:15 mins - test run on speed and kit
Event Date: 5 October 2008
This is London's first official half marathon and will start and finish at The O2 Arena in Greenwich.
Event 8: Snowdonia Marathon
in gales force winds and torental rain
completed in 05:16:47mins - New Personel Best
Event Date: Saturday 25 October 2008
Race report
For the first four miles the course goes up the Llanberis Pass from 110m to 350m with such a climb its essential not to go too fast too soon - almost twice the total climbing you'd do in the Flora London Marathon, and we've hardly turned the first corner.
The race circumnavigates Snowdon's lower slopes in a clockwise direction. Out of one valley and into another, I never had to work so hard to run downhill (the downhill’s into the wind felt more like up hills) we turned out of the pass straight into the path of 55 mile per hour gale with driving torrential horizontal rain while running down to Beddgelert, I was feeling bad at 9,10,11 and 12 miles near the halfway point before we were tested with another climb, rising 160m in little more than a couple of miles. I’m not sure if it was the cold or the torrential rain but miles 16,17,18 were very uncomfortable.
There was some respite from the hills alongside the lakes but there we were totally exposed so the wind played havoc battering you back and forth across the road, I had hit the wall (meaning the body is seriously struggling to go on) at 19 miles which is BAD news but the hardest part comes after 21 miles - so much the tougher for being so late on in the race. Around the north-western shoulder of Snowdon the road climbs 250m in less than three miles, becoming steeper, rougher, and more of a track than a road. Certainly a character building / life affirming experience dragging your ass up that mountain with no blood sugar left. I managed to run three quarters of it I was just too all in to attempt to run all the way up there, it seemed never ending. I ran /walked the last half a mile to the top. That beast of a mountain now opened us up to being totally exposed to the storm. The track was a mud bath and the storm battered us like paper toys. The final part was downhill towards Llanberis, but steeper than is comfortable and slippery miles 21 22 23 were rubbish but I soldered through. I ran 98% of the course in extreme weather conditions and completed the race in 05:16:47 minutes!
if you help me raise my target of £3000 by 30th april 2009 I will finish my challenge with the Prague Marathon. Whatever you can afford to give, however small, will be much appreciated and could make a real difference.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me. I will not see a penny the BDA gets everything, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.
For more info please contact: SJHENERY@YAHOO.COM
