Hello!

On Saturday 12th September, 2009 I 'dare to run the bear.' In plain English this means I will be doing a marathon at an approx elevation of 6750 ft at Big Bear Lake, California. It's gonna be a little different from what I'm used to as there will be a bit less oxygen but the sights are gonna be amazing so I'll give it a whirl. I'll even take some photos for y'all.

I appreciate any sponsorship. All monies raised will go to Spinal research. Spinal research is a leading charity funding medical research around the world to find a cure for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury. Research into spinal cord repair has made enormous progress in recent years. Neuronal growth of up to 4mm has been measured in laboratory models, accompanied by increases in sensation, muscle coordination and walking. The next stage is clinical trials in which the treatments will be tested in humans.

For Jason, who has always been an inspiration to me! 

 

Update 12/09/2009

Today I took the dare and ran the bear! Firstly however, I want to thank you all for the very generous sponsorship. We made the four figure sum in the end! This really helped to keep me going throughout the marathon and will undoubtedly provide valuable funds to combat paralysis.

So, I arrived at Big Bear on Thursday to acclimatise. This was a good idea as there were a few headaches and nose bleeds. However, the weather was noticeably cooler than it had been in San Diego and I welcomed this.

Then today was race day. I had a very comfortable first 13 miles (approx 2 hours) however, at the half way point I felt a bee sting in my shoulder. I had trouble getting this removed but was able to continue with the race. This factor combined with my sore ankle of late contributed to a much slower second half of the race and I eventually finished around the 4:50 mark! The run was so beautiful and the people of Big Bear so helpful and friendly. I've added some pictures from Big Bear. Enjoy them and if you ever get the opportunity, visit Big Bear Lake California! I know I'll be back :)

 

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