All 3 of us have lost someone dear and close to us to cancer over the last few years and in their memory would like to help raise money for cancer research to help fund its life-saving work into preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer.   Together we can help more people survive cancer.

Chrissie Clout
This will be Chrissie Clout's first ever marathon, having never run before(!) and in memory of Indi, is inspired to take on this challenge and complete the 5km course, hopefully running rather than walking.  

Carolyn Whitman
Carolyn Whitman took part in last year's Race for Life 2007 and found it an extremely inspiring day.  She is therefore running again this year to once again support this fantastic charity who achieve so much.

Lynn Ernest
Lynn Ernest lost her youngest brother to cancer in 1989 and one of her other brothers has recently been diagnosed with prostrate cancer.  Lynn is running the Race for Life for both of her brothers as inspiration.  This is also Lynn's first ever marathon.

Chrissie, Carolyn and Lynn will be blogging their training progress (below and at http://raceforlife2008.livejournal.com/ which will be regularly updated and when the Race is over, we'll post our times and whether we made it fully running all the way or walking/crawling to keep you involved every step of the way to share how your donations are motivating us to train that little harder and run that little faster! 

Credit Suisse will match up to £500 individually for both Carolyn and Chrissie if we manage to raise at least £500 each sponsorship for Cancer Research UK.   We gladly accept any and all donations, no matter how small.  Every penny makes a difference.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me - Cancer Research UK will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, at least an extra 25% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you when you tick the Gift Aid box.

Many thanks for your support - together we will beat cancer.

NB: If you'd like to donate your spare cash instead of online, please let either Carolyn or myself know and we'll drop by your desk etc and pick it up.  No amount is too small!!

Chrissie Clout, Carolyn Whitman and Lynn Ernest
Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK
Blackheath, SE13
Sunday 13th July 2008

We are running in memory of all those who have passed on from cancer, those who currently have cancer and those who are in remission ~~ every penny that is donated on this page will inspire us to train harder and run to complete the course.

Race for Life is a unique series of non-competitive events, where
women can come together to walk, jog or run 5km for Cancer Research UK. Money raised goes towards curing, treating and preventing cancers through world-class research.

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Chrissie's Training Blog for Race for Life 2008
Friday 2nd May 2008
10 weeks to go before the Race for Life 2008 starts and I started my training today.  It didn't help that I only had 2 litres of supergreens, one medium superjuice with wheatgrass and nothing to eat all day by the time I got to the gym.  Still I wanted to workout today so I persevered.   I didn't warm up (never do, naughty!), and went straight into 10 mins of walking on the threadmill followed by 3 mins of my first ever running on the threadmill at 6.6 whatever the gizmo says on the threadmill.  Didn't feel too bad till I hit the 3 min mark and then stamina and heart started racing so I went back to walking for 3 mins and then another 2 mins of running at 7.4 gizmos (whatever the thinge means!); and while I was ok, my heart raced a little too fast for my liking though the recovery was quick ie seconds.  I had to fiddle with my Ipod which was in my jacket pocket so I was running and trying to stop it from falling out.  I'll be better prepared tomorrow with my Ipod strap on my arm, no towels falling off my neck and onto the threadmill and no water bottles falling off the threadmill either! 

I did about 20 mins walk and run on the threadmill, which got me to the 1.5km mark and then did another 20 mins on the bike which took me to the 3.5km mark.  I felt the bike was cheating though I need better preparation and today was a test run.

For experienced marathon runners and/or normal runners, 5km may seem a doddle though hey, I don't run; and my oestopath advised after I had two bone operations on my feet several years ago that I am not to put pressure on my joints, so this is something of an achievement for me. 

I would like to run the marathon the whole way and in a good time and pace; hence the training. 

Sat 3rd May 08
My body was exhausted today from yoga on Thursday which was a tough class and then training yesterday.  I don't usually sweat and oh boy did I sweat today when on the threadmill!!  My shirt was soaked.  And I wasn't even doing much!  I warmed up today which I actually enjoyed as my body was nice and stretched before getting on the threadmill.  I then did 5 mins of walking before I braved going into a trot at 6.6 km/h, though what happened today ~~ let's see ... my hair which was up in a bun kept falling down and I had to keep stopping to put it up again (lesson: put hair in a ponytail and perhaps buy a cap), and the jacket around my waist kept falling down too which I pulled off and put on the floor or rather threw on the floor!! :)

I did 5 mins of walking, then I could only manage 2 mins of running at 6.6 km/h before I felt out of breath and went back to walking for a few mins and then when recovered, I went back into a run of 7.6 km/h (maybe that's too fast? it didn't feel it strength wise though my stamina couldn't take it as my heart raced too fast and I felt out of breath.  Is this due to the asthama in my family??).  I'm more into yoga, aerobics, swimming and weight training than running as running isn't my thing.  I don't run! :)

Anyway I only lasted 25 mins on the threadmill and managed 1.5km.  I was sweaing a lot which amazed me cos I don't usually sweat.  I only managed to run in spurts of 2 mins, 1 min, 2 mins and another 2 mins or 1 min and the rest was walking.  Oh and some guys used the threadmill next to me and one of them had such bad body odour, it was very off putting! Gross!!  Why do people do that?  I don't like sweat at the best of times, least of all people who smell bad when they sweat.  Can't they weat deodorant?! 

I did the rest of the 3km on the bike; and spent the rest of the time weight training and stretching.  Spent about 2 hours in the gym.  25 mns on threadmill and 20 mins on the cycle and the rest was weight training and stretching (I take my time to stretch as I do yoga poses, pilates and core strengthening exercises for my back). 

I'm not doing so good on my stamina though I guess it's early days yet and I've got 10 weeks to get my stamina up to speed if I'm to run this 5km Race for Life than walk it. 

Tues 6th May 08
Sun I ached real bad and needed a day of rest; and Mon Bank Holiday I was busy and wasn't feeling so well so no training.  Spent about an hour and a half at the gym today with 30 mins on the cycle.  Granted the first 10 mins was catching up and replying to text messages and going slow (woops!) though I built up pace after.  I couldn't gather inspiration to get onto the threadmill cos I just don't like high impact on my joints :( - and figured hey perhaps I can do the stamina thing on the bike instead ie low impact and once in a while go on the threadmill when I feel motivated instead of pushing myself to run on the threadmill when I really don't want to.  Kinda like shoving a horse into a water trough and forcing it to drink. 

I did 8km on the bike today in under 30 mins.  I only pushed myself towards the end cos that's when I got the idea ie mid cycle to build my stamina through low impact instead of high impact on the threadmill.  Rest of the gym session was on the weights and stretching.  It was over too soon as I had chores to catch up on :(.  Ideally I'd love to spend 2-3 hours each session at the gym though sadly there just isn't enough time in the day to do the things we love to do.  Something either has to give; or you make compromises and fit in what you can in the time that you have. 

Continued on Live Journal at http://raceforlife2008.livejournal.com/