Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

VIRGIN LONDON MARATHON 2011 - Job Done!

The weather forecasts were for warm sunshine and the predicted temperatures in London for race day kept creeping up throughout last week.  Undeterred, I lined up with the others in Greenwich Park, the cloud cover giving me a sense of security and an optimistic feel about the hours ahead...  However, as if synchronised with the starter's gun, the clouds dispersed and the sun lit up the capital and the temperature climbed!

No matter, the 40,000 surged forward; an unstoppable mass.  All was going to plan - I'd done the training (over 470 miles in the past 16 weeks), I'd 'carbo loaded', I'd prepped my kit, I was feeling strong.  I hit the half marathon point in 1 hour 42 minutes which gave me 2 and a bit minutes in hand; just where I wanted to be with a little time stored for later in the race.  Then the 14 mile marker came up and my right leg twitched.  The type of twitch that warns of the next one being full on cramp.  As my right calf completely knotted up a few hundred yards on I knew in a flash that my target time of 3 hours 30 minutes was gone; I was now simply in a 12 mile battle just to finish.  All you can do at this point if you're not going to sensibly drop out or there's over £3,700 in sponsorship backing you is to find 'quick fix' ways to mitigate the pain - the cramp will not go away until you stop running.  I altered my gait, stopped to stretch off against the railings every now and then, curled my toes down in my trainers, tried to run putting more weight through the other leg and generally grimaced and gurned.  Most of these 'fixes' carry inherent long term risks: My other leg cramped up after 16 miles; I managed to detach one of my big toenails; tore my right Iliotibial (IT) Band, strained my left IT Band and looked less than composed in many of the official race photos around the course.  Because of my stubbornness (I prefer 'determination') I'm now consigned, through necessity, to walking backwards down stairs this week and possibly into next week and I've also had to cancel my entry in this Friday's Folkestone 10 Miles! 

I did manage to stay hydrated though, which is more than can be said for several hundred others on the day that fell like skittles along the length of Northumberland Avenue and Embankment.  I am ashamed to admit that I had little compassion at that point - I just wanted to get to the finish in The Mall as soon as.  I did just that in 3 hrs 59 minutes and 36 seconds but to be honest I was close to defeat and I can't say I liked it.  To add to my ignominy I was pipped at the post by a Nun (habit and all) called 'Bob'. 

An experience - yes, emotional - very, tough - up there, exhausting - definitely, fun - no.  Would I do it again?  The ballot for 2012 is on the 26th April 2011; form an orderly queue behind me.  I've got unfinished business with 'Bob'.

Thank you all so much for your support for The Prostate Cancer Charity.  I've raised far more than I could have hoped and your generosity will certainly make a difference.  If you feel you want to give more the page is open until July.

Finally, some recent great news is that The Prostate Cancer Charity has joined up with Breast Cancer Aware to form Team PB.  Team PB will be the London Marathon's official charity next year.  This means that they can have 5 times the runners they were allowed this year and are hoping to raise well over £1m from the race.

 

 

Background

In 2009 at the age of 38, I decided that rugby hurt too much to do it regularly, so needed something else to keep myself active.  I thought, "Road Running - How hard can it be?"; I soon found out.  But I'd got the bug and whilst I'm never going to be an elite runner, I worked hard and got a lot better.  In early 2010, I set myself the personal target of running the New York Marathon in November (my first road marathon) and all the training that I did (and a heap of money) was focussed on that.  It resulted in a truly fantastic experience - exhaustion, isolation, loneliness, desperation, nausea; they were the good bits!  But the sense of achievement and teary eyes blew all other emotions away at the 26.2 mile point.  Whilst languishing in my Manhatten hotel bed the following morning, thinking my calves couldn't be more painful, I received a call from The Prostate Cancer Charity offering me a place in the Virgin London Marathon in April 2011; there was no choice.

 

With one of the most influential people in my life living with Prostate Cancer right now and having fought it for 5 years, this is my golden chance to actually make a difference.  Through research, support, information, government lobbying, a Confidential Helpline and funding specialist nurses, The Prostate Cancer Charity fights the illness on so many fronts and as a result, is saving lives (http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/).  With Prostate Cancer the most common form of cancer in men and 36,000 men diagnosed with it in this country each year, there are over a quarter of a million living with it today; it doesn't have to be that many. 

 

So perhaps see this as an investment opportunity.  If we crack this cancer, it might just save your life or someone very near and dear to you.  My side of the deal is that I will start bespoke training on Monday 27th December 2010 every day for 16 weeks.  I will be averaging 40 miles a week and taking in some of Kent's finest hills (often in the dark) during the process.  I will do this in the snow, rain, sleet, hail or whatever else comes from the sky as I did in the build up for New York.  I'll finish it off in April over a 3hr 30 min, 26.2 mile epic through the middle of London with 36,000 other nutters.  To be a part of this whole journey, I would be absolutely delighted if you would sponsor me.  Any amount you are able to donate would be so gratefully received. 

 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, your money goes directly to the charity and Just Giving make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation.

 

If it didn't matter, I wouldn't ask!

 

UPDATE 1 - ONE MONTH IN

The hard facts - 27/12/10 to 26/1/11:
 
22 x Runs completed
142.57 miles nailed
19hrs 43 mins 32 secs on the tarmac
6,549ft run up
24,272 calories burnt
 
I've seen it all this past month - snow, ice, hail, rain, sunshine and a lot of cloud.  The first few days after Christmas and New Year comprised almost entirely of snow and ice.  If I had to slip and slide around somewhere in Lycra though, the North Yorkshire countryside and spectacular Cairngorms would have been my first choice anyway.  After New Year it was back to more usual fayre in SE Kent and many of my old routes from 2010.  
 
The distances are beginning to rack up now; Sunday's being my 'Long Run' Days.  Already at 15 miles I move in a week's time onto 18 milers which only ever hurt.  I also need to get back into the race mindset so I've got the Canterbury 10 Miles on 30^th January and the Dover/Deal Half Marathon on 13th February.  As my last race was the NY Marathon at the beginning of November, I'm slightly nervous again. 

Lots of people are doing bits to help me raise money, so a big thank you to Mum, Dad, Barbara, Andrea, Mark and of course Alison.  
 
If you could spare a few sheckels (it doesn't matter how much or little), I'd be hugely grateful and your donation might just make the difference.  If you've already donated, thank you so much and remember there's no limit on the number of times you can donate! 

If it didn't matter, I wouldn't ask!

 

UPDATE 2 - TWO MONTHS IN

This is my second update for you on the marathon training with two months now completed and only 48 days to go until the big day.  To all those that have shown such generosity, "Thank you so much", and know that your donations have really spurred me on to do the mileage when it's windy and/or raining.  The brilliant people are:

Grandad Alf, Mum & Dad, Bill & Barbara, Alexia & Tim, Sandy & Tony, Rupert & Ruth, Ali and Kerry, Jon & Tess, Pete & Anna, Chris & Sue, Lisa, Stephen & Katie, Kay & David, Gail & Ian, Glenn, Nigel, Yam, Wendy & Dave, Joan, Alayne, Graham, James, the Newboulds, the Roberts, the ‘Regulars’ of The Black Swan (in Kirby), the customers of ‘Gentz’ (in Stokesley) & ‘Nice Things’ (in Droitwich) and the residents of Kirby in Cleveland.

Now about the running…

The month’s stats - 27/01/11 to 26/02/11:
 
13 x runs completed
105.17  miles
14hrs 14 mins 1 sec on the road
6,239ft height gained
17,786 calories

The month started fantastically well with a PB of under 1 hr 10 mins set at the Canterbury 10 (miles).  However, celebrations were short lived as within a couple of days I got a bit of a cough, a bit of a sore throat and a bit of a blocked nose.  A full blown version of one or all three of those would have been better; at least there would have been a definite end within a few days.  However, this nasty critter dragged on for 9 days which made running impossible and me slightly panicky over my training programme.  When I did eventually trot out the next time it was for the Deal Half Marathon; I was certainly a shot or two below par.  Having done the same race last year I had forgotten how hilly the route was so all in all, a whole lot tougher than I would have liked.  Since then, the remainder of the month seems to have been characterized by lots of rain and chilly temperatures making selecting the time to go out for runs a bit of an art form.  I consider myself now a bit of an expert on SE Kent’s weather patterns! 

You’ll be reassured to know that I’ve not shied away from my weekly long runs since feeling better and knock out 20 milers each Sunday at the moment.  For the month ahead I’ve got the Lydd Half Marathon, Cranleigh Hare & Tortoise 21 (miles) and the Paddock Wood Half Marathon lined up.  I’m not going to stop until the job’s done so whatever you can give to help would mean so much! 

If it didn't matter, I wouldn't ask!

 

UPDATE 3 - THREE MONTHS IN

It's me again.  Yesterday I hit the three month point in the marathon training plan, hence the third of my updates for your delectation.  There are now just three weeks to go until the London Marathon on 17 April.  A huge thank you to those of you that have added to the fund raising total in the past month; it really makes it worth while and gives me the motivation to push the hardest of those miles out.
 
In precis, the month's stats - 27/02/11 to 26/03/11:
 

13 x runs completed
128.23  miles
16hrs 32 mins 36 secs on the road
5,251ft height gained
21,724 calories

There were worrying times at the end of February and during the first week of March.  I picked up a couple of injuries: Shin Splints in my right leg and a strained tendon on the inside of the left ankle.  There was nothing to do but sit out for a week and hope for the best.  My very next run out was in the Lydd Half Marathon which I really thought would be touch and go whether I would complete given the injury.  However, Deep Heat, some tablets and a hefty dose of nervous adrenalin actually meant I got a new PB of 1hr 30 mins and 2 secs!  The legs have held out and apart from the odd twinge every now and again, all seems to be in full working order.  A couple of weeks ago though and my monthly mileage tally was well short of where it should have been.  I've had little option but to play catch up and have smashed out a few big runs as a result.  I completed the Cranleigh 21 Mile Race last weekend in 2 hrs 40 mins which was a real confidence booster.  I had nothing left at the end but my target of a sub-3.30 marathon looks entirely realistic given that time; What could possibly go wrong?!!!
 
I'm soon into tapering off mode in readiness for 17th April in terms of running but not on the fund raising front so I would really appreciate any help you could give

If it didn't matter, I wouldn't ask!

 

UPDATE 4 - LAST THREE WEEKS

The last three week period kicked off with the Paddock Wood Half Marathon.  I did this one last year and apart from a cheeky little hill a couple of miles in, it it pretty flat and fast so I was hoping for good things.  I was going well until the 10 mile point at which point my left knee sort of clicked and sent a shooting pain up my leg; it just seemed to sieze up.  Everything went through my mind in a split second -Should I carry on as best a possible and risk worsening it, possibly ending any chance of the marathon?  Should I sensibly stop and survive to fight another day?  Marathon training has been hard and having been told some years back that, "Young man, you have an utterly ruthless determination to suceed..." I carried on and winced for the next mile.  Any PB time was out the window but my knee realised that it wasn't going to get the easy option so just sorted itself out and I had a strong last mile to finish a minute and a half outside my PB set two weeks before at Lydd.  Since then, I've enjoyed the fabled 'tapering off' period with shorter and less frequent runs as I prepare my body for the final onslaught on Sunday 17th.

The vital stats - 27/03/11 - 16/04/11:

10 x runs completed
71.51  miles
9hrs 27 mins 20 secs on the road
2,999ft height gained
11,973 calories

So here, on the eve of the marathon, I'm calm although slightly apprehensive; just as it should be.  I'm confident that I've trained enough having completed over 448 miles in around 60 hours since just after Christmas with only 26.2 miles and 3 and half hours to go until 'job done'.  Registering at the Excel Centre on Thursday afternoon was when the enormity of the whole event hit me as it did when registering for NY last November.  I'll be heading up to London later today ready for tomorrow; my start time is 0945hrs sharp from the Greenwich Park (Red) starting point (there are two others across Blackheath (Blue and Green)!  BBC coverage from 0830hrs.

Thank you so much for the overwhelming generosity you have shown in supporting the cause.  I've raised far more than I dared hope for and it will be forefront in my mind when it gets a bit tough around mile 18 tomorrow.  Tell everyone you know and as always - any more donations hugely welcome.

If it didn't matter, I wouldn't ask!   

   

Personal Bests (PB) to date:

10km             42 mins 39 secs             12 Sep 10       Wingham, Kent

10m               1 hr 9 mins 53 secs        30 Jan 11       Canterbury, Kent

H/Marathon    1 hr 30 mins 2 secs        13 Mar 11       Lydd, Kent

Marathon       3 hrs 47 mins 4 secs       7 Nov 10         New York