28889th! and so many people to thank
14 Apr 2008
OK I did it again! I had a wonderful support team in Mary ( my youngest daughter) and Pete (her partner)who looked after me so very well. I am grateful to Pat and all my family for putting up with all the running stuff. It was a lovely long weekend at My elder daughter Susan's and her kind husband Phil's house with baby Sam our smiley grandchild. Susan made a fantastic pasta the night before.
I guess it is like childbirth ( so I am told) in that you forget just how hard it is. I went well ( for me) at 11 minute mile pace for about 18 miles and without painkillers. I got some fairly severe pain radiating down from my right hip after that which nearly took out my right leg. I took three panadol and prayed. I latched on to another runner for a few miles who speeded me up for a few miles. After this I slipped into crazy entertainer mode. I had my traditional sip of beer on the way and exchanged "duke, duke" shouts with the crowd and waved like a lunatic. Every so often one of my lovely support team of Mary, Pete and Mark appeared in the crowd to cheer me on.
I staggered through the last few miles and finished in 5 hours 17.
I did a sort of phone video documentary during and at the start of the race which was good fun. I interviewed a number of people including Mr Tickle and the Rhino.
There was a point when the hard cold rain was driving dound and my leg was really hurting when I asked myself what I was doing. At the end it was moving to meet all the Actionaid team and some of the runners like Alison and David, and getting lots of hugs and being tears for the fantastic use that the charity money goes to. Oh I am so grateful to all the kind messages of support from friends family and JOMC company colleagues not to mention the 2000 pounds or so that they have given and promised.
I finished the day with a king prawn byriani and popadom! Great! ( not to mention some Night Nurse) and zonked out. Not before Mary had entered me for 2009 - I must be nuts!
This morning I had a full English breakfast - also great! I am walking round today in some pain like a real old ( yes I know I am old) man moaning an groaning every time I move.
Ok I need to get the last dosh in and then start getting ready for 2009 - crikey!
My blog
16 Nov 2008 Good progress - and all is not lost
10 Nov 2008 Major running problem
06 Nov 2008 Celine Dion - shock admission - I like her music
02 Nov 2008 15 miles in the cold November air
31 Oct 2008 My treadmill has blown up
30 Oct 2008 First donation of the campaign
16 Oct 2008 Flat feet!
06 Oct 2008 Up to 14 miles
01 Oct 2008 Public fear and private suffering
24 Sep 2008 Detective story
21 Sep 2008 Bent legs and collapsing feet
12 Sep 2008 Scary back problem
07 Sep 2008 Five miles of pain
05 Sep 2008 Life and death
17 Aug 2008 Hit by a bug
09 Aug 2008 Cross training and feeling good
03 Aug 2008 Back over 20 miles
01 Aug 2008 Travelling and training
22 Jul 2008 Back on serious training
18 Jul 2008 Start on the fundraising
16 Jul 2008 Back training
24 Jun 2008 Two worlds
15 Jun 2008 Bronchitis strikes again
11 Jun 2008 Starting the training again
16 Apr 2008 PS
14 Apr 2008 28889th! and so many people to thank
07 Apr 2008 Seven days to go
04 Apr 2008 Lynne the physio
02 Apr 2008 Taper stress
31 Mar 2008 Taper Craziness
29 Mar 2008 Please read this
26 Mar 2008 I need to recover now
24 Mar 2008 14 miles and a sore hip
22 Mar 2008 Yes it did snow
21 Mar 2008 Will it snow?
20 Mar 2008 24 days to go
18 Mar 2008 Blog success and feeding your face
16 Mar 2008 28 miles in training - the big one!
14 Mar 2008 29 days to go
14 Mar 2008 Oh no - 10 stone 5!
12 Mar 2008 Two days of blowouts
07 Mar 2008 Eight mile repeats
06 Mar 2008 Progress with weight
05 Mar 2008 Tired legs
02 Mar 2008 Woo hoo 2 hours 17
01 Mar 2008 Pulled both ways
29 Feb 2008 Liverpool Half looms
28 Feb 2008 Mile repeats
27 Feb 2008 What does a a one pound per mile donation buy?
23 Feb 2008 Training building up
22 Feb 2008 One week to the Liverpool Half Marathon
20 Feb 2008 The fund is really motoring now
19 Feb 2008 500 pounds!
18 Feb 2008 A heartbreaking day of contrasts
17 Feb 2008 24 miles
15 Feb 2008 42 emails
13 Feb 2008 Working on the fundraising
12 Feb 2008 A gentle jog in the cold dusk air
11 Feb 2008 Grandad John meets with baby Sam
09 Feb 2008 Right leg shorter than the rest
08 Feb 2008 More dosh
07 Feb 2008 Lots of effort but no dosh yet
06 Feb 2008 Oh wow people are reading my blog
03 Feb 2008 12 miles today
02 Feb 2008 Hill work and feeling like a beaten up old boot
30 Jan 2008 Mile repeats
27 Jan 2008 20 miles and a walking Zombie
26 Jan 2008 Twenty miles in the morning (we hope!)
25 Jan 2008 Pulled muscle and sore back
23 Jan 2008 Back from London
20 Jan 2008 10 miles today and sticking with Galloway
19 Jan 2008 22 miles this week and painful backside
18 Jan 2008 Bad weather and a clothes malfunction
17 Jan 2008 Day off training today
16 Jan 2008 I woke up this morning feeling like poo
15 Jan 2008 Fundraising breakthrough
13 Jan 2008 Kenya
12 Jan 2008 Heh I go to sleep and £72 is donated!
12 Jan 2008 Things are looking up
10 Jan 2008 Dog tired today
09 Jan 2008 17 miles and a sore bottom
06 Jan 2008 I get tired after lunch
05 Jan 2008 On the day I brave the cold and rain
28 Dec 2007 Fighting the flab
27 Dec 2007 New treadmill needed
26 Dec 2007 Boxing day
25 Dec 2007 Christmas day
