We Are The Champions

Just off to bed - a bit fed up, and wondering what tomorrow will bring!
My right hamstring has not improved and I'm worried how much it is going to affect my race on Saturday.
I have bought every possible remedy that I think may help today and am just hoping that things improve - the main problem I have is that untilthe first few hunfred yards on Saturday morning, I'm not sure how it will be.

I've iced, massaged, rubbed ibuprofen, and stretched. Fingers crossed.
After all the work I've put in and the effort to get myself this fit, bloody hard work week after week, I will be gutted if it all goes wrong because of a little tweak that I can't even remember.

After I finished work today - a couple of people wished me luck in work, but most people never mentioned it - I went to Fox Covert to take some flowers to H and talk to him about the weekend. I wanted him to know that I will do whatever I can to get to London - but with this hamstring I might need his help again!!!!
Fox covert was completely empty - not another visitor -and it was nice to be there on my own, in my own thoughts.

Tomorrow I will get up about 8:30am, pack my bag and then my dad is picking me up to take me to the station at about 11:30am. That's it then - on our way!

The picture above is a picture of me and H with, I think, the John Player Cup - a cup that Widnes RLFC had won in their heyday. My nan had a friend, Celia, who used to be a big Widnes fan and was well known at the club. She arranged for the cup to be "borrowed". That is me and H - proud to be champions!
Spot the wallpaper - so 70's!

I dearly hope that on Sunday night we will be able to celebrate being champions together one last time.
I am extremely nervous but looking forward to this.

I have received numerous messages of good luck today and they all help make me feel this is so much the right thing to do.

Energy

Just done a 10 min jog in my new kit to test all comfortable - however 5 mins in my right hamstring was still niggling me. I am going to have to be VERY careful.
Quick sauna and a chat with Neil and then into the bar at David Lloyd to see Eloise who had contacted me today to say she wanted to see me as she had something for me. What she gave me was a bag with two cartons of pumpkin seed biscuits and a packet with about a dozen Delia's Marbled Chocolate Energy Bars.
They are gorgeous- full of goodness, apricots, nuts, etc, and then covered in dark and white chocolate.
Really appreciate this from Eloise - another example of how supportive people have been.

Sat at home now waiting for Andy, a friend who is a sports masseur. He is doing my legs tonight to try to ease the crap out - I will have to see what he says about my right hamstring.
 
In 48 hours I will be sat in my hotel in Birmingham ready to go.


 

All Kitted Out

Just got in from a great gig at the MEN Arena.
Been to see Mark Knopfler with Deca Dave Clamp - thanks Dave.
We arrived just as they started aswe'd been for something to eat first. Our seats were quite near the front of the arena so we had a great view. Mark Knopfler was sat on a stool. as he explained - he'd trapped a nerve and it was better for him to sit down. what this actually did wascreate an atmosphere of the band being in a  bar, rather than a big arena.
They played a load of songs off their last album, but they also played all the old Dire Straits hits (the only one they didn'tplay that I can think of was Money For Nothing). It is so good to watch a musician so good and confident in his ability - they make it seem as if the instrument is part of their body. Also, he didn't try to play every song like the recorded version, heobviously improvised and  changed things in places.

We went for something to eat before hand - it was a good opportunity to chat about things - not just the race at the weekend.


Got the train home but there was a bus from Earlestown to St.Helens so Al came and picked me up.
It's alright putting a bus on, but not making you wait over an hour for it!
British Bloody Rail!

As you can see from the picture, my kit ofor the weekend is done. what agreat job they have done of it.
It is a small print studio around the corner from work in Manchester - Applique Apparel
Jamie has done a great job printing my logos on the kit I supplied and also printing me some t-shirts forAl and the kids to wear whilst supporting me over the weekend.
Due to the fact that this race is for H, it was important the kit looked good - I think you'll agree it looks pretty special.

In fact, if Paul Smith did race kit......

Sweet Sixteen

Just a quick update today.
Today is my daughter, Bella's 16th birthday - that's her in the many photos above.
Alison and I spent some time over the weekend looking for a few photos of when she was small to put in the frame, and as you can see, she is cute in every one of them.

We have done this for Ben and now Bella - a collection of photos from when they were small on their 16th birthday. For Ben we then did a collection of photos from being small right through to his teens to give to him on his 18th. It is nice to give them something to remind them of good times we've had together, etc.

We had family round tonight for Bella - pizzas and a cake. Nice times.

I've not been too good today really - I think that I am getting the usual pre-race hypochondria....magnified!
Headache and temperature this morning. what if it gets worse????

Also,my right hamstring is hurting since Saturday - or am I just imagining it?

Roll on Saturday.

Everything But The Kitchen Sink

Didn't get up too early today after a latish night last night.

Had a nice time at Carol and Chris's, but I had to be on my best behaviour and didn't eat too much or drink any alcohol. It better all be worth it!
I think that Alex enjoyed himself, all the family and Chris's side too. Alex also had some friends there and it was lovely as we were in the garden (even if there were tons of midges, etc, about).

Spent a bit of time in the garden (more to get some sun than anything else) and later on started to get all my kit together for next weekend. There is a massive list of things that I need, things I might need, and finally things I hopefully won't need but better take just in case.
Last time I ran in the Grand Union it rained all weekend so I needed lots of warm kit and a change of shoes.
It is better to have too much kit than not enough. The other thing is that you also need plenty of first aid and emergency kit.
Kit sorts itself into two types really - daytime running kit (shorts, t-shirts and maybe a gilet) and night time kit (warmer long sleeved tops, running leggings, hat, gloves, etc).
Also, if rain arrives, it is important to have quality wet weather gear otherwise you get soaked, cold and feel like dropping out - and that is not an option.
Then there is also food, drinks and rucsacs to carry them in, etc.
It's just like packing to go on holiday!

I am hoping to have all my kit sorted and bagged by Wednesday night so that I can relax on Thursday night ready for the off on Friday morning. I am planning on getting a train from Warrington to Birmingham about 11:30am so that I have plenty of time to chill in my hotel in Birmingham.

Happy Birthday To Ya

Tonight we're off to my sister, Carol's for my nephew, Alex's 18th birthday Party.
Above is a picture of Alex (left) with my son, Ben. Try telling me they don't come from the same gene pool! :)

I went for a 6 mile run this afternoon - supposedly a nice gentle session. However, it was very hot and humid at 2mp and on the way back I managed to tweak my right hamstring, so I iced it and have a compression bandage on as I type. After all this effort I hopei haven't blown it on one of my last training runs.

Should know tomorrow how serious it is.

Thank god it's Friday!

Work not brilliant at the moment - but then that is a whole other story and could be a blog all of it's own!!!!

Got home from work and finished the patio canopy just as Bella's friends started arriving - me taking ladders and tools into the garage door as they came out of the patio door.....Really!
Then I left Al sorting pizzas and party food as I went to the gym for half an hour easy spin on the bike followed by a session in the sauna and steam room. When I'd finished I ordered a couple of plates of salmon and noodles and Al met me at 9pm and we ate them before going around to our friends  for a coffee and a chat. We eventually got home about half an hour ago with the party still in full swing.

I'm now sat in bed typing this before going to sleep - so Friday nights blog has nearly turned into Saturday mornings!

Tomorrow is my favourite race - Lanzarote Ironman.

I have done this race three times, 1998, 2003 and 2008. If I could I would do it every year.
I love the laid back atmosphere, the organiser Kenneth Gasque and the feeling of finishing such a challenging race - the acknowledged Hardest Ironman in the world.

I will wish I was in Lanza all day tomorrow, but this year is obviously a different challenge. Also, next year I have decided on a year of rebuilding so no Ironman in 2011 either.

However - 2012 may be another matter!

A B C - easy as 1 2 3!

Yet another day off today - getting used to this lazy arse, no training lark! :)

However, no chance of resting up as there is plenty of other stuff to be getting on with. My daughter, Bella, is 16 on Monday and she is having a party tomorrow with about twenty of her friends. I have bought a patio canopy for the summer and she has talked me into putting it up ready for tomorrow. As usual these jobs that you think will take an hour end up taking three hours! My brother-in-law, Pete, came and gave me a hand to get it bolted to the wall but by the time we'd done that it was dark so I will have to finish it tomorrow before the party.

I still have loads to do for race weekend too, but what is most important in the last couple of weeks before a big race is sleep (getting enough) and nutrition. I eat pretty healthily all year round but have days where I allow myself to eat what I like, etc.
I was 12 stone at Christmas due to lack of training after my knee op, and also due to the amount of crap and alcohol consumed after H's accident.
However, this morning I was 11st 1lb - which is my "fighting weight" give or take a pound or two. The thing with ultra racing is that you are out there a long time so the more weight you have to carry, the harder it makes it - for a bloody long time!

The other thing I do is supplement my diet for 28 days before any big race. The way I look at it is that if I don't take supplements for most of the time (bloody expensive anyway) then when I do it is like a turbo boost.
The picture is my kitchen shelf, with my daily supply of all things good and beneficial to a guy who is planning on running 145 miles non-stop! At this point most people reading will have nodded off from boredom. however, for anybody wondering what I take - here goes:

SERRAPEPTASE - an enzyme which digests non-living tissue, blood clots, cysts, arterial plaque and all inflamed tissue, which is then dispersed. These substances are broken down into harmless amino acids and the body then treats them as normal waste products. The inflammatory tissue is literally digested by the enzyme. 

MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) - a nutritional supplement derived from natural organic sulphur.Sulphur is a vital constituent of the human body. It is necessary for making collagen, the primary constituent of cartilage and connective tissue. It enhances tissue pliability.

Clinical research has shown MSM to alleviate pain, reduce stiffness and swelling and improve the mobility of joints. MSM also promotes blood-flow, aiding the healing and recovery process after physical activity. Doctors report that MSM is so effective that they often are able to lower or even stop the dosages of medication they are prescribing for their patients. 

VITAMIN E - has powerful antioxidant properties that make it one of the most important health requirements. It has numerous health benefits for the body, the prime being the protection of the cell membrane, healthy red blood cell count, heart health, health of the muscles and nerves and skin care.

VITAMIN C -  helps to heal wounds, prevent cell damage, promote healthy gums and teeth, and strengthen the immune system. It also helps the body absorb iron. Recent research has indicated that vitamin C may be associated with delayed aging and disease prevention by destroying 'free radicals'-the molecules associated with aging and cell damage.

GLUCOSAMINE SULPHATE - a key building block of cartilage tissue found in joints. It exists naturally in all our joints and muscles and is a natural precursor of glycosaminoglycans, which form the major components of cartilage and connective tissue in our joints. Glucosamine renowned for helping build and maintain healthy tendons, muscle and cartilage.

COENZYME Q10 - plays an important role in the transfer of energy from food and is also known to improve the transport of oxygen into cells.  Has also been demonstrated to have a positive effect by reducing blood pressure. Because of the positive effect on heart function, and ability to increase oxygen transport into cells, that has made it an increasingly popular supplement with endurance athletes.

BCAA - There are three branch chain amino acids, these are: isoleucine, leucine, and valine.  BCAA’s are considered essential, as unlike other amino acids they cannot be manufactured in the human body, and they can only be obtained in our diet.  In total there are nine essential amino acids, but, BCAAs account for 35% of all the essential amino acids found within muscle protein.  They are needed for protein building and can be  maetabolised and used as an energy source during aerobic exercise. The main benefits of BCAAs are - a reduction in the amount of muscle breakdown, improved preservation of muscle glycogen stores, improved immune health, and a possible improvement in endurance performance.

So there you have it - the reason why I rattle when I move!

Now, with just over a week to go until the Grand Union I have also stopped drinking coffee (so that I will get more benefit from caffeine drinks during the race when fatigued), alcohol (more for weight than anything) and will ensure I drink plenty of fluids and eat very basically but healthily all week.
On Saturday night we are going to my sister Carol's for my nephew Alex's 18th Party, so that will be a challenge as she always makes great food - and I always enjoy a beer with Chris my brother in-law.

Still -plenty of time for that after next weekend!

In The News.

A nice easy 6 mile run tonight on my own due the nightmare that is the British motorway system in rush hour.
Had arranged to meet John P but due to traffic ended up being too late and so it was after 8pm by the time I got out. Still, as it was a short recovery run it was still before 9pm when I was sat in the sauna at David Lloyd.
Feeling good and getting stronger as each day goes by - and time is running down nicely.

Just been reading through a few old clippings, etc, that I am putting on my RunningWithH site - one of which you can see above.
This article from Music Week dated 17th August 1996 was around about the time that Battlefield (H's first single) was released. The previous week H had been mentioned as the 'OneTo Watch' on the 'Talent' page.

In the article H is described as "Parlophone's old-style R&B artist". It quotes Parlophone A&R director Keith Wozencroft who says he believes that there is a market for H's old fashioned sound, and he has what it takes to go all the way. He describes H as a great white voice in the tradition of Joe Cocker and Paul Weller with elements of Mick Hucknall, George Michael and Tom Jones.
H is quoted too - saying he pins his sound down to being  the youngest of four children, and having the tastes of  his elder siblings thrust upon him!
He says he grew up on a diet of Atlantic, Stax and Motown in his early youth, followed by his brother's (that's me!) rockier tastes of Free, Bad Company and Led Zeppelin.
H says "by the time I was big enough to get my turn on the record player it was the dreadful Eighties and Adam and The Ants and Spandau Ballet, but luckily The Jam were still around".
Keith Rozencroft goes on to say that H "has been in development for a year and a half, which has taken him off the live scene for a while, but I think that 30 or 40 shows down the line, people will realise how big a deal he is".
The article finishes by saying "His debut album won't appear until early next year, but by that time, New could already be the brightest soul hope in the country".

At the time, stuff like this was great for H, but obviously the massive success forecast then, never materialised. It takes me back reading it now though - I lived in London at the time and remember Capital Radio and Virgin playing Battlefield over and over. I remember running down Embankment one dinner time listening to my radio and H coming on - "That's my brother"  - I felt like shouting.
They were good times - H was supporting Tina Turner on a World Tour and he was working hard to get good stuff out. Not long after this Jane and him moved to London and lived there when me, Al and the kids moved back to Warrington.
It is sad looking back at this time of hope, optimism and uncertainty for H. This was really what he was born to do - he was without doubt a guy who was born to perform. Whether it was in front of thousands, hundreds or at 2am in the bar at a wedding - this was what he loved doing more than anything.

In flicking  through this copy of Music Week, it sums up the unfairness and fickle nature of musical success - the Top 2 Singles that week were Wannabe by Spice Girls and Macarena by Los Del Rio, whilst No 2 in the album charts was The Smurfs Go Pop!.

If Music Be the Food Of Love....

No training today - complete rest day today.
Good job really as my left shin is niggling more than I'm happy with.
This is the problem when you are tapering - all the stresses that you put your body through on a daily basis for weeks means that when you stop to adapt, rebuild and recover - the healing and strengthening process can lead to niggles and pulls that you have been "masking" coming to the surface.
I can deal with this by taking anti-inflammatories, icing it, and stretching and strengthening. Fingers crossed that, with only three more short runs, it will improve and by next week it will be okay.

Angela (my sister) and Jane (H's wife) came around tonight to talk about race weekend. They are both coming along to support me which will be great. Both times I've done the race before I've had Alison and the kids (who I am SO LUCKY to have, I know) - along with different people who have come along to help at various times throughout the race.
The first year (2005), H, Jane and Angela were coincidentally watching a show in the West End on the day the race finished and so decided to come down to Little Venice to see me finish. When they arrived they asked two blokes sat in the dark on the side of the canal if they knew where the finish to the GUCR was? One of the two men was Dick Kearn who said "This is it love!". They had expected something along the lines of the London Marathon! So seeing me coming out of the dark at the finish of 145 miles to be greeted by a handful of people and given a medal and a cup of tea before being sent home completely exhausted but happy - they were a bit taken aback.
In 2007 they came and met me on the Sunday morning and then H ended up running with me (Read more here).
So this year they are coming on the Saturday afternoon - I'll probably be about 40-50miles in by the time they meet me, which is normally when Al and the kids turn up.
So we went through the race notes from Dick, looked at the maps and I answered any questions I had. I think they are looking forward to it as much as me!

When you are doing a race like  this you find as the race gets nearer you become more and more insular - selfish even - as you focus on the task at hand and the end goal. I have got to the point where I am working through lists in my head, and mentally planning everything.
It is easy to think that because the race is so important to you - it s as important to everybody else too!
But life doesn't work that way - what I have realised over the years is that people can be interested upto a point but then that's it. And that has to be fine - there is nothing you can do about it.

Some people at work are interested - some not. I had told people weeks ago I was thinking of doing the race but because I have had all the problems and injuries I have just got on with training and not really talked  about it all that much. There was a bit of surprise when I sent a sponsor form around because people had forgotten, or assumed I wasn't doing the race.

My friends who I train with have all been supportive and some are coming to help me over the weekend.

My family - hard to say! Alison, Ben and Bella, Ange, Sophie, Jane, and Scarlett are obviously coming, but my mum and dad and other sister Carol haven't said anything and at the moment I am assuming they aren't coming. The logistics are such that getting to London for the finish, which could be at 1am in the morning, is difficult. And as already mentioned - it is on the side of the canal in the dark!
Added to that the fact that they don't really understand WHY?
I think that because Angela and Jane came in 2005 and couldn't believe the understated reception for people who had ran 145 miles they realised what the race was about.

So I have to switch off and become selfish - remain focussed and not think about it.This run is part of my grieving for H, part of my way of dealing with his death, etc - but I can't assume that it is part of anybody elses.
We all have different ways of dealing with things and this focus had allowed me to deal with my feeling head on. Other people deal with things differently - I don't even know if all of my family read this blog.A couple of them mention things I write but for others I think it is too deep and takes them to somewhere they maybe don't want to go, or to think about things they want to ignore.

So whoever is there on race day, I can't change things. I can worry about kit, logisitics and the training - and run. I can always rely on Alison and the kids, and I know Ange and Jane will give me great support so that is all I need to know!

Another big task at the moment is making sure that my ipod is ready! There is stuff that needs loading, stuff that I listen to a lot and need to put on to my phone. Music is such a big part of my training - and it has always been a big part of my life. I love my music.
I listen to a good mix - mainly rock, but I like some dance stuff and obviously H!

I need to make sure that I have something to suit all moods on there so that when I need it.....

Todays picture is a  small selection of what's I listen to.

Let the music begin....

You've Got To Be In...

To WIN!

Quick post tonight - it's late, I'm tired and so much to do.
When I got to David Lloyd tonight there were only a few people for my bike class - so we changed things around a bit and cycled whilst having a chat. At the moment I am just trying to stay loose and injury free so it suits me to have an easy session.

This week training will be a stretch session tomorrow, 6 mile easy run Wednesday, core session Thursday, one hour bike Fridat, 6-8 mile run Saturday.
That - apart from maybe a 4 miler on the Wednesday before the race - will be pretty much it.

Todays picture is the logo for a one-off event that I have put my name forward for.
Eurostar has been announced as an Official Provider to the London 2012 Olympic Games.
To get into the spirit early, they’re holding a unique international sporting event of their own: the Eurostar Tri-City-Athlon.

The first ever triathlon event to be held across three cities in one day will take place on 14th September 2010, with a swim in Paris, bike in Brussels and run in London.

To be in with a chance of taking part you have to put in an entry explaining why you want to be selected - and then people have to vote for you. The competition is open until 9th June after which the 50 most popular entries will go through to round two where the judges will pick the final 20 winners. Winners will be notified on 23rd June 2010.

You can find my entry HERE - I would appreciate as many7 people as possible registering and voting for me. This event provides me the perfect opportunity to continue fund raising in H's memory after the Grand Union.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank both Dick Kearn (GUCR organiser) and Steve Haywood (Enduroman No 4 - Double/Triple/Deca IM organiser) amongst others for their support and encouraging others to vote for me.

The support I have had in the last 8 months from the Ultra and Tri community has been unbelievable - there are many good people out there. I thank you all.

Picture This!

Me and Al met Al's sister Clare, her husband Pete, and their kids for a drink yesterday tea time. We had a nice chat for an hour or two. On the way home me and Al decided to pop into the pub at the top of the road for another drink - and  it turned into a long night!

We ended up going back to some friends, more drinks, and leaving the car - walking home at midnight.
So I wasn't feeling 100% in the mood for a run this morning but I had arranged to meet Dave C again at 8:30 for a quick ten miler. Fortunately Dave was suffering slightly too.

We did the loop and had a good chat again. It was a bit windy and slightly harder than yesterdays effort (couple of minutes slower). We finished and then it was home to get on with the usual weekend jobs.


With thirteen days to go it is all starting to feel good - legs are starting to feel like they are recovering and it is just a case of not doing anything stupid and getting injured. Need to make sure I don't stub a toe, stand on anything sharp or twist and ankle.
As I write this though I have a slight niggle in my left shin - I need to be careful and  ice it. I only need to run a couple more times between now and the Grand Union so I am hopeful that it will settle and riding the bike on other days will stop it getting any worse.

I have my feet up on my new foot stool at the moment - great for recovery. Could make all the difference :)

Todays picture is a photograph of a pencil sketch my niece Sophie has done of H. As you can see it is a copy of one of his Parlophone promos from the 90's. It is a fantastic drawing and Soph has really captured H in the picture. She also passed her driving test this week  - well done Soph. x

Mapping Out The Future.

Nice easy 10 miles this morning with Dave C. So easy in fact that we both said that we hadn't even thought about the run itself as we ran along chatting and before we knew it we were done, 10 miles in 86 mins without even trying. If only the 145 miles goes by that easily!

We then went for a coffee and a chat at David Lloyd - we are coming to the end of our training for the Grand Union and it has been good to have Dave to talk to and support me over the last few months. Dave is a really good guy who I had race against but hardly knew. He contacted me after he heard about H and has been a great support since.

We have covered many miles together up and down the canal and it has been goodfor us both - Dave himself has personal issues that he has had to deal with and I thank him for his support at a tim that has been quite challenging for him too.

It will be interesting to see how he does in the Grand Union because he is a man with immense ability. He completed the Decaman  (that is 10 Ironmen!) in Mexico in 2008 - at one point he was on for the World Record until injury forced him to take a break. He went on to finish and has also done many Double and Triple IM's too. Running with Dave and talking to him has maybe changed my thoughts on the way to tackle the Grand Union - we shall see :)

The picture is a collection of the maps for the race in two weeks. There are two maps that you need to buy to get through the race. When I was talking to somebody yesterday they were looking at one of the maps asking which way the race went. I showed them where it started in birmingham and then turned it over - thay said "Both sides?". I said "Yes - of both maps!". Basically the race covers all four sides - which when you look at it above puts the distance into perspective.

The secret is breaking it down into manageable chunks.

Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?

           

It is my birthday today and I have had a great day.

I was off work so it was nice cup of tea in bed this morning and then some cards and presents.

I got a nice leather footstool which goes with a chair that Al got me for Chrsitmas a couple of years ago. It will come in VERY useful over the next couple of weeks as I taper and in the week after my run.

Also got some clothes and some running gloves - and money, which always comes in useful!

Had a nice relaxing day starting to get kit together and read all my pre-race literature from Dick and so on.
Went to my mum and dads for lunch and then got a visits from Ange and from Jane and Scarlett too.

Tonight me, Al, Ben, Bella and Ella (Ben's girlfriend) went to Rusholme and had a lovely curry.

Just before we left home Ben produced my present - a pair of running gloves - and also gave me a lovely surprise. He gave me a framed copy of the picture below - which is me and H in my mum and dad's garden when I was about twenty one so, he would have been about seventeen. I'd just had my long hair cut into a "trendy" style and H told me I looked like "Rod Stewart gone wrong!". Enough said!

A lovely surprise with genuine thought by Ben - made my day.

In The Red

After work tonight it was a trip to Decathlon in Stockport to see if I could get kit suitable for my run.
I have managed to find a place near work in Manchester that will pring my Running with H logo onto the front of my race t-shirts and anything else I want - and also they are goiong to print me up some plain black t-shirts too for minimal cost.

So I just had to find something appropriate and as you can see from the picture above - RESULT!

I wanted red, or something with red on as it's for H and when I walked in the t-shirts were sat there waiting for me. They are good quality technical t-shirts so I bought three - that should get me throught the race as long as it doesn't rain all weekend - and I just had to get the gilet.

So I'll be taking them in to get them printed tomorrow - should have them back by Wednesday. Big job done and then one less thing to worry about. Because of his background with the music and so on, H was a guy who was very particular about his image - so got to look the part for him running into Little Venice :)
(To be honest, H was guy who was very particular about his image from the day he was born! when he was about ten he used to sow logos onto jumpers and t-shirts mum bought us and try to pass them off as Lacoste, Kickers, etc).

In the picture above (about 1981?) the Lacoste logo is probably on it's third jumper! In this pic of Carol, H, Ange and me with our Nan, H would have been about twelve - you can already see that Weller-esque image starting to come through :)  Now me on the other hand.........

It's my birthday tomorrow and I'm off work. Still a lot of things to sort for two weeks time so plenty to keep me busy.

Hit The Trail Jack....

Had a nice 10 mile easy run tonight with John and Graham - one lap upto spike Island and back. To behonest it seems like such an easy run now it is hard to remember the times when I couldn't run a hundred yards without my knees giving me tremendous pain - just one year ago!
So much has happended in that 12 months - some good, some most obviously bad and truly life changing.

The picture above is the Trans Pennine Trail map that is beside the canal at Fiddlers Ferry.
The trail runs across the country from Southport in the West to Hornsea in the East - a total distance of 215 miles (346k).
The map in the picture covers the western stretch and the smaller map in the bottom right corner pretty much covers the 5 miles of the llopthat I have been running regularly over the last few months - from Warrington to Widnes along the St.Helens Canal.

Running this route has helped me in many ways - to sum up:

1. The surface is softer than the road - in fact it is quite sandy in parts and the shock absorbtion from this has been fantastic for my aging joints! My knees have benefitted so much from the softer ground and the fact that I have been able too run a higher weekly average mileage than I have for years is testament to this. After years of running high mileage on the unforgiving hard pavements of Warrington and Widnes, my best advice to anybody starting out is to run as much off road on softer surfaces as possible. It is my aim to keep training on this loop (and further along the trail to Liverpool Airport) after the GUCR.  The other benefit of it is that as it can sometimes be a bit wet and muddy you have to sometimes really concentrate on where your feet are landing and this can result in a bit of self analysis and a better technique as a result.
2. As the GUCR is 145 miles along a canl it is pretty much the same type of route. It is mainly canalpath for miles and then a lock, canal path formilesand then a marina, canal path.....you get the idea! So even though the Grand Union is in a different part of the country the scenery is similar and the repetitive nature of the run is something that can take some getting used to.
3. Due to the remote, quiet, isolated nature of this run and the fact that the only people you see are the walkers and the fishermen, it is the sort of run that lets you slipaway into your own little world. No cars to worry about, no shops or pubs to run past. There are times that I have ran a loop and seen two people in the 90 mins I'm running. This has allowed me to think things through and work through grief, memories, problems, and try to rationalise things in my head. It has allowed me to get to this point - 17 days from my run - where I feel positive and focussed as to what and why I am doing this.

No running now until Saturday - rest day tomorrow and a spin on the bike to stay loose on Friday.

Let's Not Forget...

I talked yesterday about being focussed and keeping positive so near to my race.
Today I post a picture of the very reason I am doing this race again - after doing it twice before, and the last time saying that was it!

 

Thursday 3rd September 2009, my younger brother, Howard - H to all who knew him - was killed in a car accident.

At the time I said that I could not put into words the feeling of absolute shock - the blackness, disbelieving, shivering, rambling cloud that surrounds you. I still can't.

But of course 8 months later things have moved on for all of us in many different ways.

For me personally, my way of dealing with H's loss was initially bitterness and regret - the things I wish I had said and the feeling that it was so unfair. At 42, with Jane and Scarlett and his whole life ahead of him - why did this happen?

But as time moved on and with support from many people I began to realise that I should be thankful for the fact that I am here. And instead of being bitter and down - I should in fact make the most of my time and embrace life.

(See my post from March 6th - Life Is Precious)

So, I decided to do something as a mark of respect for H, something to dedicate to his memory.

When I ran the Grand Union Canal race in 2007 H was there to support me - he was there (maybe not 100% willingly!!) when I needed somebody to get me the last 20 odd miles to the finish.

Sat in a pub having a burger he was happy to chher me on with the rest of my family.

However - after going over on my ankle and struggling badly - I had go to a point by the time I reached the pub where they were waiting ahead of me, where I was seriously considering having to drop out.

"Encouraged" by his wife Jane, my wife Alison, and my sister Ange - H was told to leave half his burger, get his trainers on, and run a "few" miles with me. He then ran the next 10 miles with me in the pouring rain, through the countryside along a canal in the middle of nowhere. Then with 10 miles to go we were joined by my son Ben who 15 at the time.
I will NEVER forget the feeling as the three of us shuffled that last 10 miles into Little Venice - H and Ben running ahead of me as I silently shuffled and stumbled along behind them. It was 1a.m. in the morning when we arrived and I have never been happier to get to a finish line.

The next day I felt okay - H however was suffering slightly after unexpectedly running 20 miles in his gardening trackies and trainers and a £1 plastic poncho from an ASDA petrol station.

After what he did for me I decided it was an appropriate way to honour my brother and his memory - running this race again, and taking those memories with me retracing those steps. Those last 20 miles in May will be the biggest challenge in more ways than you can imagine. It will also mean the world to me to have Ben with me and share that memory of H.

So - that is the reason I am doing this.
H was good at putting his feelings into song lyrics! - I am happy writing down how I feel about things, but I feel that H will understand more how much love I have for him when he sees the pain I am prepared to go through to get to that finish line.

He's been there himself - he will understand! 
X

Let The Taper Begin....

 

Tonight was an easy session at David Lloyd - just a mix of cycling and core exercises followed by a long sauna / steam: 

• Bike - 10 mins easy
• Leg raises - 7 mins
• Bike - 10 mins uphill
• Hyper extensions - 7 mins
• Bike - 10 mins hard
• Crunches - 10 mins

It felt nice to do an easy session as the legs were starting to complain!

With 18 days to go it is a case of tapering now - allowing my body to recover, adapt and then come back stronger from the hard work that it has been through over the last 6 months - and more specifically, the last 6 weeks.
One analogy of tapering that I like and always use, is that training is like putting money in a bank account, tapering is adding the interest, and race day is when you come to make a withdrawal.

Many studies have shown that during the first three weeks of a taper the changes that occur are increases in power, neuromuscular efficiency, anaerobic efficiency, fast twitch muscle recruitment, and mechanical efficiency.

So over the course of the next week I will be running 3 x 10 miles (so a reduction in my long run distance, and also in my total miles for the week from about 70m to 30m). Also, I will be keeping loose and focussed by continuing with some core and stretching exercises each day.

Next week will be 20m (2 x 10m) for the week and the following week (week before the race) only a 4/5 mile run with a couple of hours on the bike.

Another extremely important element of tapering (and often overlooked!) is the mental side. It is really important after all of the effort and commitment of the last few months and then starting to wind down that I stay focussed, keep a really positive picture in my head, retain the desire to succeed and HAVE THE CONFIDENCE to do it.

It is really easy to start getting stressed now - with more time on my hands it would be easy to start creating problems. Too much time on your hands is sometimes a bad thing!
What is important is to have a clear mental picture of what the race actually entails, where things could go wrong, what I can influence and just as importantly - things I can't.

Planning, visualisation and relaxation are all key elements of the next 18 days for me.
The training is practically done; the planning of kit, travel, support, etc, all comes now.
Visualising the race, the start, the night time, the weather and focussing on various scenarios and how to tackle them is important.

Two other key elements are - not to put all that lost weight back on, and to write and rewrite lists of kit! :)

Today's picture above is of the actual start of the race.
It is a picture of Dick Kearn - the race organiser - stood on the start line on the side of the Grand Union Canal in Gas Street Basin, Birmingham from a couple of years ago.

This race is so different from any other I have ever done due to my reason for doing it, the way my training has gone, the fact that I know on paper I've done the training but in my head I'm a million miles from where I am normally 3 weeks before a big race. It is hard to call exactly what will happen?

Ultimately though - the training has gone well (eventually!) - now let the taper begin!

Nearly There....

Todays picture is of the Widnes-Runcorn Bridge.
From where I start my canal runs, to the Bridge, is just over 5 miles (so 10m return loop).
This bridge is called The Silver Jubilee Bridge and it was opened in 1961 - two years before I was born.

The bridge has a lot ofmeaning to me - as it sits right at the bottom of Mersey Road in West Bank, Widnes - this was where my Nana and Grandad lived and so I spent a lot of my childhood literally in the shadow of the bridge.

This picture I have posted before is a picture of the Mersey pub across the road from my Nana and Grandad's old house at 139 Mersey Road.  The square on the left, between the lap posts is part of the "prom" where me and H used to ride our bikes when we were at my Nan's.

So I suppose it is easy to see how each time I run this loopon the canal there is a bit of nostalgia for me - I am running from Gt.Sankey where I live now, along the canal to Spike Island and West Bank where my dad was born and where we spent a great deal of time in our childhood.

Me and Al did our babysitting duties for Brett and Sarah last night. Lexi was fine - just a 30 min break in our film where al had to read to her and rock her back to sleep. When she cam down she was happy and smiling - I told her not to even think about it!! 

We slept in this morning - no alarm, and when I woke it was 10:15. Lovely.
I went round to see my mum and dad for a quick visit and a coffee before todays session.

I had decided on my last 20 miler and started at about 13:30.
It was quite warm but a bit windy.
Ran hard but steady and did the first 10m in 85 mins, the second 10m in 90 mins.

My legs felt heavy and my calves cramped a bit towards the end - but it was a good run.

As I came down the last coupleofmiles of the second lap I felt quite emotional.
I was thinking about the last 8 months. Why I had started on this journey again. The times when I had thought that I had been far too ambitious (foolish?) tothink that I could dothis run again after the knee operation I had last year.
I thought about the training I had missed and how I had visited hospital to see if I had anything wrong with my left shin/ankle because I could  not seem to string two days of training together.
And then I thought about the last 8 weeks - 42 days where I have managed to run OVER 430 miles!

I felt such relief, such happiness and satisfaction that things had come togehter in such a way.
I may not be the fittest athlete lining up in birmingham in three weeks - but I reckon I will be one of the most determined!
As I got to my car I had tears in my eyes - tears of happiness and comfort.

All I could think was that WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS.

I drove around to David Lloyd and spent 90 mins spinning easy on the bike whilst watching Chelsea win the Premiership title race. 

Tonight I am knackered - tired and hungry. But that is it - the taper has begun.

The hard work is done - the recovery begins.
Now I just need to do the planning and logisitics of the weekend.

If The T-Shirt Fits....

Today - with 20 days left before I line up in Birmingham at 6am in the morning on 29th May I am starting to feel quietly confident.  aCouple ofmonths ago I wondered if this day would evercome.

So, for the next 20 days I intend to post every day how I feel - and also post a photo of that day to try to sum up what each day means to me.

Starting today with a photo of me (and before you say it - I know I need a shave!).
It's not that I'm vain (honest!) - it is just that in the photo I am wearing a t-shirt from The CycleStore in Congleton.
You may remember that they have been supporting me for a couple of months (see http://www.briannew.com/2010/04/support-from-cyclestorecouk.html).
Through Nick I have already received a load of kit and today I have received yet another parcel with about 40 gels and energy bars to keep me going through to race day.

I have exchanged a few mails with Nick this week and I mentioned that I would like to help promote them - as they have supported me. So the t-shirt arrived with the gels in a box, and hopefully wearing it will help promote them and give them some support back.

I cannot explain just how much it has helped me with all the kit Nick sent. The gels alone have saved me a small sum. Then there is the kit and the head torch, the Camelbak hydration sac, and the water bottles, etc.
Again, considering they have never met me - FANTASTIC GESTURE. 

It is a rest day for me today and tomorrow was meant to be a few hours on the bike.
However, I feel that as I am due to start my taper after tomorrow - I can get one more 20m run in.

Me and al are babysitting tonight for friends of ours - Brett and Sarah. Their little one, Lexi, is just one and it should be interesting as we have become a bit rusty where little ones are concerned as Ben and Bella are 18 and 16 now.
We've got a film to watch and we are hoping to have a take-away - if Lexi goes to sleep that is!