Update

Hello, a quick update. Two weeks on from the 1/2 marathon and looking to get running again as this week just under 4 weeks until the 10k, uping the cycle distance / time and have ventured out with the a local Triathlon Club on their Sunday ride. (oh, in two weeks put on 4lbs)

Fundraising has slowed up a bit so need to spend some time getting this back on track, as (only) just over 1/5 so far.

Anyways the light nights are upon us which will make us feel a lot better no doubt!

Stafford 1/2 Marathon

15th March 2009 - Stafford 1/2 Marathon 2.03.26

Missed my "sub" 2 hour target, but took 6 mins off last years time. Here I am in my "home made" BHF / AFC shirt which is very RED! This was at about the 2 mile mark and feeling not too bad!

As a race, very well organised and lots of support, even one guy offering Free Cider!, with a warm day to boot. The event ended on a sad note though which puts my 3.26 over time in perspective. After just finishing a 47 year old man suffered a heart attack (I dont know full details so sorry if I have got this wrong) and died later in hospital, am sure all thoughts with his family and friends. As with Steve, and so many others, taken before time and leaving such sadness..................... so live today like its your last, have no regrets, after all, the saddest words? "if only I`d......................."

Donation

A quickie - the online sponsorship, which I thought was very simple, you pick my name from a list, and then away you went with card details etc........... ARRGHH.. they have changed it and the option to select the person you wish to sponsor (ME) appears near the end, after you have entered your card details etc -

Names are selected from -

ADDITIONAL DETAIL

I would like to support - (select from dropdown box) Simon Miller

Not half as user friendly in my humble view!, CAF claim this is better system?

Hearts First Walk - Calke Abbey

Sunday 1st March and the BHF "Hearts First" walk with Rachel, Helen and "gang". Rachel is my late friends wife, Helen Godmother to the his twins, Matthew & Samuel, and out of all my events planned I thought this could be the hardest from a emotional point of view, but with smiles warmed by the sun I shouldnt have worried. The gang of six set off (after a small delay for press photos) in the snake of 750 people there as we were, in a small way to remember and be thankful, for those who we have lost, but more importantly for those we still have.

(I hope she dosn`t mind me saying) but Rachel continues with such strengh and courage, I know supported by June, Helen and all of Steve`s family, but she deserves all the good luck in the world now and I hope among your own daily stress and strife you can spare a thought and send it her way.

The walk, 10 miles in three hours, which we were all pleased with and we have to thank all concerned with a well run event.

Please see link -
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/40s-heart-checked/article-740175-detail/article.html


The following link is part of the walk we did -
http://www.derbyshire-peakdistrict.co.uk/ticknallwalk.htm



This week in history - 1st - The Bank 0f England Nationalised - 1946, 2nd - First test flight of Concorde - 1969, 2nd - Jon Bon Jove born - 1962, 3rd - Oil discovered in Saudi Arabia - 1938, 7th -The BBC News broadcast in colour for the first time - 1968.

More Running..........

More running, well jogging!, last weeks 2 hour 10min off road effort was great fun actually, if some what tough. I worked out with my "map skills" approx 14 miles so am hopefull my "Sub" 2 hour "1/2" is on target - 1 hour 59mins 59secs counts in my book! I keep teeling myself that all the running is a good platform for the cycling to come, which I hope to start in earnest this week (?) The sponsorship appears to have a hit a wall so will be reviewing my tactics on this front in a hope to kick start the £`s (in fact i sponsored more than I got sponsored last week!)

Sinai artical in March issue of National Geographic -
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/print/2009/03/sinai/teague-text

This week in history - 26th - Bank of England issues first £1.00 note - 1797, 26th - Barings Bank Collapes (Nick Leeson) - 1995, 27th - The British Labour Party founded - 1900.

ZipVit

Thanks to Warren Bailey for his continued support of my fundraising. Founder of ZipVit, (http://www.zipvit.co.uk) a supplier of Vitamins, Minerals and Sports Nutrition, Warren, along with wife Veronica, is no stranger to Charity Events, as a past participant of Race the Sun and a London to Paris cycle (in support of Action Medical Research, for who he has raised many £1000.00`s) I think he understands both the physical effort and that required to raise the sponsorship. .

2009 is an exciting year for ZipVit as they are sponsors of the CERVELO cycling team who riders inculde Olympic Gold Medal winners - Kirstin Armstrong & Brett Lancaster along with the winner of the 2008 TOUR DE FRANCE Carlos Sastre (pictured) and British riders Daniel Fleeman, Daniel Lloyd, Emma Pooley (2nd 2008 Olympics), Jeremy Hunt & Roger Hammod (Bristish Champion)..

SO if you need any Vitamins, Minerals or Sports Nutrition, can I ask that you take a look at the http://www.zipvit.co.uk/ website - youll be in good company!

Suitable desert training - NOT!

So, a cycle ride through the Sinai, Egypt, hot, sweaty, dusty, dry......... the images roll on, so training at the moment with more layers than your average "pass the parcel" parcel hardly seams appropriate with fingers so cold that I am sure I have frost bite, but two hours "off road" in the white stuff yesterday was, I have to say, great fun and I want be too sad if we get some more to play in!
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Thanks to all who have sponsored thus far, I will update the list as I get the statement from AFC.

(oh, the photo is from Italy a little while ago!)

This week in history - 8th - Mary Queen of Scots executed - 1575, 11th - Nelson Mandela is freed after 27 years - 1990, 12th - Lady Jane Grey beheaded - 1554.

Cold Run

Oh, its cold, its snowing................ "come on you`ll soon be back" that little voice says, 2 hours 10minutes later I do indeed "crawl" back!, feeling a little uneasy, then I reviewed my "fuel" intake for the day - 2 wheatabix, two slices of toast, a bit of chocolate - no wonder I was flagging a bit, must remember to have a bit more on board next time!
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1st February the year is already flying by and the list of events is getting closer, 28 days until the 10 mile Heart Foundation Walk at Calke Abbey, 42 days until the Stafford 1/2, 83 days until Thunder Run 10k, 133 days until Roughride and 279 until Sinai Ride.
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This week in History - 2nd - Sky TV plc launched - 1989, 4th - Facebook the social networking site is founded - 2004, 5th - Royal Greenwich Observatory begin boardcasting the hourly time signals, the BBC "pips" -1924, 6th - Munich Air Disaster 8 Man. Utd. Players lost 1958.

The bikes back.................

Not that it had ever gone away!, but as the "main" event is a cycling one I thought it time to get back in the saddle, so gear all set Friday night, lights charged and alarm set bright and early, had`t figure on a frost though, so I have to admit it was a slightly shorter ride than planned - roll on next weekend.

This week in History - 27th - The Doors release their debut Album - 1967, 31st - Guy Faukes executed - 1606, 31st - Family Guy debut show - 1999.

and so it goes on................

Week three, Training going ok so far and the sponsorship has started to drift in - thank you.


It appears that a local "off road" 10k - the Thunder Run at Catton Park - is also for the British Heart Foundation, so it may be I have another event to fit in, will keep you posted!





This week in History - 19th The last Beetle leaves VW`s Emden plant - 1978, 20th - English Parliment holds its first meeting in the Houses of Parliment - 1265, 22nd - Apollo 5 lifts off - 1968.