Runners on the Telly

This time next week it'll all be over...

I've got my last long run under my belt and I've just booked a sports massage for Wednesday to unknot all the resulting kinks in my calf muscles. All in all, I'm feeling pretty optimistic about Sunday - I might not run it all, but I'm fairly confident I can get round in one piece. For some reason I managed to get placed in Zone B (honest - not my own choice!) but I think I will drop back to the more realistic Zone F and run with Simon and Chris. I think its important to enjoy the race (as much as possible, anyway), rather than pushing it too hard and hating every second of it.

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that." -Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder

Just think - this time next week we will have finished a half marathon!

Ah... takes me back!

Everyone has a comedy treadmill incident they don't talk about!

Checklist

Running shoes...check
Running gear...check
Bin bag...check
Safety pins...check
Gammy calf...check
Sore sinuses...check
List of extra excuses (on request)...check
Sense of foreboding...check
Fingers crossed...check

What a load of old bullion

Salut Bloggeuses and Bloggeurs

A good week training-wise - well there had to be at least one! Total distance of 29km covered, in three runs, which according to Wise Uncle Tom (yes, the same Wise Uncle Tom who said "wanna do the Great North Run?") that should be enough to enable us to get round all the way, like.

Its a beautiful day in Geneva today, which was handy as we had earmarked today for the big push (or more accurately s**t or bust). Christina and I did just over 15km, in 2 hours 7sec at a steady pace. (The 7 seconds were very important to Christina, for reasons best known to her...)I reckon if we can repeat that on race day we should get round the course, which will do me just fine thanks very much. This was a great achievement for Christina in particular as she only got the green light to train again 3 weeks ago after a month off due to a ligament injury. Luckily, we had built a good foundation before her foot went bang, so we weren't starting from zero with three weeks to go.

If we can just arrange it so that the weather is nice and sunny next week, that would be canny.

This week, I will be mostly stretching and trying not to think about the run too much. I'm getting nervous about it - the last time I was anywhere near 55,000 people it was probably at a music festival, so next weekend is going to be way different. I'm made up we did the 10 grand for the RNLI - great work everyone, lets see where we end up with the fundraising. I reckon some of my Swiss banking colleagues must have some gold bullion stashed away somewhere thats not doing anything....

Hang in there Team Atko, nearly there.

Try Try Again

Hello from the Large one,

Anyway just thought i would bring you all up to speed, Considering this crappy knee that cannot decide if its working or not i have managed a combined total of probably 8 miles this weekend so far. Two of these running non-stop and the rest walking at 6ft3 speed (Quite quick).

Anyway i am going to attempt a run/walk this pm again hopefully around 5-9 miles and see how the knee holds out. The 2 miles this morning came out better than expected considering i had not run for nearly a week!!!

Anyway troops less than a week now, and this time next week i will be half way to the start line hopefully running, but if not i will walk it. Anyway keep going guys and gals, hopefully will report that i am running like a train in the week.

Love Uncle rab. XXXXX

Don't need an excuse but....

My brief return to regular training exited left pursued by a bear the moment the youngest Davies came down with some reaction to something and started doing a passable imitation of Superted's best mate. No nursery, no free time, no training to speak of. Irritating this close to the race but will do my best to at least make sure I am mobile this week although we all seem to be struggling with a mild stomach bug too so someone somewhere clearly doesn't want to make this any easier than necessary. Am quite looking forward to the run now so I shall just keep chanting: Positive mental attitude, positive mental attitude, positive mental attitude; and hope that that is enough.

Man Flu

I am off work with a dose of Man Flu, which is preventing me from doing anything in the way of training. With 8 days to go, Im not sure that I will get out for another run.

You can only imagine the frustration of having yet another bit of bad luck to set me back!   

The highlight of the Team Atko week however, was that we reached our initial fundraising target of £10,000 which is an awesome achievement and a great thing to carry to the start line!

See you soon team!!!

Finish the damn race, finish the damn race, finish the damn race, finish the damn race

Too Good to be True

Hello from the big chap,

After a year of training troubleish free! I have an injury to my left knee, arse! I have been able to walk and cycle but when i try to run it is quite painfull. Anyway i am going to attempt a small run today and see what happens, but never fear i will be at the start.

If you think i have lost all this weight and dropped a dress size and sort of stopped drinking and eating for nothing, your all wrong!

P.S. Thinking of you Fluff.

See you all at the start Team.

Rab XXXX

Just another day without Fluff

Yesterday was a year since Fluff left us.  I find that it has all gone incredibly quickly.  

Our son was only a a few weeks old when all of this happened and if ever there is a reminder that life goes on, it was our two boys to care for.

In under 2 weeks, 18 of Ian's friends and family ( 4 out due to back injuries or imminent fatherhood), will travel to Newcastle for the run.  It has been a year in the planning and a year worth of training for most of us. We are all getting a bit battle weary with it now and will be relieved when the job is done.

I am really grateful to my mates for sticking with this.  I didn't realise when I came up with this rather barking plan that it was essentially what I needed.  Ian never came to Newcastle, so being up here and him not around, wasn't too unusual.  That made it very surreal.  Team Atko, the planning and the training has reminded me daily of what has happened and why we are doing this.  It has helped me enormously.  

Yesterday, to celebrate Ian's life I had a plan to go and run 8 miles, listening to Foo Fighters and generally doing it Ian-like.  I was supposed to Go Big, tick off another training run and be on top of the world, reflecting and making sense of Ian and his life.  It didn't quite go that way. 4K in, my calves were feeling super painful and I inadvertently stopped and walked the last 1K home, fearful that I was about to rule myself out of the race.  This was the first run where things actually really hurt. 

I stretched my legs, sat in a cold bath with a Peroni and realised that it had been just another day without Fluff around.

Tim

ps The bath works a treat, and the legs are functional again!

My get up and go, got up and went.... but it's back now!

What a sad day today. My love and best wishes to everyone, hope you're all holding up ok.

A tough week of training for Simon and I, but things are really starting to improve. As Simon has mentioned, I had a bit of ligament trouble in my left leg which stopped me from running for a month. I did other sports to try to keep my legs strong and cardio fitness up, so fortunately I didn't have a terrible shock when I returned to running. I'm delighted to report that my bad leg seems to be holding up just fine. Fingers crossed the good health continues.

Today I ran my first 10k since hurting the ligament. Simon and I ran to France and back! Really - the French border is 5k from our flat. There were lots of other runners out and about, and I am delighted to report (for the sake of my ego) that I seemed to be back in the club. There were lots of "bonjours" and a couple of "courages" from my fellow runners today. Our time was 1 hour 13 minutes, which I was delighted with (although I'm sure that a couple of our Team Atko pro runners will be almost finished in that time).

I am nervous about the actual run. With my history of injuries and lack of any natural sporting ability, I know that I'm not going to get a super duper time. But getting this far with my training over the last year and being able to take part is something I would never have thought possible. I'll be delighted with crossing that finish line.

Good luck team, keep up the good work and I'll see you soon.

P.S. Simon finally got the super duper polar watch working, which is how I know how far I ran today. The watch has also just made me a cup of tea!!!!

Getting there in fits and starts

Bonjour Bloggeurs and Bloggeuses

Less than two weeks to go, and things in Geneva are looking up a bit. I have had a good week running-wise, although getting up at 5am to train is still no fun. Christina has been able to increase the intensity of training, and so far, her foot is taking the punishment ok. We aim to carry on training for the next 10 days or so, building up the distance gradually so we minimise the risk of injuries. Then we'll pack it in, rest up, and hope that the atmosphere on race day will get us round.

I will be glad when the race is run. It's been a long old slog just to get this far and my slightly haphazard training plan has seen me running in Geneva, France, Monaco, Nairobi, Istanbul, Izmir, London, New York, Washington and Jersey (of course!) The coming week was looking disastrous from a training perspective - I was supposed to be in Beirut for 2 days, London for one day, and then on to Jersey for 2 more days. As it happens, no Jersey, no Beirut this week and I can cope with a day in London! Hopefully Christina and I will have a solid week's training to set us up for the event.

Time has passed very quickly and it doesn't seem like a year since Ian left us and Tim had the idea of doing the run. A fair bit has happened in the interim - babies, weddings, funerals, injuries, hefty medical bills, learning new words (still not sure what overpronating means), creative excuses and loads of gripes. Ian would not have let us get away with the last two on that list.

Team Atko is made up of lots of different folks with one thing in common - we all think Ian was a top bloke. It is for him and because of him that we're prepared to put ourselves through this, for the benefit of a cause that really meant something to him. As race day gets closer (thanks for the countdown thingy Tom!!) its important that we stick together, train hard, and help each other to the all important finish.

I am pretty sure that Ian is keeping an eye on our efforts, and I am also pretty sure that he finds them a good source of amusement....

Keep Going Troops

G'Day from the large chap,

Sam i feel for you honey i went out and did 8 miles today and am cream crackered, I am trying to run everyday and it was only today that i settled into a pace that was comfortable and that i could manage. Anyway a bit of advice to all from the large bloke's running club.


We are all here for one thing the geezer on the blog site. Uncle Fluff, Atko, Ian and all other names as he was known.

It is not important if you finish in 1hr 30 or whatever time, it is the doing it that counts. I came to that conclusion at that start of this challenge that i was never designed to run and am not an athlete.

At the end of the day we are a TEAM and all of us will have given exactly the same time and effort to complete this. The feeling at the end on the finishing line will be overwhelming. I know now that i will certainly shed a tear thinking if Ian was with me there would be some serious sweaty man hugging going on then abuse from him, "C'mon fat boy to the bar, it was only a little run" and things along those lines.

We have all different thoughts of Ian and i am sure that these memories are the medicine and strength we need to carry out this event. Anyway enough of all that, i am getting to soppy in my old age.

Keep going and see you at the start troops.

Love Uncle Rab. x

And it was all going so well...

I must admit the past couple of weeks have been particulary frustrating. After getting back into training regularly again and starting to build up the mileage, I found that when I went out running it was like I was trying to get through quicksand. My legs were permanently knackered and just didn't seem to recover, even when I knocked back the mileage. Somewhat reluctantly, I booked an appointment for a sports massage yesterday morning - which as expected turned out to be a pretty uncomfortable way to spend an hour! My calves were really tight, I have the early stages of shin splints, an injury on one of my hamstrings and I apparently also have one leg much stronger than the other. Berge seems to have done the trick though as they feel a lot better today - and he also sponsored us as well. Top bloke!

On top of that though, I have picked up a cold from the guy I share an office with. He'd be in serious trouble, but he's wisely taken this week off sick... I'm reluctant to go out training in case I make it worse and take longer to recover. At the same time though, Tom's little counter at the top of this page is starting to make me paranoid that time has well and truly run out for serious training... any advice?

Anyway, I've more or less given up on hitting any of the times I've had in mind over the past months and am just hoping I can do enough to finish the distance.

Yee, and indeed, ha.

Today I ran 11 miles. This concerns me.

As previously stated I have no electric equipment with me which means the brain wonders. It occurred to me that that is the furthest I have ever run, anywhere, in one sitting. It's also a bloody long way. My beloved home Island is only 9 miles wide (so I'm told, not been through the tunnel in years so can't confirm, Rab?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and I would never run from St. Peter to Grewville as I would get lost.

All in all I'm quite chuffed but am still wrestling with wether or not I actually like running. I started to think that I don't like running but do like the sense of achievment, which has many equals that teenage boys could concur with, like having a wash. Before I get any smut, they like being clean but hate washing.................

Then I thought when am I going to hit 'the wall' but as I don't know what that is, ignorance is bliss(ters).

A quote, ('cause it seems fashionable), "Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.", and another one because I Love Winny Churchill, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

Room for improvment

Hello from the large chap....

Well not long now and i am really still not enjoying this running lark until Dan took me down the front last week the were loads of rather fit young ladies, can't see how people do it for fun but this is someone who up to a year ago had about much go as a tortoise after a couple of jars. Anyway not a bad weekend have been out and done a bit everyday since last Thursday including running to the brother in laws with a rucksack full of birthday presents and bottles of Vin for his do, something i didn't realise would be so difficult. All in i guess i have put in just under 20 miles or so, However i have a rather annoying click from my left knee that's just come out to play. Should the knee do 360 degree turns is that normal??????.

Until the next time.

Love Uncle Rab xxxx

Thoughts from the bottom of a lamp post

I am now on my third pair of insoles and I must say they are still not quite right.  I am starting to bore myself with this topic so I can only imagine how tiresome it is for the readers of this blog!

I rattled round 6K today without a problem and I have changed my sock brand of choice which has eased the blisters.

My right calf is now quite stiff, but not painful and my knee feels a little weak, but again no show-stopping pain. I go through various contortions 3 times a day to stretch myself out.

The plan is just to keep on cautiously stepping up the miles, trying to find the right balance so that I don't get injured, but I also cover enough miles to run the race.  It is all desperately last minute and it feels like I am competing in a race, to get to the race.  It is on my mind all the time.

The race atmosphere seems to be building in the city.  There are a few Great North Run banners up and there seems to be more runners than ever out and about - even in the rain - which is not actually as an unpleasant an experience as I had once assumed.

What is an  unpleasant experience is stopping to tie your shoe laces near lamp posts.  The stench of dog piss is vile, especially when breathing deeply after a run!!

Another inspirational quote for the pot:

"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare."

  - Juma Ikangaa, Tanzania

Like the tortoise...

Slow and steady but progress is being made...managed thirteen and a half km today in an hour and a half by doing circuits up Welly Hill and down St Saviours then round the one way system up Welly Hill again and down Mont Millais. Managed that flaming thing four times before my sanity took over and pointed me homewards. I think I have my race strategy about right in my head so fingers crossed.

Zone K - clearly the organisers believed me when I told them I was lamer than an ITV sitcom. Still, less pressure in the cheap seats! Anyone else three miles from the start line or are all of you RNLI scroungers in G or higher?

And finally two quotes: one motivational and one that just tickled me a BIT;

"Failure lies not in falling down. Failure lies in not getting up." (traditional Chinese proverb)

"It's not something you can just run away from like a hotel bill or a crying baby..."

Heroes

As you would expect (unless you have never met me I guess) my heroes are pretty much confined to the sporting arena. Much like the erstwhile Mr R Davies I love nothing more than a BBC montage set to a suitably inspiring track.

Growing up I was in awe of Carl Lewis, Steve Cram, Steve Ovett and Daley Thompson in the athletics world. Ian Rush, Graeme Souness, The King Kenny Dalglish and oddly enough scruffy old Neville Southall were fottballing gods to a young me.

These days I look around and see too many people described as great, but surely people like Shane Warne, Freddie Flintoff (though he doesn't actually like his nickname!), Sir Steven of Gerrardshire, Martin Johnson and Usain Bolt are worthy. It's amazing what these people will inspire you to do.

On the strength of that I am a huge, massive fan of Paula Radcliffe and as a result when I finished me 8.4 miles today I happily jumped in a freezing cold bath for 15 minutes. It's amazing what a role model can do for you!

Right, I'm off to walk the boy down to the village, wonder if he wants to go for a pint......

Memo to self...

Wellington Hill is for driving up not running up.

On the plus side having felt really awful for several months and failed to go much beyond 5km my sinus problems have started to clear and the remnants of my recent illnesses have been getting quieter and being able to breathe allowed me to manage 11km in an hour and 2 mins yesterday including the above mentioned hill and felt okay. I also read the GNR magazine which told me that if I can't do 8 miles comfortably that I should defer until next time...d'oh! Tempting though that option is them plane tickets ain't gonna refund themselves now are they so I'll guess I shall still see you all there.

If I am feeling brave I may post a pic of me a la Rab in my RNLI vest but I am not sure it will encourage any sponsorship.

Another reminder

Hello from the big Runner,

It's arrived in the post the pre-race pack including number................I can't quite believe i am about to try and attempt a half marathon, anyway there was some concilation i spotted Wickham in his RNLI vest yesterday.......Its Catching! Oh and i am starting in Group G thats not right at the back so should get overtaken by a few. Might take my ski poles to keep them at bay. Whilst i think of it a few quotes i found.

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."

"The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win."

"There's no such thing as bad weather, just soft people."

And finally..
"If you ever get a second chance in life for something, you've got to go all the way."

Keep going troops. We will succeed.

Rab x

Definition of motivation

The extra burst of speed you get when you realise the Alsation charging at you, barking its head off, isn't actually tied to anything...

Gizmos

Should be confined to 80's movies.

Can't get me head around my shoes talking to me or listening to pumped f f f fresh beats remixed by Groove Jaxx while I run, so I don't. Just me, me ascics gelly babies and the elements. Which brings it's own set of joys.

I get lots of time to think about what I should have done in the house and need to do when I get back. I dream up crazy ideas for work and even subject them to the little dears from time to time. I try not to look smug at the (what's the P.C. phrase for lazy fat gets?) weeble type blokes smokin' a faaaaaag outside the pub (who look at me like I should be shot before their partners see me and subject them to........). I think about my family here and in Jersey, how the little chap has survived his scare and the inspiration that provides. I think about my friends, like how much faster the Greek would be going, or how many times I would have lapped __________ (fill in your own!) and the sheer effort that some are going through just to complete the damn thing in one piece, which again keeps me going.

You could say I think too much, and you'd be right, but I have found the road to be a peaceful place where I appreciate a lot of things, a lot more.

Keep going folks because it's going to be amazing at the finish line.