How hard can it be!?: Long run day... 8 miles

Sunday 23 January 2011

Long run day... 8 miles

Just back from our marathon training 'long run'. Ran out towards Middlewich, back along the Wheelock rail trail up to the Romping Donkey pub in Hassal and then back through Malkins Bank to Sandbach. 8 miles in total in 1 hour 18 mins (average pace of about 9mins 50 secs per mile). Perhaps a bit fast a pace to maintain for the full marathon distance but felt fairly comfortable today. New running gear, particularly the twin skin socks, held up well (no signs of blisters which is good).

Why am I doing this?!

I got drawn in to running in 2007 to raise funds for charity and discovered it's a great way to keep in shape! I expanded the fundraising to open water swimming last year and loved that too so this year I'm pushing the envelope and going the whole hog with a couple of triathlons!

I've kept a training blog for the past two years and found it a huge motivator to get out and do something to report on so here I am again!

I'll be keeping a record here of all my training ups and downs as well as a few deviations on my hobbies.

I'm planning a few events this year for my own benefit and two major events to raise funds again for two charities that mean a lot to me:

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution ~ http://www.rnli.org/

In September 2007 I had an accident whilst sailing my Laser Pico dinghy out at sea off Abersoch, North Wales. The Abersoch crew came to my aid and I'll be eternally grateful ~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk6edftmHtg

I spend a lot of time out at sea with family and friends and it made me realise just how dependent we are on this life saving volunteer emergency service funded entirely by charity.

I ran the Great North Run Half Marathon to raise funds for the Abersoch RNLI station in 2008 & 2009 and continued last year with a one mile open water at The Great Salford Swim.

This year I'm rolling it all up and expanding the RNLI fund raising challenge by taking on the Tatton Triathlon Olympic Distance event on Sunday 11th September. It's a 1,500 mtr swim in open water followed by a 38km bike ride and then a 10km run!

The Isaiah Trust ~ http://www.isaiahtrust.org/

A registered charity started in 2001 by two good friends with big hearts, Nicky and Tim.

The charity helps kids in Kenya orphaned by aids and surviving on their own on the streets in some of the most apalling conditions imaginable.

The lives that these kids endured prior to the charity beggars’ belief and as a parent myself brings tears to my eyes... But the Trust has and continues to do some amazing things for these kids... Providing outreach and rehabilitation centres to give safe havens and remedial education, setting up orphanages and foster parent programmes. Helping children get back in to the state educaion system and providing 'resource centres' for older child who have missed too much schooling to teach them a skill or trade to earn a living. The Trust is now working hard setting up farms to establish sustainable food programs as well as teaching children farming skills.

The trust has helped change the lives of so many kids but there are so many more yet to help...

After four years of running the Great Manchester 10km Run, this year I felt something bigger was needed to tempt folk to sponsor me so have decided to take on the Edinburgh Marathon on Sunday 22nd May... At 26 miles it's twice the distance I've run before! My wife Karen is running it too!