October Review (790.53 - 900.92KM)

So it's 10pm on Wednesday the 6th November and I've just realised that I still haven't written my review of last month, so without further ado here it is. October heralded the end of Summer, the midweek races, nice weather and 10ks. The miserable weather would have an impact on a couple of my races this month as I travelled up to York and down to Portsmouth, run two marathons, got soaked and caked in mud and St. Jude threatened to knock me off my feet.

Parkrun coming soon  

Once again the month started with a Solo Run and again it wasn't my intention. In the four weeks at end of September/beginning of October I was originally planning to run 4 Marathons, but as I sat on the train to Nottingham for the Robin Hood Marathon I found out that entry had already closed for the Mablethorpe Marathon at the beginning of the month. So instead I opted to check out the site of Lincoln's upcoming Park Run.

The Spires & Steeples Challenge 26

Next up was the Spires & Steeples Challenge, marathon number 4 of the year (ever) and possibly the hardest race of my life. The 'Challenge' would see me run 26+ miles across Lincolnshire countryside, from Lincoln Castle on the top of Steel Hill down the Sleaford, via a handful of villages. Only it wasn't that simple, the weather had torn up most of the fields we ran across, making some parts of the course almost impassable and when I crossed the line it felt like I'd run 40 miles, rather than 26. The race would also stick in the memory for me attempting to walk the 14+ miles home after being stuck in 20th century Sleaford.

The Yorkshire Marathon

Race three of the month was the inaugural Yorkshire Marathon and the third, and last marathon, of the four weeks. After the exhausting race the previous week, I was looking forward to a flat, road marathon. Again, the forecast before the race looked bad, with heavy showers expected, but fortunately, despite teasing a couple of times it stayed mostly dry. After running both the Robin Hood Marathon and Spires & Steeples Challenge at a slower pace I planned on picking it up for the 5th marathon of the year. Whilst I didn't manage to run much faster, I did manage to sneak under the 4 hour mark, if only just, for the second time this year.

The Great (Windy) South Run

After running the 3 marathons in 4 weeks I was looking forward to a much shorter, and easier, race, which is what I was expecting when I headed down to Portsmouth for the Great South Run. What I found instead was Britain on the brink of over reacting to an impending 'mega storm' and a race I was neither physically or mentally ready for. It would be a battle to reach the 900km milestone, a headlong battle into 40mph winds for the last couple of miles, but one I eventually won.

So I enter the last 100km slightly ahead of schedule with two months left and another 8 races to go. I said a couple of months back that I'm going to rue the cancelled races earlier in the year as I come agonisingly close to running 52 races in 2013. As it stands my total will be 49 races, and as much as I hate to admit it I'm obsessing a little over the fact. There's nothing I can really do now to make up those extra 3 races, even though I'm very aware of the fact that I have 3 race free weekends. 

Finally just a quick update on Jenny's health. Once again it's been a good month, the horrible few months earlier in the year seem to be behind us but I'm still very, very anxious. Many people who are going through the withdrawal always state that the first three months are the worst and that many subsequent rebounds follow. Though despite a rough couple of months at the beginning, admittedly for seemingly unrelated issues, it hasn't been THAT bad, particularly when compared to what other people go through. I guess the pessimist in me is just waiting for shit to hit the fan and until it does I'm not going to relax.

As always, please visit my JustGiving page and donate what you can. If you can't donate then please share my JustGiving page and news of what I'm doing with others, in case they can. The only way we can end the suffering that Jenny and millions of others go through on a daily basis is with your help.

October Stats:

1000KM Challenge Distance: 110.39KM
Time Running Total: 10:41:50
Total Running Distance: 160.63KM
Bananas Eaten: 77
Races: 3
T-Shirts: 2
Medals: 2
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1000km Challenge Stats:

1000KM Challenge Distance: 900.92KM
Time Running Total: 78:07:49
Total Running Distance: 1858.30KM
Bananas Eaten: 423
Races: 41
T-Shirts: 22
Medals: 20

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A look ahead to November

Confirmed Races
03/11 - The 3 River Challenge
08/11 - Robin Hood Trail Run
17/11 - Rother Valley Half Marathon
23/11 - Nottingham Mo Run
24/11 - Norwich Half Marathon

June Review (458.94 - 550.38km)

June was supposed to be a month of celebration. I entered the month about 40km short of the 500km mark, so in a couple of weeks I would reach the big halfway milestone. However on reflection it feels like a month with little to celebrate. Jenny's health reached a new low, with her being hospitalised for a week and I experienced a couple of cancelled races. The 500km mark was achieved though and there was also plenty of cake, so it wasn't all bad.

On the 2nd of June I was due to get the month started with the Woodhall Spa 10k. As I had registered quite close to the event my race pack wouldn't be sent to me and I would have to instead collect it on the day. Events however transpired against me and I arrived at the registration desk with a couple of minutes to spare only to be told that my number had been sold on to another runner. So instead I was forced to get the month started with an impromptu Solo Run.

The second weekend didn't really see an improvement on the first week. On the Friday evening I had the first of two planned races, the Notts 10 Mile Road Race. I started the race tired and after pushing myself hard round the 10 mile course in the excessive heat, so hard that at one stage I threw up, I finished it drained of all energy. 

This was however to be the high point of the weekend, as the following day I had to take Jenny to hospital with suspected Eczema Herpeticum, her seventh outbreak. Jenny was issued with some medication and returned home, but as the evening wore on the infection was visibly getting worse at quite an alarming rate. The next morning Jenny woke up with both eyes swollen shut, and her face covered in dried crust where it had weeped throughout the night. Jenny was then admitted into hospital where she remained until the following Friday.

My attendance at the race I had lined up for that Sunday, the Humber Bridge 10k, was then obviously cancelled.

With my total sitting less than 4km short of the 500km milestone I would have to wait until the 16th of June with the Three Lakes Classic for another attempt at breaking it. The race was my second time running round Rother Valley, with another two planned races planned later in the year, and was one of my most enjoyable races yet. Before the race I read some reviews from previous participants that stressed the importance to keep an eye on the runner in front during the wooded sections, as it was easy to get lost. I followed this advice with reckless abandon as I had to chase down the runner in front at times to even get a glimpse of them, but this only added to the enjoyment.

The following week I aimed to make up for missing out on the Humber Bridge 10k but lining up a race on the Friday evening and another on the Sunday. On the first race, the Summer Solstice 10k, I again made the mistake of running harder than my body was prepared for given the heat and my general tiredness, which led to some hilarious photographic consequences.

Sunday's race would however bare a stark contrast, with wind and rain, an undulating course but an overall much more comfortable run. The Underwood 10k was one of a growing number of first time races for me this year, but one I'm definitely likely to have another crack at.

My final race of the month was again due to see me head up North across the Humber for the Humber Bridge Half Marathon. It was a race that I myself made the decision not to enter as Jenny's health had taken another turn for the worse and I felt it was much more important for me to be around her. That didn't mean that I got the weekend off from running however, as I took a well needed (and deserved) recovery run with a leisurely 10km solo run.

So that's June all wrapped up and I now find myself halfway through the year. I have recorded a video giving my review of the month too, so feel free to check that out. It was my intention to keep the video to around 5 minutes but I failed, still at least it is better than the 20 minute video I recorded last time. Who knows by the end of the year I might even look comfortable in front of the camera.

I would like to end this blog with some good news about Jenny's health, but unfortunately this past Monday she suffered yet another horrific set back when she woke up to find that her skin had been ripping itself open in her sleep. 

Please visit my JustGiving page and donate what you can. If you can't donate then please share my JustGiving page and news of what I'm doing with others, in case they can. The only way we can end the suffering that Jenny and millions of others go through on a daily basis is with your help.

June Stats:

1000KM Challenge Distance: 91.44km
Time Running Total: 07:30:41
Total Running Distance: 210.26km
Bananas Eaten: 40
Medals: 0
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1000km Challenge Stats:

1000KM Challenge Distance: 550.38km 
Time Running Total: 46:51:59
Total Running Distance: 210.26km
Bananas Eaten: 268
Medals: 11

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A look ahead to July

Confirmed Races
14/07 - 12.12
21/07 - Rother Valley 10K
21/07 - Sheffield Man of Steel
28/07 - Heckington Show 10 Mile Race

Unconfirmed Races

07/07 - Spires 10
10/07 - Toonie Trot

May Review (349.80 - 458.94km)

May saw me run three races in a weekend, run my second Marathon, set a new personal best for a Half Marathon and bake lots and lots of cake. In the 5th month of the year I ran five races, collected 4 medals and added over 100km to my total.

My first race saw me return home to Norfolk for the Grand East Anglia Run, a 10k around the streets of King's Lynn. Last year I set a PB on this course, so this year I was keen to give it another go and try and break sub 40. Unfortunately the heat and some tired legs put pay to this and I ended up pushing myself harder than I perhaps should have.

In the second weekend in May I had not one, not two but three races; the Skelly 6, Zombie Run and Sheffield Half Marathon. The first race, the Skelly 6, was a six mile trail race in Skellingthorpe, a nearby village, on the Friday evening. As one of three races in three days I opted to run at a steady pace, although at points the competitively element took over and I tried to overtake the other runners in sight.

Next up on Saturday afternoon was the Zombie Run, a 5km obstacle course with the added bonus (danger?) of running through hordes of zombies. When I laid out my plans for this 1000km late last year I made the decision to not include any 5km runs, simply because they would only account for 0.05% of my overall target. However when I was offered the opportunity to run this race and I knew I could fit it alongside another longer race, I grabbed the chance. Some minor (major) difficulties aside it was a fun race and one I'll look to do again, even if I may need to wear a cup next time.

Sunday's race, the Sheffield Half Marathon, was the longest of the three and my first time running the event. A week before my second marathon of the year should have meant that I spent the weekend resting, deep into my tapering phase. What I should not have been doing is running three races in three days and running a new personal best on my third of these races. But somehow this is what happened, I didn't start the race with the intention of running as fast as I did it just kind of happened.

 

My fourth race of the month and my second marathon of the year was the opportunity to gain some retribution. Last year I ran the inaugural North Norfolk Marathon but after 18 miles I withdrew due to a combination of injury and poor training. With one marathon already under my belt I was much better prepared for the the NNM this time round. When I crossed the line after 4 hours and 20 minutes my body was in pieces, but I had won a very personal battle and completed what would be the most difficult marathon of the year.

The final weekend in May was my first race free weekend in quite a while (about 6-7 weeks), but it was a date that I had marked in my calender for sometime. I had planned to hold a Bake Sale this year as an alternate means of raising money and early on I identified the last weekend in May as the date for this. The bake sale was a much bigger success than I could have possibly predicted, raising over £150 towards my £6,000 target. On the Sunday I added another 21km+ to my total with a Solo Run.

May Stats:

1000KM Challenge Distance: 109.14km
Time Running Total: 09:47:48
Total Running Distance: 177.59km
Bananas Eaten: 39
Times punched in the nuts by a zombie: 1
Medals: 4
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1000km Challenge Stats:

1000KM Challenge Distance: 458.94km 
Time Running Total: 39:21:18
Total Running Distance: 862.55km
Bananas Eaten: 228
Medals: 7

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A look ahead to June

Confirmed Races
02/06 - Woodhall Spa 10k
15/06 - Three Lakes Classic
21/06 - Summer Solstice 10k

Unconfirmed Races

09/06 - Humber Bridge 10k
30/06 - Humber Bridge Half Marathon

April Review (244.81 - 349.80km)

In summary April was full of more PBs, birthday cake, marathons and one of the greatest days of my life. Two 10ks, a Half Marathon and my first full Marathon in London helped me end the month just 200 metres short of 350km. 

April had barely started before I was lining up for the Notts Easter 10k, my second of two races on the Easter weekend. Having run just 12 seconds over 42 minutes the day before I was eager to have another go at running sub 42. Whilst my mind was willing, my body was not and as the miles wore on I felt myself getting slower and slower before eventually crossing the line with little over 43 minutes on the clock.

Fortunately I wouldn't have to wait long before having another attempt as that Sunday I would be running the Lincoln 10k. The Lincoln 10k is a special event for me as five years ago it was the first race I ever entered, before then becoming my 'hometown' race. In 2008 I crossed the line in 72:17, this year I ran 31 minutes and 18 seconds faster, finishing in 40:59. I made a few mistakes in the race so I'm confident of comfortably running a sub 40 10k later this year.

A family christening meant that I was unable to attend the rearranged Rother Valley 10k, so instead my third 1000km challenge run in April was a Solo Half Marathon ran at my intended Marathon pace. Well that was the plan, but once I started running my body soon put paid to that idea and it soon became a case of clocking up the kms and avoiding injury.

With April comes my birthday and top of my list was a new pair of running trainers. I had had my previous pair for just under a year and sheer amount of running I have been doing this year in training and as part of my 1000km challenge had left them barely holding together. So instead I now have these beauties to get me through the next few hundred kilometers.

My next race, the London Marathon, was arguably the biggest race of this 1000km challenge, certainly so far. Before the race mentally and physically I felt prepared, although as it was my first marathon there was still that 'area of unknown' once I reached beyond the 20 mile mark. Fortunately the crowds, as always, were incredible and kept me going though the hardest 10km I've ever ran and I managed to complete my first marathon of six marathons this year comfortably under 4 hours. Job done. Entry on the Bucket List crossed off.

My final race of April was the Rotary Shakespeare Half Marathon in William Shakespeare's home town of Stratford-upon-Avon. In the week leading up to the race I had been debating whether to run the full marathon instead as my body felt remarkably fresh after the London Marathon. A couple of miles in my body soon began to feel the strain of the big effort I put in the previous week, so common sense dictated that when the decision came to carry on to the full or head towards the finish line for the half I did the latter.

Finally sympathies must go out to those caught up in the tragic events in Boston this month. I received a surprise phonecall from BBC Lincolnshire the day afterwards to give my thoughts on whether or not the London Marathon should go ahead. You can read and listen to what I had to say here.

April Stats:

1000KM Challenge Distance: 104.99km
Time Running Total: 08:46:00
Total Running Distance: 150.36km
Bananas Eaten: 47
Medals: 3
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1000km Challenge Stats:

1000KM Challenge Distance: 349.80km 
Time Running Total: 29:34:30
Total Running Distance: 684.96km 
Bananas Eaten: 189
Medals: 7

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A look ahead to May

05/05 - Grand East Anglian Run (10k)
10/05 - Skelly 6
11/05 - Zombie Run (5k)
12/05 - Sheffield Half Marathon
19/05 - North Norfolk Marathon

March Review (160.87 - 244.81km)

March was another month of records as I set a new personal best in three of the four races I entered. At the Silverstone Half Marathon I set a new PB, two and a half minutes faster than my time at Sleaford and I set a 10k PB in Gainsborough followed by another 10k PB by 1 minute and 44 seconds just two weeks later in Spalding.

In the first weekend in March I headed down to Northamptonshire for the Silverstone Half Marathon, a regular fixture on the race calender for my family. Originally I had intended to run the race at Marathon pace, although curiosity got the better of me and I decided to go for it and see how fast I could run on Silverstone's notoriously flat course. The result? A new PB by two and a half minutes and even beat an Olympic athlete on my way.

I had started to feel a little run down a couple of days before the Silverstone Half Marathon, but by the time of the Newton's Fraction Half Marathon this had turned into a full blown cold with a chesty cough. I was anxious going into the race as I knew overdoing it could have some serious knock on effects for this challenge, so I settled for a steady pace aiming for as close to 8:00 min miles as I could, but being prepared to slow down if necessary and ended up crossing the line at just under 01:47:00 on the clock. If I remember the Newton's Fraction Half Marathon for anything though it will be the two neverending hills that I stubbornly ran up whilst the majority tactically walked.

Next up was the Gainsborough & Morton Striders 10k, another first time event. This year I have set myself the target of running a sub 40 minute 10k and this race was my first true attempt at reaching the time. Whilst I began the race at the necessary pace for the first mile, the lingering effects of the cold I had been suffering from and stiffness in my legs meant that I soon started to slow down. Despite this I crossed the line in just under 44 minutes setting a new PB on my way. 

The freezing, cold grip of winter was reluctant to let go in March and what was scheduled to be my fourth race of the month, the Rother Valley 10k was postponed due to heavy snow fall. So, instead I took the opportunity and more than doubled my planned distance for my solo run by running a Half Marathon. 

My final race in March, the Tulip 10k saw me set another PB in my first of two races on Easter Weekend. I had no real strategy in place for the run, but when the race started I set off running at  06:30 minute mile pace and I decided to go for another PB. The course was probably the most true to the letter 'out and back' route I will run this year, with running round the marshall at the 5km, but it made for a fast, flat run. By the time I got to the water station I was in desperate need of the refreshment and powered on, crossing the line just 12 seconds over 42 minutes. Still a long way off my sub 40 target, but I managed to knock over a minute and a half of my PB set just two weeks ago.

This month was rather uneventful and there was not many things to write about other than my races. I did however, much to Jenny's delight, start baking every week in practice for a fundraising bake sale I am hosting in May. Whilst my decorating skills certainly leave a lot to be desired, the cakes are getting dangerously tastier with each batch and I'm afraid I'm getting slightly addicted to baking.

March Stats:

1000KM Challenge Distance: 83.84km
Time Running Total: 06:37:27
Total Running Distance: 167.12km
Bananas Eaten: 48
Medals: 2
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1000km Challenge Stats:

1000KM Challenge Distance: 244.81km 
Time Running Total: 20:48:30
Total Running Distance: 534.60km 
Bananas Eaten: 142
Medals: 4
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A look ahead to April

01/04 - Notts Easter 10k
07/04 - Lincoln 10k
21/04 - London Marathon
28/04 - Shakespeare Half Marathon

February Review (74.26km - 160.87km)

After a relatively slow start to the year with only two races, February saw me run a 14k, two Half Marathons and a 30k. In the second month of my 1000km challenge I broke the 100km barrier, ran in four new races, ran my longest race so far and broke my Half Marathon PB by 7 minutes.

My first race in February, the Rauceby Ripper, was a difficult one as I was running on empty before the race even began. Although only a 14km race, a month of running to and from work most days on snow and ice had taken it's toll on my legs and before the race began my legs were already feeling heavy. Once I got going my legs seemed to loosen up and I came in just over 68 minutes and received my first medal of this 1000km challenge.

74.26 - 88.36km: Rauceby Ripper

The hill at 10 miles on the Caythorpe Dash still fills me with fear, a 100ft sharp incline up chewed up farmland after a few days of rain defeated anyone attempting to run up it, with it's victims' having to resort to walking instead. What surprised me most about this race was my ability to have stayed on my feet throughout, I was witness to more than a couple of competitor's losing their trainers in the boggier parts of the run and heard of how a runner slipped off a bridge into a stream towards the end of the race.

88.36 - 109.84km: Caythorpe Dash

The St. Valentines 30k by all accounts should have been the most challenging race of this month, being both the longest distance I have ran for sometime and a being home to a notoriously gruelling  undulating course. Instead, it turned out to be my most enjoyable. I went into the race with the idea of surviving and trying to keep a constant pace throughout and came out with a massive smile on my face and my dream of a 03:30:00 marathon still in my hands.

109.84 - 139.89km: St. Valentines 30k

I smashed by previous PB by about seven minutes and came in safely under 01:40:00, so by all accounts the Sleaford Half Marathon should be considered a good race. Except it wasn't, I almost fell apart mentally and physically, my pacing was extremely erratic and everything that could go wrong pretty much did. So how did I record such a good time? I still don't know.

139.89 - 160.97km: Sleaford Half Marathon

Alongside a lot of running I have also been doing my bit to get my fundraising challenge noticed, putting posters up in shops and arranging interviews with local news outlets. I was interviewed by David Wriglesworth from 'The Linc' on the 8th February, with the interview also being played on [Siren FM]. It what was my most impressive feat so far this year, I managed to avoid mentioning both the name of the charity and eczema throughout the entire duration of the interview. 


Because she is a lot less useless than myself in talking about the condition, this month Jenny started up a blog to openly discuss her condition, how she deals with it on a day to day basis and the types of treatments she has tried over the years. This blog managed to achieve over 2,000 views in under two weeks which astonished the pair of us. When I remember to I try and include here posts on this blog too to help raise awareness, but you can check out here blog here.

Finally, I was interviewed on Tuesday (26th February) by Josh Francis from The Lincolnite about the motivation behind my 1000km challenge and how I see the year ahead panning out. Josh's article 'Lincoln man goes beyond the finish line in 1000km charity challenge' can be seen here.

In the past couple of weeks I have reintroduced strength training back into my routine, to help maintain my strength and build core strength. Last year I was a regular down the gym with three sessions a week, however with my running taking the forefront this year I've taken advantage of my gym membership running out and given myself a well needed rest.

Next month I intend to clean up my diet a lot more, although with Jenny winning a Treatbox from Pattiserie Valerie this week, it looks like it will start on Monday. She has recently mentioned about how she intends to improve her diet with the hope of it having a positive affect on her skin and with my focus now turning towards the London Marathon keep your eyes peeled for upcoming posts on 101 things to do with a Sweet Potato.

February Stats:

1000KM Challenge Distance: 74.26km
Time Running Total: 07:12:28
Total Running Distance: 173.87km
Bananas Eaten: 43
Medals: 2
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1000km Challenge Stats:

1000KM Challenge Distance: 160.97km
Time Running Total: 14:11:03
Total Running Distance: 367.48km
Bananas Eaten: 94
Medals: 2
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A look ahead to March

03/03 - Silverstone Half Marathon (21.13km)
10/03 - Newton Fracton's Half Marathon (21.13km)
17/03 - Gainsborough & Morton Striders 10k
24/03 - Rother Valley 10k
31/03 - Tulip 10k