Post 17: Everybody's on the Run - September 2012

Hi,

Welcome to the latest edition to my New York Marathon training blog. For those that are knew to this, or for the ones that have forgotten what it's all about (I wouldn't blame you I have been doing this for a while now), I am running the New York Marathon in memory of my sister and in aid of the charity we've founded in her memory. Jo was set to run the NY Marathon the year she died, she had booked her place and was well in to her training plan. So her unfit, overweight, never done any running before (and never will again!) little brother has decided to do it for her.

Yesterday (Sunday 30th September) I completed my longest run to date - 12 miles. I was happy with this and am overall relatively pleased with my progress. About 2 weeks ago I had quite a bad scare. I've had bad problems with my back before where the muscles have gone into spasm and I thought it had happened again. Annoyingly I wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary, it just seems to go. Thankfully, a few days rest and some help got me back on track and I'm back to full fitness. Well that of course depends on what your definition of 'full' fitness is. So let me rephrase that, I'm back to where I was before I got injured. Having the back problem only highlighted again the worry of getting injured. So I was relieved to get over that quite quickly and back to the training. It was also a relief to find it hadn't set me back too much either.

Now that I'm doing longer runs it has made pay more attention to when and how I take on water etc... during running. As I mentioned last time, dehydration was and issue but I seem to dealing with that by drinking lots before I go out running and wearing what can only be described as a Bat-Belt. This enables me to carry a water bottle as well as energy gels. I feel this is going to a really important part of the run itself so is a relief to think on the day should be easier to keep taking water on board as there will be water stations on the route.

The other thing I've been thinking about is how (if at all) I'm going to record my experience of doing this. I always had it in mind to keep a video diary and post it on YouTube when I get back. I'd love to take photos and video footage when I'm actually doing the race, but need to way up if it'll be too much if a distraction or not. If I do a video diary, I have already thought of the song that will be the soundtrack to it. I did have a few in mind and couldn't decide, but having been to see Noel Gallagher recently, there is only one winner.

Before I go, can I just give a gentle reminder about sponsoring me...

There are 3 ways you can sponsor me:

1) A good old fashion cash donation when you see me next.

2) By visiting my Just Giving Page www.justgiving.com/RBNY12

3) By texting RBNY12 and the amount you'd like to donate to 70070 e.g.'RBNY12 £5'

Thanks for listening,

Rich

Post 16: Reckoning of a Fat Lad - August 2012

Hi, and welcome to ‘Reckoning of a Fat Lad’, very much the sequel to ‘Confessions of a Fat Lad’, which was the title of my 12th blog entry in April. If you would like to read that, or any other of my previous entries, they’re all available under blog archive in the bottom right hand corner of this page.

On Saturday (25^th August) it was the 4^th anniversary of Jo’s accident. As I wrote in the 4^th entry of this blog ‘Come on Dickie, put your back in to it!’ a year ago, I always leave The JB Trust alone for a few days and just think about Jo. However, this year I’ve found myself thinking about how far the Trust has come and what we’ve achieved in Jo’s name. It’s been such a wonderful thing to have done and I so very grateful for everyone’s help in make it all possible. The Olympics have been amazing and I know Jo would have loved the past few weeks. There has been a lot said about the legacy of the Olympics and how it will inspire a generation. It made me think of Jo and her legacy. With the grant schemes we run every year and our oversees projects it means that Jo’s legacy will inspire and support people in sport, and that is very special.

It’s been a really productive and encouraging month on the running front, well let’s face it, it needed to be! Thanks to my friend Toby, I met a guy called Dan who will be doing the NYC Marathon for the 3^rd year in a row this year. It’s been great to speak to him about specific things about the marathon but also running in general. He’s been really good in answering all the questions I have and has been a really help. We’ve agreed to meet up before and after the race, which will be really cool.

Two friends of mine, Bruce and Kiwi (who ran the London Marathon  for the Trust) have also been good to talk to. It was Kiwi’s birthday recently and we got chatting about the psychological battles you face when you’re running. It was really usual. I’ve got so much respect for Kiwi and her desire when it comes to running, so to hear her say she has the say mental battles that I have (and will) face makes me feel more confident.

I have a 5km route round by my house which I run during the week. It’s good as I’m starting to build up check points on where I should be at a certain time, which helps when I’m trying to pace myself. My usual time for this 5km was about 46mins (not exactly fast I know!) but a couple of weeks ago I decided to really push myself and try and break 45mins. I ended up doing it in 41mins, which got me really buzzing. Next goal is to go under 40mins.

Yesterday I did my longest run to date, 10 miles in 2 hours 15 minutes. On one hand I was happy I managed so far and so long, but on the other hand I was hoping to go for nearer 3 hours. That said, I didn’t take any drinks or energy gels with me and really hit a wall at the 2 hour mark. Which I think was more dehydration than anything else. Good though, as I have a place to build from and hopefully will continue to see improvements.

All in all things are going well, lots still to do and I’m working harder than ever. Before I go, can I just give a gentle reminder about sponsoring me...

There are 3 ways to you can sponsor me:

1) A good old fashion cash donation when you see me next.

2) By visiting my Just Giving Page www.justgiving.com/RBNY12

3) By texting RBNY12 and the amount you'd like to donate to 70070 e.g.'RBNY12 £5'

Must Run!

Rich

Post 15: RBNY12 - July 2012

Hello!

Wow, I'm writing this blog on the morning after the night before. That night being the Opening Ceremony for the London Olympics. It was amazing! I mean, The Queen and James Bond! Amazing! Watching it also made me think a lot about Jo and how much she'd have loved it and what the next two weeks has in store. We will also have an emotional connection to the Olympic Games, Jo had been to Beijing and was travelling back when she had her accident.

Right on with the update and RBNY12, yes that's RBNY12, It stands for Richard Brown New York 12 (as in 2012). More about why that is relevant later. I can safely and (quite) proudly say the past month has been by far the most successful, enjoyable and productive month. That said it did need to be as time is against me now, but never the less it been good. The diet really gave me that kick start, I've lost about a stone and a half which has really help with the running. I've also got some big (well big for me) runs in. I'd say biggest achievement this month has been the mental improvement. When I run I am now able to push through the pain and the dreaded 'walls' a lot more easily.

It is currently 14 weeks until the marathon, which is a really scary thought, but having had such a good month there is reason of optimism. I've got my official NYC Marathon training top come through, which is really cool.

On to RBNY12. For those of you that know me you'll know I don't often promote The JB Trust in terms of asking for money. However, this blog is going to be an exception to that. As I said in my original entry of this blog, the reason for me doing the NYC Marathon is to run it for Jo. Jo was in training for the NYC marathon at the time of her death and would have run it that November (2008). I'm also doing it to raise awareness and money for The JB Trust so we can keep on supporting young athletes and sports projects in Jo's name. If you think what I am doing is worth sponsoring I'd be most grateful if you'd consider sponsoring me. Jo was always adamant that if you ever did anything where you asked people for sponsorship that you had to 'earn your money'. Hopefully you'll think what I am doing fits in to that ethos.

There are 3 ways to you can sponsor me:

1) A good old fashion cash donation when you see me next.

2) By visiting my Just Giving Page www.justgiving.com/RBNY12

3) By texting RBNY12 and the amount you'd like to donate to 70070 e.g.'RBNY12 £5'

I'd also ask that if you could forward this blog, the page about what I'm doing on The JB Trust website (www.TheJoannaBrownTrust.org/RBNY12) to friends and work colleagues as it will help raise the profile of the charity. As I said, it's about raising awareness as well as money. For those of you on Facebook and Twitter you may have noticed that I use #RBNY12. Again it's just a subtle way of promoting what I am going, so please feel free to use it.

As always, thanks for listening and don't forget...

RBNY12

Cheers,

Rich

Post 10: Head Down Eyes Up - February 2012

Hi,

Welcome to my latest blog about me running the Ney York Marathon this year. For those that are new to this, I’m doing it in memory of my sister and the charity we’ve founded in her memory. If you’d like to learn more about it all you can find the previous entries of this blog below, or you can visit the charities website www.TheJoannaBrownTrust.org.

Anyway, the most significant thing to happen this month is I’ve officially book my place in the 2012 New York City Marathon! I’ve booked it with Sports Tours International, the company my sister had booked her place with when she was set to do the NYC Marathon in 2008. Going through the website and booking my package was quite scary. For a while now I’ve just been trying to keep my head down, not think about running a marathon and have just been telling myself ‘all I have to do is go for a run today’. However, having to sit there and actually book my flights, hotel etc... really made me think about being in NYC.

Doing a marathon is such a huge thing, I know that. Add to that the reason I’m doing it then it becomes such a massive thing. But I think the element of it that hasn’t hit me until now is actually going to New York and being there with all those other thousands of people. Out of everything it’s that element that scares me the most at the moment.

On the training front, it’s been ok. Probably a bit poor if I’m being honest. At the moment there always seems to be an excuse not to go for a run or to the gym. It’s been a really busy time for The JB Trust at and so I’ve found it hard to not only fit training in, but also having the energy to do it. I’m not too worried at the moment as I’m confident I can get back on it over the next few weeks. What it has done is made me realise how my priorities will have to change over the coming months. There will be a point where training will have to take priority and therefore other things will have to make way.

A few days ago Helen (Jo’s friend & JB Trust Trustee) and I attended the Just Giving Awards. The JB Trust had been nominated for Most Creative Charity of the Year, which considering the size we are and what limited resources we have at our disposal is an incredible achievement. Unfortunately we lost out to Mencap, but again shows how far The JB Trust has come. Even to be in the same room as some of these huge charities and amazing fundraisers was very inspiring. There was some very moving and emotional stories in the room that in some ways puts The JB Trust story in to perspective. To have Jo’s name mentioned in the same room as these people was very special.

The aim for the next month is to try and get a better routine so I can start to push myself more. It is important that I keep my head down and continue to concentrate on one training session at a time, but I can’t lose sight of what in front of me...

Rich