Post 11: The American Dream - March 2012

Hello and welcome to the latest entry of my blog.

For those that are new to this (or for those that need reminding!) the purpose of this blog is to track my journey as I get ready to do the New York Marathon. It’s all in memory of my sister and the charity we’ve founded in her memory, The Joanna Brown Trust.  

The biggest news to announce is that it was confirmed earlier this month that I will be a torch bearer for London 2012. My wife Katie nominated me on the back of what we’ve achieved with The Joanna Brown Trust. I’ll be carrying it on Friday 25^th May and the most special element of it all is I’ll be doing it through my home town of Malvern. It is going to be an incredibly special day and we’ll certainly be using it as a way of celebrating everything we’ve been able to achieve in Jo’s memory. It was whilst Jo was travelling back from the last Olympics in Beijing that she had her accident, so to be a Torch Bearer for this Olympics is incredibly special.

As for the training this month it started off really well. I was making really good progress and felt good about it all. However, a combination of things has meant I haven’t been out as much as I’d have like over the past week or so. Once again it has highlight how I’ll need to prioritise my training over the coming months. It also shows that I still haven’t fully changed my lifestyle. I can train well for a week or two but then am likely to have a relapse and not do as much. This is something I need to stop doing and have a more consistent routine. Overall I am still happy with my progress (but like I seem to always say) I need to keep going and do more.

The other thing that has happened this month is the running dreams have started. I’ve had a few dreams where I’ve been running, either in a 10km or a half marathon. I accept it probably is not that interesting but does this mean running is starting to become a bigger part of my life? Running doesn’t hold that same fear that it used to so maybe I am getting used to it....

Finally, just want to say good luck to Bruce, Kiwi and Helen. All friends of mine that are running the London Marathon in aid of The JB Trust. I’ll be there to support them on the day and will be my first experience of a big city marathon.

New York gets closer every day and will soon be more than just a dream.

Laters!

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

Post 9: I am Not a Runner - January 2012

Hi, 

Welcome to the first blog entry of 2012, a year that promises so much. As well as running (think ‘doing’ is probably a more appropriate word) the New York Marathon I have some wonderful things to look forward to and achieve this year.

 

The most significant is that I have been selected to be a Torch Bearer of the Olympic Flame. When I first received the email it didn’t really sink in, in fact I don’t think it will completely until the day I do it (Friday 25th May). I feel very honoured to have even been nominated so to actually have been selected is very special and will be a wonderful day for my family, friends and everyone who has supported The Joanna Brown Trust. After all, it’s because of The JB Trust that I have been selected so we are all looking forward to using it as a celebration of what we have achieved in Jo’s memory. More details about that over the next few months.

 

Right, on to the running. It’s been good. I’ve started to go out on the roads more and think I am starting to overcome the initial psychological barriers. I have this silly thing where just before I go out for a run I think ‘I hope I can make it otherwise it’s going to be really demoralising’. I’m not going any great distance and have completed a number of runs successfully now, it’s just still not having the confidence I can run for any distance / time. I’m always slightly amazing when I make it back! The work I’ve been doing in the gym is definitely paying off and so that also adds as an extra incentive to keep that part of my training up. Overall, I am starting to see the improvements and that acts as a great motivation to keep going.

 

As I mentioned in my previous blog, I now have the Adidas MiCoach which tracks your speed, heart rate etc... Unfortunately I didn’t get off to the best start with it. The first time I went to use it I didn’t turn it on (don’t ask me why!), the second I did turn it on but forgot to press start, and then the third time I did all of the above but then didn’t sync it up to the computer correctly. The most worrying thing is it is really easy to use and all completely my fault. Now that I have got it working it is really useful. The most useful information I find at the moment is the speed I’m going. When I’m on the treadmill I run at 10km/h and when on the roads I run at around 8.5km/h. I run for longer and further on the roads so am happy with that pace. The plan is to continue to run faster in the gym as a means of variety and to keep challenging myself.

 

The other interesting element of the MiCoach is the heart rate monitor. It tracks it all the way during my runs and there is a pattern developing. After around 10 – 12mins my heart rate actually drops and I seem to find a ‘rhythm’. Have I found the 1st wall????

 

When I am out running I sometimes catch a reflection of myself or see my shadow and I just think ‘I do not look like a runner!’. I’m not sure what a runner should actually look like but I’m definitely not it. I am starting to enjoy it and I am seeing improvements so maybe I will become a runner eventually, but in the mean time I’ll just have to pretend to be one...

 

Until next time...

 

Post 8: Lets Talk Numbers - December 2011

Hi,

Welcome to the final blog entry of 2011 (albeit being written on 2nd Jan 2012). Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. This is my 8th entry and I'm starting to worry I'll eventually run out of things to say. 2012 is set to be a really fantastic year so hopefully you'll stick with me as there is so much to look forward to and achieve.

The training this month has been good. Nothing spectacular or groundbreaking, just keeping things going. Being a month that includes my birthday and Christmas it was never going to be anything else. One thing I've learnt since starting this blog is to be realistic with your targets. There was a time a few months ago when I was starting to get frustrated and putting too much pressure on myself. Having spoken to many friends and fellow runners (I feel like I'm cheating using the term 'fellow' but you know what I mean) I realise that the New York Marathon is still a long way away. Most marathon training programmes are about 16 weeks long, I've still got 11 months.

Having said that, a 16 week programme is fine providing you are in some kind of decent physical shape (which I'm not). The key things for me at the moment is giving myself a good platform of general fitness. Not being a runner and having never done anything this physically demanding before I'm not 100% sure how my body will react. Getting injured is already a concern and so I am trying to take things slowly. It's been really useful talking to Bruce and Kelly (friends of mine that ran the Edinburgh marathon for The JB Trust) as they seem to understand both where I am at the moment, in terms of fitness, and where I am trying to get to.

For Christmas, Katie (my wife) bought be the Adidas MiCoach. It has three parts, a heart rate monitor, a sensor / chip to put in your shoe and a device that clips to the top of your shorts. The device records the information from the heart rate monitor and the chip in your shoe. You then plug it in to your computer and it tells you all the stats about your run including stride length, speed etc...

I am really looking forward to using this as it will be great to have some actually evidence of the progress I'm making. It will also help when people ask me about how the training is going. When people ask me how the training is going I feel like I'm cheating them by just saying I'm in the gym most of the time and am not really running yet. I'm sure some of them think it's an excuse for not actually running (I'd probably think the same). I really am grateful for the about of support and interest this challenge seems to already have and it will be nice to share the information I'll get from my Adidas MiCoach with them.

2012 promises to be a really fantastic year. I've got lots to look forward to and some incredibly special things to do (more about those in the months to come). I hope you've had a good Christmas and are as excited about the year ahead as I am.

Here's to 2012...

Rich

Post 7: Forty-Seven Thousand Runners and Me - November 2011

Hi,

  

Post 7! Can’t believe I’m already at Post 7! Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read the latest edition of my blog. If you are new to it and would like the ‘story so far...’ you can find the other entries below.

  

I am pleased to start this month’s entry by saying it has been a good few weeks. Training is going well and I have to admit I am actually starting to enjoy it. The majority of my training has been in the gym and will remain that way until the New Year. As I mention last time, the short term aim is to build up my general fitness and strength. That has been going well and I am actually quite looking forward to January when I’ll be going out on the roads more.

  

Last week I meet with Emily Tuck, Centre Manager for Nuffield Health in Worcester. I told her all about the Trust, what I am doing and why I am doing it. It was great to meet her and share the story of it all as I am incredibly grateful for the support they are giving me. It was also great to learn more about the other services and support they offer at Nuffield Health and how they might benefit me in the months to come.  As well as going in the gym quite a lot, my mate Hoops and I have started playing squash / racquet ball after our gym session. It has been a great way to do some extra work and also acts well as a warm down. We haven’t been keeping track of who’s won the most games, well I hope not as I think he’s beating me hands down!

  

Earlier this week I also had a good chat with Andrea Faull, a senior lecturer in sport and exercise psychology at the University of Worcester. We were talking about my challenge and it was really interesting to hear her talk about setting goals throughout 2012. It actually made it sound a lot more realistic and achievable. I think for the first time I actually thought ‘I can do this’. I know that might sounds stupid but there is a difference between thinking ‘I will do it’ and ‘I can do it’. Obviosuly, the fact I’m doing it for Jo mean ‘I will’ do the New York Marathon, even if it means crawling on my hands and knees. However, having spoken to Andrea and with progress I’ve made this month I’m starting to believe ‘I can’ do it. Hope that makes some sort sense...

  

The other big thing to happen this month was the New York Marathon 2011. 47,107 people ran it! I watch some of the coverage on the internet and it was just amazing to see so many people. It did, however, make my feet go a bit tingly... I can’t even begin to image being there on the start line and in some ways that not such a bad thing at the moment.

  

So all in all it has been a good month. I’m feeling a lot more optimistic about it all and looking forward to 2012. However, I do have the next month to get through first so I’ll need to make sure I keep going to the gym as much as I can.

  

Until next time...   

Post 6: Back to the Beginning via Mumbai - October 2011

Hi,

Let me start this month’s entry by setting the scene of where I am sitting whilst writing this. I am currently in Goa, spending a few days here with Katie having visited the new Joanna Brown dormitory at the Magic Bus centre just outside of Mumbai – more about that later. We are staying at the Casa Colvale, a beautiful secluded boutique hotel in north Goa. If anyone is looking for a relaxing holiday I wholeheartedly recommend coming here.

Anyway, thanks as always for taking the time to read my blog. I’ve been thinking about what to write in this entry for a while as there seems to be a familiar pattern forming. To start with I write about something more interesting than anything to do with my struggles to get fit, then I’ll briefly mention that training is hard, how I’m not really enjoying it and that I had hoped to make more progress that I actually have. Unfortunately this month’s blog won’t do anything to move away from that tradition.

Our trip to India has been amazing. The hotels, the food, the people, the scenery, just the whole experience really has been wonderful. The main reason for the trip was to visit the Joanna Brown dormitory and officially open it. Needless to say that it was very special and emotional. Part of me feels strange about enjoying coming here and seeing what we have achieved. Due to reasons why The Joanna Brown Trust was founded I think there will always a bitter-sweet element to everything. Having said that, it definitely doesn’t stop me being incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved and even more grateful for the support people still continue to show. More details, photos and videos about the dormitory will be available on our website, Facebook page and Twitter account over the next few weeks.

Right, time for the training update. It’s been hard (as usual) and I haven’t made the progress I was hoping for (as usual). One of the really nice things about coming away, especially to such a quiet relaxing place like the Casa Colvale, is it has given me a lot of time to think about things. Having been to visit the Joanna Brown dormitory I’ve obviously thought a lot about Jo and what is next for The Joanna Brown Trust. It has also allowed me to think about my training and the year I have in front of me. I realised that, although I’m under no illusions about how difficult it will be to complete a marathon, I have got carried away with the story of it all. By that I mean joking about being an ‘international runner’ and thinking that taken my trainers on holiday with me (yes they are here) and doing the odd jog round the block somehow makes a big difference. Since starting my training I haven’t really been hard enough on myself, especially with my eating, and that’s why I haven’t seen the improvements I was hoping for. My mate Hoops is doing his best to keep pushing me, but I’m sure he’s getting frustrated. I certainly would be if I was him.

Having had time to reflect on the past few months and fearing that moment when it is less than a year until the New York Marathon has really focused my mind on what I need to do. I am also anxious that my birthday, Christmas and New Year are coming up on the horizon and I know I’ll be able to enjoy it more having made so good progress. I also want to be able to start 2012 in a confident mood. To do all that I feel I need to go back to the beginning, work on my general fitness and be harder on myself with my eating.

Cheers,

Rich

Post 5: The Ups & Downs of an International Runner - September 2011

Hi,

I can’t believe this is my 5th entry already as it means I’ve been doing this for 5 months now! The one thing about doing this blog does is it makes you realise how fast time flies. Thanks, as always, for visiting this blog. If you are new to it the other entries can be found below.

Following the not so productive month of August, I was really looking forward to making some big improvements this month. With Katie going back to work (she’s a primary school teacher) the hope was with a more structured routine I’d make some good progress. On the whole I think I have. There have been times in the gym when I’ve felt really good and have been able to push myself that bit further, particularly on the running machine. However, there have been times when I just can’t do it and feel worse and more unfit than when I started. A few weeks ago I started to let it get to me and was becoming quite down and stressed about it. It seemed like the more I tried and the more I went to the gym the worse I was getting. So I decided to have a few days off and not worry about it. This was definitely a good decision as when I went back I felt a lot better.

The one thing I’ve started to notice and make an effort with is what I eat the day I go to the gym and how it affects me. I’m sure there is advice out there but part of this whole journey I’m going on is about discovery. When we did the bike ride last year I really enjoyed learning about it all and going on that journey. I’m sure this is going to be the same.

The JB Trust continues to move forward and when I come to write next month’s blog I’ll be in India! The dormitory The JB Trust has funded the construction of at a sports centre outside of Mumbai is almost finished. Katie and I are going out there over the October half term to visit the centre and learn about how children from the slums of Mumbai benefit from attending the residential camps. The centre is run by a charity called Magic Bus (Twitter names: @MagicBusInida & @MagicBusUK) and it’s been a real pleasure working with them on this project. I am undecided at the moment whether or not to take my running trainers with me. On one hand it will mean I’ve run in 3 different countries in 3 months. However, on the on the other hand running in that heat might not be the best thing for moral and confidence. Tune in next time to find out what happens.... (suspense!).

Overall I haven’t made the progress I was hoping for this month, it’s been a bit up and down, but the signs are there (hopefully).

Next stop, Mumbai!
Rich