Keith dreams of running 2014 London Marathon

GoldthorpesHeel
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Keith dreams of running 2014 London Marathon
Hi I'm Keith (but I sometimes use the user name "GoldthorpesHeel")
Family grown up, in my mid 50's, I started running at the start of this year, to lose some weight. I have long dreamed of running just one marathon, and as a native South East Londoner, exiled on the South Coast, that just had to be the Virgin London Marathon. I have been offered a place to run on behalf of one of my favoured charities, CLIC-Sargent, which of course means lots of fund raising. So this blog will (hopefully) catalogue my progress towards fulfilling this dream (and maybe a few other things too).
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… but not for running – or so it seems.
It seems to be a combination of the dark nights, the horrible weather and head cold, but it's been a real struggle to get out this last week or so. But I'm aware that April 13 2014 is creeping up on us, and I did ...
My elder daughter recently announced that she wanted to move somewhere warmer. I braced myself for the devastating news – Southern Europe? The Caribbean? As someone now making her way in the world of finance maybe the Cayman Islands? … “I'm moving to Cl...
There is of course a downside to working alongside a number of Aussies. This can be summed up most eloquently in a single word – CRICKET!!! But there is a good side to it as well, and this was proven as one of my colleagues from the land down under, Ju...
Last Saturday evening saw me heading up the road to neighbours, and good friends, Ros and Roger for an excellent meal. I seem to remember, towards the end of the evening, Roger and myself inflicting a significant degree of damage on Roger's (previously ...
As Mrs Bee points out training and fundraising combined (or indeed individually) can be pretty exhausting. Last weekend saw me visiting my two (lovely) daughters in London, which meant no jobs done, complete anarchy, and a day's holiday today to attempt...
Having established that there are really two different projects going on, the running one and the fund-raising one, time for a fund-raising update (CLIC Sargent ask a minimum of £1800, and my proposal was to raise £2000).
One of the quirkier elements of...
When I started out on this madcap scheme in April I always pictured myself, on a glorious morning, gliding effortlessly along Weymouth's magnificent seafront. In the words of the great philosopher (Meatloaf) "two out of three ain't bad". My thanks to S...
Said Mark Twain (possibly) referring to the great game of golf. Over a week since I last blogged, so definitely time for an update. Around about the turn of the year I was seriously contemplating whether to return to spending my best leisure hours out o...
<namedrop>On of my claims to fame is that I went to school with "Grumpy Old Men" comedian Arthur Smith. This is not as impressive as it might sound. By "went to school with" what I mean is that on occasions I was in the same building at the same t...
Having established that there are two definite parallel threads to my marathon experience (the fund-raising one and the running one), I really need to train for them separately. Since one of my work-mates advised that it is a good plan to stand outside ...
... Alfie - sang Cilla Black.
And a couple of things have happened in the last few days that have caused me to ask the same question of myself, hence two postings in two days.
Music was always supposed to play a big part in my fundraising campaign. I p...
Funny old week this one - after first half marathon and 10 mile race within six days of each other sort of feel like taking it easy this week. Then a work leaving do last night and just didn't feel like going out this evening. So with another 10 miles ...
First ever half marathon last Sunday, great run on Thursday, and all my office mates happy to donate to my chosen cause, children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent. Sadly one has also donated the office cold. Sniffle started on Friday, sneezing this morning...
Well - first half marathon now under my belt - where to got from here? My legs felt like lead Monday and Tuesday. But Tuesday was the Egdon Heath Harriers draw for three London Marathon Places. I thought long and hard about this and decided that, having...
The Bournemouth Half Marathon was my first ever half marathon, on Sunday October 6th.
Why The B$%#?y Hell Did I Sign Up For This?
I asked myself numerous times this morning. Why didn’t my running friends tell me not to go off too fast I questioned? (wel...
Ok that's quite enough allusion to Gary Glitter. At 4:30 on Sunday morning I returned from an absolutely wonderful week in Turkey. Stayed at Nielson's Foca Beach Club having arranged the holiday through Singlesport (who I skied with earlier this year). ...
I guess it's always a bit tough coming back to reality after a great holiday.
On the running front I think things are going OK. Last Thursday I did a variant of my "Longest Run". I adjusted it at the end to do a fairly sensible hill rather than the ridi...
In years gone by I would never have missed football on the T.V. When I were a lad, cup final day was one of the highlights of the year. We all converged on my grandparent's house and crowded around the old black and white set, and as the keenest of all ...
Well the more avid follower will discern that it is a good two weeks since I last blogged. But I have a pretty good excuse having been away walking the Northern Fells of the Lake District from HF Holidays Derwent Bank house. A group of use met here two ...
So to continue with the running / alcohol theme, one last posting related to the Bierbrunnenfest trip. There follows a picture of me with my new (unofficial) technical adviser.
Well, apparently this particular bandsman has, on four separate occasions, ...
Got back from attending the "Bierbrunnenfest" in Lubbecke, Germany, playing third cornet with the Durnovaria Silver Band, at midnight on Tuesday. I have since found out that Brunnen refers to the fountain in the town square and that in days gone by the ...
Well, the results for the Maiden Newton Madness were finally published and I clocked about 58 mins, which given that I'm sure it was:
1) Closer to 11k than 10k
2) Quite hilly
3) Quite muddy
was (I thought) not at all bad, and several minutes faster than...
Well having already discussed the running benefits of jelly beans, this weekend I was introduced to a different type of running beans. Ventured oooop North (of Dorchester that is ) to attempt the Maiden Newton Madness 10k with work colleages Tim and Chr...
Well - as mentioned earlier, I followed my doctor's suggestion and took a week off exercise, but back in the saddle now. Have signed up to do the Maiden Newton Madness almost 10k race on Saturday with Chris (+ Beans the dog) and Tim from work meaning I ...