The day after...

Ouch!

My legs are a bit stiff and I've a couple of blisters, but other than that I am in fine fettle and feeling very proud to have made it round!

Thank you to all of you who sent me text messages of support the day before and on the morning of the race, it really gave me encouragment and of course, a huge thank you for all of of your sponsorship, I think its got up to £800 now which I am so chuffed about!

I have to say I enjoyed it, in a perverse sort of way. The weather was pretty horrible, heavy rain and driving wind in the unsheltered parts of the course. I got to my start area in reasonable time, and met Paul & Emma from work who were also taking part and we all joined in the mass warmup led by some Mr Motivator-type guy. There was a lot of excitment, everyone was up for it and we all fed off the atmosphere. Just before the start, the rain stopped as well but not, as it turned out, for long.

My wave didnt get started until 11.15 (by which time the elite runners like Paula Radcliffe were already half way round!) but luckily there weren't too many walkers to get in my way so i was able to start off at a steady jogging pace.

The first couple of miles were really good, we went off from Southsea heading west, past Gunwharf Quays and into the Historic Dockyard. I really enjoyed this bit, it was cobbled and HMS Victory looked fantastic. Then we came round towards the city centre, and it started bucketing down again - nice.

I was still going fine by the 5 mile mark, by now I had walked a couple of short stretches before continuing jogging. It was around the 6 mile mark I started really feeling it, when we were coming along the north side of Southsea Common I could see people who had already finished and were making their way home with their foil sheets and medals! I saw Lisa & Erin at this point, we were waving and calling to each other, and Erin was shouting "Run Daddy, Run!" which really spurred me on.

Around 7 miles we were in & around the side streets of Fratton (I think) and the people were brilliant along this stretch. Some of them had marquees and gazebos up and seemed to be having street parties, and they kept cheering us on.

At 8 miles my legs started to give up on me, and I began walking a lot. My head and lungs were telling me to keep running, but my legs just wouldn't obey! I knew I was most of the way round and listened to a few good tunes on my iPod to push me on.

I have to say, I met some really good people on the way round. Some of us who seemed to be around the same sort of pace fell in around each other, and we had a few chats and willed each other on when one of us was flagging a bit - and we shared out the lucozade tablets!

Turning for home, we headed west again for the last mile and a half back towards Southsea Esplanade - right into the wind and driving rain! Knowing I was on the home stretch, I got running again and towards the finish line I saw Lisa & Erin again and jogged it home as best I could.

Over the finish line - phew! I was so proud to have completed it, my legs were knacked but it didnt matter, foil blanket, quick change and home. My time was 2 hours 22 minutes but to be honest I don't really care. My aim was the challenge of doing 10 miles and raising sponsorship for Diabetes UK, which I have done and thats what matters to me. Plus, i beat Lisa's time from 2005!! :-) sorry darling!

I think Lisa took some pictures, as soon as I get some sorted I'll post them up on the blog. It was good to see a few familiar faces in the crowds on the way round as well. the crowds were brilliant, they kept cheering and encouraging us - it really does give you a lift!

I intend to keep the running up, I know I could have done better with more than 3 months' training but its fun to get out for a couple of miles' jog. As for next year - there's plenty of time to think about that!

I will keep this blog going for a bit, and keep my justgiving fundraising going for another week, in case anyone else still wants to donate.

Thanks for your support,

Neil

Final Push!

Today marks the start of my final push towards Sunday, both in fundraising and training.

I went for a light run this morning, and now its about saving my legs for Sunday, eating & drinking properly. I'm looking forward to the run with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. I'm hoping the weather wont be too bad, though at this stage the long range forecast isn't great!

I had a really good day gathering sponsorship in work yesterday, I raised another £65 so I'm almost at my target of £600, which I'm really pleased about. Again, thanks to all of you who have sponsored me, I wont let you down. If you haven't got round to it yet, please visit www.justgiving.com/neilbowles, you know you want to!

I received a call from our staff newspaper and was interviewed by them for a piece they're writing about all the NATS staff who are doing the Great South Run this year, it turns out there are loads so I should see a few familiar faces amongst the other runners.

Well, at the time of writing I have only 4 more sleeps before the big day, I'll try and get another blog in before then. Cheers!

Not long now!

At the time of writing, I have only 10 more sleeps til the run! Went for a run this morning, did 4 miles and the legs are hurting again. Up until about 10 days ago the training was going really well, then I got a chest infection, followed by going to Slovenia for 4 days to watch Northern Ireland play (see pic of me and Colin supporting Our Wee Country), followed by a 2 day residential work training course - all of which meant my routine has been blown out of the water. 

But this morning's run felt ok, though the legs are burning now! I'm going to get a few longer runs in early next week, then a shorter one next Thursday, to rest for my legs for Sunday week.

I knew I'd never be able to run 10 miles without stopping, so the plan is still the same - run as far as I can then walk a bit, run a bit all the way home!

Thank you again for all your sponsorship, it keeps coming in so which is brilliant. If you haven't yet been able to, please have a look at my justgiving site and donate if you can, I am nearly at my total!

More soon blogfans!

The Man in the Arena

I got an email from the race organisers yesterday, with training tips and the news that it will be televised. It's beginning to dawn on me what I'm actually taking on - 10 miles suddenly seems like a long way. I felt a mixture of excitement and worry, followed by determination to increase my training efforts.

Thats how I try to approach things, I always work best with a deadline to achieve and when I'm determined to do something, I will. I thought back to a speech that one of my previous american football coaches gave us before a big game. It was from a speech by Theodore Roosevelt and its one of the most inspirational things I've ever read. See what you think:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Thats why I will be lining up for the BUPA Great South Run on Sunday 26th October 2008.

Slow running week

Its been a slow week on the running front, very frustrating. I got a bit of a nasty cold last weekend that took a while to clear, and I was advised not to run with a cold so I missed a few runs. Plus my mum & dad have been visiting so it was easy to not find time to get out, a bit naughty of me. But I went back out running today on Hindhead Common, it really is beautiful out there, as I chugged along I saw wild ponies and Highland cattle grazing, all just a few minutes from home.

Because my parents were visiting I couldn't go out fishing on Thursday (sorry Paul & Jimbob) so I missed that, but I was able to take Mum to the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden on Tuesday evening to see La Fancuilla Del West http://www.roh.org.uk/whatson/production.aspx?pid=6530 which was one of her life's ambitions, she was really chuffed so that was great.

Back to work tomorrow, next run is Sunday.

How do you kill a circus? Go for the juggler...

Took Erin to see the circus last night, Jay Miller's Circus are in Haslemere til Sunday. To my slight surprise, it was really good, the gymnasts were excellent and Erin lapped it up.

On Tuesday it was our fourth wedding anniversary so i took Lisa for dinner at Fat Olives in Emsworth http://www.fatolives.co.uk/ and it was a fab evening. Highly recommended!

The owners there are also doing the Great South Run, as are quite a few people I know. Hopefully one of them will save me a foil blanket and a mars bar.


Oh yeah, and the running....

Well its been raining so much that I couldnt face getting soaked again yesterday, so I wento the Kinetica gym at The Edge on Woolmer Hill, Haslemere and had a my best run yet. I did a 5K on the treadmill - is treadmill running easier than on the road? I think I prefer running outside as there's more to see. But I certainly couldn't have managed 5K three weeks ago, so I was encouraged.

Its getting a little easier...

I had a good run on Saturday, even though it was raining - again.

When you're out running you don't half keep a close eye on the weather forecast!

Sunday was a long day, my american football team were in the national semi final, with a chance to go to the Britbowl - the UK equivalent of the Super Bowl - but we travelled all the way up to Redditch only to lose 30-22, which was really gutting. So thats our season over now, Lisa will be glad as she'll actually see me on Sundays now!

Thanks again to all of you who have sponsored me. If you havent got round to it yet, please do so soon. Cheers, Neil

Thank you all!

Thanks very much to everyone who's sponsored me so far, you are very kind and I really appreciate it. I'm over  a third of the way to my total in one weekend, so now I'm really confident that I will get to my target, and beyond!

If you haven't been able to get round to it yet, please do so if you can. You can follow the link just to the right of this post.

Had a lovely few days off over the weekend, Erin went to her friend's birthday party on Saturday then we all went to Kevin & Veronica's in Weybridge for a barbecue. It was a really hot day and the pool looked really inviting - Erin loved it, she's a really little water baby.

Sunday was thunderstorms, typical as it was also my running day. Managed to dodge the showers so get a breather Monday!

Week 2!!

I went running after work, its now apparent I need some reflective gear if I'm to run after dark as there are surprisingly few street lights around here!

As I turned the corner at Hindhead crossroads there was a broken down National Express coach in the layby, with its passengers standing on the pavement waiting for a replacement bus. Isn't it funny how people look at you like you're some sort of nutter as you run past them?? I was puffing a bit but there was no way I was slowing down with an audience!

I have now set up my fundraising website at www.justgiving.com/neilbowles . Please, please click on the link and help me raise some money for a really important cause. Your support will really drive me on in my training. And please sign up for Giftaid, it will really bump up your donation. Thanks, Neil

I'm In!

Exciting news, I've had my entrance to the Great South Run confirmed by the organisers. Although Diabetes UK had said it was ok, its exciting to get the email confirmation, so I have registered for the race and will hopefully be getting my fundraising pack soon so I can start looking for sponsorship.

I also plan to set up a Justgiving website to collect sponsorship, so if I've got your email address - expect to be tapped soon!!

So I've rested my legs and its time for week 2 of the training plan, building it up a bit from last week. I'm working lates this week so my next run will be Thursday evening when I get home.

I don't like Monday's

I don't know if it was because I'd just done 2 early shifts, with a 4 hour american football match in between, but my legs felt like lead for Monday's run and it was harder work than Saturday's. I guess it goes like that sometimes. But I got it done so that's my first week!

If you run early enough, no one can see you

Second training run on Saturday morning. Went out nice and early, no one around to see me huffing & puffing.

My training plan entails building up from a very low base of fitness, so its 3 times a week, stepping it up each week.

The first 3 runs, I run for 60 seconds, then walk briskly for 90 seconds, repeating this 8 times, with a five minute warm up and cool down which is around 30 minutes.

Next week its run for 90 seconds then 60 seconds walking (recovery!) repeated 8 times, again every other day with recovery days inbetween.

And then increase it every week. More details to follow!

But yesterday's run was easier than the first, it wasnt until the 7th set that I was puffing. I have found a nice run to the village of Grayshott, which is very slightly downhill so it means there is a slight climb on the way home, to put a bit of fire into the legs!

As usual with me, if I'm going to do something I need some good kit!

So for new running shoes I went to Sports Locker in Haslemere. From doing some research on the net I knew there were different kinds of shoes depending on your foor type/ running style etc. They were really helpful, they had a board that you stand on and it shows the exact shape of your foot. I over-pronate on my right foot especially which means I need a stability shoe. I tried some on, they also have a treadmill to try them out on. Went for the Saucony Omni 6 Moderate (for the mild-to-moderate over-pronator!) http://www.saucony.co.uk/shoe/shoe.php?id=29241 and I've got to say, after 2 runs in them they are the comfiest shoes I've EVER worn, love them.

Also, is the latest iPod Shuffle not the greatest invention ever?? Bought the 2GB one which holds about 500 songs http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/ipod_shuffle?mco=MTIwMDM Filled it full of really pumping tunes to urge me on, sound quality is class and it is so light, just clips on. Didnt fancy my old iPod Classic strapped onto me!

Fave running song so far: Insomnia by Faithless

What are you playing at Big Man?

Its time for a change. But running? Anyone who knows me probably reckons I couldn't run a bath. But on 26th October 2008 (or in 2 months time!) I've entered the BUPA Great South Run. 10 miles round the streets of Portsmouth. I'll be running for Diabetes UK and have pledged to raise money for them.

Why run?

Well, several reasons. I want to lose weight and get fit, but will power has never been my greatest strength. I seem to find that I achieve things better when I have a deadline or target. So by setting myself an unmovable deadline (and a very public one) it seemed like a good start.

Secondly, I have something to train for. Today, I went for my first run. Consequently, my legs are now on fire. But it feels good. My plan is to go out 3 times a week. I'm following a beginner's running plan from the website Cool Running http://www.coolrunning.com and there's even a podcast you can download to help you along. Although the run is 10 miles, I'm realistic enough to know I wont be able to run that in 2 months. But if I can run half that, I will walk/jog the rest. I will get round. Part of my inspiration is Lisa. She ran the Great South in 2005 and I was so proud of her - and a bit jealous of her achievement, because I knew then it was something I couldn't have done.

Thirdly, I'm going to be my best friend John's best man in March next year, and I want to be in a lot better shape then than I am now.

And I have my health to think about. Its not healthy to be overweight, and I want to be around a long time for Lisa & Erin.

So a combination of things has meant its time to make a positive change!

I'll try to keep blogging as often as possible, to create a record of my journey, and I hope you'll come along with me.