First Time Marathon

Grand total - £2,889.82

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 22:25:55 +0200

Final total, all in, banked and cheque at the ready for delivery to Rachel House.......

Grand total - £2,889.82

A huge THANKS from CHAS, Alan, Sheena and I to everybody who very kindly donated to this amazing cause.

Until next year.....

Take care,

John

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We Did It - Wooohoooooooo!!!

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:46:44 +0200

Hey Folks,

Well, it wasn't pretty and it wasn't fast, but we did it!

We managed 5hrs 34mins in the end and a new personal best for us both!

Thank you to each and every one of you who have helped us along the way, and of course to those of you who have donated your hard earned cash for CHAS. Sheena, Alan and I really appreciate it and I know the kids, families and staff at CHAS appreciate it too.

We are still not quite at our £3,000 target yet, but there is still time to donate

Please click the following link and have a look at our profile page to view some photos of the day...

http://www.blog.co.uk/community/profile_photos.php?user=HSEGroup

The image below shows Alan and I at the bag drop on a cold Sunday morning...been to the toilet 18 times - check, energy pouches at the ready - check, Plenty of Lucozade - check, vaseline in all the right places - check! Let's do this!

I looked petrified, but Alan looked very cool, calm and collected as always.

Take care,

See you all next year

John

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Oh Boy!

Sat, 24 May 2008 21:32:45 +0200

Less than 12 hours until the gun fires at the start of the 2008 Edinburgh Marathon and the nerves are beginning to kick in. It's been such a hectic week I've hardly had time to think about it!

Getting the kit sorted out now and have just pinned the number to the front of my CHAS vest.

When it gets tough tomorrow I'll just imagine turning up at Rachel House in Kinross and handing over the cheque for all the money you have helped raise.

If anyone is in a pub in Mussleburgh tomorrow around 3.00pm, mine's a lager:-)

Alan

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Marathon Eve!

Sat, 24 May 2008 17:26:56 +0200

Hey Folks,

It's here!

All the training is done, all stocked up on carbs, kit bag is nearly packed, been to the Expo for the goodie bag, a nice chillin' time in front of the tv and an early night in store. Then it's race day!

Really looking forward to this. I can almost taste the medal already!

Good luck to everybody for tomorrow

Take care,

John

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JustGiving Link

Wed, 21 May 2008 13:01:09 +0200

Looks like we had a slight technical hitch there for a while but the link to our donations page is back up and running!

Sheena

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JustGiving Link

Mon, 19 May 2008 21:43:09 +0200

Hey Folks,

It would appear that our JustGiving buttons on the right hand side of the page have vanished. Maybe it's just me!?

Anyway, here's the link to our fund raising page just in case you can't see the buttons on the right.....

http://www.justgiving.com/firsttimemarathon

Take care,

John

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One week to go, but who's counting?!

Sun, 18 May 2008 20:40:32 +0200

Hey Folks,

Well that's it, the final week of training before the big day. Last week and this week's training was fairly light to taper off and allow our bodies to repair and prepare for the big one. Which was just as well as I was away on business last week and only managed a short run on Friday morning on my return.

Completed a 10 miler today and it's probably the best run I have had so far. I felt really comfortable, really strong and managed a very steady 8.32 mins/mile average. Obviously not the pace I will be sticking to on the day, far from it, but I feel fitter than I have ever been before and this helps the ol' confidence for Sunday.

An update on the fund raising so far:

Our JustGiving site - http://www.justgiving.com/firsttimemarathon - has raised a most excellent £510 so far. Thank you to each and every one of you who have donated, every penny makes so much difference to so many kids and their families.

Our 'look 'em in the eye' fund raising between work colleagues, friends and family has almost topped £1,300. Thank you to each and every one of you who have dug deep over the months, your generosity has been overwhelming to say the least.

But, we always wanted to reach £3,000, so we still have over £1,200 to go. One week left and one or two weeks after the event before we stop collecting, so if you can, please help us reach our target. Every single penny counts!

Thank you very much for your support!

Take care,

John

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Estimated Finish Time……24th May 2009

Mon, 12 May 2008 15:44:00 +0200

Hi There

Unfortunately I have had to withdraw my entry from this years marathon due to a recurring knee injury :XX" class="middle" border="0">

On Sunday Alan and myself completed the Dunfermline Half Marathon and crossing the finish line for the first time was an amazing experience (even if it was with a limp!). Unfortunately 5 miles in my knee flared up and though I managed to run with it for the majority of the course I Iimped the last mile.

I’m really disappointed not to be joining Alan and John for the Edinburgh Marathon, however, if someone had said to me 7 months ago that I would be completing a half marathon I’m not sure I would have believed them. Its been a great journey, from literally starting running for the first time in January to completing 13 miles yesterday is an amazing feeling, and I feel rather chuffed!

I definitely plan to keep running once I manage to get my knee sorted out once and for all and my withdrawal from the 2008 marathon has secured me a place for Edinburgh in 2009 – I’ll reach the finish line, might just take a little longer than I thought

Best of luck John & Alan (not that you’ll need it!). I’ll be at the finish line with a couple of mars bars and some beers!

Sheena

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2 Weeks To Go!

Fri, 09 May 2008 09:45:48 +0200

Hi There

I can't quite believe that it's just over 2 weeks to go to Marathon day! It certainly doesn't feel like 6 months has passed since the three of us started on this journey and there have certainly been a couple of hills to climb along the way.

Training over the last couple of weeks has been going well. Started back on grass initially, with the physio's advice to build up on a softer surface, and after running circles round Pitreavie Playing Fields (not the most inspiring) have tried running back on the tarmac....and its going great!
Although I wont be able to reach the mileage that I had initially planned I'm putting that out of my mind and concentrating fully on running the Dunfermline Half Marathon this Sunday and the Edinburgh Marathon 2 weeks later.

Here We Go!!

All the best, Sheena

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Three Weeks to go!

Sun, 04 May 2008 16:45:52 +0200

Hey Folks,

Another week goes by and another step closer to the big day!

Managed a 20 mile run today, and much like my last big run, this was the hardest challenge of my entire life. Got there in the end though . I even had to stop the last mile at my wee local shop to ask them to fill up my water bottle .

Today has been the warmest day of training for me so far, there was even a blast of sunshine for half an hour or so, which brought on new challenges. Not a breath of wind and the sun beating down on your back changes mental performance no end. Something I will personally need to bear in mind for the big day.

Anyway, another plate of pasta awaits me and a nice long session in front of the TV to watch some snooker .

We leave the line and cross the line together

Take care,

John

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Four weeks to go!

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:29:16 +0200

Hey Folks,

Four weeks today for the big day!

Time has absolutely flown in and I can't really believe we are nearly there.

Managed an 18 mile run today and like my 16 miler, the biggest challenge ever! But, each push forward brings on a new limit both mentally and physically and another step closer to the finish line.

Three more big runs left of our Garmin training plan, then we taper off until the big day and I for one simply cannot wait.

We leave the line together and cross the line together

Take care,

John

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Catch Up Time!

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:56:58 +0200

Hi There

Thanks again for everyones generous donations!

Well after another visit to the physio last week I have finally been able to try back on the treadmill. The exercises the physio had given me to do seemed to have done the trick and have helped to strengthen my leg in the right places and sort out my alignment and after a tentative jog on Friday my knee feels GREAT!

As soon as I started I could see that the front of my right foot was drifing out to the right and I had to concentrate a lot harder on how I was placing my foot. So it actually feels like the lower half of my leg is twisted inwards even though in reality I'm running straight!

Tried another couple of miles today just to make sure and am over the moon to say that alls good!

Can't wait to get fully back into training, building up the miles and catching up with the other guys >" class="middle" border="0">

Cheerio, Sheena

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Oh, by the way, fundraising update...

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:10:39 +0200

Hey Folks,

Forgot to mention a quick update on where we are with cash at the moment.....

Our JustGiving sponsor page - http://www.justgiving.com/firsttimemarathon - has managed to creep up to £425.00 and an overall estimate of face to face fund raising at work brings our total so far (including JustGiving funds) to approximately £1,400!

Fantastic!

Thank you all so much and I can only echo Alan's comments below about CHAS and why we are doing this...

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you...you get the picture

Take care,

John

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Ouch, but a good ouch!

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:02:50 +0200

Hey Folks,

Well, I managed to get myself out for a 16 mile run today and it was the hardest physical challenge I have ever done! Killer buzz though

The first 10 miles were very comfortable, nothing really going on other than auto pilot admiring the view. Then, after about 13 miles the challenge of keeping going really set in. Jelly babies at the ready, many positive thoughts about CHAS and why we are doing this and a few miles later I was home.

Mike Tyson and 10 rounds springs to mind at the moment though! Early night to allow my body to repair itself and I'll await the after effects tomorrow.

Killer buzz and I can't wait until the big day

Take care,

John

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Greetings

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 05:38:31 +0200

Greetings from sunny Singapore!

Yeah I know, it's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it!

Time is ticking by really fast now and race day looms large. I lost a couple of weeks training due to (man)flu and a chest infection. I've been out here for a week so far and will be back in Scotland on Wednesday.

I've managed a couple of runs this week and am just back from a jog around the Botanical Gardens. It was HOT, HOT, HOT! The humidity is the biggest factor and trying to get oxygen in is a big challenge. I'm sure when I get home and swap 30 degrees for 12 or so it will be much easier!

Many thanks for all the donations. It makes a huge difference and really focuses us all on the end goal....crossing the finish line on May 25th and raising a lot of money for CHAS. On the flight down here I watched a few episodes of The Long Way Down, a bike ride from John O'Groats to Cape Town with Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman. On the first leg they stopped at Robin House by Loch Lomond, CHAS's newest hospice. Seeing the amazing work that they do and the real difference that is made for the kids and their families was truely humbling and a massive incentive to keep piling on the miles so we can help, even in a small way, to allow them to continue offering their service and indeed, expand.

Cheers for now,
Alan

Comments

Physio

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:01:02 +0200

Hi There

After having tried to get back running over the last couple of weeks my knee has still been causing issues. Having tried rest, ice, anti-inflam gels, stretches, tubey grips......an appointment with the physio was called for.

The results from this are that I havent damaged any of the joints or muscles but that it seems likely that the pain in the knee is due to bio-mechanics - in other words my right leg is out of alignment and turns out further to the right than it should do!

The muscles have been able to cope with this up to now but with increase in distance they are starting to object big time!

So I have to train myself to walk with a straight leg (not as easy as it sounds!)and have a list of exercises for stretching and strengthening the ankle and leg in the right places.

I can feel the clock ticking and the 25th May fast approaching but its great to finally know what the cause is and after another physio assessment next week I plan to be back up and running and catching up with the other guys

Sheena

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Fundraising Update

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:26:17 +0100

Hey Folks,

So far the fundraising is going fantastic!

Our online fundraising page - JustGiving - has so far raised £395, whilst the sponsor sheets have taken the grand total to over £1,000 already!

Thank you all so very much

John

Comments

Pain in the .....knee

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:57:42 +0100

Well not wanting the older members of the team to feel bad I have not been out running for the last week after I hurt my knee last wednesday. After hobbling up and down the stairs for a day it felt as if it was back to normal but after attempting the sunday run I could feel things werent quite right and had to stop.

Having read through a couple of articles and websites for advice theres a whole raft of possible causes - high/low arches, bow legs, knock knees, not enough strength or stretching in the leg and knee muscles....

So at the moment I'm taking the advice and working on strengthening and stretching the knee/leg muscles. A number of people have also recommended supplements, particularly glucosamine which is thought to be great for keeping the knees in good working order, so giving those a go too!

Heres hoping will be back up and running this weekend

Sheena

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title-3876233

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:55:30 +0100

I may be the old man of the team, but I've been the only one putting the miles on recently whilst the youngsters feign injury!

Last Sunday it was 10 miles in just under two hours. Not fast and not pretty, but I was delighted to survive and to be able to run/jog/stumble continuously for almost two hours.

The plan is for 12 miles this Sunday then a couple of light mid-week sessions before the Alloa half marathon on the 23rd. I'm looking forward to pinning on the numbers and running in a large group again. The atmosphere at these events is great.

The vest and sponsor forms arrived from CHAS yesterday. All of a sudden it's all starting to feel rather 'real' and SOON!

Alan

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Back on track, at last!

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:02:48 +0100

Well, just over three weeks worth of achilles injury, rest, ice, stretching, researching sports injuries on the web, moaning about not running...I finally ran on the treadmill again this week!

I had a trip to www.run4it.com last week for some valuable advice on my existing trainers and ended up with a new pair of proper running trainers. The trainers I bought originally were from a well known high street sports shop which were in the running section, but I had to find out the hard way that not investing in a pair of real running shoes to begin with will cause injuries!

So, my first mile on the treadmill this week just to test the waters and the achilles is feeling much better. All I need to do now is take it easy and build up the miles over the next couple of weeks to get back to full training.

If you are serious about running without injury, I would highly recommend a trip to a shop like Run 4 It for some professional advice. Worth their weight in gold

Take care,

John

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Another Team Member Injured!

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 17:56:18 +0100

Hey Folks,

Yup, another one bites the dust!

After my 7 mile jog last Sunday my achilles decided to give me serious grief, grrrrrrrrrr.

A complete rest from any kind of running since and I'm still not ready to run. However, due to work commitments there won't be time to run until Wednesday anyway, which will give another couple of days rest for essential achilles repairs.

I read up on this from http://www.runnersmedicalresource.com/injuries05.html and it said...

Description: Pain in one of the muscles at the back of the lower leg (calf) or in the tendon that attaches the calf to the heel (Achilles tendon). Discomfort is often worse when running uphill, because uphill running can excessively stretch the calf – particularly if you aren't used to hill training. Overuse and poor flexibility are the most likely causes.

So, take note. If, like me, you attempt a warm up session trying to run up a 1 in 15 hill at the start of your 7 mile jog, and not being particularly clever at pre-jog stretching, then be careful and take care of your natural running tools or suffer for at least a week after!

In an attempt to keep my fitness levels up, and as recommended from the above link, I have now reintroduced myself to my local swimming pool in the meantime.

It's all good though, we never expected this to be easy

Take care,

John

Comments

Map Your Run

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:45:47 +0100

Here is a really handy website which allows you to map out your run in your local area and for the distance you want to run.

It also lists different routes that other runners have already created

http://www.mapmyrun.com/

Comments

Back on track?

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 10:37:53 +0100

Alan here!

I rested the sore ankle for 10 days, during which time I started to feel very 'fat' again!

On Wednesday I tried 5K on the treadmill. Delighted that my heart rate and breathing were under control I just hoped the achillies would hold out. After 15 minutes I felt the slightest of twinges and stopped. Filled the rest of the session with some cross training and weights.

In an attempt to resolve the issue a visit to Run4It in Edinburgh was called for. I was greatly impressed by their expertise and professionalism. They watched me running in my shoes on their treadmill and diagnosed a pronounced pronation in my right foot! (I don't know what it means either!) Anyway, after trying a few pairs of specialist shoes on the treadmill I came home with a shiny new pair of New Balance Stability shoes.

Will they work? Well, I'm going to find out in an hour or so, so watch this space!!

A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has donated to our CHAS appeal so far. It certainly focuses our training effort knowing how supportive you have all been.

Cheers,
Alan

Comments

Rest Day

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:36:54 +0100

Hi There

So far this week I've managed to stick to the timetable and completed 5 miles. Another 2 where scheduled for last night, however after sticking to the schedule for the last couple of weeks I'm feeling knackered and have decided to recoupe over the next few days and start again on sunday with our 6 mile run.

There is a huge amount of advice out there for first time runners and marathon goers and a very common theme is how to prevent burn out!

A couple of tips have picked up:
-Maintain staying power: getting enough sleep and taking rest periods between training sessions are really important for sustaining energy levels and consistent progression

-Keeping motivated: set goals along each stage of training, whether it be simply building up to running 10 mins straight at first. The buzz of achieving each will push you on to do more

-Food: the advice is to eat something within an hour of finishing training to help repfill energy stores and help repair damaged muscle cells

Sheena

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16 Week Training Plan Begins!

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:59:11 +0100

Well, today was the start of our 16 week sub 4 hrs 30 mins training plan set by Runner's World UK - http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?UAN=2776

With Alan still in recovery from his achillies injury, Sheena and I kicked off the official training plan with a two mile jog on the treadmill. One slight snag, I had a support bandage on my knee! A 20 year old war wound has reared its ugly head and a trip to the doctor is on the cards.

We are lucky to have the support from our Occupational Health department who have come up with one or two hints to help keep this dodgy knee active for the duration. So, one very large and tight support bandage, one frozen bag of peas, a doctor's appointment and a chat with Gordon Mathie on the cards for this week for knee workouts should all help get things back on track again.

One quote that keeps going round in my head at the moment is - 'my mind is writing cheques my body can't cash!'

It's all part of the challenge!

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The Donations Begin to Rise

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:33:15 +0100

As word spreads of our challenge, the donation total has quite nicely begun to rise, so thanks very much so far to all those who have donated

Please don't let the larger donations put you off, even if you can manage £1, that's £1 closer to our target and every penny counts

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First Injury

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:37:45 +0100

Well after Sunday mornings 4 mile jog, the old man of the team is crocked!

I felt a slight strain to the right achillies after a treadmill session a couple of weeks ago, but it cleared up fairly quickly. Almost as soon as Sundays run started it flaired up again. Being a belligerent auld git I kept going and am now paying the price. So, while John and Sheena are piling on the miles this Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, I'll have my feet up resting. Hopefully a week will allow a full recovery and I'll be back on the program next week.

Alan

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One or Two Tips for Beginners

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 21:45:19 +0100

As this is our first time running a marathon and we have just begun our full marathon training schedule, I'd like to share one or two tips for other beginners out there.

One of the first bits of advice Gordon Mathie gave us when the marathon idea became a reality was to buy a pair of decent running shoes! Gordon's advice wasn't to spend a fortune on top of the range trainers, instead just go out and find a pair of running trainers that were comfortable.

How right he was! I found a fantastic difference instantly after ditching my old faithfuls which were falling to bits, smelly and about three years old!

I experienced a back injury a few years ago that left me thinking I would never run again (until I was chased by a bull and a herd of cows that is!). Naturally, Gordon's first concern for me was the impact on my back from running on hard surfaces, but my new running trainers are definitely helping no end.

Another tip I'd like to share is another of Gordon's. If you can, get a hold of a heart monitor and learn how to keep yourself within the heart rate zones that are right for you. I won't go into how this all works as I've not mastered it myself yet, but I can show you what all three of us are using - The Garmin Forerunner 305.

There are plenty more tips to come and we will share them as our training progresses.

Take care,

John

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And So The Training Begins.....

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 16:10:00 +0100

Well we have now completed our first three weeks of running and have donned the woolly hats and started pounding the asphalt.

Having overcome my initial phobia about running (only ever ran for the bus before this!) I can actually say that I am looking forward to it, seeing if I can manage a little bit further each day. And having started the first week running for 4 mins and walking for 2 mins and just managing that for 30mins in total, today running 4 miles felt like a pretty big deal!

(just another 22.6 miles to go....)

Sheena

Comments

In the Beginning........

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:08:11 +0100

Hi, Alan here!

John, Sheena and I are collectively the HSE Group at FMC Technologies in Dunfermline. We came together as a department about 18 months ago and in March 2007 I took everyone to a Mindstore event in Glasgow as a team building event.
Mindstore is a personal development program developed and presented by Jack Black. I was delighted when everyone returned from the two day course fired up with enthusiasm and passion for their work. The benefit to the department and the company was fantastic!
One of the key outputs from the course was to encourage people to set big goals. Nobody gets excited about realistic and achievable goals. As a team we’ve set some pretty big targets both individually and as a group and as Jack himself says “It only works!”
Time moved on and we started to consider our 2008 plans. What was on the agenda for a new team building activity?
Many, many years previously, I had run some half marathons. Now, fat and forty, the prospect of running for a bus was quite daunting. I had a personal goal to lose some weight and regain a reasonable level of fitness. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I’ve always harboured the ambition to run a full marathon.
I tossed the idea of a marathon into the conversation and to my delight and amazement John and Sheena agreed that we should go for it. With no recent history of physical activity for any of us, this would be a major undertaking.
We are fortunate to have a fully equipped gym at work. We are also blessed with a jovial giant by the name of Gordon Mathie. Gordon oversees the gym use and is a karate instructor as well as a colleague. He agreed to work out a training plan and coach us through the next six months until the day of the run.
After the reality of our decision started to sink in John made reference to the Mindstore course. “Remember when we had to fill out the 30 goals on the worksheet?” Sheena and I remembered. “Well, I was really struggling to think of 30 and from somewhere I had this daft idea and wrote down, ‘Run a marathon’”
“Really” said Sheena. “So did I”
And guess what….so did I.

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