It's getting close

It's 10 weeks until the Southampton Half marathon, and training has been a bit ad hoc to say the least. Having had a really annoying cold for the best part of the last fortnight has done nothing for my energy levels, as well generally being able to feel well. But after a hard training swim this morning, hopefully I'm going to get back on track with the running.

So, I'm going to do a big sponsorship push. Let's see if I can hit £250 by the Southampton half marathon - more would be epic but let's set a mid target. Click here to get to my sponsorship page. Let's make a difference in those who are affected by PSP - both sufferers and carers.

Event 10 of #fortyb4forty

What a cold, but gloriously sunny day for the Cancer Research Snowflake run this morning. It was a 10k race, and for the last week I have been quite poorly, so any idea of trying to train just did not happen.

The first three miles felt like forever!!!!! The second lap wasn't then so bad because I knew the landmarks to look out for. Just as well it wasn't a timed event or that I was out for a personal best. So it was a mix of running and walking the way around.

This morning was primarily about running in memory of those who have had cancer, and either survived, or sadly passed away. My Nan had had kidney cancer, and breast cancer, and survived both. But sadly the battle of having PSP proved too much for her body. So today I was able to remember her, as well as other loved ones, including my dad, who had been unable to fight the battle on their bodies. 

I got a hug with a polar bear. That was what I wanted to try and get. The medal was also on the cards too!! 

So, I've now reached 10 events, which means I am a quarter of the way through my challenge, and I am absolutely chuffed. 30 more events in the next 369 days. So to recap, to date I have done:

3 parkruns

1 cross country run

2 X 5 mile races

2 X 10k races

An 8 mile race

Great South Run - 10 miles

I have the Southampton half marathon in April, which will be an interesting experience. At this moment in time I have no desire to do a full marathon.

I've decided too that I need to invest in medal hangers to show off my efforts!!!

Inspirational

My children are fabulous. After being inspired to make bracelets to sell and raise money for her brownie unit, my daughter, and my son, said this  morning that they wanted to make things to raise money for charity but they didn't know what charity, so I gently suggested they make things to try and sell for PSPA.

Currently, they have both just started making Hama beads mats, which have a running theme associated with them. They are really excited about doing this at the moment and I'm really proud of them that they are doing this selflessly. They have said they want to try and sell them at parkrun, but I have to find out if they can do this. I did also warn them parkrun has 200+ runners........

Watch this space for their creative pieces. 

Quick moment of fame

My copy of PSPA Matters arrived this week. Slightly overawed to actually see it in print. The impact of print of paper definitely feels much more real than that online. No ideal why seeing as the Internet reached far more many people. 

Event 9 of #fortyb4forty

So another morning dawned on a race day. Had my usual brekkie of porridge with golden syrup (never sugar though!!). By 8am I was on my way to the race venue.

It was cold. Normally I don't wear a long sleeve top when running, but I was eternally grateful for it this morning. It was about 3 degrees Celsius with a chilly wind. Add in the gloves, and the ear warmer I was reasonably snug for a short while.

It wasn't long before I discarded the gloves and shoved them up my sleeves like tissues. I had no where else to put them!! But, as I said already, I was very grateful for the long sleeve top.

I struggled today. It was a definite run/walk today for me. I had some very lovely company for a lot of the course, which made a difference. My overall time for the event 1:14:42. Definitely slower than last year, but I'm not going to worry about that. I got around. Two weeks until the next 10k event I'm doing. Good training for the half marathon in April, which I believe is now less than 100 days away. Yeah, daunting thought. 

This week it has crossed my mind that whatever the short term discomforts I go through when I run, people with PSP have to live with constant symptoms from which they, if fortunate, may get temporary relief using medications. But the ongoing management can be by disressing.

So here's to the next two weeks of training. 

Raising awareness

Oh my goodness. I feel incredibly awed seeing my picture 'in print' with the article about my #fortyb4forty challenge in the latest PSPA Matters magazine (page 14).  It's weird. Even though I remember talking to the lovely lady from PSPA about my challenge, actually seeing the article, that thousands of people can have access to, is slightly overwhelming.

This Sunday is event no. 9, a 10k club race which I did last year so I know the course, and whilst I'm not optimistic that I'll be running with a another person, which is always motivating to keep going, I have the main motivation that I'm doing this to try and raise money for a charity, as well as challenging myself to push myself out of my comfort zone, of preferring to take it easy (apologies for the long sentence. Bad English I know!!).

On the 5th January, it was the first anniversary of Nan's passing away, which whilst somber, there was a relief that she was no longer being tormented by the illness. Symptom management by medication can only go so far in relieving the physical side of things, but the mental anguish but be awful.

So the journey continues, with not just running, but triathlon events too, just to mix things up. Having done a triathlon last year, and not enjoying it particularly, getting back into it this year by doing some smaller distance events that are being held locally, will hopefully build my confidence up again, particularly with cycling. My personal current challenge of exercising daily has included dusting off the exercise bike. I'm also swimming with the tri club that I belong to, so I'm getting a good cross section of exercise now, particularly if he weather is poor, or my motivation to go out is non-existent. My children want to go swimming each week too, which involves swimming up and down to prevent my daughter from sinking when she tries to swim lengths,  means that whilst it's not strenuous exercise, it's moving my body and I'm having fun.

Busy training

My event calendar for the #fortyb4forty challenge is filling up. So far I have entered:

*5 X 10k races

*1 quarter marathon

*Great South Run (10 miles)

*southampton half marathon

*1 duathlon

And I still have 5 months that are event free. I'm not planning on completely filling them up with parkruns. I hope to complete a GoTri series that is being held locally (2 duathlon, 2 triathlon and 1 aquathlon). As my Nan was a swimmer, it would be something to put my own swimming into something that will mean something to me, and remind me why I am doing this challenge.

I have also been trying to exercise daily, although one day was nearly all about housework, and one day I did not exercise at all. But the exercise bike has been dusted off, and days where I'm not running, I've been cycling just 10 minutes at a time at the moment but hopefully next week I plan to increase my time on the bike. 

So, no event now until 17th January when it's a 10k race as a club member. I did this race last year and actually quite enjoyed it. I won't get a course PB, but I'm out to get around and complete it. 

32 events left to complete the challenge. Nearly a quarter of the way complete. Should I celebrate it in some way?