This will be the last blog until Lisa, I, hernia and 35,000 others attempt the greatest road race, the London Marathon....I'm confident we will both complete it !
In our final week we have had huge support from everyone......colleagues,friends, family, suppliers, customers and several whose loved one's have been supported over the years by Cynthia Spencer Hospice.
My great friend, Paul Tudor, has told me for years......' Jon, make sure you smell the flowers !'.....this week I must have used Paul's wise words over 100 times.....at the Monday networking event, at the pub discussing, HOPS, a new Charity were forming, the Northants Leaders Group and the Chamber Golf day.....we will enjoy the experience, enjoy the day and enjoy the 'smell of the flowers' !
Thursday I have a trapped nerve, more pain than the sports hernia of the last 6 weeks......I'm so pleased I met Vicki, the Saints physio, who, in 30 minutes releases the trapped nerve and seems able to give me a new body and back....top girl, big thanks and Happy Birthday for today....I won't tell anyone your 30 !!!!!
Ex-marathon runners tell me this will be one of the greatest days of our lives.......( sounds like a 'Take That' moment ).......I'm to be convinced and will let you know !
If you ever have to go to a Hospice,MKSNAP or most Charities you realise again how fortunate we are.......and how pathetic we can be for getting stressed out and negative about minor issues in our lives......it truly puts life into perspective.
Another great friend, Paddy Behan, puts this best, when, invariably after 6 pints says.....'WE ARE ALL BLESSED !'.......we will then proceed to carry him home and put him to bed ! When you STOP and think about this you realise how right he is and how grateful we should be.
Anyway, I am 'Mr. Pasta' this week...pasta for lunch, pasta for dinner.....carbs all week...I have lost over 1.5 stone in weight in the 12 weeks training and probably shot my knees in the process.....but hey....only doing this once and then a normal life again......maybe.
We are nearly at the £ 7000,00 mark - BIG THANKS to all those who have made this hard journey worthwhile with your kind sponsorship.
This is for Mum, for the girls ( nurses ), turning 40 and because we ( Lisa and I ) believe we can !
Thanks,going to bed - goodnight !
PS.Sponsorship still appreciated.....go on....give....it feels great !
Friday, 24 April 2009
Sunday, 19 April 2009
7 day countdown......
Funny old week really. Couple of 45 minute runs....Rich and family return to Holland - great mate I will miss until the next visit.
Had 5 minutes at the Club 100 Thursday breakfast meeting to explain the purpose of doing this run I was not built to do.......turning 40, people saying I can't do it and the girls/nurses at the Hospice and MKSNAP who are just amazing........surprised myself and walked out with £ 400.00 cash for the cause !!! delighted...only wish I'd started talking to strangers sooner !
Lisa is helping contact friends, family, business contacts of old and mates....were having some great success and are over the £ 6000.00 mark.....HUGE THANK YOU TO ANYONE WHO HAS DONATED....PLEASE HELP IF YOU HAVEN'T.
I've even been supported by my class of 1985......Philips High, Whitefield, Manchester, a great old school friend, Kelly-Lee Wilkinson emailed my classmates of '85 ahead of our reunion in July......old friends I'd not heard from for 25 years sent emails and sponsorship with great words of encouragement....many of them new my 'Mum'.....made me take time out to reflect once more on why I was doing this.
Saturday 'Toys' R' Us' for a Scooter for Isabelle, onto the Rugby where we beat London Irish and then dinner with the Bond's and Campbells......a full on week of work, running and play !
Sunday, the training programme says a 1 hour easy run.....1 hour so I do 7.5 miles around Pitsford Resevoir. Lisa and Isabelle jump in the car...it was a glorious day, sunny with a fresh breeze, sailing boats were racing on the bright blue, shimmering lake. Lisa hires a bike, with childseat for Isabelle, and they follow me on the relatively short run compared to a week down the road.
Just 7 days to the London Marathon.....nervous yes, confident....NOT !
Had 5 minutes at the Club 100 Thursday breakfast meeting to explain the purpose of doing this run I was not built to do.......turning 40, people saying I can't do it and the girls/nurses at the Hospice and MKSNAP who are just amazing........surprised myself and walked out with £ 400.00 cash for the cause !!! delighted...only wish I'd started talking to strangers sooner !
Lisa is helping contact friends, family, business contacts of old and mates....were having some great success and are over the £ 6000.00 mark.....HUGE THANK YOU TO ANYONE WHO HAS DONATED....PLEASE HELP IF YOU HAVEN'T.
I've even been supported by my class of 1985......Philips High, Whitefield, Manchester, a great old school friend, Kelly-Lee Wilkinson emailed my classmates of '85 ahead of our reunion in July......old friends I'd not heard from for 25 years sent emails and sponsorship with great words of encouragement....many of them new my 'Mum'.....made me take time out to reflect once more on why I was doing this.
Saturday 'Toys' R' Us' for a Scooter for Isabelle, onto the Rugby where we beat London Irish and then dinner with the Bond's and Campbells......a full on week of work, running and play !
Sunday, the training programme says a 1 hour easy run.....1 hour so I do 7.5 miles around Pitsford Resevoir. Lisa and Isabelle jump in the car...it was a glorious day, sunny with a fresh breeze, sailing boats were racing on the bright blue, shimmering lake. Lisa hires a bike, with childseat for Isabelle, and they follow me on the relatively short run compared to a week down the road.
Just 7 days to the London Marathon.....nervous yes, confident....NOT !
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Reflection, visualisation, sh*t 12 days to the toughest run of our lives !
Reflection has kicked in.....I have just read the first diary note on our blog six months ago. Six months!!!.....the journey so far, Christmas, New Year and now Easter have all passed....the wet, cold winter to warmth of Spring....the training,the lack of training, the highs, the lows, the family, the knee, the economy, the sponsorship, the hernia, the worry, the optimism, the cancer, the 40th, the nurses and now sh*t...just 12 days to go.
12 scary days.....sh*t !
Easter weekend was fantastic....a weekend in the West End to see Jersey Boys....the Frankie Valli and Four Seasons....standing ovation at the end, a must see, feel good factor show. Eileen and John kindly look after Isabelle and Lisa and I have a London weekend of food, fun, theatre and relaxation.
Made time for a Saturday 8am run along Oxford Street...beat the crowds, into Hyde Park onto St.James Park...past Buckingham Palace, Whitehall, Big Ben and along the Thames, the London Eye, over Tower Bridge and back to Bloomsbury Square and our hotel.......a really enjoyable 13 miles around the City, I just typed... enjoyable...this running is getting addictive....probably saw more on that run than I'd seen of London in 20 years.
We collect Isabelle who does not want to come home - clearly very, very happy at the Harley's !
My Father arrives on the Sunday - he has still not moved on since Mum did ! .....still they did have 50 years together and she was a bit special to say the least.....made me really re-focus on why I want to raise this money for the nurses, for the hospice ! Only last week was he able to take Mum's things to the Hospice Charity shop....sponsor Lisa and I if you can....we really need it and appreciate it.
Anyway, the Necus family arrive from Holland and we have a family and friends, chilled, enjoyable remainder to the Easter weekend.
40 minute run with Sam and Rich last night...keep visualising the finishing line, how we will feel, the sense of achievement....finishing the world's most famous and challenging Marathon......sh*t, 12 days to go, 26th April 2009, 26.2 miles, the London Marathon !
12 scary days.....sh*t !
Easter weekend was fantastic....a weekend in the West End to see Jersey Boys....the Frankie Valli and Four Seasons....standing ovation at the end, a must see, feel good factor show. Eileen and John kindly look after Isabelle and Lisa and I have a London weekend of food, fun, theatre and relaxation.
Made time for a Saturday 8am run along Oxford Street...beat the crowds, into Hyde Park onto St.James Park...past Buckingham Palace, Whitehall, Big Ben and along the Thames, the London Eye, over Tower Bridge and back to Bloomsbury Square and our hotel.......a really enjoyable 13 miles around the City, I just typed... enjoyable...this running is getting addictive....probably saw more on that run than I'd seen of London in 20 years.
We collect Isabelle who does not want to come home - clearly very, very happy at the Harley's !
My Father arrives on the Sunday - he has still not moved on since Mum did ! .....still they did have 50 years together and she was a bit special to say the least.....made me really re-focus on why I want to raise this money for the nurses, for the hospice ! Only last week was he able to take Mum's things to the Hospice Charity shop....sponsor Lisa and I if you can....we really need it and appreciate it.
Anyway, the Necus family arrive from Holland and we have a family and friends, chilled, enjoyable remainder to the Easter weekend.
40 minute run with Sam and Rich last night...keep visualising the finishing line, how we will feel, the sense of achievement....finishing the world's most famous and challenging Marathon......sh*t, 12 days to go, 26th April 2009, 26.2 miles, the London Marathon !
Monday, 6 April 2009
HELP,HELP,HELP !!! ....amazing girls ......
Have you ever considered raising money for a Charity close to your heart ?
You don't want to ask everyone as you tell yourself they have been asked before, last week, last month but deep down you really want to help the Charities that have helped you, your family, your friends and thousands of others alike.......so eventually you pluck up the courage and ask everyone you know for help.
This is our HELP,HELP,HELP !!!
Remember the fun of the 3 legged pub crawl days, a friends sponsored swim, diet, walk and so on....have you ever watched Comic Relief on that March evening and said to yourself or loved one....... ' I must give to Comic Relief.....it's amazing, they are amazing 'and then unless you do it right then.....right NOW.....get that credit card from upstairs.....it just does not happen......all the best intention but life, pressures, effort,kids, football, second bottle of red, sleep......all catch up and it just doesn't happen !
Well I think that's where Lisa, I and the nurses need your help......we need it to happen !
We have done 12 plus weeks of training for 3 Charities, MK SNAP, Bury Hospice and Cynthia Spencer Hospice. We are on target for over £ 2000 for MKSNAP but in the last 3 weeks before the London Marathon we need to accelerate the monies for the nurses at the two Hospices dear to our hearts.
They are amazing girls ( nurses ), who do an amazing job, giving amazing care for those fighting cancer.......my Mother lost her 7 year battle with cancer just over 18 months ago and these girls and the Hospices need our financial help to be able to keep giving this immeasurable care for those we love....our family and friends !
I've mentioned I was 40 last month....maybe a mid life crisis but I have parked the party until after the Marathon.......all I know is I want Lisa and I to achieve our £ 10,000 target.....we need your help which will make a difference for others. £ 5, £ 10, £ 15, £ 50 ( £ 1000 given by John and Brendan at Claremont - BIG THANKYOU CHAPS ! ) or whatever you can will ALL add up to make a difference.
So please help, HELP,HELP,HELP and get that credit card from upstairs, out of your pocket, wallet or purse.......and give to these amazing nurses and Hospices....hopefully you'll never need them but I think we all know someone who has been helped with fighting cancer and by these girls.
Training...oh yes...hard graft for both of us...didn't achieve Sunday's 20 mile run....cramp set in at 10 miles again....maximum is 16 miles so far.......will keep training and ensure hydrated....tips on hydration and stretching exercises appreciated.
Thankyou if you've sponsored Lisa and I already....if not.....
.......please,please give........a BIG Thankyou from Lisa,I and the amazing girls !
You don't want to ask everyone as you tell yourself they have been asked before, last week, last month but deep down you really want to help the Charities that have helped you, your family, your friends and thousands of others alike.......so eventually you pluck up the courage and ask everyone you know for help.
This is our HELP,HELP,HELP !!!
Remember the fun of the 3 legged pub crawl days, a friends sponsored swim, diet, walk and so on....have you ever watched Comic Relief on that March evening and said to yourself or loved one....... ' I must give to Comic Relief.....it's amazing, they are amazing 'and then unless you do it right then.....right NOW.....get that credit card from upstairs.....it just does not happen......all the best intention but life, pressures, effort,kids, football, second bottle of red, sleep......all catch up and it just doesn't happen !
Well I think that's where Lisa, I and the nurses need your help......we need it to happen !
We have done 12 plus weeks of training for 3 Charities, MK SNAP, Bury Hospice and Cynthia Spencer Hospice. We are on target for over £ 2000 for MKSNAP but in the last 3 weeks before the London Marathon we need to accelerate the monies for the nurses at the two Hospices dear to our hearts.
They are amazing girls ( nurses ), who do an amazing job, giving amazing care for those fighting cancer.......my Mother lost her 7 year battle with cancer just over 18 months ago and these girls and the Hospices need our financial help to be able to keep giving this immeasurable care for those we love....our family and friends !
I've mentioned I was 40 last month....maybe a mid life crisis but I have parked the party until after the Marathon.......all I know is I want Lisa and I to achieve our £ 10,000 target.....we need your help which will make a difference for others. £ 5, £ 10, £ 15, £ 50 ( £ 1000 given by John and Brendan at Claremont - BIG THANKYOU CHAPS ! ) or whatever you can will ALL add up to make a difference.
So please help, HELP,HELP,HELP and get that credit card from upstairs, out of your pocket, wallet or purse.......and give to these amazing nurses and Hospices....hopefully you'll never need them but I think we all know someone who has been helped with fighting cancer and by these girls.
Training...oh yes...hard graft for both of us...didn't achieve Sunday's 20 mile run....cramp set in at 10 miles again....maximum is 16 miles so far.......will keep training and ensure hydrated....tips on hydration and stretching exercises appreciated.
Thankyou if you've sponsored Lisa and I already....if not.....
.......please,please give........a BIG Thankyou from Lisa,I and the amazing girls !
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