Anyhow, the last time I hit the keys with such vigour was in the run up to my fundraising night in The Old Inn on the 14th Nov ( yep it was that long ago !). Anyhow, great response online and in the pub to both the raffle and the auction. A mindblowing total of around £1357 was raised on the evening. I must hay a huge thanks to all who contributed a prize / item for auction and to those who took part. For those that missed it, and those who wish to see it again, here's a picture of the cake donated by Candyfloss Cakes of Pontarddulais ... only 10 calories as well ;-)
The following weekend I was oiling the wheels of industry ( working nights ), it was my running clubs presentation night. Now, some of you will know I'm membership secretary / interim club secretary, and will wonder why on earth would that evening be arranged for a night I'm working ..... I'm still trying to work that one out ;-). Anyhow, got presented with this for topping my division with our intra club races, never thought I'd be anywhere near the times I've been running a year ago. Amazing what some regular training and a bit of confidence can do for you.
A couple of weeks later, a weekend in London is on the cards. Main reason being to attend the MdS seminar being held in some very posh venue in Mayfair. My definition of posh 1. No blood on the pavement outside, 2. No blood on the carpet inside. There, it's that simple. In fact incredibly posh. We listened to the Frenchman who started the whole MdS thing, along with double Olympic gold medallist, James Cracknell, and very good he was too. It was also a chance to purchase some kit, in particular the sleeping bag, legionnaires hat, which together with other assorted bits and bobs I got from Rory Colemans store in the Expo. We were also given, yep my favourite word, given, a rucksack from the organisers, which I can use on the MdS. I've gone on a few runs with it and apart from the bottle holders, I'm happy with it.
Now, the 'injury' .. I had this pain in my leg about 2 inches below the knee ... and it would hurt whenever I started running and when I finished. Also, whenever I pressed a certain point on my leg it was worse than childbirth ( YES it was ! ). So, my training was cutback, for a few weeks I only did a short 3 miler, just to try and keep the fitness while the leg healed. Anyhow, it didn't heal so off to a specialist I go. Turns out I have some Osteophyte ( I may have got this wrong, definitely Osteo something), after getting a bang on my leg, which I can' remember. I had some acupuncture and it helped for a few days. The good news is that it wont hinder my running and if I'd only known that then for around 3-4 weeks I would have been running far more than I had. Still, I'm happy that I can run and that it wont stop my training. Long term, I'm not entirely sure whats going to happen, they may just disappear, they may require some form of treatment like anti steroidal drugs.
Finally in this edition of Tircoed-Pathe News, I was incredibly fortunate to be given 4 tickets for the Llanelli v Ospreys game on boxing day. I wont mention who donated them, but I am incredibly grateful. What to do with them, well I raffled them in the Riverside Lounge post match last weekend, just after the Ospreys had beaten Bordeaux. I even got interviewed on stage, the last time I was on that stage interviewing the players, I was around 3.5 stone heavier ! Managed to raise a fantastic sum of £275 .. not to be sniffed at, and it's worth mentioning that my running total for fundraising is now over £4500 ... incredible !
As for the training in the past 5 weeks, not a very long list but better than nothing !
2.8 miler loop near where I live
3 mile loop near where I live
2.8 miler near to where I live
6.7 miler along the forest, junction 46 and back on the old A48
8 miler ( very hilly !) Tircoed, velindre up to five roads, down to Bont, back to Tircoed, it hurt !
5 mile pyramid session with the club
12.5 mile with 4 kg on my back, Tircoed to Velindre lakes and back
Yoga session ( I know, but it was enjoyable ! )
15 miler ( very hilly ) with 4kg on my back, Tircoed, Velindre lakes, back to Velindre, up to five road, down to Bont and back to Tircoed it hurt more than the earlier one !)
2.8 miler loop near where I live
5.3 miles along Swansea bay, followed by Cooper test with running club ( 12 min running as fast as possible, log total distance run and compare with future runs !)
20 miler, with 4kg on my bag, from Tircoed, down to Gowerton, along cycle path through Dunvant, down to clyne along seafont for a mile and back, hillier than you'd imagine.
5.5 * 800m efforts with 90 seconds recovery with the running club on the athletics track
18 miler with 4 kg on my back, from Bynea to Burry Port and back.
Phew, that's all and very well done if you've got this far.
Here's the obligatory link for fundraising, click here to give me your money ;-) and if there are any business owners who'd be happy to sponsor me in return for space on my kit for your company name, I'd love to hear from you ! ( You can comment on the blog I believe )
That's all for now
Fatboy
