Run, run, run and don't forget the bike! (Part 1)

This blog entry begins with a big shout out and big-up to Sarah Jane (SJ) because she will be running in the 2012 London Marathon! She will be running in memory of her Mum, who passed away in 2010, after a four year battle with cancer. SJ's mother also suffered with ankylosing spondylitis, which is a chronic, inflammatory, arthritic and autoimmune disease often resulting in severe back pain. At age 25, SJ was diagnosed with fused vertebrae in the middle of her back and has found that exercise helps with her pain relief (not to mention her mood and temper!). For these reasons, she has chosen to support the BackCare charity. BackCare play a key role in involving patients in research and dissemination of research findings to make sure that the research really improves the lives of people with back pain. Please help SJ support the BackCare charity by digging deep into your pockets and sponsoring her. SJ will be training very, very hard for this marathon (especially since I have made myself her personal trainer, coach and manager) and all donations will greatly help with her motivation! Thank you! You can sponsor SJ by visiting this link: www.virginmoneygiving.com/sarahbigrun.

As part of SJ's rigorous training schedule, we have signed up for a few races. The first race is quite extreme and is called 'The Major - Midlands' which is to be held on the 22 October 2011. The website states 'Weston Park, home to The Major's Midlands challenge, is a venue he is excited about showing you. From steep hills to muddy off-road tracks and obstacles, this venue will leave all you from the Midlands wet, muddy and exhausted, but with smiles on your faces! This course will be tough, but the Major assures you that it will be an experience to remember'. Following that, we will be taking part in the Threshold 10k Winter Road Race 3 in Stratford, just after Christmas. Have also spotted a 5 or 10k race in November which we may sign up for if our busy schedules allow.

I ran on a few occasions this week. On my first run, Cody and I ran the off road 'Stinky Route'. We covered 2.8 miles in 30 minutes. Cody had her birthday prior to our second run, she is now 4 years old, bless her! Our second run was really a jog. Cody and I jogged over the fields of Studley covering 3.2 miles in 40 minutes.

Despite the fact that I'm supposed to train SJ, she has kept making me participate in her sit-up and press-up routines, remarking that they too are challenges. She wasn't wrong. Early in the week, SJ performed 100 sit-ups with a big grin, whilst I performed 36 and pulled a muscle in my back. I don't think this blog will be recording any more sit-up and press-up challenges....

On to the cycling side of things... Finally got awarded with my AUK points for the Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) randonneur I completed in August and scored a whopping 12! No AAA points were awarded for PBP, though the AUK website acknowledged that 11,000 metres of the event were climbs - that's some 2,700 metres of climbing more than the feared Bryan Chapman!

The first cycle of the week was with Ron and Sarah M. We took out mountain bikes over routes that Ron and I cycled last year. However, we added a new found stretch of bridleway not far from the Portway. Was a nice cycle and we covered about 20 miles.

This blog has been published early because the author has gone on an adventure around the Isle of Wight, with his buddy Chris Hodge, and their awesome bikes!