Day 74 - Training Blog 8th March 2013

 2 weeks tomorrow! Actually today as it is 3am Saturday morning!

No training to record, this is more of a status report!

Status not good, Acupuncture and Osteo earlier today was good, much more mobility but still only about 50%. My family's chest cough seems to be beating all my efforts to fend it off with Berocca, oranges, as much fluids consumed, non alcoholic, as... humanly possible, I am peeing like a race horse! and last but by no means nicest, I am gargling with near neat TCP!

My mind is my big problem, I know one way or another I can get myself through running 30 marathons in 30 days but unlike last time I know how much it will hurt. I have and am struggling though with why? I am no athlete with a future, my business needs my attention in the worst recession known to living man, I am not young enough anymore to just do it for a challenge and it seems to me most importantly, unlike last time, I have made no pledge to anyone to do this for them.

I feel a bit stupid writing this down but I think I need to for me as my nightly panics are getting worse with each day and night that passes and I need to re focus on what it is all about.

This challenge is for one thing and one thing only, to raise money for cancer care and in this case, Teenage Cancer Care.

I started all this on the day Phil was told he was not going to make it, my words to him that day were made out of fear and inadequacy. I was scarred and felt useless, what words could I find that would be in any way near adequate! During and following Phils illness, I have seen the devastation Cancer brings to not only the sufferers but their families and friends. I have also seen the fantastic work carried out by fantastic people involved in the fight against cancer, the care for the patient and the success that can and does happen. The doctors and nurses that treated Phil in the early stages were strong and kind, carrying out their daily job with up most care for the patient and family. The Hospice was the most remarkable part for me and the thing that I think probably changed my life. End of time care! What a thought, I had never thought about it before. What a remarkable place and remarkable people. They gave Phil as he said "time to get stuff done" they helped Karen and the girls and also Phils mum and they continue to do so nearly 3 years after Phil passed away. My promise to Phil was two fold, I promised to run our planned sponsored walk without him from London to Portugal and to set up a charity, involve as many people as possible and continue to raise money for Cancer care and end of time care. I fulfilled the first part, not easy, the other way round and within the required time. The second bit is not so easy and has no time frame! I think I am writing this down to make me realise why I am doing this and what it is for. This is the start of the second part of my promise, I am running for 30 days from or to all the Teenage Cancer Trust Units across Scotland, England and Wales.
I am doing it to raise much needed money and also awareness to people like me, who have never thought about this sort of thing before. Unfortunately people get bad news every day. I heard yesterday that one of my child hood family friends has just been told her son has got Leukaemia, he is 25. This is why I am doing this, my efforts will not raise millions of pounds, as I have said before, I am not a high profile person, but whatever money I can raise does help and will make a difference. Please show your support by telling lots of other people, by donating or getting involved not for me but for everyone you know who has been affected by cancer. Thank You.

I think I have now focused myself on what this is all about so I best get on with it! A quick warm up in a couple of hours, now 5am, followed by a steady 10k then Joel later on for core strength and stretching. Keep on keeping on.