We Did it!

Thanks for all the support and charity money my fine friends.

Last Sunday Ant and I completed the London marathon and we have the medals to prove it.

It was a bit of a dodgy day for me as my leg infection flared and I felt like I had no energy left to give from about 6 miles in (Only 20 to go) but I finally stumbled across the line in just under 6 hours. Mr Groves aced it in 4 and a half hours. We both had a lovely beer to celebrate. Just one mind, let's not go crazy.

Thanks to everyone who supported us. Most thanks to Becky and Thea for suffering our training regimes for the past four months, being very patient and a great support. A massive thanks to everyone who came and supported on the day including Thea and Becky, Ants folks, uncle and and Aunt, the library crew - Kieron, Beth, Adam, Sian and Dan and Caroline along with Elizabeth all the way from the USA and Dan and Debra. Without you guys I'm not sure I would have got round, thanks for cheering us on. Thanks to Nicola for the amazing card, Holly for the fantastic multi-coloured banner and everybody else who sent messages of good luck to us both or sponsored us too.

The just giving page will remain open for a while so there's still time to get your cash in.

Some photos to follow.

Marathon done; never again!

Flucloxacillin (I'm on pills for me nerves)

Born to Run (Check out the thighs and the socks)

This week has been a funny one. I got a leg infection on Monday and immediately thought "I'm not pulling out of the marathon now I can tell thee!". Thankfully it doesn't look too serious and after 3 days on anti-biotics I'm feeling much better and raring to go. Well almost raring, I wouldn't quite exclaim that much enthusiasm. Pre-raring lets say.





However I did go to the Marathon Expo yesterday and collected my running number and race chip. They were playing the marathon music as you went in, which always makes me feel a little emotional. Sadly Mr Groves and I could arrange a time to go around together but he's going today. Oh Jesus, there's no turning back now! Let's hope I finish somewhere near Sir Steve Redgraves time of 4 hours 21 minutes. I'm sure as hell am going to complete it quicker than Katie Prices time of 7 hours 11 minutes or I'm going to demand a recount.





Two days to go, leg infection beat, loads of rest coming, plent O Carbs and a small question of 26.1 miles.

Brighton Marathon

I watched some of the Brighton Marathon this weekend. I thought, "I've got to do that next week. Bugger!"

Almost there - Over £1000 raised

Ant and I completed our last long training run before the London Marathon in two weeks time this Sunday and boy it was a hot one! I was melting under the heat but got through by listening the Liza Tarbuck and Adam Buxton iterviewing Paul Merton.

To my massive relief the next two weeks will include plenty of rest and a tiny strole here and there whilst my body recovers for the big one.

The Hornblowers charity event raised £200.04 for Scope, well done guys. Thanks very much to all the members of Curly Hair and Flash Bang Band for performing too. This takes the current total for moneys raised so far to well over £1000. A huge thanks to everyone who has donated so far.

There's still time to come on down to our second charity event this Friday. My group, A Fish Called Improv, are putting on their first solo show! Hope to see you down there.

This week training: minimal - Sweet Times!

20 MILES! AND Fundraising Events

Hope everyone had a lovely Easter. My Easter Sunday consisted of 4 hours running a huge amount of lovely rest.

So the big 20 miler is now under our belts. Hurrah for that. We did it and, for all the horror of facing the wall the week before, it wasn't that bad. Yeah the knees are just a tiny amount done in, yeah, bits have been rubbed sore I would have particularly chosen to be rubbed quite so vigorously over a four hour period and yeah after 3 months of no alcohol I'm feeling like I need a large glass of white wine and if I'd known giving up would just make me eat more to compensate would I have bothered? AND I haven't lost weight (I just loves the cake!) BUT it's done, the pinnacle of training has been reached and we are now ambling on the side of the taper down. Phew, what a relief.

That still means we've got 17 miles to run this weekend but for the first time the training schedule has said: "It is now important to stuff your face with chips and relax. No good will come for any other form of exertion other than running a little bit. In fact why not have some cake?" or it said something like that. I think I'm para-phrasing.

Mr Groves and I are now starting to feel excited about the actual day, soon enough we will be attending the Marathon Expo and getting our numbers.

We've got some fund raising events coming up: Ant's Band The Hornblower Brothers are playing at the Latest music bar this Sunday (11th April) and my improv comedy group A Fish Called Improv are putting on a show on Friday 16th April at the Sanctuary Cella in Hove.

If you get a chance please come down to have fun and help us raise some cash.

Simon T

Meet the Wall

I hit the wall this week. I say “hit” the wall but what I actually mean is that I gradually staggered into said wall and pressed my body tightly against it whilst slowly inching my way to the floor silently crying for mercy.

Fifteen miles into my second eighteen mile run in preparation for this London marathon, that haunts me so, I had the compulsion to walk. It must be the first time I’ve ever stopped to walk on a run, when not injured, it just hurt too much, and with that, my mind (damn that grey matter) gave in. Thankfully my defeated spirit cheered a little five minutes later and I rallied myself to carry on and finish the jog at a beleaguered pace.

So there you have it. This week the wall has truely been met and greeted with hopefully no permanent damage done.

On a lighter note Mr Groves is back pretty much into full training and managed to complete sixteen miles, a big well done is in order.

This week I’m resting most of it in readiness for the pinnacle of our training when Ant and I go out for the 20 miler on Easter Sunday.

Sweet times. Less than a month to go!

Topping

Tired now

Me and me big sister, Sarah. (Im the miserable one)






You know things are getting serious when you don’t even have the energy to write a blog about how tired you have become. Due to this lack of energy it would appear I have become as interesting to spend time with as taking a guided tour around a concrete block. A concrete block of uniform size, colour and shape you understand. A concrete block with no distinguishing features. Not an interesting concrete block…. Oh god, I’m even inanely rambling in blog life as well as real life. I’ll stop.


A quick report:

Last Sunday I ran 18 miles, poor Mr Groves still has tendonitis, so I ran the miles alone. It took me an absolutely age. (running through the Heroic and Bronze ages if anyone’s interested).


Having just moved house the day before didn’t help, although, as anyone who is friends with me knows I love the simplicity of shifting “stuff” and I don’t have too many things to move with anyway. However, I did have to grapple with the worlds’ heaviest mini-piano (A truly apt name for it when describing the size of the piano but sadly the same is to be not to be said of the weight of this particular keyboard). I believe comparatively it is as dense as the sun so thanks to everybody who helped me move it.

This week I also ran with music in my ears, well radio four in my ears that is. This had a fantastically hypnotic effect on me and as a result I didn’t feel quite so awful at the end of the run as I normally would do. I did feel, however, a bit dazed with a nagging thought that I might just have been running the whole distance like a chicken or in the style of Winston Churchill leaping over cigar boxes. Curse you radio four! Of course, as a side note, the cold bath was a treat.

This week Ant is trying a special fancy knee support like top tennis star Raffa Nadal uses (oo, Posh). Hopefully this will help considerably to instigate a speedy recovery and lead him on to a 4 sets win against Andy Murray in this years Wimbledon final.

I’ve had me first sports massage. Far less painful than I was expecting but then my muscles do have a fine layer of fat to protect them.

This week holds a 7 mile run on Thursday and another 18 miler on Sunday.

This weeks mantra: Touch my bum, this is life.

Si