Hello,
Been a few weeks since my last Blog. Been a busy lad. Having worked away the last two weeks, I've had a few new places to run. Two weeks ago I had the delights of running in Torquay. Just two nights down that way so i decided on just the one run around the area. Most of the run was around the seafront and town centre, I also took in both sides of the harbour wall. Covered a distance of 7.52 miles. That was my only mid week run that week. I followed it up with a 14.12 mile run on the Saturday. A loop circuit that took in Aldershot, Farnborough and a good stretch of the Blackwater Valley Path.
This week has been an eventful and enjoyable week for my running. Firstly, on Monday I received an email ref the North Downs Way 100/50 Ultra. Asking what and where I would like to be applying my services. After a little think and a few emails going back and forth, I decided on being course sweeper for the first 32 miles!! What the actually requires me to do, is basically run the first 32 miles of the course removing the course markers. From Farnham to Reigate Hill. It took me a little time to realise, but, the first Ultra I plan on running will be as a volunteer!! I've set myself the challenge, one which I fully expect myself to achieve!!
Tuesday I was away again. This time in sunny Norwich. I decided on a bit of a free spirited approach to my run as there didn't appear to be any natural landscape features to follow like Torquay. A quick glance at the map and I decided the best policy would be to run towards the city centre until my app told me I had ran 4 miles, then turn round and comeback. So off I went with this plan in mind. Then I hit the 4 mile mark, and decided to head back along the river. Unfortunately I got back to the hotel half a mile short, so decided to run around the local business park and ended up running 8.2 miles! Still it was fun and at a fairly quick pace. It was one of those evenings where I felt like I could of just ran and ran.
Thursday, and an unexpected night back home. I was supposed to be away, but things change. I decided to expand my 7 mile route into an 8 mile route. The plan was to push it! That was exactly what I did! Not only did I do the quickest 8 miles, I also do my quickest 5 miles and 10k!! Happy Days!!
Saturday. The Big One. I was looking at completing the longest run I have ever done. Setting out to run 16 miles! Again I expanded my route that would take in the Blackwater Valley Path. A beautiful morning for running, and excited to get out after such a good week of running. As I got to my new turning point by the Farnborough Gate retail park, I decided to change the route. My running was going very well and my times were just great. I had planned to run through Frimley and Mychett then turn towards North Camp and onto the Blackwater Valley Path. Instead I decided to stick to the roads and head into Ash, then Tongham, through Runfold and finally home. I was sure of the exact distance, but I was pretty certain it would be more than 16 miles. As I got updated on my time and distance at 12 miles, I realised that I could break the 2 hour mark for a Half Marathon distance. This thought gave me a boost. The reason for it, other than the obvious, is that I have been looking at a site called Xempo. They do tshirts that are colour coded reference your running times, white being you have completed a half or full marathon, yellow being you have completed a half marathon at sub 2 hours. To buy the shirt they verify your time. So at the Fleet Half Marathon I am hoping to do this. An achievement I thought may be a push, but not now! I ran through the half marathon point at 1 hour 57 minutes and 5 secs!! And that was not even trying to do it! I now believe the orange shirt ( 1hr45 - 1hr55 ) could be in reach! Anyway, with the buzz of knowing I had achieved this time I pushed for home! I arrived home completing a distance of 16.75 miles! In a time of 2 hours 32 minutes 13 secs. I was immensely impressed with myself!
I am now 4 weeks away from the Fleet Half Marathon. Sponsorship has been a little slow, but I'm sure it will pick up. It is also 5 weeks away from the National Lottery Olympic Park Run! I plan on a few runs during the week, but nothing this weekend as I shall be helping at the Aid Stations for the Thames Tow Path Ultra.
I have also realised that i have covered 102.2 miles in February alone, and 181.1 miles this year!
Makes you wonder where I could be had I ran in a line somewhere?
That's it for now, please have a look at my just giving page
www.justgiving.com/DennisCartwright
Thank You x
Sunday 26 February 2012
Saturday 4 February 2012
Sponsorship
I just wanted to air my feelings about sponsorship and my running.
Firstly, I do the running out of pure enjoyment. Most running events I will be competing I will do with out gaining any sponsorship. I will be doing it like this as not to annoy people by constantly asking for sponsorship money. Certain events I feel are a good time to ask for sponsorship. Mainly the bigger known events. As you are hopefully aware, my next event is the Asiscs Fleet Half Marathon. I decided to gain sponsorship for this for two reasons. Firstly its a local well known running event. An event that I'm sure you know of others who will be running it. You may even be running it yourself or going down to watch. If you are going down to watch, please cheer on myself and everybody else. You wont believe how much it means to the runners. Secondly, this will be my longest event since the Bupa Great South Run.
As for the actual sponsorship. I fully appreciate that some will not one to sponsor me. Everybody has there reasons to or not to sponsor me. Be it money problems, sponsoring somebody else already, not your chosen charity or you just don't like me! If you don't want to sponsor me, then just say no if I ask you! I'll probably delete you off Facebook and stick worms through your Nans letterbox, but I wont take offence!
I try to choose a charity that has a meaning to me. As a Cancer victim myself, I naturally gravitate towards the Cancer charity. There are many to choose from. All of which do great work to help others who are fighting the illness. My dedication to my running is equal to my dedication of gaining sponsorship for my chosen charity. So, I shall apologise now if I appear a bit full on asking for sponsorship.
Just remember this, would you rather be giving money for sponsorship than receiving the help it pays for?
Firstly, I do the running out of pure enjoyment. Most running events I will be competing I will do with out gaining any sponsorship. I will be doing it like this as not to annoy people by constantly asking for sponsorship money. Certain events I feel are a good time to ask for sponsorship. Mainly the bigger known events. As you are hopefully aware, my next event is the Asiscs Fleet Half Marathon. I decided to gain sponsorship for this for two reasons. Firstly its a local well known running event. An event that I'm sure you know of others who will be running it. You may even be running it yourself or going down to watch. If you are going down to watch, please cheer on myself and everybody else. You wont believe how much it means to the runners. Secondly, this will be my longest event since the Bupa Great South Run.
As for the actual sponsorship. I fully appreciate that some will not one to sponsor me. Everybody has there reasons to or not to sponsor me. Be it money problems, sponsoring somebody else already, not your chosen charity or you just don't like me! If you don't want to sponsor me, then just say no if I ask you! I'll probably delete you off Facebook and stick worms through your Nans letterbox, but I wont take offence!
I try to choose a charity that has a meaning to me. As a Cancer victim myself, I naturally gravitate towards the Cancer charity. There are many to choose from. All of which do great work to help others who are fighting the illness. My dedication to my running is equal to my dedication of gaining sponsorship for my chosen charity. So, I shall apologise now if I appear a bit full on asking for sponsorship.
Just remember this, would you rather be giving money for sponsorship than receiving the help it pays for?
The last few days
Hello all.
Again been a few days since my last blog. So, after Tuesdays rest day it was back to the gym on Wednesday. Another spinning session to enjoy. I wasn't expecting to much from the spinning session, as I've been suffering with a bit of a sore throat. So approaching the class I decided I would maybe not give it my all. One hour later and everything had been given. The computer screen on the spinning bike confirming I had burnt 744 calories! The highest amount yet in my spinning!! As a reward I enjoyed a nice dish of chargrilled chicken and veg!
Thursday became a rather long day. My days work was 150 miles away on the other side of Ipswich. It ended up being a 12 hour day and I was desperate to still go out and do my planned run. Back at home at 7pm, I changed and hit the roads. & miles later and I was done. Not a great run, but a run none the less.
Friday and the throat was still not better, so decided to have another rest day and got a curry in. Not enjoyable in the end. Should of cooked! Still it should provide some sort of fuel for Saturdays run?!
Saturdays run was going to be cold. With the weather predicted for the coming day it was better to get out sooner rather than later. My planned run was going to be a 14 mile loop of Aldershot and some of Farnborough, taking in the Blackwater Valley Path. Very cold out!! I wouldn't want to guess the temperature, but I'm pretty sure it had a minus symbol in front of it. After hitting the 13.1mile mark I decided I had had enough. The last two miles marked by intermittent stomach cramps. Again, not a great run.
It shows that sometimes, as much as you try to do the right things, it just doesn't go as planned. That said, I did enjoy the run, just not as much as others!
Again been a few days since my last blog. So, after Tuesdays rest day it was back to the gym on Wednesday. Another spinning session to enjoy. I wasn't expecting to much from the spinning session, as I've been suffering with a bit of a sore throat. So approaching the class I decided I would maybe not give it my all. One hour later and everything had been given. The computer screen on the spinning bike confirming I had burnt 744 calories! The highest amount yet in my spinning!! As a reward I enjoyed a nice dish of chargrilled chicken and veg!
Thursday became a rather long day. My days work was 150 miles away on the other side of Ipswich. It ended up being a 12 hour day and I was desperate to still go out and do my planned run. Back at home at 7pm, I changed and hit the roads. & miles later and I was done. Not a great run, but a run none the less.
Friday and the throat was still not better, so decided to have another rest day and got a curry in. Not enjoyable in the end. Should of cooked! Still it should provide some sort of fuel for Saturdays run?!
Saturdays run was going to be cold. With the weather predicted for the coming day it was better to get out sooner rather than later. My planned run was going to be a 14 mile loop of Aldershot and some of Farnborough, taking in the Blackwater Valley Path. Very cold out!! I wouldn't want to guess the temperature, but I'm pretty sure it had a minus symbol in front of it. After hitting the 13.1mile mark I decided I had had enough. The last two miles marked by intermittent stomach cramps. Again, not a great run.
It shows that sometimes, as much as you try to do the right things, it just doesn't go as planned. That said, I did enjoy the run, just not as much as others!
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