Just a quick blog tonight as I need to catch up on some much needed sleep.I managed 25.1 miles tonight, finishing just before dark on the A30. IN CORNWALL!!!! Tomorrow's first few miles will be the climb up to Bodmin Moor. Looking forward to that one!
Make no mistake, today has been really tough. Physically yes, but more so mentally. The first 12 miles were a real struggle. I had very little power in my legs and I think the strain of running nearly 800 miles is beginning to show. This lack of power affects my mental well being and I'm finding that my morale is up one minute and very much down the next.
There are ways and means around this though and at the 12 mile point I had to take my mind to a very dark place. I'll spare you the details (perhaps one for the book that everyone is saying that I should write). Suffice to say that I ended up running with tears down my face for a good mile or two and as soon as that emotion turned to anger I was flying with 9, 10 and 11 minute miles. I've no idea how this process works but work it does. It's not a pleasant thing to have to do and I hope I don't have to resort to it again on this tour.
I stopped running after 16 miles and we headed off to check in to the hotel. I resumed the run at 19:30 and the last 9 miles were done at a quick pace with more 9, 10 and 11 minute miles. What a turnaround!
By my calculations I've managed to do 798 miles in the last 34 days. It looks like there are 75 miles left, giving a total mileage of 873 miles. So with 3 more days effort similar to today I'll do it. Simple as that. I'll achieve the Impossible Dream. As was the case today, the next 75 miles will rely heavily on supreme mental strength. I can't begin to tell you how much of a mental battle each mile has now become.
At present, those 75 miles seem like 575 miles. I think that once tomorrow is out of the way (Friday isn't it? I've lost track of the days) I'll start to see light at the end of the tunnel. I want to finish this run in style after all.
I must repeat an earlier post from today and say a massive thank you to all of the emails I've received today. I'll get round to replying to them over the next few days.
Thanks also to the new sponsors today. £19,000 now looks to be a realistic possibility thanks to all of the NUFC.COM readers and fellow Newcastle supporters. I know that Anne Oliver, the fund raising co-ordinator at the Hospice, is over the moon with the current total. I'm really looking forward to handing over the cheque for this one!
To close for the evening I'll leave you with this line from an email received today from Mark Douthwaite - "I've searched for inspiration to get myself off my fat @rse and out there. I've turned to Lance Armstrong, to Bobby Robson, even Ghandi!!! but you top them all.". I'm in good company there!
There are ways and means around this though and at the 12 mile point I had to take my mind to a very dark place. I'll spare you the details (perhaps one for the book that everyone is saying that I should write). Suffice to say that I ended up running with tears down my face for a good mile or two and as soon as that emotion turned to anger I was flying with 9, 10 and 11 minute miles. I've no idea how this process works but work it does. It's not a pleasant thing to have to do and I hope I don't have to resort to it again on this tour.
I stopped running after 16 miles and we headed off to check in to the hotel. I resumed the run at 19:30 and the last 9 miles were done at a quick pace with more 9, 10 and 11 minute miles. What a turnaround!
By my calculations I've managed to do 798 miles in the last 34 days. It looks like there are 75 miles left, giving a total mileage of 873 miles. So with 3 more days effort similar to today I'll do it. Simple as that. I'll achieve the Impossible Dream. As was the case today, the next 75 miles will rely heavily on supreme mental strength. I can't begin to tell you how much of a mental battle each mile has now become.
At present, those 75 miles seem like 575 miles. I think that once tomorrow is out of the way (Friday isn't it? I've lost track of the days) I'll start to see light at the end of the tunnel. I want to finish this run in style after all.
I must repeat an earlier post from today and say a massive thank you to all of the emails I've received today. I'll get round to replying to them over the next few days.
Thanks also to the new sponsors today. £19,000 now looks to be a realistic possibility thanks to all of the NUFC.COM readers and fellow Newcastle supporters. I know that Anne Oliver, the fund raising co-ordinator at the Hospice, is over the moon with the current total. I'm really looking forward to handing over the cheque for this one!
To close for the evening I'll leave you with this line from an email received today from Mark Douthwaite - "I've searched for inspiration to get myself off my fat @rse and out there. I've turned to Lance Armstrong, to Bobby Robson, even Ghandi!!! but you top them all.". I'm in good company there!
