The Running Mag

This parody of  the Arnie movie "The Running Man' was sent to me by Twitter follower Richard Bateman (aka @RichieB85). It did make me giggle when I first clapped eyes on it.

If you're as handy with Photoshop as Richard and would like your Run Geordie Run parody featured on this site, then please send your images to rungeordierun@gmail.com. Thanks to Richard for his efforts.

Route planning continues

The job of planning the route across the USA continues and 57 of the 100 days have been planned in great detail so far. 57 days takes me up to 26th June 2011 and well into the Summer in the state of Kansas with 1767 miles run. That's the equivalent of doing my 2007 run from John O'Groats to Lands end twice!

As the temperatures soar in the Summer months on the run, perhaps our intrepid "lercel hero" Geordie would have to change his running attire. The very talented illustrator, Gary Hogg, thinks that he might go for a bit of headwear like the one above. Smart!

The route should be finalised within the next 2 weeks. I'll then turn my attention to recruiting for the support team. If you would like to apply to join the team then the application form can be found by clicking here.

A bit of a Twitter challenge going on

I was recently contacted by a company called Digital Spark Ltd who were looking to support local causes. The two charities I raise funds for and the challenge I'm undertaking to run 3100 miles across the USA really captured their imagination.

They fully intend to get behind my run across the USA in 2011, but in the meantime have thrown down somewhat of an on-line challenge.

Two weeks ago they said that they would donate £100 if I could manage to reach 1000 followers on Twitter before the end of June.

I'm pleased to report that, with a lot of help of my existing Twitter followers, I managed to reach 1000 followers on Twitter and £100 is on the way to St Benedict's Hospice and The Children's Foundation.

The good news didn't stop there, however, as Digital Spark immediately threw the gauntlet down and challenged me to reach 2000 followers before the end of July. They upped the ante this time and if successful, £200 will be on the way to the 2 charities. What price 3000 followers or more I wonder?

Many thanks to Digital Spark Ltd for their support who had the following to say -"We are a passionate and talented team who love to work with like minded clients. Our team of specialists can work with you to deliver transformational change for your business in the online world. Whether that be out on the internet or within your organisation, we have the expertise and history to help you achieve your goals and give you the competitive advantage.".

If you would like to follow me on Twitter and help unlock the charity cash then please click here.

What's it all aboot?

For those of you visiting www.rungeordierun.com for the first time this item should hopefully go some way to explaining what the 3100 run across the USA is all about and why I'm doing it.

Where and when is the next sponsored run?

My next sponsored run is to be done along a 3100 mile route from the west coast (Pacific) to the east coast (Atlantic) of the USA. The run starts in Huntington Beach, California and finishes in New York City.

I will be running through a total of 15 states. The runs takes in unforgiving heat in the Mojave Desert and relentless climbs in the Rocky mountains with a summit of 11,307 ft (Berthoud pass).

The run starts in May 2011 and will be done over the course of 100 days. I will therefore be running 31 miles a day on average.

Why are you doing it?

The primary motivation for running 3100 miles across the USA is to raise funds for 2 local charities. The first, St Benedict's Hospice (Charity No. 1019410), cared for my Mam during her final days battling cancer in 1995. Ever since then, I have tried to repay the debt of gratitude I feel towards the Hospice and the staff.

The second charity is The Children's Foundation (Charity No. 1000013). I have a young family myself and I'm very proud to contribute to a charity that cares for the health and wellbeing of so many children in the North East. It is estimated that, last year, the charity touched the lives of over 90,000 children.

Who is funding the run?

All expenses associated with the run are coming out of my own pocket. I have already turned down offers of financial support and those funds have gone to the 2 charities. It's so important to stress that every single penny raised will go to the 2 charities. Nobody, but the 2 charities will benefit financially from the run across the USA.

Will you have a support team?

I hope to have a team very similar to the one that supported me so successfully in 2007. We will have mobile accommodation for the entire run.

What is your fundraising target?

I'm not normally one for setting fundraising targets but an event of this magnitude simply has to have one. Given that £34,108 was raised during my last run from John O'Groats to Lands End in 2007 the USA 2011 run has a fundraising target of £50,000 (£25,000 for each charity). It's a massive target and with the help of so many generous people out there it's one I'm confident of achieving.

How are you fitting the run across the USA around your normal family/work routine?

The answer to this one is a bit extreme. I'll be quitting my job before I start the run and looking for work when I get back to the UK. This is a massive risk as, like everyone else, I have bills to pay.

A bigger sacrifice than that though is the fact that I will not see my family for just over 3 months. My son, Jack, will be 8 when I run across the USA. It pains me to think about being apart from him for so long.

How much training will you be doing?

Training for the USA 2011 run started in November 2008. Since then I have 3000 miles with various distances, terrains and speeds. I have managed up to a maximum of 120 miles in a week, so far, and up to 37 miles in a single session. I've yet to pick up a major injury from running. I did, however break my ankle in May 2010 while riding my bike on the C2C route.

I now have a "bionic ankle". In other words, I had 2 pins inserted into it to give me a good and speedy recovery.

After a successful period of rehab on my ankle, the focus in 2010 will be continuing to learn how to recover after running the big miles day after day. By the end of the year I hope to be able to run 7 consecutive days of 31 miles without too much fuss.

How can I donate to your chosen charities?

Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/rungeordierun1 for St Benedict's Hospice or www.justgiving.com/rungeordierun2 for The Children's Foundation.


Run Geordie Run t-shirts are available to buy for £10. The full £10 goes to the charities. Yep! Every last penny of your £10 for a t-shirt goes to the charities. This is thanks to Peter McCowie and nufc.com paying for their production. T-shirts can be paid for via justgiving.com or by cheque direct to the 2 charities. Pleas order here.

There is also a Run Geordie Run charity album especially written and recorded by The Exiles. It can be downloaded here.

Each mile of the run can be dedicated to a lost loved one in the "3000 scheme".  More details here.

Another Run Geordie Run "Concept drawing".

The very talented Gary Hogg and I have been in discussions today, putting together the conceptual world that our intrepid "lercal chariddee hero" will be found living and breathing in in a publication near you very soon.

Of course, there will be parody-type comparisons made with the Forrest Gump character and the scenarios that he found himself in. Rest assured though, that they will all have there own unique Geordie twist with a lot of good old fashioned clean comedy to boot.

You'll find, from time to time, that the storylines will mirror what's going on in the real world of Run Geordie Run. For example, broken ankles, rehab, run ins with the trainers for eating too many Peter's Pies as well as all of the adventures and characters that I will run into while running across the USA. And if it's anything like my run from John O'Groats to Lands End in 2007 then there should be a few adventures and characters to talk about.

The above conceptual drawing should give you a flavour of what The Adventures of Run Geordie Run is "arl aboot". I can exclusively reveal that Geordie will be telling his story from a park bench while waiting for a bus. Sound familiar? There may well be some surprise guests on that bench too from time to time! 

I for one, can't wait to find out how his story across the USA unfolds!

Whoopsie!

Oh dear! It looks like our intrepid local charity hero "Geordie" has had a bit of an accident in training! I fear that "Big Dave the Porsonal Trainer" won't be "owa happy" with his antics! 

Never fear though as, while Geordie is only able to "hobble aboot", he's on a strict diet. His specially appointed dietician, "Russell Sprout" will be making sure that our favourite local charity raising runner doesn't scoff "owa many Peter's Pies".

But seriously folks, the very talented illustrator Gary Hogg and I have been thrashing about some ideas today. We have already secured some space in a major selling monthly local publication (more news on that when I'm able to share it). Soon you'll be able to read all aboot his charity antics!

Gary is working on some comic strip situations that loosely mirror the recent goings on in the world of Run Geordie Run. Hence, the above concept image of Geordie, The Grant Edwards Run Geordie Run Plaster Cast and those blummin' crutches!

If you are involved in a printed publication and would like to include "The Adventures of Run Geordie Run" in your pages then please drop me a line at rungeordierun@gmail.com.

There will be more news on our canny runner "Geordie" and his adventures soon, but in the meantime I would really appreciate it if you would visit Gary Hogg's website. Gary is donating all of his time for free and I really appreciate that. I've got a couple of his books on the way and a colouring book for the Bairn.

There's plenty of canny stuff on his site that would make ideal gifts for local and exiled Geordies alike. Gary's site is here.

Run Geordie Run on iTunes

The 2 charity songs written and recorded especially for Run Geordie Run by The Exiles are continuing to sell well in iTunes.

The Exiles (aka Alan Millen and Tim Readman) kindly donated their time for free and even paid for the recording studio out of their own pockets.

I took delivery of the final songs back in 2009. The first track I listened to was "Runner on a Lonely Road". Within the first 10 seconds of listening to it I couldn't believe just how catchy it was. Brilliant! This was a song that delivered a message of never ever giving up and getting to the finish line against all the odds! Intertwined in all of that was also a message that the run would be done in memory and dedication of those people who were dearly important to the runner. This is evident in the lines of the song that start "I'll go another mile for.....".

Next up was Beneath The Angel's Wings Once More. This beautifully written and performed piece is a lot slower in tempo than the first track and opens with the line "I'm a Geordie Boy a long way from home....". It tells a story of a lad on a very testing journey and once again there is a theme of sheer determination and of never giving up which is explained lyrically as "..no surrender, no turning back". If the first song was about the run itself then this song talks more about the return home to the North East of England. "and when it's over, I'll walk through that old familiar door, home at last, the day I stand, beneath the angel's wings once more." is a line I certainly look forward to being a reality.

If there's one thing that you soon realise when you listen to the Exiles' songs it's that they don't half know how to relay a good story. Back this up with that seemingly familiar Geordie "twang" in Tim's vocals and you've got a recipe for some quality tunes that us common Tyneside folk can really relate to and in our mind's eye be a part of.

You can buy the 2 songs from iTunes by clicking here. As per usual, all profits go to the 2 charities.

The Wales Marathon - an outside chance!

Back in March I reported that "I was very flattered this week when I was invited, by the organisers, to take part in the very first Wales Marathon.". 

The Wales Marathon takes place in September and  "the course will start in Tenby and follow the coast road out and turn at Manorbier beach under the castle! Then the course will return via the ridgeway, with stunning views accross the bay, before finally finishing in Tenby's Tudor square.".

Of course, plans for my participation were scuppered when I broke my ankle last month. However, the Grant Edwards Run Geordie Run Plaster Cast is due to be taken off in 12 days time and there is still an outside chance that I could be "some kind of fit" to get round the course in September. I certainly won't be breaking any records!

The great news is that the organisers, Activity Wales, have offered to donate £5 of every entry made on-line using the code "GEORDIE" to The Children's Foundation and St Benedict's Hospice.

The application form is here.  I hope, very much, to see you there in September.

The adventures of Run Geordie Run

Ok, so it's just a working title at the moment, but very soon you'll be able to read all about "The adventures of Run Geordie Run" in comic strip form. Yep, you heard it here first! 

Local illustrator, Gary Hogg, has agreed to donate his time and produce a Run Geordie Run comic strip. I gave him the very short remit of producing "a cross between Billy Whizz and Andy Capp". The resulting character is what you see above. One of my followers on Twitter (SlabSquatthrust) commented "Love it! Looks like Andy Capp has been hitting the gym!!!".

As soon as I saw the final drawing I found myself wanting to know more about this character. Does he have any pals? What is he going to get up to? What will his first words be?

At the time of writing, I have already had one major local publication agree to include the comic strip. This is amazing bearing in mind that this has gone from initial idea to concept drawing to an agreed character in less than 24 hours.

The aim is to entertain with a short cartoon strip as well as delivering a message in the spirit of Run Geordie Run. I'll reveal more news about where you can read all about his adventures when I can. You'll also see him popping up on this blog from time to time when the occasion merits it.

More on "Run Geordie Run" soon, but in the meantime I would really appreciate it if you would visit Gary Hogg's website. There are a number of really good Geordie related items on his site. They would make ideal gifts for local and exiled Geordies alike. Gary's site is here.

Sponsorship Landmark

Great news! Today, the fund for St Benedict's Hospice and The Children's Foundation burst through the £11,000 barrier. That's 16,350 in US dollars for my overseas readers (other exchange rate conversions are available on request!). 

A donation of £30.32 by Paul Smith (aka The Twitchhiker) got the charity fund to exactly £11,000. A subsequent donation from Steve Lank ensured that the charity fund didn't stay there long and it currently sits proudly at £11,010.

The good thing about the charity fund is that it contains very little in the way of traditional pledges to be paid upon successful completion of the run. Out of that £11,010, a whopping £9,870 has already been passed to the 2 charities. At the time of writing, £1,140 is due to be collected after the run. £1,000 of which is a very generous pledge from Ivor Potter.

Rest assured, I'll be working very hard to earn the money already paid and that which is to be paid at the end of the run across the USA. 

All that is really left for me to say is a massive THANK YOU to everybody who has contributed to the 2 charities so far. Your support is very much appreciated.