The blog post where I beg for money!

So, here I stand now. On the verge of completing this marathon task I set myself some 3 months ago now. And I’m starting to look back now; not just over the course of the last 5 days but over the last 3 months and even beyond that.

As a new born baby I was very ill and in fact I came very close to death. Had there been a Donna Louise Children’s Hospice service back in the 70s I’d have most likely been one of its residents, though for me the story is a happy one as I’m now a fit healthy man who has so far lived a great life full of happy time’s ands great adventures.

Though for many children they will not be so fortunate and the Donna Louise Children’s Hospice is there to help make the time they have with us the best it can be.

They help to make every moment of a sick child’s life special.

The work they do is inspirational to me and its what I think about each day when I put on my running shoes and run 13.1 miles every day for the past 5 days and its what will fire me up to do it again tomorrow.

Please if you read my blog then I’d ask you to donate to the Donna Louise Children’s Hospice Trust at http://www.justgiving.com/6townsrun

It means so much to me to be able to help them continue the work they do and to enable them to open the hospice for more days.

Currently they only have funds to open 4 or 5 days each week.
Thanks.

So here’s a quick status update on my body and how it’s holding up.

2 black toe nails, Achilles Tendonitis in both legs, left ITB seems ok today but has been stiff for most of the runs otherwise I’m champion!

So you can see that I’m now running in some pain and I risk injury and all this is to try my very best to raise funds for the hospice so please give what you can. Sorry to go on about it but I’m not doing this for the fun of it.

On the 4th run through Burslem I was joined by my running mate from the club Jacquie who met up with me on mile 3 and ran the rest of the day with me. She also helped to keep me company on the second run in Longton.
It was quite a cold day with a bit of rain so I put my base layer on under the racing top.

We had a good run and I felt really strong towards the end. I said to Jacquie “I’m feeling better now (on mile 10) then when I started out over 2 hours ago”. Proof if it was needed that I’m mentally unbalanced!
We did come across a rather odd sight on mile 11 though

We came across two horses chained up in Bycars Park behind Port Vale FC.

Nether seemed in good condition.
So we reported it to the RSPCA and I’m pleased to say they have been intouch and have spoken to the horse’s owner and are getting some veterinary treatment now and the inspector will monitor the situation.
From 6 towns charity runner to animal rescuer is there no end to my good deeds this week… Hehe!

Then today’s run came and went in a blur of pain.
I was met at the start my Pete Morgan from the BBC Radio Stoke Breakfast show for a quick interview and then I was off.
As it was just me running today I thought I’d try to speed up plus I only had parking till mid day. A runner has to get motivation from some where and there was no way in hell I was paying a parking fine this week.

So the race was on! I still only managed a less then impressive 2 hours and 29 minutes. Though that is my best time on a 6 towns run so it’s not too bad.
The pain in my legs slowed me down from about mile 10.
I think I’ll have to take tomorrows run at a steady pace now.

I’ve done well and when I look back over the last few months of training and all the runs on my own through the long cold winter I’m grateful I did put the time in.

Last Saturday I went on the BBC breakfast show with Lamont Howie. At the end of the interview he said I was about to go off and have the best week of my life. Well he was spot in. This has been great. Yes I’m surfing a bit but this has been one of the best weeks of my life and I still have 1 half marathon and the 2010K to finish off this fund raising event.

I’m hoping for a big turn out to support me at the 2010K race in Stoke this Sunday.
The more runners the better.

Thanks and well done if you’ve read to this point. Sorry this blog was so long.


Bye for now. The 6 Towns Runner.

Thanks - Phil

Call me Izzard, Phil Izzard. I like it shaken but never stirred!

So this is my latest blog. I’m now half way through my gruelling marathon fund raising for the Donna Louise Children’s Hospice.

On Monday I completed my second half Marathon which started and ended in Longton town centre. I was joined at the start by the photographer from the Sentinel news paper though she didn’t run with me but I was joined by my mate Jacquie from Trentham RC at about mile 6 and together we toughed it out on another hot day back to the finish line at the town hall in Longton.

On Tuesday I started out from Tunstall for the 3rd half marathon and was surprised to find I had some company from Mike Cutler of South Cheshire Harriers who called me to say he’d like to meet me on the route and run to the end, so after a few calls and Mike asking passers by if he was on the right road we met up at mile 6 and he ran with me to the finish line where I had another great surprise as my friend Michelle whom I knew from college had waited patiently with her Husband Rich and little girl Eleanor to greet me and clap as I finished my 3rd run.

So all in all the last 2 runs have been really good and now I find I’m going to have Jacquie with me for the 4th run in Burslem which is great, it helps having other with me.

The story in tonight’s paper about my marathon fund raising is also fantastic and I’m dead chuffed to be mentioned in the same sentence as my comedy hero (and now running legend) Eddie Izzard. I owe a big thanks to Nicola for helping to get my story in the Sentinel.

Though what I’m doing is nothing to what he did for Sport Relief last summer.

So I’m half way through now and its all down hill from here on, well apart from the hill climbs in Stoke-on-Trent which I still have to run up!!!

Money has been coming in today and I hope that will continue for the rest of the week as there is no better way to support me then give a little cash to the Hospice.

Thanks so much to all who read these blogs, all who have run with me so far and to all who’ve donated; thank you very much indeed.

Phil Izzard - Izz 6 towns running; or should that be 3 towns now!

1 DOWN, 5 MORE TO GO.

With Kedren, Sarah and Mike from South Cheshire Harriers and Lisa, Tracy and her Partner Cass from Trentham running club we ran the first 6 towns run around Fenton.

OMG! Was it hot, Jesus Mary and Joseph it was hot today. I couldn’t have ran much more in that heat.

We owe a big thank you to the guy from the Scooter mobility shop who let us fill up our water bottles which was desperately needed. I must have drunk 3 litres during the run today.
Job done though 13.10 miles in the bag and the Fenton run boxed off the list.

I really enjoyed today’s run. It was great to have so many people come out and support me especially in such extreme heat too.
I do hope it cools off a wee bit. I can’t cope with this all week.

Tomorrow I’ll be running through Longton and hope to have Jackie also from my running club keeping me company for most of the run.

Oddly enough I’m looking forward to doing it all again and I also have the local paper (The Sentinel) http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/ coming out at the start to get photographs for a story they’re going to run about my mad mission to run 6 half marathons in 6 days for the Donna Louise Children’s Hospice.

So far so good. I feel fine and I’m rearing to go (again)!!!

This is the 6 Towns Runners blog. Now 5 towns running.
Thanks for reading - Phil

T: Minus 1 day. Tranquillity base the eagle is running

So it’s just one day now until I kick off my marathon running, on Sunday myself and 6 others (confirmed as of Friday night) will set off on the first of 6 back to back half marathons.

It’s going to be a hot start with temperatures at 19c by 9am and only getting hotter. So I’ll be drinking plenty of water on Saturday to hydrate ready for the start.
I can’t wait now; it seems so long ago that I embarked on this mad project to run 6 half marathons plus a 10k race all in a week all to raise money for the Donna Louise Children’s Hospice in Trentham.

It’s a total of 84.6 miles and so far I’ve risen over £700 which is absolutely fantastic and I’m so touched by the generosity of people, not just those who I know personally but also the folk who have given who don’t know me and that really helps to know people are backing me and want me to do well and make this a success for the Hospice.

I couldn’t have gotten to this stage without you. So thanks so much for all the support so far. It’s been a tremendous journey so far and the real adventure begins this Sunday the 23rd of May in Fenton.

Please tell your friends about me and how they can donate online via http://www.6townsrun.co.uk/
Now more then ever I need people to support me by donating, if I see money coming in each day then it helps me to eat up the miles as I run around Stoke-on-Trent so please, please help me to make this event a huge susses for the Donna Louise Trust and give what you can.

Don’t forget that you can run with me on anyone my runs, run a few minutes or run the half marathon, I would love the company. I know I’m asking a lot but it would be great to have some company each day.

Lisa & Tracy fro my running club at Trentham together with Tracy’s boyfriend are joining myself, Kedren and Sarah both from South Cheshire Harriers for the first days run.
Then I’m joined by Jackie from my running club on the second days run though Longton.
I hope to have support from Cynthia on day 5 through Hanley and then if Drew isn’t held up by volcanic ash he should be supporting me on the final run together with Kedren. But anyone is welcome to join in.
All the info is on the website http://www.6townsrun.co.uk/

So wish me luck as I get myself ready to run for all I’m worth.

Phil
The 6 towns Runner.

NO MORE TRAINING

Yes I’m as ready as I’ll ever be now. with lass then a week until the start of my first run I’ve stopped all running now.

I’ll now taper off and get as much rest as I can.
I will also stretch and do some strength work in the gym plus the odd swim or two but otherwise its pour rest and relaxation and I can’t wait.

Though I must also admit that by mid week I’m bound to be so board. I can’t actually remember what my life was like before the running. I guess I must have had a life.

Anyhow here are a few high and low points from the last 12 weeks of training.

I guess the main low point would be never having enough time to do all the things I need to do each night. Such as writing this blog, mapping my runs which I’m still finishing; fund raising and contacting the media for support designing all the advertising and t shirts and so many other things.

It has taken over my life which isn’t a bad thing but I always wish I had more time each day to do more.

I’ve adapted my body to not only cope with a lot more running each day but to also work for longer with less sleep each night.
Together with the day job it feels as though I’ve lived the last 3 months of my life in a constant state of exhaustion.

I guess that’s a high point that I’ve learned how to physically cope with so much more.

Other high points include running past a group of fishermen along the cannel last weekend only to small wacky backy! Yeah that’s a “high” point for sure.
Other high points are the obvious once, like making new friends and being so over whelmed with the generosity of people.
This has been a great journey for me so far and the best is yet to come.
So please support me and donate at www.6townsrun.co.uk

Thanks for reading my training blog and I hope you’ll read my running blog.

Thanks

Phil almost 6 towns running now….

Through the wind, through the rain and through the heat. I WILL RUN!

Had an ok 10 mile run tonight, but like on so many runs by the end my hands were so cold I’d lost all filling in them. It’s bloody painful and really gets me down.
Then I subject my self to an ice bath! oh joy of joys… Only lasted about 10 minutes but that will do!

I want to hit the 50 mile target by the end of this week, my last week of training before I taper off ready to hit the city with the BIG SIX RUNS for charity.

So I need another 40 miles which kinda means another 4 runs of 10 miles or more. No problem!!! – he says!!!
Had a good run at Tree Tops 10K last Sunday with a time of 54:32. I’m 50 seconds of my best time over 10ks which is 53:40 so that’s not too bad. It was a super day out as it always is down at Trentham Gardens.

Best news of all I still have my competitive pace and I came away injury free.

I had thought that if I push too hard to run a good time I’ll pull up with a muscle problem but it went ok.
Keep on running.

Phil Iz 6 Towns Running in less then 2 weeks now!!! Gulp…

Bloody politics and aliens....

Training blog for the 6th of May 2010
Only a quick blog post as I’ve lots to do, like sleeping!

Ran 9.53 miles tonight mostly with a few runners from Trentham RC (my running club). I was happy with that for the day but then I got home realised I’d not voted and as I’d got my running kit on thought well why not get the mileage up a little more and dash over to the polling station. As you do!

I hope my member of parliament appreciates the lengths I’ll go to just to put a bloody cross against a name!
So total miles ran today is now at 10.3 something!

Oh and you can tell when you’re tired by (1) putting the hot tap on instead of the cold one when getting my ice bath ready and (2) putting a saucepan of pasta on one hob and then turning the other hob on and then wondering why nothings cooking.

Yes I’m tired; in fact I was tired as soon as I got out of bed this morning.

I think I’m being abducted in my sleep by tiny grey aliens, you know the one’s with the big black eyes. Very scary looking apart from being the size of hobbits!
And they are keeping me awake. It could explain the odd bruising on my rib cage!!!

I need to get a hold of agent Scully ASAP. Something’s wrong. I’m gonna sleep with the light on tonight….
Or am I just getting a bit stressed out as the big 6 runs approach?
Its time to get the house brick ready and knock my self out each night.

Good night all. ZZZZZZZZ

baby we were born to run - Bruce Springsteen...

I do like the Boss (Bruce Springsteen)

I feel really good tonight, after a lot of calls and emails I’ve finally got some positive news from Signal Radio’s Signal 1.
Though they can’t give me on air time they are happy to give updates of my progress and money raised.
This is fantastic news as it’s the most listened to breakfast show in the area and I’m chuffed to bits that there are on board, in a smaller way then I’d hoped but its better then nothing.
Now for the news papers and other radio stations in the area. I’ll not give in and I’ll keep banging on doors until they open. Hey it only took two weeks, 2 phone calls and 3 emails to make Signal radio understand that I’m not going away until I get what I want.
I’ll give you a money back guarantee that you’ll not meet a more stubborn man then me! I will not be stopped… This is why those closest to me knew that when I announced my running challenge to world that it was going to happen and nothing will stop me.

So watch out BBC Radio Stoke, you’re next!

Ok as far as the running going; I did a gentle 4.25 miles on Monday on the Longton run (made a video blog too).

Tuesday evening I have run about 9 miles (no Garmin so it’s only an estimate). The brake down of that is about 3 miles from Trentham RC along the Cannel and back to the club along Cow lane and Hanford. Then 6 miles confirmed from someone else using a forerunner on the club run so it’s all good. Maybe still running a bit quick when with the gang from Trentham but I’m feeling strong.
I do need to amend today’s video blog when I said I had no injuries, that’s not quite true.
Strangely I’ve got what appears to be bruising on my rib cage! Don’t have a clue who that could have happened but I did feel it; only very slightly but I’ll keep an eye on it.
Anyway I don’t think I have done to bad today considering I’ve only had 4 and half hour shut eye and my 7am spin class.

With that in mind I think its time to crawl into bed and collapse for the night.

Good night from Phil who IZZ 6 Towns Running for real very soon……!

A good weeks running

I know I sound like a broken record but I’ve hit my miles target for the week which was set at 45.
I have run 45.5 miles in 6 days with Monday and Wednesday as rest days.
It’s all good. I even attempted and failed to make a training video blog while out running in Burslem this afternoon.

I had the camera the wrong way up and so I’m horizontal, I may be a laid back guy but the video just looked even more ridicules.

Its bad enough watching me sweat and gasp my way around with out having to tilt you head to one side to do it!
I’ll try another one tomorrow now I know what I’m doing. Watch out James Cameron, Phil is learning how to video stuff!

Maybe that’s my follow up project. I’ll run in costume as an avatar, essentially it’s just a big smurf really!

I can run in blue make up….
Anyhow here’s the training blog update stuff:- I ran 9 miles around part of the Tunstall run on Friday evening.

Ran a total of 9 miles on Saturday inc 5 at Bourne Sports with the rest from finishing my mapping in Fenton.

I then ran 9 miles on Sunday afternoon to make it up to 45.5 in total.

The Sunday run was through Burslem Town.
I’m not sure if I should stick at 45 miles for next week or up it to 50, I don’t feel like I’m over training but the legs are a bit tight in places. I’m sure that’s to be expected.

I also want to run tomorrow as I’m off work and fancy going to Longton and running the bits I’m unsure about. Mainly were roads link up with Florence Park. Plus I’m going to crack this video malarkey and post a training video blog for all to see / laugh at.

I’m feeling happy, confident and ready to run.
Phil – 6 Towns and counting down to the big day now….

I’m an athlete...

...trapped inside the body of an average man

I may not look like an athlete but I feel like I’ve adopted the life style of a top sportsman.

I’ve come to realise that I can’t have a social life (not that I have one anyway) but I have to get enough sleep / rest and make sure I’m focused ready for each days training run or in today’s case runs.

I have to eat the right things and not let my self become hungry. This I’ve noticed is a fringe benefit to all the training. Food taste’s better and I get to each more of it “a lot more”!

Though to be honest I’m eating better quality foods like better cuts of chicken or turkey.

A down side is that I can’t really drink alcohol in large amounts now.
I fear that if I have 3 pints or more I will (1) fall asleep on the pub table. (2) Find a way to poll dance through my extreme drunkenness.
Neither option compels me to head down to the local pub with mates who are for more acclimatised to beer and its effects on the body.

So I find that my social life now revolves around me having conversations with my self while out running. I think I may be going mad!

In fact my life revolves around runnng.

So far this week I’ve clocked up 36 and half miles.

I’ve come along way since I started to prepare for this challenge and I’ve adapted to all the changes I’ve made to my life style so that I can be confident that my body won’t fall apart after a couple of the runs…!

It’s all going well.
Thanks to all who’ve donated so far and to any who read my blog and haven’t then please, please support me by chucking a couple of quid in my online donations tin at justgiving.com/6townsrun
Thanks all
Phil – 6 Towns Running athlete