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28/12/2007
Latest News - Updated 28/12/07
<<< 6 Marathons : 6 Months >>>
Fri 28th Dec: The Knee Strikes Again
It began with my first training run: an accidental 10 mile road run which left my limping for the 5 weeks leading up to my first marathon. Half way round that, the injury awoke, and I had to hobble round the second half of the Snowdonia marathon while fat women and old men breezed past.
In order to save myself further damage I cancelled the second marathon in the plan (to be rearranged), meaning I'll have to run 5 marathons in 3 months next year. But to make matters worse, I came out of a kayak on the river Dart 3 weeks ago in some huge rapids (my first kayaking trip!), and smashed that very same knee against a rock. A small but deep cut bled for 2 days, but the swelling went down and my knee seemed to recover quickly. Phew.
Christmas Eve morning, however, I awoke with a terrible pain in my knee, by that evening it had swollen to grapefruit size! Clearly the cut had become infected, and though it seems to be healing once again, the pain is very real, and I'm beginning to feel somewhat cursed.
This is the challenge behind these 6 marathons. Not only are they the toughest in the UK, but the time to recover between them just isn't enough. Added to that my complete inexperience and lack of training (partly laziness, partly injury) and you have recipe for agony.
I'm no Edward Hilary or Ranulph Fiennes (my spindly legs in the photo on the finish line pay homage to that fact!), so only force of will and sheer determination will see me across the finish line of the sixth marathon.
So if you haven't donated yet, nows your chance. The photos of my knee are my Christmas present to you, and your donation is your Christmas present to the planet.
This is hurting me a lot, so please help make it worth while.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
Martin
Mon 15th Oct: Just Giving site ready to receive donations
I've given up on training. I can't afford to injure myself before the first race! But I haven't given up on all you guys sponsoring me. The website to donate on is up and running now:
Every little helps people, so come on, dig deep. As it says on the site, how you pledge is up to you. A one-off, per marathon, timed per marathon or timed as a whole. Whatever, as the website says, just give!
If you want to pledge an amount based on a time, then put it in a comment below (include your email address), or email me at:
m_c.holland@yahoo.co.uk
Sat 29th Sep: WWF to cover challange in 'Action' magazine
Apparently, the World Wildlife Fund have decided to celebrate their fund raisers in a double page spread in their magazine, Action. Out of all their supporters, 4 have been chosen to appear, all of them people "who have taken part in or intend to take part in something extreme or unusual...", and, to my shock and mild horror, I'm one of them!
Obviously I'm very proud, but now I have the extra responsibility of raising loads of cash for what is certainly one of the most important charities around. So get your wallets ready, cash or cards accepted, while I devise an interesting way of encouraging you to donate.
Meanwhile, check out the website: www.wwf.org
Sun 15th Sep: Exmoor Rescheduled to April
I called the organisers of the Endurance life series yesterday and we got chatting about the first marathon - Exmoor.
To my abject horror the words "beast" and "toughest by far" and "I certainly wouldn't attempt this if I were a nancy pancy weakling who's never run more than 6 miles before" were used with alarming frequency.
To make matters worse, and presumably because of the above, the event is scheduled to be an "intimate affair", meaning that I would undoubtedly have come in dead last, if not simply dead.
BUT! It's been rescheduled! It is now the last of the series instead of the first, taking place in April :D To celebrate the delaying of my doom I sank numerous bottles of Desperados and slept smiling like a child.
This morning, however, I realised that it's still only 6 weeks until the new first marathon, which just happens to be the hardest road marathon in Britain - Snowdonia!
Thanks to those who have already pledged. I'm thinking of raising the money for WWF - what do you think? I want it to be an environmental charity, so if you have any suggestions, let me know.
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Comments
Nice legs!!!!
Has "Pretty Polly" come knocking at your door for a lucrative modelling and sponsorship contract yet....?
:-)
Posted by: ciaRAAA | 04/01/2008