It's official. Team Run is now packing themselves. Actually, that may not be correct, it might only be me. But with less then two weeks to go it is on like donkey kong. All the things we haven't done are all too apparent. Time to be very serious now.
So serious in fact, that we actually all formally sat down at a table and discussed all the things we must do. We brainstormed long and hard. Rupert Guppy, being ever the organised man, suggested we bring trainers. Thank you Rupert. The sum of the teams brainstorming has resulted in a comprehensive list of things to bring, ranging from passports to trainers to first aid to vaseline. Can never be too organised! It's also set us on a chase to locate all these items, like GPS, 3G cards, & tents. On top of this, training is now at its most epic, with most of us spending a couple hours a day running, swimming, or cycling.
We have now booked some accommodation. Nice, tick... Rome, tick... Monaco, tick. However, it seems team poster boy Adam Graham is having trouble with Orbetello. Orbetello is a beautiful little town located on a lagoon, about 150 km North West of Rome, and a lovely place for team run to recover after their first day running. With 3 camp sites in Orbetello, we thought it would be easy to sort this out. But due to campsites being too busy, or our booking being inappropriate, or perhaps due to a general wariness of 6 Englishmen and an Australian turning up to occupy your land, the Orbetello campsites have not been willing. Back to the drawing board... it isn't too fun being unable to find somewhere to stay at night.
Further highlighting the seriousness, Team Run is now dry. No beers from now until we reach the start-finish line of the Monaco grand prix. No doubt, that first beer will be incredible. The sound of the twist-top opening, the bubbles rising to the top, the cool, crisp texture of the beer touching the parched tongue. It's almost too much to think about. We'll use it to inspire us through those final strides.
Now, to business. Sponsorship as of 18.23 September 1 stands at 2,278 quid. Our goal is of course 5,000. So we're still a long way short of where we'd like to get to. So, if you're reading this and particularly inspired by our ambitious run, why not go to www.justgiving.com/vaticantomonaco and leave a donation. Word on the street is that if you do, you'll probably go to heaven.
Monday 31 August 2009
Tuesday 25 August 2009
3 sweaty weeks
The following 2 weeks are going to be a huge push for us physically. The idea with the training over this time is to push ourselves further then we've gone before... this will however not involve attempting to run the 700km as we will run it in 3 weeks. The 3,600km the team has collectively run over the past 6 months has resulted in considerable wear and tear. Sore joints are a terrible thing and help no-one. We will be riding, swimming & running our way to peak physical condition, and then with one week to go, the running will stop and a little cycling and swimming will occur, just to keep the fitness up.
With 3 sweaty weeks to go, perhaps now is a time for reflection. This idea to run 700km, in its infancy, took on a slightly different form. AG, team poster boy, and SM were sitting around having a chat (some members of Team Run may dispute this as being the origin of 'The Run' - however, they do not write this blog). AG who had just signed up for the Reading Half Marathon said he was growing something of penchant for silly charity runs. We proceeded to come up with a bunch of daft charity run possibilities. Top of the list, which we mentioned to the other now members of team run, was to run around the clock in Iceland. Given that it would be summer, the days would be never ending and we could happily sleep for 6 hours, get up run, sleep for 6 hours, get up run, etc. etc. About 30 k per day for 8 days in a row. Reality set in, aided by a few massive reality checks from the older and wiser. This was perhaps a little over-ambitious.
So we then set about finding a more 'do-able' route. We all had ideas on what this would be, so after a blind vote within Team Run, we narrowed this down to 2 routes. These routes were 700km along St James trail in Northern Spain, and 700km between the world's 2 smallest countries - Vatican City and Monaco. We then put the vote to Rider Levett Bucknall London. Collectively, the office voted in favour of Vatican City to Monaco. And now here we are - 3 weeks to go and a couple of very sweaty weeks of intense training.
Finally, a quick update on sponsorship. We have now £1,713 (or £1,850 including gift aid), which is 34% of our target of £5,000. We still consider this target realistic and hope you will help us to realise this. Links are available on earlier posts.
Until next week.
With 3 sweaty weeks to go, perhaps now is a time for reflection. This idea to run 700km, in its infancy, took on a slightly different form. AG, team poster boy, and SM were sitting around having a chat (some members of Team Run may dispute this as being the origin of 'The Run' - however, they do not write this blog). AG who had just signed up for the Reading Half Marathon said he was growing something of penchant for silly charity runs. We proceeded to come up with a bunch of daft charity run possibilities. Top of the list, which we mentioned to the other now members of team run, was to run around the clock in Iceland. Given that it would be summer, the days would be never ending and we could happily sleep for 6 hours, get up run, sleep for 6 hours, get up run, etc. etc. About 30 k per day for 8 days in a row. Reality set in, aided by a few massive reality checks from the older and wiser. This was perhaps a little over-ambitious.
So we then set about finding a more 'do-able' route. We all had ideas on what this would be, so after a blind vote within Team Run, we narrowed this down to 2 routes. These routes were 700km along St James trail in Northern Spain, and 700km between the world's 2 smallest countries - Vatican City and Monaco. We then put the vote to Rider Levett Bucknall London. Collectively, the office voted in favour of Vatican City to Monaco. And now here we are - 3 weeks to go and a couple of very sweaty weeks of intense training.
Finally, a quick update on sponsorship. We have now £1,713 (or £1,850 including gift aid), which is 34% of our target of £5,000. We still consider this target realistic and hope you will help us to realise this. Links are available on earlier posts.
Until next week.
Wednesday 19 August 2009
4 score and 7 years... actually, slightly closer. Just 4 weeks!!!! Eeek.
Really??? Is there only 4 weeks left. Actually, checking out the calendar about 3 and a half now. All of a sudden the room seems a little warmer. Are we fit enough??? Will our legs take the pain of 700km combined kilometers between us?? How about our knees?? Will our campsites be there ready and waiting for us?? Will the days be hot? Or cold? What if our running track is blocked?
The list goes on. Chances are, lets be honest, things will go wrong. It seems unlikely that we can set ourselves a rather ambitious goal like this and not have a thing or two not go our way. Flat tyres, language barriers, etc... it will happen. This is of course, all part of the challenge... and possibly very fun, but also very tiring! The more ambitious the target, the more likely it is to bring home the fact that the people we do this for have many challenges themselves. Many of these struggles we do not personally understand. The challenge to find somewhere to sleep every night. The challenge of finding some food to eat. The challenge of appearing vaguely respectable for even the most mundane of jobs.
The homeless are the ultimate beneficiaries of our little run over Italy. We, as Team Run, need to remember this.
The list goes on. Chances are, lets be honest, things will go wrong. It seems unlikely that we can set ourselves a rather ambitious goal like this and not have a thing or two not go our way. Flat tyres, language barriers, etc... it will happen. This is of course, all part of the challenge... and possibly very fun, but also very tiring! The more ambitious the target, the more likely it is to bring home the fact that the people we do this for have many challenges themselves. Many of these struggles we do not personally understand. The challenge to find somewhere to sleep every night. The challenge of finding some food to eat. The challenge of appearing vaguely respectable for even the most mundane of jobs.
The homeless are the ultimate beneficiaries of our little run over Italy. We, as Team Run, need to remember this.
Thursday 13 August 2009
Battle stations. 5 weeks
Just to prove that Team Run are in fact athletes, Team Run blogger has placed a few photos of various team members participating in sporting events, or having completed those events. There's Graeme Kirkpatrick doing the Run leg of the Eton Property Triathlon... he did it in the fine time of 20.46. Shannon McKenzie after swimming 1.5k and riding 40k, did his 10k of the London triathlon in 47.34. Adam Graham did the Reading Half Marathon in the not too shabby time of 1.46.05. We will endeavour to get a photo to you soon of our desert dweller, Mr Chris Pateman-Jones breaking the United Arab Emirates 100m front crawl swimming record. Nick Watson, our specialist distance runner, has done many fine times. Richard Tipping has crippled bones, but nevertheless is a fine scrum-half. Rupert Guppy is a semi-professional footballer. See, not a bad group of athletes at all.
Some of you may have asked, how is it actually possible to run from Vatican City to Monaco. Won't there be sometimes when you simply cannot use a road to run along? Well, there are somethings we simply cannot plan for, so to ensure the route is OK, we will be flying into Nice, and then driving along the running route to Rome the day before we start running. Not a foolproof plan, but at least it should help us identify any outrageously narrow roads, dangerous native animals and overzealous locals who may inhibit our progress.
Speaking of updating progress, we have been granted usage of a company laptop, including 3G card which will help us to provide daily updates on the blog during the run. Very handy indeed. For those who can't get enough blog... looks like there's going to be plenty more!!!
Some of you may have asked, how is it actually possible to run from Vatican City to Monaco. Won't there be sometimes when you simply cannot use a road to run along? Well, there are somethings we simply cannot plan for, so to ensure the route is OK, we will be flying into Nice, and then driving along the running route to Rome the day before we start running. Not a foolproof plan, but at least it should help us identify any outrageously narrow roads, dangerous native animals and overzealous locals who may inhibit our progress.
Speaking of updating progress, we have been granted usage of a company laptop, including 3G card which will help us to provide daily updates on the blog during the run. Very handy indeed. For those who can't get enough blog... looks like there's going to be plenty more!!!
Tuesday 4 August 2009
6 dry weeks
Team Run enjoy a beer. We make no secret of this. However, when a challenge of this magnitude is taken on Team Run must ask itself... Is it right to consume large amounts of alcohol before attempting to run 700km over hills and in very un-english heat? We have to say no, it isn't. So, we have resolved that after this weekend our beer consumption will be reduced considerably. That's going to be circa 6 weeks with limited alcohol consumption. This may be as big a challenge as the run itself.
Enough talk of beer - it's making me thirsty. You need to know what's been going on in Team Run Towers this week.
Adam Graham - some will remember from earlier posts he is the poster boy of the group. Unfortuneatley his poster boy good looks get him in trouble when he has seemingly simple tasks to do, like, for example, buying maps. Attempt no. 1 ended in a trip to the cinema with a random - reportedly a girl of whom he fancied. Attempt no. 2 ended a little more successively. We have maps, a highlighter and eagerness to boot. The route is now being mapped and the accommodation being booked. Several Italian campsites, and some French ones too, will be graced by the presence of Team Run. If you happen to be in the area around 12-20 September, drop us a line. You can come and enjoy in the Team Run fun & frivolity.
Rupert Guppy - team translator, stripey shirt wearer, beard cultivator & all round banter monkey has finally put in the team run kit order. Some of the UK's finest vests and t-shirts are coming our way. We can put your companies name on them if you're amongst the top 2 sponsors. Not only will you have the knowledge your money is going to an excellent cause, you will also have your name broadcast as loud as we can shout.
Enough talk of beer - it's making me thirsty. You need to know what's been going on in Team Run Towers this week.
Adam Graham - some will remember from earlier posts he is the poster boy of the group. Unfortuneatley his poster boy good looks get him in trouble when he has seemingly simple tasks to do, like, for example, buying maps. Attempt no. 1 ended in a trip to the cinema with a random - reportedly a girl of whom he fancied. Attempt no. 2 ended a little more successively. We have maps, a highlighter and eagerness to boot. The route is now being mapped and the accommodation being booked. Several Italian campsites, and some French ones too, will be graced by the presence of Team Run. If you happen to be in the area around 12-20 September, drop us a line. You can come and enjoy in the Team Run fun & frivolity.
Rupert Guppy - team translator, stripey shirt wearer, beard cultivator & all round banter monkey has finally put in the team run kit order. Some of the UK's finest vests and t-shirts are coming our way. We can put your companies name on them if you're amongst the top 2 sponsors. Not only will you have the knowledge your money is going to an excellent cause, you will also have your name broadcast as loud as we can shout.
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