A Night with the Stars

Was a little stressed yesterday, just that the challenge seemed to be taking up all my time, despite my brother taking over lots of the logistics arranging, and was getting a bit on top of me. Thankfully I have now put things into perspective and realised I was just being a bit of a dick, I mean what did I expect, was always going to be busy with less than three weeks to go and with it being vital that I explore every avenue possible to muster support of any kind, whether it be donations or help on route. My change in mindset was helped by a night out last night at a charity fundraising event, A Night with the Stars, for Rob's school, the staff and kids put on a great show raising lots of money for a great cause. His school is really magical and it will be a sad day when he has to leave, a fantastic community spirit is evident whenever you go to one of their events or visit the school. Yes they may have learning and physical difficulties but the commitment of everyone involved in the school means the kids lives are considersably richer than many others. So that helped me get some perspective and remember why I am doing this and I must continue to do so whenever I decide to feel sorry for myself. I will have time to relax come April 22nd :-) Bumped into an ex student at the event too who had sponsored my £50 by the time I got home to check my page which is always a boost, I wonder who it will be today that puts some money in the pot? I have decided to stop pushing for donations on FB and Twitter for a week as was in danger of overkill but I feel optimistic that the money will continue coming in regardless, the endless email and canvassing means it is sort of taking on a life of its own. Only done 30 miles this week so far, although this is my first rest day since 25th February, which is fine. Lots of miles planned for tomorrow though, not sure how many but am looking to spend four to five hours plodding around with my new Inov-8 backpack filled as it will be on the challenge. All downhill from there then really with 16 days until I head North to the start lilne. Todays song was bought to you by David Bowie, his new album is magnificent, can't believe he is 66, hope I am that cool when I reach his age. Probably wont be because I am not even cool now. http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=MattRogersonispremierleague

Taper Tightrope

Before I begin can someone have a peep at my giving page and whisper how many more days I have left to go, I don't want to look but am willing for someone to tell me quietly. Now it is not that I am scared of the challenge, well not that scared, I will complete it, there will be great days, good days, bad days and truly awful days, I can deal with that, hey I'm a glass half full type of guy. Today though I am suffering from taper madness times a squillion. i really do feel as if I am on a tightrope. One wrong move could end in disaster. It was supposed to be a rest day so why did I decide to run, because I like to I guess. Someone, Laura, needs to make sure I stick to these plans because as it turns out today could have been a disaster. Sure I have got the usual pre-event niggles that I know are somehow a figment of my ever active over imagination but I also took a tumble today that could so easily have meant curtains. I tripped on something, it felt like I stood on it with one foot then got the other caught in it. Suffice to say I went flying, luckily I was on soft ground as I landed on my knee with a fair clout. I couldn't find what I had tripped on though despite careful inspection, maybe it was the voice of reason? Well if things weren't already in perspective they bloody well are now. I am feeling very fragile and would love to just go and roll myself up in a huge roll of cotton wool, I will leave my head poking out so Mrs T can feed me. Unfortunately I have a life to get on with in the meantime, with at a conservative estimate 150 miles probably to cover before kick off as well. Sure everthing will be fine but is more than an ickle bit scary as I have said before, I just need to get to that start line. Despite my taper craziness and that is all the above is, please shout at me if I keep on about it too much, there are lots of positive things happening too. Still not enough donations coming infor my liking but that will happen especially with increased media focus and the whole round table thing (right?) but got a great deal from Pete Bland Sports http://www.peteblandsports.co.uk/ on my backpack which was already half price and then reduced further when they knew it was for my challenge, £20 for and £80 pack, tidy! (Have I already told you that? head in the shed) Also got some route information through from a few people that is in as miniscule detail as 'take the third left after the roundabout, you will know it is the one because it has a postbox on the corner and a blue house three houses down on the right'. That people I don't actually know have gone to that much trouble for me, creating these routes not for just one 25 mile day but in some cases three, blows my tiny mind. ;-) Am going to sort through all my replies from football clubs tonight whislt watching Man U v Real and do some follow up letters etc. Hope fully that will take my mind off my imaginary aches and pains that, I forgot to mention, weren't helped by Caitlin telling Rob that she knows when I am coming up the stairs because she can hear my bones clicking. :-0 The only thing, as ever, that can really take my mind off it is money coming in for my charities. Is not about me is it.... PS Look at me all technical working out how to embed youtube videos rather than having crap links, prepare to be amazed by my fantastic musical taste...

There are no reasons

Nah I'm not really a Monday hater, crikey it is only 5 days until the weekend isn't it. Have eaten too much crap today though so have decided to cancel tomorrows rest day and run home from work, will probably make it a 7 or 8 miler. Has been a slow day on the donations front too, sure I can't expect to constantly get the amounts I have been doing, but I sure as hell can hope. Have heard back from a couple of the Round Table branches though who have been very positive so hope that is a sign of things to come. The song for today is more for the tenuous Bob Geldof and fundraising link, hope I don't get to Bob on all your arses but I do refuse to feel guilty or apologise for constant banging on and canvassing for donations for these fantastic causes. My sportpursuit order is now 'in warehouse' so should be with me in days as should my backpack. Will have shoes, new socks, shorts, sunglasses and backpack then, with copious amounts of bodyglide arriving today and shirts last week I am, bar a couple of logistical things, ready to rock and rolllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=MattRogersonispremierleague

I just don't know what to do with myself...

Less than 4 weeks to go until I kick off and have no idea what way to take my training, done over 43 miles over the last 2 days and felt strong but apart from planning a 30 miler next Sunday avec newly ordered Inov-8 backpack not sure what I should be doing, as I said previously am so conscious of not breaking myself. So come on you knowledgable lot, what would you do? No running until Wednesday whatever. Just a work commute on Veera tomorrow! Ran with Llanelli Half marathon today, had a few friends taking part so met them at around 1.5 miles after running about 2 .5 miles already and had a nice plod around. Although I am wearing the garmin to keep track of distance covered, and I may have mentioned this before too, am enjoying the freedom of not worrying about pace and just listening to my legs, anyway the legs today were telling me at 8.5 miles that I was tired but a mile later carried me away which was nice for two reasons, one being that it seems I am getting stronger the longer I go which is good, and secondly I could peel off in the finishing straight of the half and cheer the guys in. Wore the challenge shirt too and got a few nice comments and promises of donations so that was another job well done. Hit £2000 last night with a £65 anonymous donation, if you are reading this and are one of my anonymous donators please let me know, I wont share if you don't want me to but would love to thank you personally. Was two weeks ago today I was asking for donations to get me past the £1000 mark having taken 8 weeks to get there, hope this is a sign of the speed at which things are gathering pace and I am past the £3000 mark very soon :-) Please feel free to help the cause http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=MattRogersonispremierleague

Told you I was excited...

I remembers what I forgot.... Got my shirts printed :-) And also got the support of rugby legend Sean Fitzpatrick. A student of mine contacted me to say Sean was iin his house for a dinner party and had given him a signed Team GB shirt for me to auction. I did wonder why he had a signed Team GB shirt with him but didn't expect for him to have signed it and written 'To Matt' on it. Don't suppose it will raise a great deal at auction but still a nice touch... Now was there anything else? Oh yes, payday weekend, you know where to sponsor me lovelies :-) http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=MattRogersonispremierleague

Excitabababable

Don't know why I am so excitable today but I have that feeling in my belly and bones that I get before major races and events. Imagine a child in the week before Christmas and times by 10 basically, I really have to struggle to keep myself under control and not use up too much energy. So I am not sure whether is the fact is 4 weeks today that has got me frothing or the fact that the donations are slowly picking up, I could reach £2000 any time now which is nice :-) I had a donation off Romsey Round Table of £200 last night which gave me hell of a boost. It turns out that an old friend in Southampton is a member and the committee voted unanimously to donate and offer support when I am in the area, which is nice. Having spoken to the guy he agreed that is was worth contacting all branches on route so that is what I have been doing tonight, am about half way through, at Little Haywood, think I should contact 50-60 in all, is it too much to dream that maybe half of them will come through? Apparently they are very competitive and if they know one is supporting will want to outdo them so watch this space.... Running has been an ok week, 43 miles in last 3 days and a LOT planned for next 3 days. I have been questioning this today though and probably wont do as many as I first had planned. A friend of mine who had a similar crazy challenge lined up has a stress fracture of the lower leg and this has bought into focus how important it is I do everything in my power to get to the start line on 28th March in one piece, is only so prepared I can be and I DO NOT want to break myself now.... Sure I had gazillion more things to say but no idea what they were now so until next time....

We are family!

Not sure when I last blogged, was it a week ago, was it longer? Has been a bloody long week I Know that so have gazillions to report/ look back on so apologies in advance for my rambling. Didn’t get a great deal of miles in on two feet last week, not ideal preparation for the challenge but was way too busy with organising the ‘Born to Run’ ultra and teaching and stuff to fit many miles in. Did manage 100 miles on Veera between Friday evening and Saturday evening on the ultra course so not all bad. Two rest days has set me up nicely for 120 miles planned in the next 6 days, then 90 next week, 50-60 week after, 30 and then well is going to be time to go :-0 So the ultra was a resounding success, huge amounts of positive feedback, but let me tell you it was a bloody cold one. Friday night I started putting signs up on the course at 1530 and got to 25 miles at around 1815 when I realised that even with lights the path was getting too dark and I was getting too cold. Am so glad I decided to ride for home by then because I got back I was cold right through to the core, my eyes were, if this is possible?, actually frozen and I was starting to find it really hard to coordinate myself. I was pretty scared let me tell you, I think any longer out there and it could have got really hairy. Got home at 1900 and then went to the pub to carry out RD duties by 2015 and was still shivering. Wasn’t really until I got to bed that I felt I had warmed up. This made me a little wary about the event on Saturday because even though I had St Johns ambulance at key points around the course and very mobile I was aware that at least one competitor was going to be out for 9 hours or so and had to think about safety of the marshalls too. Thankfully there were some great performances, in conditions that remained cold and included snow showers, and everyone got through without major mishap bar one torn calf. I did have to pull one competitor who was at 34 miles had hurt his knee and been sick and was adamant he wanted to walk the rest of the way. He didn’t seem overly impressed at the time but soon came round to my way of thinking and I’m sure appreciated the decision I had to make. I gave him free entry to next year anyway. The key for me as always with my events was enjoyment, value for money and for competitors to go away feeling they had been treated as an individual rather than a number, it’s a family affair. Feedback suggest this is definitely the case and entries have already started to come in more than a year before next years event, 17 entrants so far in the four days since the event suggests to me that word is really getting out now and I will hit my maximum target of 100 competitors early this time round. That is the maximum I will allow to enable me to keep up the family ethos and offer the personal service. Overall it was just a great day, with a Nandos and a few liquid carbs with lovely friends new and old in the evening. I wont even start to say how wonderful my marshalls were either as I will never stop, wonderful wonderful people one and all. Despite enjoying it immensely I am bloody glad it is out of the way as with just over four weeks until ‘I am Premier League’ starts I really must concentrate on that now so am going to talk with my logistics manager (brother) tonight to identify any gaps in accommodation, routes planning and support so we can start pulling together the loose ends. Will probably be another begging for help blog on the way very soon, please have a read, you can’t even begin to imagine how the smallest contribution can help, and that is before even considering the fundraising. On that score though things are going very well and it has picked up over the last week but without wanting to get Bob Geldof on you I will never be able to raise enough for these fantastic causes so if you have considered donating please do, if you can’t afford to I fully appreciate it but maybe you could share the challenge with family and friends and ask them to do the same? Anyway better get my running shoes back on and get out of here! No rest for the wicked….. Sponsorship Page - http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=MattRogersonispremierleague Website - http://breathefitnessandevents.wordpress.com/i-am-premier-league/