T-24 Weeks - The Final Fundraiser!

5 Miles (479.8Total)

DONATE: www.justgiving.com/jamie-ross
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The last 2 weeks have been a bit of a nightmare to be honest.  An ankle injury (a different one this time), my work commitments and other personal stuff has put things on the backfoot a little.  Well a lot actually.


I will be back out again this week with a further blog in the next week or so.  I am now behind schedule for the 1,000 miles this year, I am nothing if not determined to succeed though so I will continue to keep you all up to date.


Whilst the challenge continues the 'official' Just Giving site closes at the end of the week.  As a result I am going for one final push to reach my £5k target.  Thanks for all of you generosity in the past few months, I have been blown away by it. 


I wanted to re-post the blog that sums up why I am doing what I am doing.  Please read below and if you can spare some more pennies, please do.  It is a real difference you would be making.


Thanks
LB
XXX

“I have some very bad news for you”, the Consultant began.  That was Christmas Eve 2009, and so began our journey with the Cri du Chat syndrome (CDC).

It’s a rare chromosome disorder, and as such the doctors couldn’t give us very much information.  We were given a print out of a Wikipedia page and told to expect moderate to severe learning difficulties.  And that was that.

                

Enid was just 10 days old and suddenly the world we had imagined for our baby girl was shattered.  I don’t think you realise how much you unconsciously plan and think about the life for your child until it’s all taken away.  Concerns about getting her in to the ‘good school’, wondering if she’d be good at sport or English, thinking what career she might want to follow.  Suddenly everything fell in to a pit of irrelevance and we were left wondering whether she had any sort of future at all.

After leaving hospital, the support we have received from the NHS has been great.  The trouble we have is the lack of syndrome-specific support available.  When we were given the diagnosis only one nurse on the Special Care unit had ever come in to contact with a CDC child, and that was when she was training 25 years ago.

                                                         

This is where the CDC Syndrome Support Group has been invaluable.  As a starting point we could read information on their website and try to build up an idea of what the syndrome would mean to us in real terms.  They also have a clinical advisory group from whom, for example, we received child growth charts that we could use to see how Enid was growing compared to the norm for the syndrome.  Up until that point Enid was being compared on the standard child growth charts, on which she falls way below even the lowest percentile, leading to pressure from many health professionals.  At 11 months old she is only now just going in to clothes for 3 month olds.  

The most valuable thing for us offered by the CDC Support Group is the annual family weekend.  Attending for the first time this year gave us a chance to actually meet other families affected by the syndrome, to talk to them about their experiences, and to see the range of disabilities Enid might face.  We also heard talks from health professionals experienced in treating CDC children.  If nothing else, for one weekend of the year we got to feel like a normal family.

Fundraising for the CDC Support Group is vital to its running. Being such a rare disorder there isn’t much awareness of the charity and its work, so funds each year are limited.  However unlike larger charities, all the funds raised for the charity go directly to the work of the group.  There are no big overheads, salaries and bonuses to pay, or TV advertising campaigns and such like.  The work of the charity and any funds raised go towards further research in to the syndrome, raising awareness of CDC with health professionals and the wider public, and supporting families affected by CDC. 

Enid is now coming on for a year old and I’d say we are still coming to terms with what it all means - for her, for us.  Seeing her peers advance further and further ahead is very difficult.   But equally when we compare her to many other children with difficulties we realise just how lucky we are.  She is able to use her hands, she smiles and laughs all the time, and is very gradually learning to sit up; things that many other parents of disabled children can only dream about.  We don’t know what the future holds, whether she’ll be able walk or to talk, will she ever achieve any degree of independence, so we try to focus on the now and making sure we give her every opportunity to be the best she can be, and we’ll worry about the what if’s and what might be’s tomorrow.

T-27 - Back to Square Lard

13.2 Miles 2011 - 474.8 miles
RunStreak: 1 day!

DONATE: www.justgiving.com/jamie-ross
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Morning all!
Well I have to admit that I was always dubious that the RunStreak would last over 200 days taking me to the end of the year.  I would have hoped to have at least made it to 1 month!  There are very good reasons why, see below...

Runs Completed - Week Ending 24th June
Saturday - 1.2 miles @ 7:54mm

A speedy little trot around Chiswick this morning. My son's school Summer Fete today so I was up at 6.30 to set up then was cycling around Chiswick collecting and delivering various detritus. As a result in the 30 mins I had to spare late morning I decided to save the streak. Quite quick although the legs remain rather tired

Sunday - 7.9 miles @ 9:05mm

A Father's Day special. After a very lardy but delicious breakfast in bed provided by the equally delicious Mrs LB. Pancakes, fruit, maple syrup, cream and coffee in tum, I set off for a 3 miler. After a couple of miles I felt pretty good so decided to extend it, I am pleased that I managed to reach 8 miles, near as damn it. Pleased with my effort, so will enjoy larding out for the rest of Father's Day....

Monday - Thursday 0 miles 

In a word.... Bollocks!  Well actually back.  On Monday morning just sitting at my desk I heard a couple of pops at the base of my spine and was immediately in agony.  I walked my little lady to nursery and then hobbled back.  The rest of the day and Tuesday were a blur of pain, Diazepam, Tramadol and Stella.  On Wednesday I went to my Osteopath who surprised me for 2 reasons:

1. He didn't give me a bollocking for doing loads of running, in fact he positively encouraged me to crack on.  Normally these guys are all doom and gloom, saying the 'larger' gentleman might consider low impact stuff instead.

2.  He also told me that all the work had meant I should recover quicker because I looked to be in 'great shape'...!  What the fuck?  Me.  In great shape?  I have never heard anything funnier.  I can only assume he had been on the gin (it was in the afternoon)

Anyway he weaved his magic (if you live in West London and need an Osteo let me know, he is ace) and I felt a little better although was still walking round looking like I had a marrow shoved up my bottom.

By yesterday I felt much better and so.....

Friday -  4.1 miles @ 9:20mm

It was time to get back out there and give my back (and legs) a little test drive.  The run itself was a little slow, but I didn't want to go nuts on my first run.  The immediate reaction is very positive, no pain and so I will just have to wait and see how I feel tomorrow morning.

So what next?  Simple.  I start the RunStreak again from 1 and take it from there.  If I have a good week I will be over 500 miles for the year at the half way point in the year so on target.....

Have a great weekend all

LBX

T-28 Weeks - Tough Lard

29.3 Miles 2011 - 461.6 miles
RunStreak: 21 days

DONATE: www.justgiving.com/jamie-ross
FOLLOW LARDY BOY ON TWITTER: @LardyBoy2011.  Please follow me on Twitter for additional Lardy Boy updates

Morning all!

Blimey what a week.  Outside of the running I had a boys weekend in St. Neots, golf and beer.  I must say that St. Neots is a very 'special' place.  Anyway after that the week has been very busy work-wise, the kids haven't been sleeping and as a result I am a little shagged to be honest.

On the running front, it has been a little difficult this week and now a change of focus.  On Monday (see below) I had an awful run.  As a result I have realised that I have been worrying too much about how fast I have run and not enough on the distance itself.  Anyway there is more information below so please have a look!

In other news I am pleased that the blog had a record number of views last week.  Please do keep reading and forwarding on to those who you think will find it amusing etc etc...

The Just Giving site will be up for 5 more weeks.  I am tantilisingly close to my goal of £5k before Gift Aids.  If you can spare a penny or 2 please do visit.  It makes a huge difference to a very small charity.  Cheers....

Runs Completed - Week Ending 17th June

Saturday - 1.2 miles @ 8:48mmA 1 mile streak saver this morning. Nothing much to report. Off away with the boys golfing and drinking this weekend. This should make the run on Sunday morning interesting..

Sunday - 4.2 miles @ 8:50mm

Lardy Boy on Tour Activity! After a night out with the boys in the wonderful (!) town of St. Neots, a 7:30am run from the hotel in Abbotsley was not exactly high up on my to do list, but off I went anyway. Initially I thought a 1 miler would be all I was capable of. However being in new surroundings got me going so did a 4 mile out and back. Country roads, nice views and a sunny made the jaunt worthwhile.

Monday - 7.5 miles @ 9:19mm

Oh dear, what a disaster. This was one of the worst runs I have ever had the pleasure of 'running'. The first 2 miles were fine and then once hitting the river at Hammersmith it all started to unravel. The weekends fun and games with the boys in St Neots probably didn't help but essentially I imploded. I ran the whole way but there was nothing in the tank. Judging by my liquid (including Hot Marmite....!) and food intake once back home I think I might have been missing some fuel to say the least! I also now have concerns if I am in good enough shape to be running every day. We will see.

Tuesday - 1.2 miles @ 7:45mm

After Monday's disaster, I decided that the legs need a rest. So I did just the 1 mile streak saver but wanted to prove I could still run 'fast' (for me!). Pleased with the results but already regretting the run streak lark.... I will need to take it a bit easier on the mileage front in the next few days but determined to carry on for now at least.

Wednesday - 4.2 miles @ 9:47mm

A nice gentle jog around Chiswick with Mrs LB this morning. She runs at a nice even jog for me, I am pleased that she is picking up her mileage and her pace though. I think she might even do a 10k at some point soon.

Thursday - 8.0 miles @ 9:12mm

A nice steady early morning jaunt down by the river. I have decided to stop focusing on my times and worry only about distance. As a result I didn't look at my Garmin at all on the run. The result was a slower pace than normal but very consistent which is pleasing. To maximise the run streak I need to just do the miles. When it get close to races I can pick things up a little.

Friday -  3.0 miles @ 9:40mm

A nice cheeky jog round Chiswick with Mrs LB to finish the week.  The missus even tried to out sprint me at the end, the little whatsit.  Anyway a nice end to a tough week, getting close to the halfway mark, hopefully before the halfway point to the year!

Have a great weekend all

LBX

T-29 Weeks - 400 Mile Lard

32.7 Miles 2011 - 432.3 miles
RunStreak: 14 days

DONATE: www.justgiving.com/jamie-ross
FOLLOW LARDY BOY ON TWITTER: @LardyBoy2011.  Please follow me on Twitter for additional Lardy Boy updates

Morning all!


Apologies if the blog today still is a little disjointed.  I am now getting into the habit of writing up notes each day after a run.  It saves time on a Friday when I post the blog.

This week has been a cracker.  By far my biggest week of running since April and ankle injury notwithstanding the run streak has so far never been in doubt.  I have even managed to squeeze in some 5-a-side footie and some cycling in.  Those that know me well will be aware that I tend to get addicted to stuff (!) but also am drawn into fads rather easily, I am a bit of a sheep you see!  Anyway I can't help but feel that I am getting a little addicted.  Last Saturday for example we had the McCarthys to stay, I was a wee bit hungover, and I only had an hour time-frame to run in.  Mrs LB was off for a day out so daddy daycare would have meant the streak was in doubt.  But hungover I got up and got the job done....  


This week I passed the 400 mile mark for 2011, need to get beyond 500 by the end of June!


Anyway below is a brief summary of the runs this week!

Runs Completed - Week Ending 10th June

Saturday - 5.1 miles @ 8:55mm
Despite a hangover off I went anyway at 7am; clearly a bit stupid. Our visitors included the man mountain that was Mat McCarthy. Now however after a 1:43 half marathon he looks in need of a good meal to be honest. After a sluggish start and some severe boiking... (thought I was gonna hurl a few times!) things picked up and decided to head off to Hammersmith to do a bit of a longer loop than usual. I was pretty pleased with the efforts, having had a load of lager and wine the night before quite honestly the run and subsequent survival was a bit of a miracle quite frankly..



Sunday - 3.6 miles @ 8:38mm

Pace picked up today. Think that I have now learned that my jogging pace is nearer 9mm and not 10mm. As a result when I want to put my foot down I can. Happy with this run

Monday - 3.3 miles @ 8:17mm

Didn't have enough time to do a long run today in the end. Decided to crack on with a quicker, shorter run. I was delighted with the pace. Maybe a 1:50 half marathon and 4 hour marathon is a possibility for such a (erm) larger gentleman.... Only time will tell!

Tuesday - 8.2 miles @ 8:57mm

Up with the larks for this run. Down to the river at Hammersmith then along to Kew and home. The tide was so high that I didn't get a lot of river running done but stuck to the roads. As a result I had to deal with a number of grumpy pedestrians who clearly have a bit of an attitude problem. I would have thought living in such a nice place as Barnes would make the general mood a positive one..... clearly not. Cheer up ffs, what is your problem!

Wednesday - 1.2 miles @ 8:50mm

Because I had footie in the evening I decided against a longer run but instead a streak saving 1 mile around the block in Chiswick. Another reason for a lack of longer run was thanks to my darling daughter who stole my mojo by waking up at 5.30 this little minx! Nothing to report on the run this morning apart from being given a cheery wave and hello from a random drunk in the park. Superb effort!

Thursday - 10.1 miles @ 9:02mm

A run from my little lady's nursery, down to the river at Kew, along to Hammersmith back to Barnes and home. After footy on Wednesday night the legs felt a little sore. My ankle continues to give me grief but I will not let it stop me. I wanted a longish run out of the way; I am on a boys weekend this weekend so the runstreak 1 milers will be the way forward then!

Friday - 1.2 miles @ 8:07mm

Ankle strapped, a ginger little trot around Chiswick in order save the streak. I think it is going to be ok, I hope.

Have a great weekend all

LBX

T-31 Weeks - Streaky Lard

22.7 Miles 2011 - 399.6 miles

DONATE: www.justgiving.com/jamie-ross
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Morning all!


Well this week was an eventful week.  The Lard Streak has begun!  Whether you class 7 days of running in a row as a streak as such is up for debate, but you have to start somewhere!


As a result this blog has now changed format again, and will hopefully be settled for the time being.  Please do make sure that you spread the word, because knowing people are reading this makes all the difference!  Spread the Lard!

Runs Completed - Week Ending 3rd June

Saturday - 3.8 miles @ 8:42mm
The first run for 5 days and the start of the big streak!   The usual roads around Chiswick starting and finishing at home.  Early morning on a Saturday that there wasn't much going on.  One small alarm when I nearly tripped over a drunk (prob homeless bloke).

Sunday - 1.2 miles @ 8:06mm

A little stretch before the BUPA 10K on the Monday.

Monday - 6.4 miles @ 8:23mm

The BUPA 10K was a great event.  Once more as I lined up for a race in London the clouds parted and the race took place in pretty hot conditions to be honest.  Lardy Boy went out in different livery as I was running for The Children's Society so was wearing their fetching purple vest.  The pace I set was pretty good, I want to get my 10K PB down to 50 minutes this year.  I wasn't expecting to do that yet and was very pleased with my 53:29, a new PB by some 4 mins or so.  The run was away from Buck House, along Embankment up and around the City and then a return, finishing on the Mall running toward Buck House.  Finished just over 3,000th out of 10,500 runners.  Pretty chuffed!  To be able to take part in a great race that allows you to run through the heart of one of the best cities in the world is amazing.  Big Lardy Boy recommendation, although a bit slow at the start (traffic!)

Tuesday - 5.3 miles @ 9:24mm

Decided to press on with a longish recovery run down to river in Hammersmith then towpath to Barnes and back to Lard Towers.  Legs were pretty heavy but not as bad as I thought they might be

Wednesday - 3.6 miles @ 9:02mm

Pretty non-descript run around Chiswick.  Had to go out mid-morning though so had to dodge the people traffic including one total numpty who appeared unable to walk, stare at Blackberry and keep mouth closed all at one moment.  Nice sweaty sweary chuntering by LB got his attention though!

Thursday - 1.2 miles @ 8:25mm

Day off work and away with the kids.  A quick streak saver before Super-Dad duties.

Friday - 1.2 miles @ 8:08mm

Wanted to do a longer run but I have a lot of work on today, so needed to do a quicky.  We also have the pleasure of the Maccas visit this afternoon, so lots of beers, wine and food this evening.  I hope he is bringing his trainers for tomorrow's early morning run!

Have a great weekend all

LBX

T-32 Weeks - Change It Up Lardy Boy

14.5 Miles 2011 - 376.9 miles

DONATE: www.justgiving.com/jamie-ross
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Runs Completed
20th May - 3.0 miles @ 9:50mm
22nd May - 11.5 miles @9:37mm


Another pretty frustrating week in terms of getting out for a run but managed my longest run post the marathon on Sunday.  I have to admit that the run bloody nearly killed me, I felt worse than I did after mile 20 of the marathon.  The marathon seems a long time ago now but I need to press on and give myself a right royal kick up the backside.


As a result I have decided that as of tomorrow I am going on a running streak.  Now before everyone reaches for the gagging bucket and blindfolds I am not about to take to the streets of London in my altogether.  I am going to run at least 1 mile every day between now and the end of the year.


That will mean that the 1,000 mile target will be easier to achieve but will also give me another goal to aspire to.  I will also book in all my races from June to December and blog those next week.  These things will provide me the motivation to get things kick started.  I also need your help with reads of the blog, sharing around and generally badgering / harassing me into extracting my digit from my arse.


Speaking of races it is the BUPA 10K in London town on Monday which I am really looking forward to.  One of my race goals was to break 50 minutes for a 10K by the end of the year, this time round the target is 53 mins.  We will see.


Have a top bank holiday weekend, and don't forget the just giving site is open until the end of July, so feel free to drop by and splash the cash!


LBX

T-33 Weeks - Getting There!

16.2 Miles 2011 - 376.9 miles

DONATE: www.justgiving.com/jamie-ross
FOLLOW LARDY BOY ON TWITTER: @LardyBoy2011.  Please follow me on Twitter for additional Lardy Boy updates


Runs Completed
14th May - 4.1 miles @ 9:02mm
16th May - 4.0 miles @9:39mm
18th May - 8.1 miles @ 8:59mm


Well that was a little better.  3 runs completed and each good fun in their own way.


On Saturday morning I woke (without kids!) in Whitstable.  I had escaped with Mrs LB, her sister and hubby for a seafood and white wine festival.  Despite a wee hangover I trundled for an out and back along the coastline.  The first half was a breeze and we all know why don't we?  Yes when I turned around for the return journey I soon realised that I had run the first 2 miles with a gale force wind up my chuff.  The return journey as a result was a little challenging but a great start to the day.  I however compounded this blow out by then spending half the day walking 8 miles from Whitstable to Faversham at the end of which I was bloody knackered.  So exhausted in fact that I was tempted to include it in the mileage.


I decided against that though due to the fact that we stopped for a pint half way so hardly hard core exercise!


I would have run on the Sunday but my wife refused to get out of bed to join me...


She could be arsed on Monday though so we had a trot round Chiswick which was great with the small exception that I completely turned over my dodgy ankle again!  I am getting pretty pissed off with it.  Realistically I should probably rest it but I am enjoying the running again now after a 3 week lull post-Marathon.


So even though the ankle was feeling dodgy this morning I dosed up on Neurofen and Ibuprofen Gel and set out for a blast down the river.  The result was a really well paced 8 miler that I really enjoyed.


The plan for the next week or so are a few speedy shorter runs ahead of the BUPA 10K run in London on 30th May.  Also I am planning on getting myself signed up for some half marathons so that I get the focus I need to keep the mileage up.


Anyway lots on so must dash, til then!
LBX