Wednesday 15 September 2010

Halfway...


Blog from 2 July 2010
To be halfway through my challenge to run 10k everyday is an exhilarating feeling, at this point I'd have burnt roughly 200k kcalories, worn out 3 pairs of shoes, lost nearly 3 stone and done what many 'experienced' runners told me couldn't be done.

The halfway run has been a special time, it was an early live run on BBC Radio Lincolnshire where I did 2 x 5km on a circuit around town (Grantham, Lincolnshire, UK). Later on in the day News reporters from East Midlands TV News and BBC Look North TV News came to capture the day. The challenge is in aid of Cancer Research and the aim has been to do something to not only capture people imaginations but bring attention and support to the fight against cancer.

Despite how special getting to halfway my be for me doing the challenge, at the same time I'm feeling a little empty and rejected. There's two reasons for this: [a] one of the measures on the challenge is always going to be sponsorship and [b] the challenge is not like conventional running and as such 80% of the time I run alone.

The later is an aspect I didn't think would occur and therefore have a negative impact on the challenge. This honest comment about running alone is not a dig as I have enjoyed every run with people (social or serious runners) and clubs I met so far. It's an understandable but unexpected bi-product - usually runners like to perform and run a good time over a distance therefore warm ups & warm downs are separate, 15 to 20 mins long before & after a run. Also, performance or goal & targeted running means covering the distance 'in a good time' and usually finishing fast. All these aspects are detrimental to this challenge and as a result are the main reasons why many said this could not be done and why I run mostly alone; therefore contributing to the empty, rejected and outsider feelings.

To be honest and outside the fact I'm doing it everyday, I've noticed 'generally' that serious runners have showed distant interest coming to few runs at the beginning as its not a 'real' or conventional run for them; clubs “beginners”, social and target or goal runners have been more consistent however few can cover the distance and these runs include warm ups & downs outside the run; making it difficult time wise; then there's me - I'm squeezing the 10k in around work and family so I'm not that consistent when I am running, except everyday!

On the sponsorship point, its hard not to compare the sponsorship whilst still in the challenge and not thinking about the level of effort to the level of sponsorship. I have to continually remind myself that sponsorship is mostly awarded after the event, but logic doesn't always prevail and being such a long event I often find myself reflecting on this wondering if this will all be worth while.

So I'm Halfway then, well I may have made half the physical distance, but in reality I am only 4% of the journey with the cause (sponsorship) at this point.

I've not said this outright and I think halfway is a good time to say it:
The challenge is also making a subtle point, that doing a little bit everyday can add up to a considerable change or more boldly, don't be scared and hold back dreams because they look enormous – plan lots of little steps you can achieve and you'll reach them; or at least that's what I'm trying to do.

How you can help:

Share & Spread the word of the challenge to friends and relatives to join/like the Facebook page – the greater width of contacts:
[a] the greater interest & chance of corporates donating generously and
[b] if the audience was big enough and everyone bought a drink the total of these small amounts would be enormous! I'm not saying I want loads of drinks or buy me drink (cancer research would not be happy about that) but a donation at the value of a drink collectively makes a difference.

Please take the time to share the 10k-everyday idea and encouraging others to get involved - on Face Book simply type “10k everyday” in the search bar.

You can find micro blogging of this challenge at:
FaceBook 10k-everyday page, www.facebook.com/tbridle, www.linkedin.com/in/tbridle

Send a friend request with 10k-everyday in it and I'll accept. Be well, Tim