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

...definitely out the bag.

“Running Man & Marathon Man” have been the newspapers headlines for my challenge of running 10k-everyday through 2010 for Cancer Research UK.

Friday 4th Dec on my way to drop my daughter at Nursery School, I first stopped at my local newsagents to buy the our local paper, intrigued to know if The Grantham Journal had printed my challenge and story this week.
I was greeted with, “Here he is, the man on the front page, our own Running Man” by the shop keeper as I stepped into the shop; quickly followed by “What did you pay them to get that?” from a solemn man in the corner.

“Nothing” I replied handing the money to shop keeper, who smiled.
I'd never imagined to reach the front cover. Over the week the challenge had become a medium conversation point, the front page meant the Cat was most definitely out of the bag.

Friday went as expected at work with a scheduled interview at lunch time with Lincolnshire Echo, the regional newspaper. Nothing seemed to have changed until I got home, I found messages on different social media networks from missed friends, old friends and 10k-everyday friend requests everyone identifying preferred method for following; each with comments of support and sponsorship had started coming in. I'd planned to test one of the 10k runs Friday night and whilst out Penny told me I'd missed a call from the BBC Lincolnshire; but he'd catchup next week.

Saturday too seemed to start as usual, breakfast with the girls and getting them dressed so we could all go into town. Then the phone range, for those who don't have kids at this stage in the logistics of a family morning the kids might be ready but I certainly wasn't, I picked up the phone in the bedroom with one sock on to find Gravity FM was on the other end wanting a Live Radio Interview as soon as the song finished – the hyperlink to the interview is on the Media Coverage area, blog side column.

The Radio interview managed to drum up a verbal £110 for Cancer Research UK and look forward to reading the email notifications of those donations; Fridays total donations reached £70.

Saturday afternoon I received another call (this time was fully dressed!) from HeLovesMeUK.net (they're Wedding Stationary designers) offering to design the running kit & 10k-everyday look.

It's the 9th day since the conception of the challenge, I'm really pleased with how the pre-challenge activity has gone and I'm sure more interest will develop closer to the start date.

At this stage the best idea has been to “blog” the event and set up the right story before going public. Its enabled me to control the gossip and capture the interest of corporates and community.

Please spread the word and help get people to follow this challenge either at this blogsite or:
www.facebook.com/tbridle, www.linkedin.com/in/tbridle, www.twitter.com/timbridle,
www.twitter.com/sphereinnovat & www.facebook.com/sphere.innovations

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

Thanks to everyone so far.
Be well, Tim

Interviews...

“You're crazy!” was the phrase that greeted me when I opened my front door to a friend.
He's the photographer from The Grantham Journal, my local newspaper and was at my house for the interview a reporter had booked.

Since calling the papers to see if they were interested in my challenge of running 10k-everyday through 2010, Toby (the photographer) advised me there had been quite a stir about it. He'd personally asked a few Personal Trainers he knew, “Can it be done?” and shared that they said it could, though the risk of cramp & muscle tear being the main concern for injury.

The interview went well, covering all the questions you'd expect but there were a few that I welcomed and took me by surprise.
[1] Am I planning anything like a send off for the first run of the challenge?
Today marked the 5th day since the challenge conception, it was all still very new and to be honest I hadn't thought that far ahead – except I'd be running that day!
I think the reporter warmed to the honesty and suggested the paper would like to do something with me on the first run, but we'd get to that on a follow up interview later in the month.

[2] Would you be happy for a feature every now and then to report on how the challenge is going?
Again I'd hoped to spark some interest and thought I would have to chase the media for something like this, “Yes, that would be brilliant.” I blurted out in reply. “You know if 100 people sponsored you £0.10 for every 10k, would raise £3650?” stated Toby, “or if those that follow you sponsored to the value of a Pub drink in stead of buying you one, you'd achieve your target!” he added. And there it was, with out a heavy brain racking session – this simple illustration identified how a small gesture of a drink could make a big impact.

[3] We could sort out one of our guys to video you, as a feature and we'd be happy to take pictures through the year of you running if you wanted?
Awed and flattered at the generosity being expressed I managed to stumble of another reply of thanks and gratitude.

After the interview I felt energised and inspired, I've got 4 other interviews coming up over the next week – I hope they're as good, supportive and generous.

I'll be copying the media content into the blog and cross linking with them for the features and so on.

I'm using the blog as a detailed note of the challenge & challenges of 10k-everyday. Facebook will be a micro blog area of the day-to-day experience. Send a friend request with 10k-everyday in it and I'll accept.

Be well, Tim

Also follow @ www.facebook.com/tbridle
www.linkedin.com/in/tbridle & www.twitter.com/timbridle

The Pillow Talk...

Since coming up with the idea to Run 10k everyday for 2010 both our minds hadn't been far from the challenge. This morning, Sunday 29th November 2009, Penny & I lay in bed listening to the girls play in their bedrooms whilst we talked about the problems I would likely be facing over the challenge.


Sickness – has anyone remained healthy for 365 days? So what was going to happen when I was sick? My answer was simply find a way of getting round to do 10k a day and Penny added, that it could make me worse. The point is we need to find away around the problem, the goal is making it happen how we do it despite the problems is what makes the challenge and makes the journey.

Injuries – exercise every now and again is difference to 10k everyday for 365 days. I'd need to ensure my trainers where good, replaced often to reduce the pounding on my knees; I'd also be facing shin-splints if the footwear wasn't good. There's the possibility I could get cramp or break a leg, however I've only ever broken little bones & have a good stretching and cool down routine; it rare for me to get cramp, but it could still happen.

Mentally – planning & doing a 10k run in most cases is mentally tearing, doing one everyday even on holiday will be draining. What am I going to do to keep my mind focused? [a] We agreed music was a good option but I'd need to change the tracks reasonably regularly – thankfully Penny is a music whiz and she agreed to look after this and update the MP3; although we'd need to get another and rotate them. [b] With that said there are going to be other times during the year when I'm not going to want to do this; choose what's easy, lose focus and doubt myself. At these times the support behind me, people following or interested are going to help in two ways – [1] for those that believe in me and want me to do the challenge & [2] those that are looking for me to fail who want to say “Told you he couldn't do it.” Therefore if we can built up a support following, they'll be a great help for me in the hardest of times sure to be ahead.

Readiness – in many cases people build up to marathons & 10k runs, I'd be going at it from an average fitness – although I've been doing 4 & 6k runs once or twice a week since May 2009 when I was last made redundant. I think I'm going to start the first 8 weeks with 6k in morning & 4k at night, or the other way round, maybe 5 +5k or 8+2k. The point is getting the routine of running everyday first, then focus on achieving the 10k single runs everyday.

We believe we brought out all the potential problems to the challenge, which allows us to prepare and plan to get round them – if you can think of any others, I'd like know.
Personally, I'm thinking that peoples support and following the challenge is going to be the hardest – it'll need constant work because I know at the hardest of times in this challenge, its this the support that's going help me get through.

Have a good day and be well, Tim

Also follow @ www.facebook.com/tbridle
www.linkedin.com/in/tbridle

The Big Idea...

"I'm going to Run 10K everyday for 2010" I said to my wife whilst we sat on the sofa earlier tonight.
It didn't get the reaction I thought it might, Penny slowly said "Right" then turned her head to look at me. "Why do you want to do that?" she added.

I'd been toying with the idea of doing something personally different, challenging and worth while for some time. Earlier this year one of my friends had invited me to join him cycling from Lands End to John o Groats, I was interested but circumstances weren't going to make it practical; then I heard Eddie Izzard was running 43 marathons in 50 days. Both challenges caught my interest and I followed them but it wasn't what I was looking for. Last week I saw the advert for Robson Green swimming adverture series on ITV and when putting a "grown-up chocloate button" (Cabrury's Caramel Nibbles) in my mouth tonight I thought - I need to lose weight & do something! and the idea of running popped into my head. A second later the defining idea - why not do 10K every day!

I discussed the idea further with Penny and explained I'd need her help. Those of you that know me will be able to guess her response because you'll also know, I love my pillows! and I don't like being cold. This challenge would require me having to get up earlier to squeeze the distance in, being in England early mornings are seldom fresh but damp & ... cold.

So after the laughing and cheeky comments, we started talking about making it happen.

The first run will be 1st January 2010, with a series of blogs on the experience and my journey. We're going to take photos every three weeks of me so the stresses & changes can be logged, as well as making blogs leading up to the start date to generate interest and support for sponsorship.

So, that's it for tonight - more detail will be posted over the coming days.
I hope you take the time to click to follow this challenge, as well as support it by encouraging others to follow or sharing the idea.

Cheers everyone, I'm going to visit my pillows. Tim
Also follow @ www.facebook.com/tbridle
www.linkedin.com/in/tbridle