Day One

We started in the picturesque village of Bowness On Solway where we stayed in a lovely bed and breakfast called Maia Lodge. There Gillian the landlady got up with us at 05:00 am and prepared a breakfast of our request consisting mainly brown toast and jam, cereals, fruit, fruit juice and a pot of tea of course.

The start or finish for some people, is an oak framed shelter with a Roman tiled floor. When we looked out to our left we looked across the Solway Firth to Scotland on the opposite banks.

We kicked off at 06:15 am with the aim to complete 43 miles that day. We planned for three stops along the way to top up our gel and water supplies and to rest while we ate our pre-prepared food. This turned out to be OK for the first two stops. But, as the heat rose and the sun got higher in the sky we realised we needed to double the amount of stops. We were getting through double the amount of water than we planned. Around 1.5 litres an hour. I was taking GoGels every six miles and adding a Nuun tablet to a 500ml bottle on my hip and 1 litre of water in my back-pack.

Once we got to mile 24 the altitude started climbing and by mile 35 the hills and terrain climbed steeply and our Garmin 305's ran out of power. Also by this point our feet were aching and we started to develop our individual aches and pains. Stewart was suffering with cramps which made it very difficult for him to run down hill. Graham had back pain which made climbing hills harder and I had a pain in both groins and inner thighs. This had no bearing on whether I ran up or down hill - it all hurt the same.

We were heavily delayed mainly because of the heat and with the light failing we had to call day one to a close a couple of miles short of the 43 mile mark. We radioed ahead to Donnie who picked us up and took us to the nearest pub at Haltwhistle. There we had a well deserved pint and some pub grub. We also met Brenda while we were being served at the bar. We explained what we were aiming to achieve and how far we had come so far. I gave her our card with the blog address on. Low and behold, when we got home Friday I found she had made a generous donation and left a comment on this blog. Thank you Brenda.

From the pub we were supposed to drive some distance to the T.A. Centre to sleep but we decided we couldn't wait or even make the journey so Donnie had booked us into a family chalet just ten minutes away at a place called Glendale Lodge where we met Peter the owner who put us up at short notice.

By 10:00 pm we were all in our beds tired and aching. Shortly after our heads hit the pillows we were away in the land of Nod, our alarm clocks set for another 05:00 am wake up.

Yes, We Made It

We did make it. At the moment I'm putting together the photographs and editing all the expletives and blasphemy from the videos. I also want to give thanks for all the people who helped us, sponsored us and people who supported us along the way.

I was back at work this morning but will get it together after watching the London half marathon highlights when I get home tomorrow.

Thanks for your patience

Gary

Nerves Kicking In

It's only four days to go and I think the nerves are kicking in. The emails and phone conversations between us have increased. Checking we have everything we need, making lists and we've even got Graham making soups.
So, this is our itinerary:
We will be driven to Bowness on Solway by our volunteer support Donny in a vehicle on loan from the Territorial Army. We will stay in a bed and breakfast for the first night. The landlady kindly said she will get up at silly o'clock and feed us what we need then get us out of the door for 6a.m.
We will then run around 9.5 miles to Beaumont for one short break where we might want to use the 'facilities' and take a bite to eat. We have energy bars and gels we can carry in our small back-packs that we can snack on or we can radio ahead for Donny to meet us with fresh supplies. Because of the distance and the difficult hilly terrain, we will be making frequent stops for refreshments.
Our next stop will be our main meal break at Crosby On Eden. Here we will have something hot to eat and have a stretch before tackling the next ten miles to Roman fort remains at Birdoswald. This will be our last break before climbing a 345m hill then dropping down to our final stop on day one at Twice Brewed after completing the first 43 miles. Here, Donny will pick us up in the van. Depending on what shape we're in at this stage we may stop for a well deserved beer or drive on to the nearest barracks for a shower and rest.
Day two we'll be up with the Lark's and Donny will drive us back to Twice Brewed where we will tackle the hilliest miles to the first stop of the day at mile 52. This is another Roman fort near Walwick where we'll meet Donny. Here we have to detour from the wall slightly to cross a river. The old Roman bridge that crossed the river here has long disappeared.
At around mile 62 we have our main stop of the day for some more hot food. This is near to a pub where we hope we may be able use the rest room.
Once reaching the outskirts of Newcastle Upon Tyne we will take our last break which should be somewhere in the region of seventy miles. It's then non-stop to Wallsend (I wonder why it's called that) on the banks of the river Tyne completing our 84 mile journey.
I'm sad to say that there will only be three of us taking the challenge. Nolan has had to drop out for personal reasons. I know how much he has trained for this event and it must have been very difficult for him to pluck up the courage to let us know he won't be coming. This has led to us stealing his rations and talking about him behind his back.
I think we all would like to thank Donny in advance for the great job he's done getting us the Territorial Army to help us out with transport, fuel, radios and somewhere to sleep and of course to thank Donny himself for being our support and Gofer.
See you on the other side (of England)
Stewart, Graham, Donny and me Gary.

The Long Mynd

Hill training. Stewart, Graham and I thought we might get a bit of real hill training in so we headed for The Long Mynd in Shropshire. This is a favourite place for my wife and I to go walking and take in beautiful views of Shropshire and the Welsh Boarders. We met at the Carding Mill Valley National Trust car park, Church Stretton and from there started our 15K/9.5mi run. The path we took is long but not too steep and once at the top at 516m/1693ft it flattens out to a degree. We took this opportunity to take a breather and talk about nutrition and what we will be needing to keep us going over similar conditions but for over forty miles a day. It basically came down to us grazing on a mixture of certain carbs and proteins and to keep only to the gels and drinks that we've tested on previous long runs. Graham is in charge of putting our daily menu together and I hope to publish a blog soon and go into more detail of what the basics will consist of.
We came down off the hills at Minton and ran the country lanes back to Church Stretton and to the car park. We were too early for a pint and a pub meal so Stewart and I popped into the local cafeteria for a healthy breakfast.

On my route home I pass through the village of Much Wenlock. This is the place where Dr William Penny Brookes, founding father of the Modern Olympic Games lived http://www.wenlock-olympian-society.org.uk/ . I took a walk around the village and visited the church and I managed to get my well earned pint
of real ale in the George and Dragon before picking up some local grown produce from the tiny market there.

If you want to know more about Dr William Penny Brookes and his influence on the modern Olympic Games, Steve Chopper conducts an interview with Helen Cromarty, historian of the Wenlock Olympian Society on Mile 13 of the "A Mile With Me" podcast.

Also if you would like to visit The Long Mynd or any other National Trust properties/sites you can go to their web site here:

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-cardingmillvalleyandlongmynd/

Graham's Pain

I've noticed there have been quite a few requests on the JustGiving (FirstGiving in the US) charity web site that one or two people would give money just to see Graham in pain or in some sort of discomfort. If it brings in the money, I will photograph every grimace and blister for you all. Even if I have to Photoshop them in for you and swear - on his life mind you - that they are for real.
But, really though. I would like to thank all of you guys and guyettes for your contributions to a great charity in support to for allies injured in the line of duty. Many of these personnel will have severe life changing injuries like loss of limbs and what we could possibly call normal bodily functions. The Help for Heroes charity help these people to cope the best they can with what the conflict dealt them. I know that many people of the countries that fought in the Iraq conflict lost their lives and that Stewart, Graham, Nolan and I are raising good money in the name of one of those heroes that lost his life. But please, let's not forget the heroes that not only survived, but have a new battle to now live the rest of their lives the way their mothers and fathers did not imagine there daughter's and son's to live.
If it means I can squeeze another couple of quid out of any of you, I will photograph the blisters on the feet of Nolan, Stewart and me and say they are all Graham's. I know Grey won't mind. He's a diamond geezer that will squeeze a blister on video for charity. Yes, I'm taking a video camera with us and if there's any blister squeezing to be done, I will capture it and post it on http://www.runcast.tv/.
To tell the truth, if there's any grimacing to be done it will be from anyone but Grey. The rest of us are big blokes and he has less meat on him than a butchers apron. As far as the training is going, he's overtaken Sally Gunnel and is trying to catch up with Paula Radcliff. If she can just stop for another couple of pee's, he might do it.

A Great Time

My wife and I took a few days leave in the beautiful town of Bournemouth last week. The idea to take a break here was inspired by Steve Chopper's podcast A Mile With Me. http://www.amilewith.me.uk/ Steve's podcast is a virtual running travelogue. He describes the areas and towns he visits and interviews some very interesting people. While down there I had the opportunity to meet up with Steve for a run one evening along Bournemouth's sea frontand into the town itself. It was a cool evening and the front was teeming with other runners as it is most days and nights. Steve recorded our conversation as we talked about how the Hadrian's Wall fundraising for the Help For Heroes charity was going, beer and breweries, the great places my wife and I visited while down there and of course the White Peak's Swift Half Marathon.
The Swift Half and full marathon are two events that take place each year just outside Matlock in the Derbyshire Peak District. There will be quite a collection of podcasters and bloggers meeting for the event. With only two hundred places we had to move quickly to get our applications in. Both the marathon and half marathon events will run concurrently on Saturday 16th May and I look forward to meeting Steve again at the race.
As for our training update:
Stewart is doing fine. A couple of niggly aches but nothing he couldn't cope with.
Graham and Nolan are going great guns but they have the same old problems as many of us trying to fit their runs in between work and family life.
I'm still trying not to aggravate a now subdued ITB injury. My miles are still low but are increasing gradually as I become more confident that I'm not doing harm to a very painful running injury.

Seven Weeks To Go

I can't believe it's only seven weeks before we attempt Hadrian's wall. I had my first run this morning after injuring my knee. I kept it short - 4.78km/2.97mi. I can still feel something's there around my right hip and the side of my right knee so I will be keeping the miles low until I'm confident everything's OK.

I've had two updates from other team members.

Stewart has also had a little knee problem recently and adjusted his miles accordingly. He has been running the hills and country side of Cannock Chase in Staffordshire.

Graham (left) has also been keeping his runs to less than ten miles each. He has been working away quite a bit lately and finds it difficult to get the longer runs in. Overall though, both of them are training well - better than me anyway. I think they as well as me are nervous of getting an injury that will prevent us starting let alone finishing the Hadrian's Wall trek.

Graham and I were also scheduled to run the Fradley 10K in Lichfield on March 8th. Unfortunately Graham will be away again so can't make it. I'm hoping to still have something in me to at least complete it. I don't think I will be getting a new PB this year though. My PB for the course is 54:41 in 2007. It was my very first race since taking up running in 2006. It's a great, two lap PB course that's uber flat most of the way around. I couldn't get the time off last year to run it and would hate to miss it again this year.

I also need to keep in mind that the following Sunday I'll be running the Stafford 25th Anniversary Half Marathon. I remember the first time I ran it in 2007. It was my first HM and I ran it with ITB Syndrome in my left knee. My time was 02:09:10. The week before I was hoping for a sub 2hr but with my knee problem, it just wasn't going to happen. It was also the first time I met Nigel from the Running From The Reaper Podcast http://runningfromthereaper.blogspot.com/ I think he grew a beard waiting for me to come in. He's a much faster runner than me. We also met at the Stafford HM last year where I also didn't do as well as I planned. My problem that time was a lack of sleep through work. I had just three hours sleep Friday night and four on the Saturday. I was shattered. My finishing time in 2008 was 02:11:32! Longer than when I ran with a knee injury!

I hope to be running regularly from now on so will have inspiration to keep the blog updated each week.

HELP for HEROES

HELP for HEROES is a charity set up in 2007 to help support our wounded servicemen and women injured in the current conflicts.
In 2008 Darryl 'Daz' Gardiner, the brother of a Police Officer colleague of ours, had his life taken from him while serving his country.
On Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd April 2009 my friends and colleagues and I will attempt to run and walk a hilly 135km/84 miles from the West to the East coast of England in his name.
We would like to raise as much money as we can for the HELP for HEROES charity.Please visit the HELP for HEROES website at:
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/index.html but please, not before you've read these words from Darryl's mother.

In Memory of Corporal Darryl 'Daz' Gardiner

Cpl Darryl Gardiner was killed on Sunday 20th January 2008 when his vehicle hit a mine during operations against the Taliban, 3km (1.8 miles) north east of Musa Qala, Northern Helmand. He was attached to 52 Brigade Reconisance Force as a REME engineer during his tour of Afghanistan, this was his second tour. He was known by his family and friends as Daz.Daz is was a cheerful, intelligent and easy going person. He had a playful nature, a highly active and robust sense of humour and a passion for skydiving. As a skydiving instructor he was down to earth, relaxed and always encouraging - he never suffered from an ego problem and as such was an example of how to do it right. The best type of friend you could have, a man who was never down and always had a smile on his face.

Darryl was described by his seniors as a "very capable soldier" who always thought of others, he was selfless and others always came first.

Skydiving was his passion and his home 'Drop Zone' of Netheravon was his 'Playground'.

From the age of 14 Daz attended Gordon's School in Woking, Surrey and was an active member of all Combined Cadet Forces, represented the school in many actvities. Captain of the Rugby XI, a member of the school band as a Drummer on official engagements, took part in the prestigious Ten Tors Walk and from all these achievements graduated as Deputy Head Boy, a position he was very proud of.
Daz was the middle of my three children, his older brother Paul is in the RAF and currently serving in Afghanistan. Laura, his younger sister is a Police Officer with West Midlands Police Force. As a family we have encountered the worst loss you can imagine and very proud of Daz and all his achievements.
Our thanks go out to the Officers from West Midlands Police Force for their commitment and efforts to complete this task in memory of Daz and in raising money to the Help 4 Heroes charity.
Thank you for your donations and be assured they will be received gratefully by this Forces charity.
Sharon Ross
Mother of Daz Gardiner
Thank you for visiting my fundraising page.Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Help for Heroes gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.Thank you for your support.

You can make your much needed donation by going to the 'Daz' Gardiner fundraising page at Justgiving by clicking: http://www.justgiving.com/dazgardiner
To read the tribute from the M.O.D. http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/CorporalDarrylGardinerKilledInAfghanistan.htm
You may also contribute to rememberance day:
http://www.myremembranceday.org.uk/Memorials/MemorialDisplay.aspx?memorialId=1327&Donate=true

More Snow?

Had my first run since Friday 30th yesterday. I had things to do that weekend so couldn't get my 13km/8mi run in scheduled for the Saturday 31st or Sunday 1st. On Monday 2nd we had quite a snowfall and instead of running, which would have been very difficult, my wife and I both went for a walk in it after work to a local pub. On the way, my right leg slipped, just ever so slightly to the right and I felt a small click at the top of my leg. It didn't hurt and was only a little uncomfortable. After around ten minutes or so I forgot about it. The rest of the week though I could feel it in my hip. It was quite stiff, and each time I got up from a chair I would make small involuntary sounds like ooh, aah and my more recent and favourite meaningless noise - oi! I kept off running and avoided walking on the snow as much as I could all week.

Saturday 7th there was a fresh fall of snow. Not much, but it was on top of old snow and ice. I couldn't put off running anymore. Plus, it was only a couple of inches deep.

I was supposed to run 32km/20mi , but because of the snow, or should I say the ice under the snow, I only managed 24km/15mi. My knees were aching. I suppose it was the way I needed to run to save falling on my bum. By the end of it I almost staggered into the house and my knees, my right one especially, were hurting. My hip was fine though. Needless to say, I didn't manage to get my 16km/10mi in this morning. I'm wondering how to play this now. Do I do what I should have done last week this week or do I keep with the schedule and do what I'm supposed to do this coming week? I'm going to play it by ear, mainly because I couldn't understand that last sentence.
I've transferred to another location with my work so the travelling will be different. This will also have an effect on my training - mainly good. It's actually nearer to home so I should be able to cycle and run to and from work when my shift or on-call allows. My move is the main reason I've not filled in my training calendar on http://www.buckeyeoutdoors.com/ for the next twelve weeks leading up to Hadrian's Wall. My shifts and days off will change at the new office so when I'm settled into a new pattern I will complete the rest of the schedule for the remainder of my training.

Until I get there I don't have any of my own photographs of Hadrian's Wall but I did find some great shots taken by a chap called Yokels on the Flickr website: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yokels/sets/72157603930046809/
And some excellent views taken by a young lady called Rose Davies:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosedavies/tags/hadrianswall/

Thirteen Weeks Left

By my calculation we only have another thirteen weeks to go before tackling Hadrian's Wall. At the moment I'm still feeling confident and I have no injuries. Friday I drove over to Heath Hayes in Staffordshire to meet up with Stewart for a long run. Stewart is also training for Hadrian's Wall but because there's almost an hours drive between us we don't get to train together very often.
We started our 30.74km run at 7:06am from Heath Hayes and in the mist made our way to Chase Water lake. It was a cold morning, around 1C but with the wind travelling the full length of the lake it made it feel 5C below. We then made our way to Cannock Chase and on the way in the far distance I could see a couple of deer keeping a close eye on these two nutters out running lit up like beacons. Stewart couldn't see them - he wasn't wearing his specs but they were there - honestly.

The route up to now was what you might call 'undulating'. But, the Chase is made up of hilly paths that criss-cross each other. The forrest and bracken is quite dense so we really needed to stick to the paths.

The trails across Cannock Chase were very muddy in parts. We were reduced to a slow and cautious walk through some of the boggy patches, trying not to sink in the mud. On other downhill paths it was tree roots we had to avoid tripping over. We came back through Hednesford ending at Stewarts home.

It was a great mornings run and to have company on these distances helps to pass the time.

So, for the week. I ran 9.54km (5.93mi) on Monday, 26.17km (16.26mi) Wednesday and 30.74km (19.1mi) Friday. Because of life commitments I did have to miss yesterday's 13km run though.

http://www.cannock-chase.co.uk/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7330000/newsid_7336800/7336874.stm

While searching for information about Cannock Chase I came across several videos of trail cyclists on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ7XSDKDbTQ