R.I.P. Run the Greats

So, it’s Rest In Peace, Run the Greats and Hello, Weston 100. So far, in an immense effort to let everyone know about the change in plans I’ve contacted the two organisations who had promised that they would put a piece in their newsletters about my “Run the Greats” thing. It was too late for the first one – the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity Newsletter had already been printed announcing to everyone that Val Derbyshire is “Running the Greats” to raise money for them in 2009. Sorry, readers of this publication, I’m not – for the reasons stated in last week’s entry. However, I am now running the Weston 100 and you can still sponsor me at the justgiving site address given in the newsletter. Please do. All of the money will still go to the Hospital’s cancer charity, despite the fact that the challenge has changed. The other publication, the University of Sheffield Alumni newsletter had not gone to print and the lovely lady there changed the article to reflect what I’m now doing. So, readers of this publication, I am now running the Weston 100. I was running the greats, but (still due to the reasons stated in last week’s blog entry) I am now running the Weston 100. You can sponsor me at the same justgiving site address as given to readers of the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity newsletter. This is (just in case anyone is having any trouble keeping up with any of this – I know I am): http://www.justgiving.com/valderbyshire I’d be very grateful if you sponsored me too. I won’t say more grateful than if a reader of the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity newsletter sponsored me. That would not be true. I would, however, say I would be equally grateful to receive sponsorship from readers of either publication. Right. Glad we’ve got that sorted out.

What else have I done? Well, I’ve confirmed entry into most of the events I listed in last week’s list. Oh, and I put my two (now obsolete) “Run the Greats 2009” charity t-shirts on Ebay. Here is a copy of my entry:

“An exclusive, one-time only opportunity to purchase two obsolete charity T-shirts. Both T-shirts were intended to be used by a fundraiser for the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity who was aiming to run all of the "Greats" series of events during 2009. Sadly, due to not being allocated a place in the Great North Run and the event organisers cancelling the Great Wales Run, the fundraising attempt has faltered. The fundraiser in question is now going on to run fifteen events (some of them "Greats" others not so "Great") covering 100 miles for "The Weston 100" fundraising challenge and therefore now has absolutely no use whatsoever for two running T-shirts with "Run the Greats 2009" on the front and the dates of ten events (one of which is not taking place and one of which has the wrong date next to it due to a printing error) printed on the back. The first T-shirt is red with "Run the Greats 2009 in support of the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity" on the front and a list of ten events (nine runs, one swim) printed in white on the back. The second T-shirt is flourescent green and says "Sponsor me to Run the Greats for Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity" on the front and has a justgiving web address on the back, both printed in black. These T-shirts would be useful for anyone aiming to Run all of the Greats during 2009 in aid of the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity; or for anyone who would like to pretend that they're participating in these events. Otherwise, they are completely useless items. Both items are size "small". All proceeds from this sale will go to the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity and if you'd like to support the fundraiser who is now running 100 miles for the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity, you can do so at http://www.justgiving.com/valderbyshire”

I’ve posted a picture of the two t-shirts which is at the top of the page there.

So far there haven’t been any bidders though. I may have included it in the wrong section. I posted it under “Women’s clothing” but perhaps it belongs more under “Sporting goods” or even “Weird Stuff” with the bondage kits and the titles to minute plots of land in even more obscure Scottish islands. There is one “Watcher” on the items. I don’t know if this is just due to curiosity as to whether anyone is prepared to purchase such useless items or due to a genuine desire to own said useless items and put in a last minute bid. Anyway, they expire on Wednesday – so if you’re interested, the current price is one whole English penny (plus postage). However much they raise (if anything at all) the entire amount (including postage) will go to the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity; so this is your opportunity not only to become the owner of some very exclusive if completely useless tat, but to help the charity too.

Finally, after completing all of the above, I started thinking about exactly what it is that I have promised to do and, it was at this point in time, that it hit me with something of sickening realisation that instead of having just over six months to train for my first half marathon, I’ve got less than 7 weeks. With this in view, my latest action in executing my “Weston 100” plan has been to fish out the bible of endurance training (by Jon Ackland) which had somehow, in a moment of weakness, been relegated to the cupboard, unread (beyond page 4 anyway). It is, I have to say, a measure of how worried I am that I have fished the book out again; because I really do have serious doubts about being able to train sufficiently to be able to complete a half marathon in less than three hours (the time they close the road for in the Sheffield Half-Marathon). I don’t think they close the road in the Buxton Half-... I think they just leave it to chance/fate as to whether you get hit by one of those enormous lorries travelling between the Derbyshire quarries , but I’m not going to even think about that one... Anyway, as I was saying, I did have serious concerns about being able to go the distance... That is, until today. Today, in an attempt to step up the training somewhat I set out to run the longest distance I have yet attempted – eight miles. I planned the route using Mapmyrun.com and the Derbyshire A-Z, very carefully (as I may have mentioned before, I have absolutely NO sense of direction.) I planned to run up from Bakewell towards Monyash (a big hill – very good training), then take a right towards Sheldon before running back via Ashford-in-the-water in a roundabout sort of way. Mapmyrun made it 8.11 miles. I set off at 8.00 a.m. this morning and, as is customary, felt like SH1T for the first part of the run (I don’t know why, but for me, the first mile is always the worst – it’s like my body is rebelling against being forced to go jogging on a Sunday morning. It may have a point, but I’m committed now so there’s no getting out of it...) Anyway, halfway up Monyash Road I managed to stop feeling sick and started to really enjoy myself. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining gently on the first spring lambs which were clustered around their mums. It almost felt good to be out and running. As I progressed along the road and made the right turn towards Sheldon I started to daydream. I’ve been thinking for ages about leaving my job. I never wanted to end up in a call centre job (let’s face it, who does?) I only took it because it was the only thing that fits with the children. Apparently, according to my manager, call centre staff have a “shelf life”. Mine is about to expire. I’ve certainly gone past my best. Anyway, as I say, I started to daydream about being self-employed. It’s not a new daydream. How perfect would it be if I could finally sell that novel and support myself as a writer, or well, just do anything which would earn me some kind of modest income but which I could fit around my children? Sadly, in the face of the stark fact that no-one seems to be rushing to the front of the queue to publish my book and I lack the talent/imagination to think of anything else to do, it looks like I’ll be in the call centre forever. And then I started to dream about becoming a walking/running guide in the Derbyshire Dales. It would be so perfect, I imagined happily to myself. I even began mentally drafting the advertisement to be posted in the quality walking publications, offering a proficient, expert guide service to walks in the Derbyshire Dales. And it was at this point, somewhere in the middle of this fanciful nonsense, that I realised I was lost.

I don’t know what I did wrong, but I’d taken a wrong turn somewhere. I’d missed Sheldon completely and I was off to the village of Flagg. In fact, when I consulted the map later, I realised that I would have even have missed Flagg on the road I was on. I don’t know where I would have ended up. Some obscure village. I’d never even heard of it before. During these moments... During those first moments when it suddenly begins to dawn upon you that you may have taken a wrong turn, I often find a specific series of thoughts runs through my mind. They are usually (in this order) (1) I’m not lost. I just need to keep going a little bit longer and I’ll find the turning (this is the denial phase). (2) I’m not lost. Am I? (Realisation) (3) Oh God, I’m lost. Not just lost, LOST. Where’s the number for Edale Mountain Rescue? (Panic). I managed to pass through all three and then I turned around and retraced my (by now faltering) footsteps for what seemed like an incredibly long time. (Stage 1 had taken much longer to pass through than normal, it seemed). Anyway, I arrived home, incredibly footweary and unable to feel my knees two hours later. My husband had just started to worry (he knows me too well – when I mentioned that I’d got lost he didn’t even look surprised). Just before sinking into a hot bath and reaching for the Deep Heat Rub I checked out where I’d been on Mapmyrun.com. I’d run 11 ½ miles. I’d run it all as well. I mean, I felt like death. I feel like death, right now, as I type, but I still managed to run it. It seems there is hope for the Sheffield Half-Marathon after all.

I don't even know where to start...

Perhaps I should start with an apology. Yes, an apology would be good. I’m sorry. Really, truly sorry. From the bottom of my heart; sincerely, I apologise. First of all, I haven’t written for three weeks (bad blogging!!!) and for this I apologise.

But that’s not all I’m sorry for. I’ve got something else to be profoundly and sincerely sorry for. I don’t even know how to tell you this so I’ll just come right out and say it. I HAVEN’T GOT A PLACE IN THE GREAT NORTH RUN.

Yes, that’s right. I have not been allocated a place in the Great North Run and therefore, short of just turning up on the day and attempting to sneak into the race by mingling in with the crowd (it’s a thought), I will not be running the Great North Run. But that’s not all. Here’s the next bit: THE GREAT WALES RUN HAS BEEN CANCELLED. Yes, cancelled. No, I don’t know why. The race organisers (who I don’t like very much anymore as you will probably be able to tell as I continue with this entry) didn’t bother to explain. They just cancelled it.

So, today, (well, actually, yesterday when I got the email telling me that I wasn’t in) saw the death knell of my “Run the Greats 2009” fundraising attempt. Well, I can’t carry on, can I? Let’s face it. I can’t run all of the UK based “Greats” series of events if I haven’t got a place in one of the key events and one of the others has just been cancelled. And I’ve got to say, I’m really upset about it. Disillusioned with the Great Run team who have been consistently unhelpful whenever I’ve approached them about what I was trying to do. In the first instance, I wasn’t “Great” or elite enough to be allocated one of the guaranteed places in the Great North Run. Now, despite several begging emails (and I just knew it would happen – didn’t I say last time how I never, ever get lucky enough to be picked out in any kind of ballot/raffle type event) I haven’t got a place through either the Daily Telegraph or the General ballot. Of course, I could, if I wished (according to the Great Run team) get a place in the run by volunteering to run for a charity. (But, I hear you cry, aren’t you already running for a charity?) Yes, I am. Sadly, the charity I’m running for isn’t great enough for the Great Run organisers. Let’s face it… It’s just a local hospital which is one of only three places in the UK dedicated exclusively to cancer treatment. Just a small place which has contributed enormously to worldwide research into the disease and provides help and support to thousands of people and their families who are living with cancer. Now if my charity was one of the big names – you know, one of the ones who have probably paid through the nose to the Great Run organisers to have guaranteed places for their fundraisers, well that would be a different matter. But, sadly, the organisers of what has got to be one of the largest fundraising events in the UK isn’t interested in a local hospital. It’s just too “Great” for that. (I’m just going to point out here that, as you can see, I’m really cross with the organisers of the Great Run. However, the... well... let’s say it like it is... the rant that you can see here is my personal opinion of the organisers of the Great Runs. It’s all my own. It’s certainly not come from the hospital. But if I was them I’d be cross too...)

So, in short, ranting aside, no more “Run the Greats 2009”. But, hang on, I hear you cry. Haven’t people sponsored you to run in these events already? Haven’t you raised nearly £500 so far? The answer to this is yes, this is true. And with this in view, I can’t just fail to do any runs whatsoever. People have generously donated in lieu of the fact that I promised to run 64 miles and swim one; and, fear not, I am still going to run those miles (although I’m not doing the swim now...) In fact, if today sees the death knell of “Run the Greats 2009”, it sees the birth of “The Weston 100”. Yes, good people, in the space of one day since those bugg... sorry, the organisers of the Great Runs informed me that I wasn’t in, I have dreamed up a whole list of new events on which to base my fundraising campaign. And here it is – here are my events for 2009:

The Great Winter Run (3.11 miles) in January (already completed).
The Dronfield 10k (6.22 miles) in March.
Theo's Rother Valley 10k (6.22 miles) in April.
The Sheffield Half Marathon (13.1 miles) in May.
The Great Edinburgh Run (6.22 miles) in May.
The Great Manchester Run (6.22 miles) in May.
The Lomas Distribution Buxton Half Marathon (13.1 miles) in May
The Golden Gate 10k (6.22 miles) in May.
The Great Bakewell Pudding Race (6.25 miles) in June
The Chicks Chase (3.11 miles) in June
The Three Lakes Classic (15 miles) in June
The Great Longstone Fell Race (4.8 miles) in September
The Great Yorkshire Run (6.22 miles) in September
The Big Fun Run (3.11 miles) in September
The Great South Run (10 miles) in October

It’s now a total of fifteen events covering a distance of just over 100 miles, hence the title (“The Weston 100” if you’ve forgotten already). Well, actually, it’s 108 miles but I’ve stuck a few extra in there just to cover any event cancellations (you live and learn with these things – I’m covering my back this time). I am pleased to inform you that I’ve got guaranteed entry into all of these events so I’m not going to be turning around in a few weeks time and saying, oh, sorry, I’m not doing that one now. (With the exception of the Chicks Chase where I got entered into the Men’s race by mistake and I’m just waiting for confirmation that I’m in the right (i.e. the women’s) race from the organisers – but that’s another story). Sadly, I won’t be running the men’s race in that instance because I fail the entry criteria at the most basic level.

So, as you can see, the challenge has grown somewhat. It’s also got a bit more interesting, I think. For instance, the Great Longstone Fell race where the course climbs some 950 feet is going to be a lot tougher than just running around a park (which is basically what the Great Winter Run amounted to). Some of them, as you can see, are still “Greats” runs. This is for one simple reason. Those bugg... sorry, people from Great Run, don’t offer refunds and so I’m going to do the races which I’ve already entered. The others, although arguably less prestigious, are largely local events – but so what? I’ll save myself a load of time and trouble in travelling expenses. I won’t be away from the kids for so long (my husband will have less reason to complain). All of the entry fees are going back to the local community as opposed to swelling the coffers of a faceless organisation who can’t be bothered to care about a local hospital. The Dronfield 10k, for instance, benefits the local Scout Group. Theo’s Rother Valley 10k is organised by and of direct benefit to the Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

I’m told I can expect snow in the Buxton half-marathon (despite the fact that it’s in May). Let’s face it – it’s all sounding a lot more interesting than it was when it was just a gentle trot down a road which has been purposely closed for the occasion. I’m embracing the new challenge. Plus, as an added benefit, entry into most of the local events is a lot cheaper than entering any of the “Greats”. As an added perk, any money I save on entrance fees I will donate to the hospital, so they’re already benefitting, despite the fact that I feel I’ve really let them down by not being able to do the runs I initially set out to do.

No, it wasn’t my fault. I was completely prepared and willing to do the runs. I was even able (I’ve even been out training in the ice and snow – yes, even when it meant that I had to slide down a particularly icy patch on the A6 on my bum to prevent myself from falling over). I can’t do what I originally set out to do because of circumstances beyond my control. It doesn’t stop me feeling like a failure though.

You can make me feel better by sponsoring me to complete “The Weston 100” (yes, new name...) at http://www.justgiving.com/valderbyshire It will show that you are “Great” enough to care about a local hospital which changes the lives of the people it cares for on a daily basis... Unlike some organisations I could mention...

And now, I must sign off. I'm off to Ebay two useless Run the Great t-shirts - all proceeds going to the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity if you're interested in bidding.