36 Days to Go-yikes! March 16th, 2012

Happy Eve of St. Patrick's Day everyone-very much looking forward to a long weekend-which starts tomorrow with a 17 Mile run-now that just seems like someone's idea of a sick joke desiging a programme to run 17 miles on St Patrick's Day! But hey it's three miles less than last Saturday-yes I survived the 20 miler-hooray hooray-so happy to have this done-and even better it didn't rain once:) 3hrs 15 min is a long time running on your own but it wasn't as awful as I thought. So it gives me great hope that maybe just maybe I'll do this thing! Yesterday's short run was 8 miles-and my legs are still sore today-not a good sign. But we had confirmaiton retreats all week at the Island so not sitting all day....good rest tonight and hopefully all will be well-and then enjoy a few festivities over the weekend. Happy Mother's Day to all the mummies out there too-mine is the best!
Breaking news we have broke the €6000 barrier-€6150 at last count and lots of fundraising efforts made this week by all the staff here-thanks guys! If you'd like to donate just log on to the website, www.loughderg.org or send directly to Lough Derg.
And do not miss out on Take me Out in Potter's Bar, 31st March-tickets only €5 or £5-you likey

Have a great weekend everyone

Yikes 44 days to go! 8th March, 2012

Hi everyone (well the 10 or so that claim to read my lonely blog-how special are you!) -last update I  notice was almost 3 weeks ago-very remiss of me-sorry-been a tad busy. Well I am still on track-since I blogged last-I have ran 72 miles and still here to tell the tale-the longest one of those was 18 miles week before last-just before heading to Scotland for the weekend-that mentally was a big hurdle to get one really long run out of the way. However kind hit a wee dip last Saturday on a 15 miler-struggled and felt very rough afterwards-think it had just been an insane week at work, hadn't been sleeping great and quite a few of the girls here actually were struck down with the adult version of 'Slap Cheek'-never heard of it in my life-but not something you want to get as an adult-aching joints, deep fatigue etc. But back on track again this week-had a wee niggle in my bad ankle all Monday & Tuesday-to be honest I think it was psychological more than anything..had physio again on friday and everything is good. Was every inspired by Debra Searle on Monday of this week-a professional adventurer who launched the Donegal County Enterprise Week-an amazing woman who rowed across the atlantic herself! Her lasting words to me were 'Choose your Attitude'-so that is my new mantra between now and 22nd April! Not a bad one for all of us everyday if we think about it!
Did a wee five miler today which hand on heart was probably the first run which felt good-so maybe all the training is starting to pay off. I really hope so-I have the biggie on Saturday-20 miles which will be the greatest distance the programme demands-so will get plenty of rest Friday night and see how it goes-will update you next week.
Fundraising campaign is kicking off in earnest this week-doing a big appeal from the Office here-and a few local events are planned.The first of which is Take Me Out in Potters Bar, Pettigo, with music afterwards by The Mucky Ducks on 31st March. Come along if you are anywhere local-should be good craic.
And the most important update-delighted to announce total now sitting at €5750-€2000 a week needed between now and April 22nd-can we do it-Yes We Can (Bob the Builder, 2000). I was just reading up on Get Kids Going yesterday and it really is inspiring stuff to think that €3000 (my fundraising pledge to that charity) can buy a sports wheelchair and be the beginning of something fantastic for a child-the start of Olympic dreams even!

Morale has been at a bit of a low ebb during last weekend so any wee words of support would be greatly appreciated.Wish me luck for TBO (The Big One) this weekend......

Week 7 of 16-almost half way there-February 17th, 2012

Hi everyone-Friday afternoon and man does it feel like it (or woman, girl/boy). Raining all day with snow in the forecast for the weekend-just what we love eh? Now that you are as suitably depressed as I am, stay with me as I update you on the last fortnight of this mad journey. I've been sprinting, running, jogging ....went from 14 miles, to 15 miles for TBO (The Big One), the extra mile being uphill and ending up at very smelly cowsheds-totally inspiring and dripping wet-probably weighing an extra 4lb-saturated with rain-had to empty my shoes when I came back-actually felt at times that I was doing the steeplechase-isn't that the event they have to run through big puddles etc? But survived-2 1/2 hrs-minus one toe nail-yes the big left one has now left me-not without some intervention from a therapist-don't worry-not that bad yet-a beauty therapist had to remove it as it was clinging on for dear life-can't think why if you knew my feet:)
Anyway unfortuntately old dead toe nail must have warned any young new baby nail to steer clear of Deb Maxwell's left foot -cos none waiting there to take its place-kinda results in a rather tender situation-but hey I've been there before. As a wee treat for my legs had  physio session with Saint Declan who was quite impressed with how my ankle is holding up-the poor calf that shrunk by going through so much ankle surgery etc. is still a tad skinny but as Declan says 'it's not getting much fatter but its functional'-I'll take that!  Last week then brought more of the same: sprints, a mid week run to the Island where we had a strange cat encounter but that's a whole seperate blog:), and then was off to Manchester last Friday for the Game of Games Man U v Liverpool. So my pleasurable weekend was commenced with a 17 mile run last Sat. morning in Baltic Manchester-thanks to some manchester running clubs I found a place to run but wow it was so so cold. Not sure if I am honest that  I did 17 miles but ran for 2hrs 50 min so should have been close...up at 6am to try and eat something before taxi out to the 'country' at 7am -back at hotel by 10.30-showered and colours on before heading to Old Trafford....what a game, electric atompshere, and those poor wee legs jumping up and down with every kick of the ball (or every kick of Suarez:)) -followed by mandatory post match refreshments....= one v tired Debs by about 11pm that night. Back home Sunday and it has been a manic week at work preparing for next week's Ash Wednesday service as well as getting our bumper season guide brochure signed off! Tuesday had me sprinting-it's a lonely hour running around a synthetic pitch,  trying to pretend you are being chased by a bear to initiate bursts of speed but 7 x 800 metre-and looking back on the last time I ran 800 m a few weeks had shaved off an impressive 10 secs per 800m-Thursday's short tempo run was a cruel 8 miles but again decent time of 9.5 min mile again in the rain. 13 miler tomorrow and right now I am feeling wrecked....but sure there's nothing else for it-and I always feel good after it. I have a photo in my bedroom and kitchen of a wee chap of about 6 with those sprinting prosthetic cheetah limbs on him with a massive grin at the finishing line of a race-no legs below the knees and its so obvious he loves running! One dodgy ankle and aging body is very very minor.
And so for the big question 'Show Me the Money'-happy to have added another 500 euro to the total-now at 4500euro -just another 15, 500 to go =€1700 a week needed-yikes! However we have one local event in Pettigo planned -Take Me Out followed by dancing and music on 31st March-more detail to follow. And hope to get an event orgnasised for Castlederg...The big sponsorship campaign will be attacked after Ash Wednesday...for now that's enough to contend with.

I'll say adios for now-you all have a great weekend-eat loads, indulge a little cos remember Lent is coming very very soon
Deb

Week 5 and still intact-just! February 2nd, 2012

Hi everyone-wee bit of a lull there since my last blog on 19th Jan-Happy Belated St Brigid's Day-she who is all things hospitable -a lady after my own heart:)
 Well back to running as I suppose that's what this blog is all about-that's all my life is about these days. Do you detect a hint of cynicism?? No- just fatigue at all levels-been a hectic spell at work and trying to fit all this running mullarkey in is leaving me a tad weary. Back to the running summary-it's actually going surprisingly okay...left you two weeks ago and have in that time amassed 49 miles...in various forms between a crazy sprint session there on Tuesday night demanding10 x 400 m with 400 m jog in between-I am convinced I am going to be chosen as a wildcard entry to the Ladies GB 4 x 400m relay in London Olympics....seriously:) -Lord Coe I can make myself available. Survived two long runs of 10mile and last Saturday's longest to date-14 miles....the weather up until today has been miserable:(.  I have to admit I do suffer from SAD-clinical diagnosis by myself-bring back the beach in Borneo and I'll happily run like Forrest Gump all day. Had 5 miler today and knocked 2 mins of my last five milers which was 3 weeks ago-43 minutes for 5 miles-not so bad. Scared and nervous about Saturday's run -another mile added on -15 mile-soon I will be able to leave my TT at home and just run to work from the Derg to Lough Derg. Thankfully body is holding up-few wee niggles in ankle but seems to run itself off-and I am back to see Saint Declan on Monday just to keep on top of things.
The running has taken my mind off an awful fortnight of footie for Man U-two weeks and two cups gone..but nice to see us top of the table again-and I am off to Old Trafford next weekend-somehow have to fit a 17 miler in before I head for the flight-now that is just cruel but as long as Man U silence the whining pines of Liverpool I'll be one happy fan!
For any of you following my blog-why don't you come along to the Island on 22nd Feb-an open day of friendship for everyone...bring your sponsorship pennies with you...on that note-I know it's been a fornight and I was aiming for €1200 a week but I am proud as punch to announce the fund is now up to €3900-a further €1100 than the last total so maybe some kind mystery donor will make a donation of €100 tonight on reading this to make my week and bring it up to a nice round €4000 for the month of Jan! Go on ...you know you want to.

Well folks-its been a long day here at the office and a five mile run for my lunch so I'll say cheerio for now and wish me luck for TBO on Saturday (The Big One)...until next time

Week 3-Still hanging in there-January 19th, 2012

Hi everyone-weekly blog a wee bit late this week-it's been hectic at work-season plans, budgets, staff reviews-fun, fun, fun!  Running is actually proving a nice distraction from all that serious stuff. Where did I leave you last week-that's right it was last Tuesday -sprint day-surpisingly the longer sprint of 1200 m was better than the 400m-this one's a real mental challenge as you gear up in between each sprint...but the G3 pitch at Castlederg High School is fantastic-pity i couldn't run the whole marathon on this type of surface-it's how I imagine the Moon would feel-really airy and spongey-good for these aging limbs:) The dreaded Thursday tempo run -out the Lough Derg run -five miles was better than the 3 miler the previous week-think the road is better-less hilly and one I know only too well. As I recounted last week, Saturday's long run had to be postponed due to 'christmas' festivites for Lough Derg staff on friday night-good wee nite-but long run was never going to happen on Saturday-purely for reasons of tiredness! What do you mean you don't believe me??? Anyway Sunday's 13 miler-a half marathon was completed in 2hr 8 minutes-jeez that's a long time to be out on the road-Maureen who works with me had heard about my crash and burn the previous long run when my bdy just sagged after it-her sister Rosaleen does lots of running and so I got a lovely 'care' package in the post on Friday from Rosaleen-with all sorts of advice, and some gel packets. Tried one of these at the half way point of the run and it seemed to help-felt much more myself after the run and got some food in me as soon as I came home-all a learning curve to see what your old body needs. Monday gym followed by wee session with my physio-Saint Declan as I call him (no blasphemy intended but this guy really did miraculous work on an ankle that was totally wrecked) was glad to see me-just a wee precautionary session to keep legs limber. He reckons I should be aiming for 4hrs-I laughed and reiterated that the aim is to get around this thing-intact! Deb of Old with her very competitive nature would not have been content unless she was on Paula Radcliffe's tail:)  Now I am happy to finish healthy. The wisdom of age....boring eh? Tuesday's sprint session demanded 800m over and over again....strangely my last one the quickest of all...today I have the Thursday Tempo run-a short run of  7 miles at lunchtime-yes 7 miles-I really must double check the programme -that sounds way too long! And as weekend looms-I have a ten miler to do on Saturday morning but looking forward to wee weekend then in Westport! And the best blog news of all-I predicted an average of €1200 a week to make my €20,000 target-well I am up to €2800-brought in an extra €1200 this week. Thank you so much to all those pilgrims who have sent donations and kind words. Friends and family...watch out-I'll be chasing you soon-and all this sprint training means I WILL  catch you:) Have a great weekend..until next time; keep healthy

Week 2 of 16 on this crazy journey-January 10th 2012

Hi everyone, evidence that I survived Saturday's long run is right here in front of you in the form of my blog-what do you mean someone else could be posting it...no it's me in the flesh-well me, on the keyboard. Saturday's 12 miler done and dusted....hang on not so quick, I want, no I need, more than one line to recap that ardourous trek-time escaped me during the week,  and so I didn't find a different route than the last Saturday's ten miler-so off I went last Saturday up the Kilclean road-again-and all the hard bits from previous week were once again difficult (that first three miles is not for me...what to do on that one??? Answers on a postcard to 'SheWhoHatesFirstThreeMiles', Lough Derg, Pettigo, Ireland) -anyway reaching the six mile turnaround point was not awful-unfortunately Roads Services must have tilted the road to about a 30 degree angle for the return 6-7mile-tough, tough, tough-huge thank you to, I think, Pilgrim and Local Gerl, Jo Lynch, who beeped her horn like a mad woman while I was on my 6-7 mile return journey-really spurred me on (momentarily) but was sure she'd have turned the car around and cheered me on the whole way home-but I guess she was going shopping to McElhinneys on a Saturday morning. The rest of the return wasn't too bad-stupidly brought a little hand-held water carrier with me on this run filled wtht diluting orange juice in it-no no no-not to be recommended. Got home 110 minutes after I left-glad to be done-that's a massive understatement but there's so many superlatives and there's 14 weeks to go-no doubt tougher weeks so we'll save them! Home and stretched I then hit a massive low...energy sources were depleted-two little bananas for breakfast just didn't cut it-was now 2pm and couldn't eat anything-not feeling too hot at all:(  Have in meantime read up a little on nutrition and as a Veggie Runner (no wisecracks please) I'll need to watch this one carefully-get in the right balance of carbs etc-there's a minefield of opinions out there-but will try and at least get some kind of sports drink for this week's long run of 13 miles and see how I hold up. One massive mercy in it all-ankle holding up okay. Last week's 3 miler on Thursday  was not pleasant -left me feeling quite disheartened but few friends have since advised me not to worry too much on this one. Hit the gym last night for spot of cross training-how enjoyable-seriously just be doing my normal routines of cross trainer and bit of weights-I can see Mondays being my new favourite day of the week. Today, Tuesday is sprint day-thankfully no hailstones-but the laps today demand 1200 metres-4 times...yikes! Bring it on.....Thursday's 'tempo' run -still not really grasping that principle, is 5 miles so will be running out the Lough Derg road from office at lunch time-and thankfully have found a new route for the long weekend run which takes me up to 13 miles (half way there). Might not happen until Sunday however as we have our 'Christmas' staff dinner on Friday night-enough said! Another few-yes only a few, donations this week but up to a fantastic €1600 approx-only need to average €1200 or so a week to make my target of €20,000. Words of support or advice.....or indeed any words, funny words, silly words, kind words really are making a difference. Until next week...

Happy New Year-5th January, 2012

Hi everyone, hopefully you all had a happy and healthy Christmas and unlike last year managed to leave the confines of your house and get out and about visiting friends and family. Well I guess I should talk about marathons-not Santa and mince pies:) -however good both may be! Kind of had a eureka moment on 30th January-well more like a panic attack thinking as we neared the end of 2011 that 22nd April was fast approaching. Got out my new toy-iPad and frantically started googling 16 week marathon training programmes-I had pretty much written off my earlier efforts in Sept, Oct as purely base training what with the little injury to my foot and chest infection setbacks-so starting afresh-clean slate and all that. Thankfully found a programme which I hope will do the business-that is if I adhere to it. However as I was transcribing it from screen to notebook-suddenly dawned on me that it started the very next day-New Year's Eve-how cruel is that-worse again it started with a ten mile run.....however I thought now or never and the chosen hydration methods over the festive season (not lucozade or water) would have to suffer sooner or later. So wrapped up I headed off on Saturday morning last-managed the ten miles in a respectable 90 minutes. Ankle etc all held up well. The programme consists of: Tuesday speed training, Thursday tempo run (short fastish one) and Saturday long run with a day or two of cross training in between so I'll do the gym one day and maybe bike or just give Thor, a very vigourous walk. Now people when did you last sprint?? For me it was at uni-not today or yesterday-I thought in my naivety that because the speed session is short it would be a breeze-well there was a breeze -more like a gale force wind this Tuesday and battering hailstones-400metres -sounds okay-but 8 of them-tough tough session. It changes each week and I don't even want to remind myself what next Tuesday's builds too. Today I have the short fast run of 3 miles only-should beo kay if the weather would just settle a bit-so that's what I'll be doing for my lunch break-at least there is light-I am realising now the Dublin Marathon might have been an easier race given that you are at least training in 'summer' months-well irish summer! Anyway no point dwelling on that. This Saturday's long run calls for 12 miles-tired at tht thought of it-but will do a wee drive around tomorrow to find pleasant flattish route and try and enjoy the peace and quiet-who am I fooling?? Thankfully spurred on my a few more donations -approximately €1200 at this stage and will be working on fundraising strategy in February to really try and boost the cause. For now wish me well for Saturday's run-today's should be okay-any words of encouragement-even the odd 'You're mad' will keep me smiling and if you have any training tips etc. would also be much appreciated. Until the next time....Debs