My Family

There can be no doubt that my family have worked extremely hard to support Myeloma UK and have all achieved a great deal. All seven finished the Manchester 10k and I am especially proud of my wife Carole who finished ahead of many other runners far younger than herself. I am also proud of all family for giving so much to make this a memorable day. The money raised by many supporters is now past the £3000 mark and this is a fantastic achievement. To all of you who supported my family I thank you most sincerely. Myeloma is a terrible form of cancer and the money raised will help towards finding an eventual cure. This cannot come too soon as from personal experience I can say that it is very unpleasant.

The Day After

Yesterday was fantastic, I surprised myself with the distance I could run and the time I completed it in - 1hr 14mins 39sec. I am now wondering what I could have done had I been able to continue training.... maybe do it again next year and see :-)

The rest of the family did brilliantly and should be proud of themselves as should Geoff having to put up with having his photo taken with us sweaty lot after the race.

Thank you all for your generous donations which have helped us beat our target

What a family

What a fantastic family we have.
They have all tremendously well and I cannot express how proud I am of them all;both Liz and Kath surpassed themselves,Liz did'nt really expect to be able to run at all yet she finished in under one hour fifteen minutes and Kath has some significant health problems which have hampered her training significantly nevertheless she also finished the race in a very commendable time.Ian surpassed himself as I always knew that he would,; Alan has just got on with his training programme and said very little however I always knew that he would do the family proud and he has never let us down.James was a safe bet from the outset he was totally focussed on his goal of 45 minutes this morning and achieved his personal best of 44.15,knowing James he will now focus on improving even further for next year.Last but not least is my darling daughter who completed the 10k for her dad;she has never pretended to look forward to today however she has always said that she would complete the course and she did so in heavy rain and a respectable one hour 42 minutes.
Geoff and I have family to be truly proud of they are always extremely supportive to us both and there are times I know where we forget that they need support too.It is comforting for me to know that they all have each other.
Today has been yet another extremely emotional day for me as I knew that it would be,Geoff has been extemely unwell this weekend and I can only hope that things will improve.
Before I sign off for the final time I would like to thank you all once again for your generosity in helping us to fight this dreadful disease.

We did it!!

Thank you everyone for your generosity. The amount that we have raised is overwhelming :o)

I walked the 10K as planned (I did have a few short jogging spurts but not many!). I finished in 1:42:07 which I am happy with. At first I expected to finish in 2 hours and then I decided on 1:45 so I was slightly ahead of my target. I ranked 26674 overall and 6643 for my age group and gender.

I didn't feel tired after it but my legs where achey so definately needed a stop! I was disappointed that it rained - I hate being out in the rain at the best of times - so my last 3Km was miserable but it was worth it.

Definately 1 that I can tick off my "things to do before I die list" but not one that I would willingly repeat!!

Congratulations to my family, everyone did fab and should be really proud of themselves xx

Home and dry

We're all back home now enjoying a post run chili and cakes.

Here's a photo of us all post run with Dad :-)

Done and done

Well that's it done, the weather's held up to now, it was a good run, went off a bit fast and had to dig deep for the last 3k but I think I hit my target.

Phones Dad for a quick chat, phoned Jess to wish her luck, managed to see the pink start now waiting for E.

Thank you for your generosity, it's even more amazing in tough economic times.

We'll upload our times later, as I write everyone else should be running!

The Big Day

James, Liz and Carole have left to travel to Manchester for the event. Lets hope the rain stays off until they have at least started and at best finished. Having looked at the Just Giving Donation page the target has been exceeded. 2600 raised on behalf of Myeloma UK. What can I say? A marvelous achievement which makes me proud of my family. I am sure that when the money is in the confers of Myeloma UK it will be put to very good use.

All that is left to say is good luck to James, Liz, Carole, Ian, Kathy, Jessica and Alan and let us hope that they all exceed their hopes for a good time.

Nervous

Well its nearly here and yes I am very nervous. All the plans for tomorrow are just about in place and all fingers crossed for it to stay dry (although its not looking too good)

All of us will be running our own race and all expected in at different times. I wish all the rest of the family the best of luck and see you at the finish line.

Nervously excited

Well, we're nearly there now and the anticipation is there, I'm quite excited now, so what if the forecast isn't great?

Running's done for this week, just waiting for the big day now.

Ran to work and back today for the the first time, I've got to sort the rucksack fitting it was like running with a fidgeting person on my back!  Got to fix that before next week.  Other than that it was quite good, gave the security guards a shock at work.

What a week!

The Office fundraising was phenomenal,we raised over £600 and staff wore orange to support myeloma.I felt extremely emotional and I was absolutely astounded by the generosity of staff -what a Team!
I ran my last 10k before the great day this morning.The run went well eventhough it was raining heavily;I intend to take it easy tomorrow in anticipation that I can live up to expectations on Sunday.
As I write this we are only £50 short of our financial target -no pressure then!

Its even closer now

Well its Thursday and the race it getting closer, But after yesterdays trip to the physio I have been told I can take part (there was never any doubt that I wouldn't in my mind)but I have to take it easy and do part run and part walk, but at least it will get me the finish.

Lets hope for a dry day :-)

Hidden dangers exposed

Well, last week I chafed the top of my thighs, this week I ran in a new top and my nipples got the punishment! The dangers of long distance running are well and truly exposed.

Tuesday was wet and windy and that reflected in my tempo run time, what an effort that was. Still did it though and that's what matters.

Did the usual Thurs, Sat, long run Sunday this week, at least next week with the race it won't be a two and a half hour slog.

I've started checking my diet this week, I registered on livestrong.com and tracked my eating habits, straight away it showed I wasn't getting enough protein to support my exercise. Tuna and butter bean salad has been had twice this week, it's really tasty, honest. It's on the good food website if you're interested, I can heartily recommend it.

I can't say the diet change has made me feel any different but I need to shift a couple of kilos to get to a good racing weight so it's got to help in that department.

I think 3 10ks this week, Tempo, Interval and Easy. I'm tempted to run to work and back on Friday for the first time, I'm just off to look at running rucksacks online.....

Not long now

I ran 11k again this morning in the rain! I just stuck my cap on got out there after all it may be raining on the big day.Anyway I cant be seen to be a fair weather runner can I ?
I am much more inclined to run when the sun is shining though,I found it hard this morning there must be better things to do at 8am on a Sunday morning.
I hope to run 8k after the hospital on Tuesday and a further 11k next Friday;I intend to take it easy on Saturday so that I can be as fresh as possible for Sunday.Then it will all be over and the real test for me is to remain sufficiently motivated to continue to run on a regular basis.
I often think what life would be like without running and then I realise that it has really helped me to survive the past few months.Geoff,the family and I are now waiting with trepidation to see whether he is a suitable candidate for stem cell transplant,I am scared to think that he might not be.I have to assume that it will go ahead and that means that he will be in hospital for about 3 to 4 weeks,although life will continue to be hectic whilst I work and visit him as much as possible I know that running will be my 'me time'.

It's getting closer !!

I can't believe we are only just over a week away from the race, its come round quick considereing we first came up with the idea in October!

I have not been to the physio this week he gave me a week off from the torture known as treatment so I have been walking a bit to try and get the strength up in my leg and it seems to be working, thank goodness :-)Final physio session on Wednesday all being well, so fingers crossed to be able to run at least part of the race.

As you have seen I am in the same wave as James' mum so that will be nice a bit of moral support at the start although super woman will be finished well before me, I have no idea how she manages to do everything and run as well.

Lets all hope for good weather on the day.

Motivation

Had a great run on Tuesday, it was a tempo run as usual, all felt good even after a full day in work.  It was yet another confidence builder for the 45mins, all being well with a clear run it's possible, borderline but possible.

Oddly and for the first time in ages I had a niggle after Tuesday's run, it just felt like a bit of a pulled muscle, I didn't feel it whilst running.  So, I just did an easy one on Tuesday, it all felt fine.  I have noticed that my legs feel more tired whilst running when taking it easy than when running faster.  I've done a few searches on the Runners World forums and there're a lot of posts regarding the same thing but no explanations.  At least I'm not alone (or imagining it).

I couldn't get motivated on Friday so I ran on Saturday morning (the forecast was better for Saturday too).  I did a great route, up through Sunnyhurst woods then back through Tockholes.  At the top of Sunnyhurst woods the path was so steep I had to walk!  Looking at my GPS readout when I got home it appears to be a 25-40% incline.  The target is to be able to run that by the end of the year.

Then yesterday (Sunday) I really wasn't up for it.  I headed out planning to do 10 miles as that's a bit more palatable.  However, when I started off it dawned on me, it's times like this that make you a runner - when you don't want to do it but do it anyway.  So I did my full 26k, in a good time too.  There's no way I can train for a marathon without getting out there when I'd really rather not.  My reward was a pub lunch, a couple of pints and Liverpool winning 3-0.

17th May is only two weeks away

I slept in this morning so I did'nt run until after I had done my chores so I only did 7k.I do intend to run my usual 11k tomorrow though.
I have now received my pack for the run so it seems to be one step nearer.I am in the green group with Liz,all we need now is ideal weather conditions.
Geoff and I have agreed that he will stay at home on the day so as long as he is ok I will be able to totally focus on the race rather than worry as to whether he is safe.
The intention is that the family will come to see him after the race and give him a 'blow by blow' account over a well earned chilli followed by Liz' infamous cakes for dessert.
Thankyou all so much for your sponsorship,we promise not to let you down.

On the sidelines

As the person who is ill it is difficult to sit on the side lines and watch as training takes place with an excitement and in some cases trepidation. I get the urdge to take part having been active most of my life but that is not to be. This year anyway. The support so far from friends and relatives is tremendous, even from people I have never met. My thanks to you all for this most worth while cause.

Good News

Went to the physio yesterday and my injury is healing and he even hinted I may be able to run part of the 10k now, fingers crossed :-)

Got my 10k pack yesterday and I am in the green wave which sets off at 11:05am, it will mean I miss seeing James finish though although he will no doubt be finished before I even start

Thank you to everyone who has sponsored us so far

Jealousy

I was a bit jealous heading out this morning, seeing the London Marathon runners on TV, I desperately wanted to be there. Out of a bit of jealousy fueled exersion I stuck anouther 2k onto my run, 26k today, I shouldn't have but who cares? Get towards that 34k mark by the end of the running season.

For once I'm pleased that it's a bit chillier up north than in the big smoke (especially Blackburn), my run was still pretty warm, the runners on TV looked a lot warmer.

I'm off to email Lorna at Myeloma UK to ask for a place in next year's marathon. I'll keep you posted.

Ello ello ello.

Hello run blog readers!! Ian again.

I havent posted my bit for ages. The guilt has finally got the better of me (and I finally remembered at a point in time where I wasnt right in the middle of something!!).

I've been doing as much training as I can for the 10k. Not that I've been lazy, it's just that my knee has been killing me since I went the hospital a couple of weeks ago and the fat arrogant doctor was pulling and pushing it around whilst telling me the results of the mri scan. I had to tell him to stop in the end. He's messed up my training. Git!!!

Still, I've been going to the gym and doing 5 /6 ks on the treadmill and some squats etc to build it back up. If I can do the 10k in under an hour I'm happy.

Not started fundraising properly yet. I've been waiting on a response from work to tell me what they will do to help us. Still no reply.

Anyway, Mum and Jay did really well in the 8k run, well done!! Dad is doing well which is ace, kathie has started running to train as much as she can for the 10k but she is just getting over viral meningitis so its a bit tricky as she gets headaches when she runs and stuff but I'm sure it'll pass.

Keep going everyone ;-)

Physio Update

Went back to the Physios this morning, torture as usual but I am now allowed to go for short walks - which is good news. Two more treatments next week and he says I will notice a big difference by the end of the week, so heres hoping :-)

Cake Sales are Back!!

Well as I can't run at the moment I decided to put the time to baking instead. So from tomorrow for the next 4 weeks or so the Myeloma Cakes Sales are back.

Currently we have in the oven Dark Chocolate Brownie and cooling are Cherry and Almond cakes.

If you wish to sample these cakes then you need to work for Granby Marketing tomorrow, but be quick as on usual form they go like 'hot cakes'!

James is such a hard act to follow

I did'nt run on Friday this week because we received some unexpected good news regarding the effects of Geoff's current treatment programme so we treated ourselves to lunch instead!
I made up for lost time today though and ran my usual 11k.I seemed to have increased my pace slightly this week.The weather was really nice,in fact it was a little too warm so I was trying to run in the shade unlike James who is clearly in search of a sun tan!
I am really grateful for the sponsorship that we have received so far and we are all determined to finish the run in as respectable time as possible.
Geoff still intends to be at the finish line so fingers crossed;he starts a further 3 week chemotherapy programme on Tuesday and if the treatment continues to be successful, he will then have a four week rest before the preparation begins for the stem cell programme.
According to my calculations he should be in the rest period at the date of the run therefore he stands a greater chance of being there.The difficulty is of course that my trusty second in Command (Liz) will be participating in the race so he will have to manage alone and I am not sure that he will be up to it however we will see.

Summer, summer, suu-ummer tii-ime.....

...so let's sit back and unwind. 

Well no, let's go for a nice long run instead.  I'm a bit pinker than before I went today, who'd have thought it was that warm?  Nice though, I'm not complaining.

I haven't posted all week so a quick summary - 10k tempo Tue morning, 10k easy Thur evening, 10k of 800m intervals Fri evening, 24k today.  All good, bit tired though.

Any recommendations for a different soundtrack?  I don't want to say it but I do need a change.  Currently The Killers, Lily Allen and The Ting Tings, I'm sure I'll be back to The Killers soon if I change though, nothing makes me try harder than hearing 'All these things I've done' in my ears.

Runcorn 8k

Well done to Carole and James for completing the Runcorn 8k in very acceptable times.

It was an ideal day for the whole of the race which started at Runcorn Station and finished in Hale Village.

As this was Carole's first competitive run it was good that she had a good day and finished in a respectable time. It is hard to believe that she has such dedication and I really do admire her tenacity.

James just keeps going and this is another notch on his running belt but must seem a walk in the park after the Silverstone half marathon earlier this year.

Liz and I supported Carole and James at the finish as they came sprinting through.

Disappointed

Finally gave in and went to see a Physio this morning about my ankle as the recovery seems to have stalled. Well to be honest it was a bit of a shock, I have partially ruptured my Soleus muscle and as I have been walking differently to compensate for that I also now have shin splints as well!!

The Physio was excellent, he did some work on the injuries which I have to say was the most painful thing I have ever experienced but if it helps I can put up with it, Back again for more torture next Tuesday.

The biggest disappointment of it all is I can't run or cross train for 2 weeks and then he will see if I can start again, the 10k is getting ever closer so this is not good news, but I will see what happens.

Another 11k under my belt

I altered my route slightly today to alleviate the boredom and I completed my run in just over one hour sixteen minutes which is a slight improvement on my usual time;I think that I was trying to up my pace in line with last Sunday's race.I have experienced better runs though,my stomach is still slightly off and the weather was showery,nevertheless I persevered!
My next run is scheduled for Friday after Geoff's clinic appointment.I have to say that I usually find it difficult to motivate myself after clinic but you never know we may get some positive news.

Well done Mum

Mum blitzed it!  Well done Mum.  There were loads of people coming in after her, and plenty far younger than her too.

I wimped out this week and didn't get my bum out of bed on Thur for training.  So, I did my intervals on Friday then a steady run on Saturday.  Nice new route up through Sunnyhurst Woods, very nice indeed if a bit steep.  Thanks to Linda for the suggestion for that one.

The race was great, cracking weather, well organised, very enjoyable.  Plus I nailed it well and truly so I'm well chuffed.  That 45 mins should be on in Manchester if all goes well.  36:36 by my watch for 8k, I think the official time will be arond 37 but I was aiming for sub 38 so I'm happy tonight.

10 miles tomorrow as penance for only doing 8k today......

I did it!

I completed the 8k in 51minutes 37seconds.
The weather was ideal and the run has enabled me to better prpare for the 10k.I was a little cautious as to how I would feel running with a group of pepole having run alone so far however if anything it was beneficial as it introduced an element of competition.
I am really pleased with my time and this has now spurred me on for the 10k which is now only 5 weeks away.
As always James was a great support and we agreed that we would seperate at the start to enable him to run to his full capability which of course he did.
Liz supported Geoff whilst I was away and ensured that he was fed watered and medicated on time!She also managed to get him to the finishing line which made it all worthwhile for me.
She then changed roles completely and became chief chef by cooking us all a lovely fattening but reasonably healthy lunch.
I have really enjoyed today and I am spurred on to my next run after the hospital on Tuesday.

Good Luck!

Just a quick blog to wish mum and James good luck tomorrow xxx

Latest update

I ran my usual 11k yesterday and I am averaging about 1k every 7.5mins.The run went well eventhough it was wet and I was not feeling 100%.I developed a headache after going to the hospital with Geoff on Thursday and my head still felt sore yesterday;also I felt a little sickly.I feel a little better today and will hopefully be back to normal tomorrow for the Runcorn 8k.
We havent registered yet as I wasnt sure whether I would be able to take part however Geoff is doing ok this week so James and I will leave home early in the morning to make sure that we can get a place.
Geoff hopes to be at the finishing line with Liz;it will be lovely for me if he can, however his risk of infection is high at the moment so he will need to be extremely careful, he is in safe hands with Liz though.
By my calculations I should be able to complete the run in less than an hour - I will be really pleased if I can.
I am used to running on my own so tomorrow will be a strange experience.James and I will seperate at the start and hopefully meet again at the finish line although I am sure that he will arrive long before me.
Wish me luck!

Now that was fun

Grotty.  

That's how I feel most mornings when rolling out of bed at 6:00 to go for a run.  That's how I felt this morning.

Making my way out, it was an effort, the first K dragged.

Epiphany.

At the K point I made a concerted effort, after all this was meant to be a fast run, it's no good feeling sorry for myself.  So I upped the pace.

I proceeded to run the next 7 Ks in sub 5 mins splits, I felt great, the run was fantastic.

The 9th K dropped to 5:06 but it's got a 50m climb so I can cope with that, the last K again was sub 5 mins.

My confidence is restored, I feel refreshed, I think the 45 mins may be in reach after all.

Hello Everyone

I am now running on a regular basis and have run a further 10k today; I am looking forward to the Manchester 10k with trepidation - I just hope I can do it!

James and I will run in the Runcorn 8k on Easter Sunday and I am nervous about that run too.

I plan to run a further 11k on Thursday and then pray for good weather for Sunday - I will let you know how it goes.

It gets better

After Wednesdays painful effort I decided not to run on Friday and try again today.

Well in the fabulous sunshine I have just done 5.6k not all of it running I have to admit but I did manage 3.2k without a twinge which is the best I have managed since the injury, the rest was a mix of fast pace walking and running. Granted the training schedule isn't where it should be but I now have little more confidence I will get round the 10k

Now here comes the best bit, as soon as James gets back from his 2 hour run it will be feet up watching the Grand Prix :-)

A week of early starts

Did 10ks Tue, Thur, Fri mornings this week, really struggled to roll out of bed on Friday though.  I feel like I'm actually running a proper training plan at the minute, tempo run Tues, intervals Thurs, easy run Fri, long run Sunday.  I just hope I see the rewards for the extra effort.

I'm not convinced 45mins for the 10k is within reach, I'm just not sure if I've enough pace in my legs, going to have to start doing some weights I think but may have left it too late.

On a calorific note Liz and I will be re-starting the cake sales at Granby soon, I'm sure they'll be well received after last year's popularity.

Struggling

Hello everyone, so far you have met Geoff, Ian, James and Jessica so I thought it was time you met one of the partners, I am Liz (James' wife). I am finding the training hard at the moment for the 10k, I started running again on Sunday just gone after hurting my ankle about 2 weeks ago and have ran again tonight and boy did my ankle complain. So it was back home to the ice packs. I will try again on Friday and see where we get to, at this rate I will be walking!

But run or walk I will be completing the race to make sure we raise as much money as we can for Myeloma UK

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog
Liz

Myeloma and Me Living with Myeloma by Geoff

Before March 2008 I had never heard of Myeloma. To be diagnosed with it in an orthopaedic clinic at the Royal Liverpool Hospital was a shock. To be told that it was treatable but not curable was devastating. To be told that it was a rare form of cancer was traumatic. So began a life changing experience for me personally and for my family and friends.

I have been undergoing radiotherapy and two different types of chemotherapy one called CDT and the other Velcade PAD to try to get the Myeloma under control to allow for a stem cell transplant. Until control is achieved stem cell transplant is not an option. So fingers crossed that control will be achieved.

My family have been marvellous. Support is readily available and accepted gratefully as there are many things I am just not able to do from dressing to personal hygiene which my wife assists me with to household jobs which Ian, James and Jessica and their respective partners take care of.

The consultants at the RLH have been fantastic the nursing staff on 7Y, the chemotherapy ward, have been supportive and efficient as I see them twice a week for treatment.

So why support Myeloma UK through this run. As a rare cancer it does not get the funding that more common cancers get. Every penny is welcome and I hope that you will take the time to support the runners and in doing so Myeloma UK and indirectly me and others like me.

Thank you

Geoff Woodruff

2nd run

Well I went for a run before and it was much better than last time, probably because it wasn't as cold. I was out for 20 minutes and had a mixture of running and walking on my route. Everytime that I ran I set myself small targets e.g. run to that car or to the next road etc. That seemed to work and my breathing wasn't as bad as I expected and I didn't take my inhalor once.

I think that I needed to warm up better though as I could feel my muscles tightening in my legs and I think I need to slow my pace but I was running at a pace that felt natural so not sure that I can do that but we'll see!

Passing the time

I was doing my weekly long run today, at the moment it's 15 miles so that takes over 2 hours to complete.  My mind wanders when running, but today whilst running I wondered what other people think about.

Obviously on weekday runs my mind tends to drift towards work topics, sad but true.  But sometimes unique little thoughts pop into my head.  I'd like to say that they're Earth shattering and profound but they're not, usually trivial, but useful to me nonetheless.

I wonder if philosophers tend to run or if runners tend to be philosophers.  Nothing so grand for my random electrical pulses but it's a point worth pondering whilst out on my next run.  I can't imagine Socrates putting his running shoes on and hitting the road but you never know.

Running through treacle

I forced myself out of bed at 6:00 this morning, second day in a row of getting up for a run, the joys of moving to four runs a week.  I took it nice and easy yesterday but with some trepidation I knew I had to do interval training this morning. 

Luckily the Shuffle knew I needed some help and mainly pumped Killers songs into my ears.

So, with the help of the Shuffle off I went, out the door, huge gust of wind in the face.  'Oh great!'

The first 5k were into the wind, a bit of resistance training for good measure.  I cursed as I went but still did my 800m reps.  At the 5k point my route turns then after 7k I had the wind full in my back.  The final 3k were a doddle with my enemy turned friend The Wind pushing me along like a sailing boat.  

Home, quick shower, bit of breakfast then off for a day in the office.  Not a bad start to the day.

First blog

Right, I'm back with my slow poke (s)training for the 10k! Went for a run today, once round Sefton park to see how many more injuries I could pick up!! Thankfully none. Gonna stick to a gentle pace for now till my ankle recovers from an injury I picked up a few weeks ago (haven't been running or gym for about 3 weeks). Made it round successfully even though it was only a short run I was glad to get round. Jay could probably have moonwalked around twice in the time I took!!

Planning on going again on thursday. Thanks to everyone who's watching our blog and supporting our fight to raise money to help Myeloma UK.

Ian

Well me and Al went for a run before - yes my first one! We went to Sefton Park and walked Kabe (our dog) first as our warm up and then started our run. I took my inhalor before running so that I should be OK. I was disappointed at how little I actually ran :o(
My biggest problem was that the cold was making it painful to breathe so every time I was getting slightly breathless I'd walk as I didn't want to gasp for breath.

Oh well it was a learning point for me, and we'll look at running early in the week, so keep your fingers crossed for me,

Jess x

Project kick off

Well this is it, the fundraising charge starts here.  The draft press release is written, waiting for approval from everyone else and then we're off.  Vests have been ordered from Myeloma so everyone can look good in orange on the day.

Running for me's going well, just got to get that pace up now to hit 45 mins in the race, it's ambitious but I like a challenge.