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