Training continues

Training for the Paddock Wood Half Marathon on the 1^st April 2012 is going ok, I could (and probably should) be doing far more, but as I discovered last year, training takes up a lot of time and right now I don’t have too much of that to spare!

Nonetheless, I am still running several times a week, this morning I got up nice and early and hit the Canterbury streets at 5.45am to do a pre-work five mile run!

Yes, I (and the many other runners I pass at that time in the morning) may be crazy, but it really is the best time for me to pound the streets if I can be prized away from the warm comfy duvet.

Not only does it set me up for the day, but the people I pass are friendly, whether it’s those getting the early trains to London, street cleaners, milkmen, fellow runners, dog walkers or stockroom staff having a cheeky break, many say “morning” as I pass. Give it another hour or so and the cloud of the daily grind will have got to them and they will remain silent with their eyes fixed on their route ahead or the job in hand.

Agreed, as it’s dark it’s probably not the safest time to go out, but I’ve been doing this on and off for over a year now and compared to running in the evening I feel safer as there is far less traffic and it’s always the same faces I see.

Ok, I’m not advocating this time of day to run for everyone, every town/city is different and you should assess your local conditions before heading out.

Although I’m still two minutes off my personal best for this route of 45 minutes (I am not a fast runner, and never will be) my old injuries are starting to rear their ugly heads, most notably my leg.

On New Year’s Day 2011 I was on a training run for the Bath Half Marathon when I tore a muscle in my calf. It was one of the most painful things I have ever experienced and made driving, let alone walking, almost impossible. Thankfully, after three months of weekly visits to a sports injury clinic I was repaired enough to get round the course on race day with a bit of a limp.

But today a niggle came back, something I’m going to have to watch very carefully over the coming months.

Shattered after running the Bath Half Marathon on the 6th March 2011

I’m already running 6.5 miles at weekends, but this Sunday I aim to up it to about 7 and begin increasing the length of my runs every two weeks. Ideally I want to get to the position where I’m running the full 13.1 miles in training. I know I don’t need to, but in order to believe I can do it on race day, I need to do it in training (yes, I know it’s all in my mind).

As you know, I’m putting myself through all of this to raise money for WaterAid, the charity I’m heading to Zambia with in less than three weeks time!

If you would like to sponsor me for the Paddock Wood Half Marathon click here.

To find out more about WaterAid or why I'm going to Zambia read my other blog posts and/or click here.

Other blogs

Time is ticking by extremely quickly and the number of blogs being created by my fellow travellers is increasing.

Below are  a number of other blogs should you want to read them. Others, I’m sure, will be added over time:

www.paulswateraidtrip.blogspot.com

www.peter-harris.blogspot.com

www.sallyinzambiawithwateraid.blogspot.com

www.wateraidandmeinzambia.blogspot.com

The group

There is just three weeks to go until we depart for Zambia, time is going by extremely quickly!

Here is the group of people I will be embarking on this amazing trip with:

Diana Freeman
Grant Smith
Helen Cheeseman
Jody Knight
Paul Davidson
Peter Harris
Susanna Golics
Sally Gronow
Kevin Buck
Damon Edwards
Matthew Armitage

Running for water

To give something back to WaterAid for the amazing opportunity to visit Zambia next month I have decided to enter the Paddock Wood Half Marathon in Kent to help raise much needed funds.

By the time the run takes place on the 1st April 2012, I  will have returned from this life changing visit, most likely  spurred on to raise even more funds.

Yes, I have undertaken running challenges in the past, most notably The Bath Half Marathon (again for WaterAid), in March 2011. However, the difference is I had been training for The Bath Half for almost a year to build up to that 13.1 mile distance, my training for the Paddock Wood Half Marathon in three and a half months time is starting from virtual scratch, after not having seriously run since taking part in The Bath Half!

Fortunately, getting back to the five mile distance wasn’t as hard as I was expecting, after a couple of two to three mile runs recently I managed to build up in about two weeks to that distance, however, I am now seriously struggling with 6.5 miles!

I did my old 6.5 mile run along the Crab and Winkle Way between Canterbury and Whitstable this weekend, a year ago I found it easy, ‘a stroll in the park’ I would have said at the time. On Sunday, it was one of the hardest runs training runs I have ever done, and yes (I am ashamed to admit), I had to resort walking a short distance at one point before picking up my pace again.

Fingers crossed my stamina will improve quickly as I aim to complete a 13.1 mile run or two before taking part in the half marathon.

I shall keep this blog updated with news on my training, and also random things I see on my run.

I’m sure many runners will agree, that while training there is the tendency to see some bizarre sights, and probably the most bizarre I have seen greeted me on Sunday. Please bear in mind, I am running along a gravel, and quite often, muddy track with a number of steep hills which winds around Blean Woods. The normal attire for a setting like this is waterproof jackets, sturdy footwear and warm trousers (especially at the moment), not stiletto style shoes, nude sheer tights, a short skirt and small coat. The lady was tottering along, looking rather misplaced and uncomfortable. I am sure there was a reason for this faux pas, but it did temporarily take my mind off my fatigue.

If you would like to sponsor me for the Paddock Wood Half Marathon, or, off the back of what you’ve read about WaterAid you would like to donate to the charity, please click here.

Further information can be found at: www.wateraid.org

Pre-trip briefing

I have returned from the WaterAid pre-trip briefing day slightly nervous of the tasks ahead. Not just the trip and all the inevitable challenges that will bring, but also the challenge of spreading the word about the amazing work that charity does on my return. Maybe I am setting my own personal targets too high with all the ideas and possibilities buzzing around my mind, but only time will tell.
 

I have now met my 15 other companions who range from WaterAid employees to those also involved in the water industry. We are all equally as apprehensive about the trip, a trip that will surely bond us all together forever through this unique experience.

Having seen video footage from the country itself and film from previous trips, I am in no doubt this is going to be one of the hardest weeks of my life emotionally, but I will be stronger for it.

Below is a video explaining WaterAid's work in Zambia:

One big thing I have taken from today is the work WaterAid does in developing countries really does make a difference. Having supported the charity in a number of ways for a couple of years now I have always known it, but my eyes to the charity’s work have been opened even further now.

A statement I heard from a Supporter who previously went on one of these trips will stay with me forever:

Before WaterAid people in these communities just existed, after WaterAid they are now living.

I think that singular statement says everything you need to know about this amazing charity.

www.wateraid.org

Facts and stats

Zambia is a landlocked African country and covers an area of 752,614 square kilometres.

It boarders the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Capital city: Lusaka

Population: 13.8 million

Adult literacy: 71%

Life expectancy: 52

Language: English

Religions: Christianity, Hindu and Muslim

Tourism: Approximately 60,000 visitors from the UK alone each year, many go on Safari or visit Victoria Falls

In 1964, when the country gained independence, it was the second richest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa, next only to South Africa.

Copper was at the heart of the country’s wealth and in the late 1960s Zambia was the third largest producer of the metal after the America and the Soviet Union. Despite this promise for the future when copper prices collapsed in the 1970s the effects on the economy were devastating.

Today, the future is looking brighter for Zambia as the copper output is growing once again; however, the World Bank is urging the country to develop other sources of income through tourism and agriculture.

Despite the improving economy the country remains incredibly poor with 68% of Zambians living below the World Bank poverty threshold of $1 a day.

Although Zambia has one of the largest fresh water resources in Africa, water supply coverage is poor, 40% in rural areas and 90% in urban areas. Sanitation ranges from 51% in rural areas and 55% in urban areas, which is why WaterAid is working to improve the lives of those living in Zambia.

Enduring the inoculations

Last week further details arrived from WaterAid about the trip. Included were Visa details and information on malaria and the dreaded jabs!  

Deciding to strike while the iron was hot (and prevent it from seeping conveniently to the back of my mind) I decided that there was no time like the present to get the first jabs out of the way!

So, off I trundled to see the nurse with an (unashamed) glint of fear in my eye – who likes injections?

Fortunately previous trips abroad and the inoculations I had as a child prevented the need for me to look like a temporary pin cushion, all that was required for this first trip was Hepatitis B, however I will need to return in the New Year for rabies and potentially a nice anti-cholera drink.

Maybe that is one reason to not want the New Year to come by too quickly!