Tag: Nevertooyoung

Magic piano, Molehills and Mountains

Probably writing this to a very limited audience ! i.e. 1  ( me) but guess it’s cathartic. (First and last long word used !)  My last post on here was so long ago even I found it interesting (mildly) to read it to remember what I’d said !  It was January 2023, and in it I talked about running the London Marathon last year and the incredible experience it was and the reasons why I ran it.  The last 8 months have flown by and have provided all kinds of experiences.  As you know (well of course you know – it’s only me reading it !) So in January I said I’d try to run every month in official Runs/Races, and sometimes 2 or 3 times a month. My first one was 10 km at Tatton Park in very wet conditions.  At the end as I was walking back to the car, very wet and looking similar to someone who had a shower but forgotten to take their clothes off !, I said to a lady also walking back;

“Why do we do this?”She replied, “Because it’s a bug !”, as she got into her car, with registration: RUN 1.    She has a point !

The next 8 months saw me run as I had planned and up to date have completed 11 official runs.  With Great North coming up in 2 weeks.  Each run with their own story to tell.

For the  two of you i.e. me and my friend on the Isle of Wight ! (family joke -” I only have one friend and he lives on the Isle of Wight ” !)  who have read my previous blog , my bruised face and sore ribs was me falling over a very small stone on a training run !!! Is it old age, too tired, too many stones or just clumsiness  I know which one I think ! This meant that I completed some of the runs with a very strange support around my ribs which gave me an inclining of what women used to go through with a girdle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Running in  London in February being cheered on by polar bears around Trafalgar Square; was a great experience. Running it with friends and family followed by a lovely lunch was a great ending to the run.
In Chester running past my house where I grew up and all my old haunts was something special;

 

 

 

 

 

Lea Valley running 13 times around a route where after 9 laps I lost count ! so I ran somewhere between 20 km and 24 km !Who knows ??? But great to finish the last lap with the ‘little man’!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great encouragement from friends and family who were running Chorley 10Km;

Loved Manchester half marathon, amazing atmosphere, sharing jelly babies with other runners:- sounds a bit weird I know  but it was offered so who was I to refuse  and I managed to get under 2: 30 for the first time; so jelly babies hence forth to the fore.

Richmond  and Rickling – was great running it with family and friends, again amazing support.

  Abersoch where the winds and rains came and the last 1 km of the 21 km was on the beach!  As we turned the bend to arrive on the beach, I turned to the guy who I was running alongside and we both said; ” ******* **** ” or was it “Oh dear” can’t quite remember,.  Advice apparently was to run as close to the sea as possible where the hard sand was.  However, along the beach were approximately 13 groynes (look it up !) which were highest by the sea and lowest on the soft sand.   A challenge but can’t deny it was great experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then a week ago ran the Lights at Blackpool – probably shouldn’t have due to no runs for over a fortnight; a minor op involving 22 stitches and a chest cough that made it tough to breathe ! But couldnt say no could I – I mean it was in the plan !!! Medal haul was growing so was bought a medal hanger -to make the place look tidy!

Of course have to remember why Im doing all this  ……

in memory of our amazing daughter – Laura

She really is with me on every run I do; her encouragement, her words, her presence.  It may sound very weird but running just makes the memory of Laura even stronger.

“It’s ok to feel low, unsure or emotional.  We are allowed to be vunerable as long as we don’t stay there and we keep pushing forward “

Laura Stephenson

So pushing forward is what I try to do

Just in case you’ve dropped off to sleep ( and who can blame you!) I’m raising funds for The Christie hospital leading up to the London Marathon 2024

The medal is part of the Christie Challenge, which is made up of 6 jigsaw pieces of a medal for 6 separate events I know that many many of you have given already, but sadly Cancer and especially Bowel Cancer is still very much with us and every penny counts to try and find treatments for it .

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mikebarnes4

Every penny counts.

 

This takes me to the Magic Piano ………….

Now at this point I may well lose my younger readers !  When Junior choice was on the radio on a Saturday, one of my favourite songs along with Puff the Magic Dragon ( but we wont go into that !) was Sparky’s Magic Piano ! See I told you I’d lose you – but bear with ……

Sparky was a young boy who had a magic piano that played itself and everyone thought that it was Sparky that was playing, and he became famous for playing the piano; However, when he got over confident and said he didn’t need the magic piano anymore then the piano refused to play for him !!! What’s this got to do with ‘the price of bread?” I hear you say. Well I think the more confident I got with running the more I thought I can do this easily.  Move to now and I think my body has said ok go on then “Run without me helping”! Hence I now haven’t run for 2 or 3 weeks really ( except for Blackpool and a park run) and I now have to rest with a cough and stitches taken out yesterday but the medics said “No running/sweating for a few days.”  At this point I could go off at a complete tangent but I wont ! Maybe I’m making a mountain out of a molehill but no running for a number of days is: to get down with the kids “Doing me head in!”  Is my body like Sparky’s Magic Piano? Is this a simile or an analogy – I’ll have to ask a teacher !

I never heard the end of Sparky’s story but I’m hoping it turned out to be a positive one as I have the Great North Run in just 2 weeks time !!!!!

And as for the Mountain that episode  I promise will be coming along very soon and a weekend that has left me with a memory of inspiration and an amazing group of people …………..

Marathon Journey Chapter 3

Well talk about putting something off – this must stand out as a record ! I started this on October 9th – where does the time go ?  So my apologies but its really going to be a mash up of London Marathon, and next challenge/s .

On Sunday October 2nd 2022 at 16:47 I passed the finish line in what was probably one of the most exhilarating 5 hrs and 50 minutes of my life.  The strangest feelings take over your legs; although they are tired and physically you are quite shattered, your legs just seem to want to keep running – slowly I must admit, but they just want to keep moving.  There must actually be a ‘stopping distance’ for runners dependent upon the distance they have covered.  You can’t just stop dead.   But let’s not start at the finish, ‘cos that would be just too weird and a very short blog ! – lets go to the beginning.

A close friend said, “Why run when you can catch a bus ??”  To answer that I just simply have to refer to Laura’s saying, ”

For most of us with Cancer all we want is someone to fight with us and tell us that’s what they are doing !”

Laura, of course passed away in December 2019. She possessed the courage, faith, hope, and positivity that you can just stand back and admire.  She has 3 totally awesome daughters who are totally growing up in her image. When the going gets tough, or I don’t want to run, or I want to walk, or I want to stop ; she is there saying “You can do this!”  I run to celebrate your life and amazing courage.

I guess my running is my way of saying I am fighting with all those folk who are facing the most difficult times of their lives, either personally, family or friends. When I run I do definitely feel like giving up many times, but always in my head is “Dont be a ‘wuss’ you can do this.  All you’re doing is putting one foot in front of another – what can be tough about that compared to what some folk are going through – so I run !  I don’t particularly think, “Oh goody I’m going for a run!” but I guess there is something inside me that just drives me to go and run ! and believe me there are times when I REALLY don’t want to  !

 

So back to the London Marathon 2022.  Lots of people ask me “What was it like?” and my answer is always the same

“Probably one of the most exhilarating, exciting, challenging events that I have ever taken part in.!”

I apologise to those of you that i have totally bored with the story of the day but if I don’t write it down by tomorrow I’ll forget all about it ( it’s an age thing!) and I really don’t want to forget the day.

To start at the start – a very good place to start as someone once said …….I was fortunate that the son of some great friends of ours, Col and Steph, had a place in London in Finsbury Park so I could stay at his the night before.  This was partly through  making it easy to get to the start on the Sunday but also because of my previous history ( see previous blog ) that my friend said,

“I am  personally, going to put you on the train to make sure you get there on time, and I might even put a sign round your neck to make sure you get there.” 

Think he’s been reading too much Paddington Bear ! I mean as if I wouldn’t get there in time!!!!  So early doors, up and placed on the train. Caught the tube and then the connecting train to Blackheath Common.  They were four or five deep standing on the platform, all with their drop-off bag and most of them looking as nervous as I was. We packed onto the train.  It was like rush hour on a bad day – but with one big difference – everyone was talking with each other, polite, and not worrying if you were standing on somebody’s foot. Crammed in, literally standing face to face, stories flowed about why we were all running, and it was sort of then that I realised why I was attempting to run 26.2 miles. I met some amazing people just within the 2 or 3 stops to Blackheath Common. Meeting people like Rachel – who gave a donation to my Justgiving page –

“I met you on the underground on the way to the London Marathon ………. I have no doubt your daughter would be so proud of you – thinking of her little girls !”

Even walking from the start, chatting to another runner, who looked as though he’d lifted weights for years and run since he was six months old compared to the very old, skinny guy who just happened to rock up to the event; and hearing his excitement in undertaking his first London Marathon – similar minds if not bodies !   Standing in the middle of the common and looking around at all the people  getting ready with their outfits, drop-off bags, plastic bin liners , pre running exercises etc; each one with an incredible story to tell, I felt somewhat overwhelmed.

This time I just stood there and looked around; chatted with a group of first time runners. The sense of camaraderie was amazing.  Again a donation appears on my Justgiving page from Gillian and Kath,

It was so lovely to meet you at the start on Sunday.  Thank you for calming our nerves and helping with our ‘bin bag ponchos’  Massive congrats, an amazing achievement for an incredible cause!”

Just to explain, they had brought black bin liners as advised in order to keep warm while they waited, but as they slipped them over their heads realised that they hadn’t cut any holes in them for their head or arms. Should have taken a photo !!!

No sooner are you called to your “Wave and colour” and you are off on an incredible journey of 26.2 miles

Catch a bus ? – no thanks I’ll run !

Talking, gasping for breath, aching legs, aching body, – and that’s just within the first mile !!! Going past the man carrying a washing line, the Rhino and the Teddy Bear, the Penguin, the T”ree – well ok maybe they went past me but who’s counting!  Not only are the runners encouraging each other but the crowd are shouting your name and encouraging you as you run past

‘Go on Mike, you’ve got this ! Keep going” 

Who knew over three quarters of a million people would turn out to watch just me run !!!!  but that is honestly what it feels like.  And then of course you do have family and friends who also turn out to watch you – I do have to thank them all for their amazing support, generosity and just for being fantastic people who without them I definitely wouldn’t have been able to successfully complete the run.  Their support was just amazing ! Even friends who you didn’t know were going to be there and suddenly you hear your name shouted and you look;

“Whoa what you doing here – amazing – Hiya !”

 

and then you carry on to the next mile, and the next mile, and the next ……. all the sights of London zooming past you – well when I say zooming maybe just slowly going past but you get the idea

 

 

Jelly beans eaten, water stations gratefully accepted, sweets accepted, pieces of orange accepted, toilet stops declined – who knew I could go for 6 hours without going to the loo?   After 26 miles of just the most amazing time ever you approach Buckingham Palace and you think this is it, round the bend and run down the Mall.  In my mind I thought the run down the mall was the length of the Mall, but actually the finish comes much quicker than I thought.  I can honestly say that as I crossed the finish line I was looking around to see if I had actually finished – I thought I can’t turn to someone and say “Is that it?  Have I finished?” “No go on Do it again !” Sounds like a hob nob being dunked in your tea !  – (echoes of Peter Kay – if you know you know !) Very strange; my brain was just addled !

After that very bizarre moment you really want to shout out- “Yeeeeeeeee I’ve done it!” or grab someone to hug ; but that would have just been too weird. So you walk up through the other runners, accept your medal, take a shiny blanket and wrap it round yourself – even though you don’t really need it but Ive seen them do it on the tele !   And then I just stood and looked around. Feeling quite emotional I guess.  Feeling what have I just done? Feeling tired – no not really; I think the emotion takes over I guess.  When you finish, above the timing clock friends and family can put words up and through some clever technology they appear on the bridge over the timing clock.  If you’re running so fast as you go over the finish line (haha ) you don’t get to read them all but these were there for me as I crossed the line.  Again the old eyes start to blur, probably due to the sweat  and nothing at all to do with tears !!!!

I was met by Colin at the end and we walked to the rooms in the hotel that Bowelcanceruk had made available for the runners and their families.  At this point I do have to mention Bowelcanceruk, and just what an amazing organisation they are.  The support that I had was just brilliant.

Back at the hotel i met my family, friends and fellow runners who had now become close friends; absolutely the icing on the cake.

My family have been and continue to be my inspiration. There are just so many other people who had a hand in my running the marathon that it really was a team effort; the encouragement from my family; my friends; Bowelcanceruk; the people who donated in excess of £7,600 towards saving lives and improving the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer.

       

 

 

THANK YOU  TO EVERYONE

 

Would I do it again ? 

 

ABSOLUTELY – APRIL 2024 HERE I COME

What’s next, I hear you say – thanks for that !!!!!!!    well funny you should ask………

The plan is from January 2023 leading up to April 2024, to run in organised events, each month, 10km, Half Marathon or Marathon, a total of 300 miles overall.  Raising funds for Bowelcanceruk please. One run already completed at Tatton Park in January, next one is next week  The Winter Run in London.   As an amazing online friend of mine said recently,

“Want to know the biggest risk for Bowel Cancer ?

Age ? …………….. No

Diet? …………………No

Lifestyle ? ……………….No

 

It’s ……………

      Having a Bowel !!! 

           So I make no apologies ………. Donations page is open.

What happened to your face, nose and ribs – Don’t ask !!!!!!!!!   That’s in the next blog …..……..

 

 

Lessons Learned – Marathon Journey

Chapter 2

Definite need to add Chapter 2 to my Marathon Journey. After the great success of my last blog – culminating in somewhere in the region of 1 comment (thanks Laura T !) I feel it is only fair to update you all . So as ever the whole reason for running the London Marathon is in memory of the amazing person that was Laura Stephenson. No amount of running could ever equal the strength and courage she showed throughout her illness. So every step of the way in races and the solitary running along the country lanes, avoiding dogs that snap at your heels, moving from one side of the lane when blind bends are encountered and waving politely at cars that zoom past within a few inches of me as I dive into the hedge, I know she is there saying – “Go on Dad, you can do this !” And for some reason every time I write that I have difficulty seeing – no idea why !!!

So running along the lanes listening to Frank Turner tunes, (that was the last gig we went to together), I decided really I should get another half marathon (for previous Half Marathon see Chapter 1) run to experience running with others as oppose to crawling along on my own etc. Enter The Big Half Marathon in London!

After carefully checking the temperature isn’t going to exceed 40 degrees and the percentages are there will be more of a certain age category running I decide to enter. Begin to slightly worry when I get an email from ‘The Big Half’ saying – “Great News; Mo Farah and Eilish McColgan are running with you in The Big Half ! Mmmmmmm don’t think they will be running “with” me but I get the gist !!

After my experience in the Richmond Park Half Marathon, I begin to think maybe I should change my diet of a coffee for breakfast and sometimes an evening meal when I feel hungry ! So a big change in diet with ‘Power Muesli’ for breakfast, ‘Can’t Beet Me Smoothie’, Warrior Drink and ‘Pesto Pasta with Sardines” I’m ready for the challenge.

Staying overnight in Stevenage, with Emily and Ben it’s an easy journey into London and Tower Bridge. Give myself plenty of time as occasionally, only very occasionally I’m a bit rushed – Not this time !!! A lift to the Station and I’m there standing on the platform at 7:50 waiting for the 08:05 direct train into London. Takes 20 minutes into London so plenty of time to hand my bag in and be at the there for a 10:10 start from just past Tower Bridge. At 08:05 an announcement over the tannoy, “The 08:05 train has been cancelled and due to delayed works on the line there will be no trains running until at least 09:00.

In the meantime, my family who are coming to support me and watch the event have travelled much later, gone a different route and at 09:20 are standing by Tower Bridge waiting to see me. At 09:25 Im still stood at Stevenage on Platform 3, dressed in my running kit, number on my vest, discussing the merits of British Rail with anyone who cares to listen ! Some 25 mins later, at 9:50 a train decides to pick up the prospective passengers off Platform 3. At Kings Cross I hop on the tube, totally relaxed ! I remove my tracksuit bottoms whilst travelling on the tube to Tower Bridge, totally oblivious to the looks I was getting from fellow passengers. Well to be honest not totally oblivious but by this time, I just didnt care ! Thankfully my ‘entourage’ met me at the exit of the tube station. Some 25 minutes after ‘all’, and I mean ‘ALL’ of the runners had started I discuss with the guy collecting the bags of the runners which way to go to the start. “Just go up round that bend, straight over Tower Bridge and the start is just down there !”

As I jog relatively quickly round the bend, I realise that his “just” and my “just” may not quite have the same meaning. I weave in and out of the crowds on Tower Bridge as they watch the whole posse of runners running across the Bridge. When I say the whole posse what I really mean is all but one ! I’m busy running in the opposite direction to try to find the start. The runners that I am now running past waving really politely at me as if to say – “Errrrr you’re running in the wrong direction !”

The runners after 6 miles ( I thought they’d just started !

This is what Tower Bridge looked like to me as I ran in the opposite direction ! I’m somewhere near the 3rd lampost on the left !!

A new definition of “just round the bend” is clearly now about a “mile down the road” ! So by the time I reach the Start arch, there are no competitors in sight just some pretty bored marshalls. At this point I just presumed i should keep running under the Start Arch and just keep running. I passed a marshall who was clearly important as he held a walkie talkie in his hand, I heard him say ” The last runner is just coming through, Number 10885 ! For some very strange reason I looked down at my chest and realised that the number was in fact mine !

I now know what Forrest Gump felt like. I just ran. No other runners in sight, just marshalls looking slightly bemused and smiling. Running along what is normally a very busy road in London totally on your own is quite an unnerving experience. I kept looking over my shoulder to see if they had opened the road! The slogan for the London Marathons, both the Big Half and The Full London Marathon is “We run as One” How did they know that I was !!! Just one runner !

A very busy underpass

Running along a road on your own is strange – running through a long underpass is just weird!!! I did resist the temptation to just shout “ECHO” at the top of my voice. Eventually I did actually catch up 2 other runners after about 2 or 3 miles. They too had been held up and together we ran the whole Half Marathon

For those teachers amongst you the two photo photos are great examples of compare and contrast experiences – On the left is mine and on the right is 14,000 other runners !

Eventually I managed to catch up on a few other runners and actually enjoyed the company of my two fellow runners.

After a somewhat strange start, the end was brilliant and overall it was a great experience. The encouragement from those who stayed was great. It did seem a long way and I did think to myself – “Can I really now run it all again – ie A Big Half x 2 !!!!! Scary – Time will tell very shortly !

But with you alongside me – Sunday here we come – and Chapter 3 – still time to donate

Thank you of course to all of you who have donated to such an amazing charity Your generosity is absolutely brilliant – Thank you so much

BowelcancerUk are the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity. They fund targeted research, provide expert information and support to patients and their families, educate the public and professionals about the disease and campaign for early diagnosis and access to best treatment and care.   Above all they are here to stop people dying of bowel cancer.