Change to Title and why

Just a quick update, as i have quite a few new followers on this site and i want to plug a mates site and just giving page.

Alex Flynn, friend of mine since Henley 2007, has been diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease and i have the pleasure of running with him at both the Henley Half Marathon and the Doyen of the Downs race in December. He is running in the Ridgeway 85 miler in 5 weeks and together we will hopefully be doing the Spartathon or the UTMB in 2010.

Yesterday he talked me into doing the Grand Union Canal run in May next year (145 miles - thanks mate!!!), and hopefully we will do other events as well.

He is looking to raise £1,000,000 for Parkinsons, and I am now looking at slight modifications to my events next year as i aim to race 1,000,000 metres in a year, starting with the Henley Half on October 11th this year. I need to organise a new blog page, with links to his sites and also with a totaliser for the year.

His web-sites are http://www.justgiving.com/alex-flynn, and www.alexflynn.co.uk

Will update progress soon.

Proper plans for the future

I have finally set out my running plans for the next 12(ish) months today, although the final race will be uncertain until December this year.

Plans so far are:
Sept 26th - Night Vision Relay - Colchester - 12hr track run for St Helena Hospice -
http://www.sthelenahospice.org.uk/event-detail.cfm?id=40
Oct 11th - Henley Half Marathon - http://www.henleyhalfmarathon.org.uk/
Oct 25th - Go beyond ½ Marathon - http://www.gobeyondultra.co.uk/
Dec 6th - Doyen of the Downs - http://www.extremerunning.org/

Jan 24th - Gloucester 50km - TBC - http://www.blogger.com/www.100kmassociation.co.uk
or
Jan 31st - Kent Midnight Challenge - http://www.50milechallenge.co.uk/moonlight.htm

Apr 2010 - London Marathon - Pending ballot acceptance and wife’s acceptance into race (will do both Day/Night and London if she is as I will run at her pace – not belittling her in any way, but she has only done a 5k to date, and she is expecting to take about 5hrs)

Jun 2010 - South Downs Marathon - http://www.blogger.com/www.209events.com

July 2010 - Downland Challenge - http://www.haywardsheathharriers.co.uk/nonMembers/fixtures.asp

Aug/Sept - 2010 - UTMB - http://www.ultratrailmb.com/
or (if unsuccessful in ballot entry)
Spartathon - http://www.spartathlon.gr/main.php
or (if unsuccessful in that ballot entry)
Aug 2010 - Ridgeway 85 - http://www.tra-uk.org/ridgeway_challenge.php
Sept 2010 - Eagle Isle Ultra - http://www.eagleisleultra.com/

A fair list of races, which if I am lucky (!!) and do the ones I want will total 350 miles (560km), so I had better get training, and will be using shoes from Fitness Footwear of course (See attached banner).

Calf strain starting to improve, although still not ready to push it, so currently cross training, which is frustrating, but keeps me fit.

Planning for the Future

Plans for next years running are taking shape, with 5 ultra's planned so far, and hopefully a chance to run in the 50km trials and get into a national team for the Anglo Celtic Cup next year (have a choice of 3 England - Place of Birth, Scotland/Ireland - ancestry). The Anglo Celtic cup is a 100km race, so training for all this will take a bit of time and also more commitment.

Having trained for 18 months to do the Marathon Des Sables this year (http://www.darbaroud.com/index_uk.php) and enjoy the running and getting up at 4am sometimes to run, i should be able to do something similar for the champs next year.

Long term, i am still looking for another multi-stage race, somewhere (i.e. Gobi or Trans Aq'), but with no corporate sponsorship on board costs for these races are getting harder to raise.

Have ordered a copy of Go Faster Food, by Kate Percy, so expect a review of that soon

All for now

Shoe Review - Saucony Pro Grid Triumph 6

After a few weeks of testing these shoes i can happily report that my love for Asics running shoes is being challenged, by the new Saucony ProGrid Triumph 6, although it only took the first run to be swayed.

The shoe, which boasts cushioning in both the heel and forefoot is very responsive and lightweight and truly delivers in all areas. Whilst the fit is perfect from the first time you run in them, the toe box is roomy, as well as a good fit on the heel.

The cushioning is perfect. Substantial enough, without feeling that you are running with a mattress on your feet, and the responsiveness gives the feeling that you could almost be running barefoot. The shoe weight (324g) is heavier than racing shoes, but lends itself to both fast short workouts as well as being sturdy enough for LSD runs on a Sunday morning. More suited to the road, however not a stranger to the harder trails and gives a very good ride whatever the terrain.

In summary - Saucony Triumph is a perfect shoe for the neutral runner, good fitting and well worth the asking price - Asics beware!!.

Saucony trainers

These, and many others can be bought on-line at Fitness Footwear, my first choice for running shoes.