I will not go silently into the night!

I will not go silently into the night!

I have been wanting to write about this subject for quite a while, and in particular since my Mum sadly passed away in hospital in June of this year.

I have for some time now been leaning toward a plant based lifestyle/diet. I try not to call it a diet because it puts a lot of people off, but it is about what we eat and choosing or controlling what you eat and that is one of the two meanings of a diet.

I have watched over the last 6 months at least a dozen documentaries about what we eat and how it can harm us. I have watched at least a dozen talks/lectures from nutritional experts or Dr's and MD's who are experts in their field, and I have watched at least four times that amount of interviews with experts in their field who have published accredited medical papers and scientific trials etc...

What has amazed me that in the background for the last 30 or 40 years or so there have been mumblings that all is not right with our recommended diets and food tables that are usually published by Governmental departments telling us what is good for us and what we should eat or drink.

All is not what it seems when it comes to meat, dairy, eggs, fat, sugar......and for decades as an example cigarettes.

Do you know how many tests.trials, papers it took before cigarettes were finally exposed for the poison they are?

7000!!

As if 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 ..  medical tests exposing the fact that the product that was advertised as 'Good for you!' is actually going to kill you or give you a life threatening condition that will inevitably kill you, wasn't enough.

Did the tobacco industry know this before we did? of course they did, but money was to be made and at everybody else's expense.

The tobacco industry spent decades fighting it's corner pretending they didn't know, and spent billions convincing everyone to keep on smoking, and they still do, even though they know, and let's face it you know, it is likely to give you a life ending illness.

So where am I going with this? Well as I said I have been watching and learning all about the meat and dairy industry and what they have been upto to keep the wool over our eyes about what is really going on behind closed doors in milking sheds , and on hundreds of thousands of acres of what was once Amazon rainforest.

To start with the animal agriculture industry that brings you your meat and dairy is one of if not the biggest contributors to climate change, and in effect helping global destruction on it's way. 

The meat comes from cattle, cattle has to be reared on lots of land. Cattle needs food/feed, this also needs a lot of land. Where does the animal agriculture industry go for their land? the Amazon rainforest among others! Who is going to miss some trees?...well the Earth for a start as they absorb Co2 and convert it to Oxygen and that in effect helps the atmosphere and reduces the green house effect. They also absorb and hold carbon underground, that is until you cut them down so not only do they no longer absorb the harmful carbon but they also release the carbon stored underground!

But that's nothing apparently as long as you can get a burger for 99p or 99 cents in McDonalds everyone is happy.

Then there's dairy! cheap milk requires a lot of cows to keep up with demand, and lots of cows that are kept pregnant throughout the year and everytime they give birth their calf's are taken away from them for veal if they are male, or for more milking cows if they are female. But hey as long as you get cheap milk why worry about it, after all 'Milk is good for you'..isn't it??

Well that's my point that I am eventually going to get round too.

As it happens the Government in the US and indeed in the UK have been lying to us for years, and not just about the milk, but the meat as well, and the eggs, don't forget all the hens in the dark sheds so we can get our cheap eggs.

It is finally coming out that meat is infact not good for you and likely to eventually start you on your way to heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes (Diabetes or insulin resistance is caused by fat not sugar) mainly down to it's fat content and also it's animal protein content that it turns out can switch cancer on cells within the body.

The same goes for milk, the animal protein in the milk and the fat is a major contributor to the likely hood of ill health in your later years.

The eggs? well the good old cholesterol that they keep trying to tell us doesn't matter..actually does matter, and again is likely to cause your eventual demise with heart failure, heart attack or stroke when your arteries become so congested with cholesterol and plaque build up, the subsequent restriction in blood flow and heart disease  brings on a heart attack or stroke itself. Not forgetting the fat content of the egg itself and it's harmful role.

But I've digressed yet again, as I was telling you about the lies or the deception. Well we have been told for years by the Government via recommended alleged healthy food charts and tables what to eat or drink.

 We have been told to eat a certain amount of meat, cheese and eggs. To drink our milk as it's good for you, as the Calcium within protects your bones and makes you strong (another lie). We have also been told to eat butter at times because it's healthy for us! It's 80% fat!!

Cheese it also 70% fat and addictive, which is why you struggle to stop eating it. It hits the pleasure receptors in the brain and releases happy hormones not unlike drugs but in a milder form, this in itself creates a mild addiction.

But why have we been told all this? Because in the US in particular the Governments job is to promote the American product and indeed the animal industry and the crops the agricultural industry produces i.e. Genetically Modified Soy for cattle feed and for for example for humans sugar beet or corn, which is heavily subsidized in the US so it can be produced cheap and used in thousands of food products cheaply to bring the cost down. What costs? Your health...that's what. The corn is turned into Corn Fructose Syrup which makes them all so tasty and more sugary in taste and more popular to the typical American, and indeed everyone else.

But hang on, what price our health??

The Governments of the US and indeed the UK make money from promoting meat and dairy to its masses, and they also subsidize it so  therefore more farmers produce it thus making it cheaper. Then the Government promote it in recommended food guidelines etc and create increased demand etc..

But surely they are not that devious? Well sadly it gets worse. What happens when you become overweight, obese, get type 2 diabetes from being obese, get heart disease from excess fat and cholesterol??

Well, they have a pill for that! and the pharmaceutical industry would love to sell you one, or indeed the Governments health service.

 Who are the biggest consumers and customers of antibiotics in the World? I hear you ask?.. That would be the animal agriculture industry that has animals so ill and in such poor conditions they have to pump them full of antibiotics!

It's win win for the Government that makes money from the sale of the products we eat or take, be it through taxes. VAT or whatever else and it creates a multi billion dollar industry for the good old US and indeed the UK and no doubt most other larger economies.

But that's not all, who else takes pills? Well we do of course. It's been said that in the US for example that there are more pills on the market for more conditions than ever before...yet America is in worse health than it has ever been, and it's the same over here in the UK.

There is massive money to be made in ill health and in keeping us unwell. In America for example there is a multi billion dollar industry in fitting 'stents' into patients arteries and hearts due to blockages of fatty deposits. Why would the US economy want to lose that little goldmine, look at all the jobs it creates, and all the money it makes.

The astounding thing I have observed in the documentaries I have watched about health and diet, and on the test cases of people who are or have been on medication, is that many are on 4,5, and even 6 or more different types of pills and at great cost to themselves or the health service or insurance company that pays for them.

But most people carry on eating what they did before and thus condemning themselves to an endless cycle of pills and repeated surgeries.

This has become extremely relevant to myself when realising my own parents have been or are indeed on 4-5 types of medication. But will the pills cure them of their ills? Of course not, and that is the problem and the whole purpose of this ridiculously long post...

'It's the FOOD people!' 
Pills and often surgery do not treat the cause, only the symptoms. Doctors and surgeons are effectively frantically mopping the floor trying to clean up the consequences and the flow of ill health and disease, yet failing to try and stop it at it's source/cause the tap i.e. our diets.

What you eat massively effects your health and increases your chances of illness and chronic disease in the future.
Your food or the Western diet is the cause. Changing your lifestyle and diet helps treat the cause, but they don't want you to know that..

 But who are they? They, are the drugs companies who want your repeat business. They, are the Dr's who due to the faults within the medical education system where not given adequate (if any) nutritional training, and so prescribe you with yet another pill and tick yet another box on your medical record to say you have been successfully diagnosed and prescribed a pill for life to help you along. They, are the medical services at private clinics who will help you jump the queue for a princely sum..

Those that don't get to, or refuse to address their health with diet and lifestyle?....

They are the ones who will go silently in the night

and years before their time, including my own Mum because the industry did it's best, and continues to do it's best to spread disinformation or confusion to keep people in the dark, and because the Government and the medical establishment does not treat the cause of the problem and quite frankly doesn't seem to care. 

I witnessed this myself in my Mum's treatment in hospital as she was moved from one department to another when she was seriously ill in hospital with a problem that should not of cost her her life. 

Did anyone show any genuine interest in getting her better AND improving her illnesses once out of danger? of course not. Sadly we are all just another name on a long list of patients in or out of hospital who will make pharmaceutical companies a fortune. Another name on a Dr's register who gets paid per customer and per visit. And another life long (yet shortened one) customer of the animal agriculture industry that will continue to buy into the meat and dairy, and eggs etc are good for you BS.

Well no more, the truth is coming out and it is a Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle.

It is finally being recognised by the experts in their field and in the various documentaries out there, that there is an alternative and in many cases a cure for the causes of our grief above.

It has been proven that a Whole Food Plant Based diet and lifestyle can prevent, halt and even reverse most of the top 10 chronic diseases out there, a chronic disease by definition is usually one considered not curable. This includes the No.1 killer out there 'Heart disease'.

No.2 by the way is smoking, which can cause a long line of health conditions including cancer and heart disease itself.

Its been known for years that plants i.e. vegetables can help reduce the chance of certain diseases like cancer by over 50% and in some cancers upto 90%, but we still don't seem to pay attention, and the powers that be don't care either, they continue to feed our children carcinogenic food stuffs that will destroy their health in later life and addict them to junk food in the process. We are also guilty of this ourselves in a World of convenience food, fast food and cheap food stuffs, which are inevitable cheaper because they been subsidised at some point in their manufacture, and are nearly always the harmful components in the product.

There are vast amounts of studies and documented cases of people going on a whole foods plant based diet and coming off most or all their prescribed meds, and often halting and or reversing their chronic disease and conditions including Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Lupus, Fibromyalgia, Crohns and many more. 

Most of the patients were told they would be on their medications for the rest of their lives and that was it...next patient please.

It was sadly too late for my Mum to revert to a plant based diet and it was never suggested to her by any of her Dr's or specialists.

 I have gone plant based myself for health reasons and to a certain extent ethical reasons with regards to the animals and our abuse of use of them. Also it is now 100% unnecessary and now proven to be detrimental to our health to be consuming them and their bi products.

I will add that I haven't referenced any sources for anything I've said, as it would be exhaustive for me to do so. But if you know me, you know I am intelligent enough to of researched endlessly, and spend endless nights watching, reading and educating myself on the subjects in order to form a valid opinion on the subject.

Please feel free to chat to me about a whole food plant based diet and lifestyle and what it involves, and indeed go on You Tube and Netflix and the Web in general and do your own research to find the truth about the meat and dairy industry and it's effect on our health. 
Also how our current eating habits and the animal agriculture industries effect climate change, water usage and global destruction, and indeed the many documentaries just about a plant based lifestyle and how it has helped so many sick people.

I would highly recommend Nutritionfacts.org as a valuable nutritional resource and as a valuable resource for how a plant based diet/lifestyle can aid illness and disease.

I would also recommend giving the following films/documentaries a watch:
Cowspiracy.
What the Health?
Forks over Knives.
Eating You Alive.
Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.
Food Inc.
Vegucated.
Food Matters.
Hungry for Change.....


My Pledge:
(Please feel free to use it yourself)

I am proud to live a Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle from now on, and I encourage you to do so for yourself and for your family....I am going to make a change, I will not accept the norm, I will not be part in needless suffering, be it human or animal. I am going to help educate and thus help eradicate needless poor health and suffering where ever I can by spreading the word.

We will not go silently into the night, we will fight, we will share, we will prevail and we will survive!.... a little while longer yet.

A run in Gods country to reflect and remember...

Up Hill Down Dale - Llandegla Trail 10k/Half Marathon/CanyX.

So, I start this blog entry with an immense feeling of sadness. My Mum sadly passed away on Friday 2nd June and while we await the funeral on Tuesday the 13th June I have taken time off work to deal with it all and to reflect on the good times we had.

Due to being off work I was able to return to a trail event at Llandegla Forest and the One Planet Adventure centre on Sunday the 11th June. The event was put on by Up Hill Down Dale events, a cracking new events company who started up last year.

I ran the 24K event last year, but this year chose the 10k due to lack of training and the fact that I wanted this to be a no pressure run and more about being out in the glorious surroundings of Gods country in and around Wales a place my Mum truly loved, as do I.

The morning itself...

Today was an afternoon start so no early get up required, so I got up at 8.30am and had a small breakfast of peanut butter on toast and a black coffee, which has pretty much become my staple diet especially for runs.

Pick up at 9.30am was by a friendly fellow runner from my Run or Cake charity running group Cathy. We would be picking up another fellow caker Pat along the way in Crosby.

We had a few sets of directions between us and they all tallied so getting there was easy enough, and having been there before it was even easier.

Rita, myself and Cathy.

We arrived fairly sharpish at around 11pm or so I would say, and it was fairly busy still with mountain bikers as it is a mountain biking haven. Luckily we got a car parking spot where a biker had recently left, so we where close to the One Planet Adventure centre which houses a good sized cafe with toilets and shop as well, and a good sized indoor and outdoor seating area.

The plan was we would get a bite to eat here after registering for the race to confirm we were there and to pick up our race number and race t-shirt. all done within minutes as there was no queues as is the benefit of arriving with plenty of time, which organized runners do.

On the way in we spotted fellow madhead Run or Cake member Derek aka Degsy, so we had a brief chat with him before going to get our refreshments and then sitting out with him again.

Derek, Pat and Cathy.

I decided as it was early that I could test the 'Powered by cake' theory as my running group are all about running and eating cake or eating cake and running, as long as we earned it and are fundraising along the way.

I went for chocolate cake and a large cappuccino which was fab.....

Time passed and after a few toilet visits and plenty of chatting the race brief  from the race director came around, so once we were all clued up it was time to get ready.

Race starts...

First off was the half marathon starters, and Degsy was one of them so we waved him off as they started 30 minutes before us.We quickly put our extra layers back in the car and got ready on the start line with the other 10k starters.

Off we went.... We started off down a trail behind the One Planet Centre and off to the forest etc..It was a bit narrow to start but it wasn't a big field so a bit of calm was required to wait for a spot to pass slower starters.

The first part was the same as the route last year so I was familiar with it and after passing a few people we hit the fire road and a good climb up a steep bit. It was a good spot to pass others as it was wide, but it was steep so the risk was puffing yourself out by going faster up the slope.

We got to the top of the top but to my amazement and horror we didn't take a right turn down the hill like last year, we instead veered left up another slope and climb. I was well and truly puffed out now as I wasn't expecting 2 back to back climbs and a few people were already walking up it.

Next was along a lake and past the race photographer  After that we were on a part of the course we ran last year but it was at a later stage. We went again of in another direction and I was now in no doubt that being familiar with last years course was going to be of no benefit to me.

It was a great course and the changes made this a tough 10k, it had loads of climbs and we were all visibly huffing and puffing and in many cases slowing. I was fairly on my limit at the pace I was at for the earlier stages as I won't push too hard early on but I will push. I was slowly catching those in front that had steadily ran infront of me and I was happy with my progress as no one was passing me, yet I was gaining places which is always a bonus if you can hold on.

After a couple of miles in and on a continuous climb to what would be our highest point I started to get the onset of a stitch which I put down to my poor choice of pre run nutrition aka cappuccino and cake, followed by a black coffee an hour pre race. To be fair it will be the milk that was the problem, not so much the cake....well that's what I'm sticking with anyway :)

I tried all the usual breathing tricks to try and shake the stitch, I could hear people breathing down my neck but I wasn't prepared to slow so pushed on and tried to bear the pain. I won't lie, I asked God for help as I often do when the wheels start to fall off. If the stitch had got worse it would of meant a 5 minute stop to clear it. It thankfully slowly eased as I continued the long climb which was now hitting those in and around me.

I managed to gain a few more places on that climb and when we got to the water station at the top I could sail through it as I had my own drink with me, although I dare not drink it as it could restart my stitch if I drank too much, so I held off unless I really needed it later.

We ran off down through some cracking forest area's after that and then short sections of fire road, and then more decents down through forests. When I say through forests I'm not talking paths, I'm talking straight down through all the soft muddy, pine covered, root lined, hole laden forest floor. It was a serious challenge and necessitated a constant zig zagging run route to safely negotiate your way down safely.

The guy in front of me lost his shoe in the mud in front of me and had to turn round and go back for it, which was to my benefit to be honest, we both had a mutual laugh as we passed each other.

Onward we went and to be honest most of it was a blur after that, it was in forest, out off forest, on a fire rd, off a fire road, down a trail, up a trail..etc..etc..

I will tell you this though, they saved a shed load of nasty surprises for the closing stages as you turned corners a saw another steep section of trail to run up and then down abit and around a corner and then up again.

After a while I finally caught sight of another runner a 100 yards or so in front of me and I wasn't really gaining on him. When he ran a hill I had to run a hill or I would lose him altogether so it was a hard push.

I had no idea of distance at this point as my GPS hadn't tracked it and I had my watch on the wrong setting as well so I only had time I had run so far and elevation.

In the later stages we hit lots of scenic woodland and within it was the photographer again and a second photo opportunity. The first one he took here I was concentrating on not falling over the tree roots so looking down, I used that picture at the beginning of this blog as it showed also the soulful contemplation I felt a lot during the run as I thought about my Mum. Interspersed with that was the smiles when a camera appeared or a friendly face, as seen in the following picture...

In the final 2 miles I managed to slowly catch the guy in front on the climbs and another 3 guys at least where right behind me. We bunched up a bit in the final mile on a narrow section and the guy infront was now 2 guys as one had passed me I think and he was making a break for it so we followed. I passed the guy in front on the next climb and subsequently passed the next guy who had passed us. I now had 5 people at least right behind me on the final climb.

Thankfully I think they had knackered themselves out on the last couple of climbs and I pretty much knew the last little bit of the route so knew there was no big flat stretches so with twists and turns and a bit of a push I could stay ahead if I was lucky.


I managed to hold on to 33rd place out of 132 runners with a time of 59 minutes and 36 seconds.

After the finish...

I received a nice little medal at the finish line for finishing and said a few well done's to the guys that came in just behind me and I got myself a free banana and started on my drink I had been carrying but hadn't drank. Next was to go stand in the shade for 5 minutes as I was burning up heat wise.

Next was waiting for fellow caker friends to finish and to clap people in. There were a lot on runners with dogs as well coming in as well. They had started 15 minutes after us on their own cannicross event, but one had passed me on my final climb so I don't know if they had run really fast, or had a shorter course.

Cathy soon came in after a little wait, and then Rita. Derek was doing the half so would be a lot longer as he was running with another lady as well and helping her round.

We had another drinks break in the cafe area which was 2 big hot chocolates for the ladies and a large cappuccino for me and then we sat by the finish area again to watch people come in one by one.

Eventually we had to give up on Derek as we had to set off home to be back for teatime so we returned to the car. In typical Sods Law as we drove off we actually saw Derek at the finish area.

As we drove home through the lovely Welsh countryside with stunning views before us I remembered the many car journeys with my Mum and Dad and Brother as we travelled in and out of Wales for our family holidays and weekends away. My greatest memories of my Mum and the happiest ones are of our family holidays in Wales and the walks I used to take with my Mum every chance I could get, as my Mum loved nature and the countryside, and loved to walk among it. I always followed her on her walks as I loved the same things, and I still do. That is why I love trail running so much, and any chance to get to Wales to remember happy times is gratefully accepted.

I will be honest I hit a point on the course where I had yet another steep climb ahead and I wanted to quit and walk up it. I had to tell myself that my Mum would be watching me and wishing me on and I told myself that this was for Mum and I'm not walking and that I should push on to make her proud.

I know for a fact that in my remaining runs this year at events which are tough ones, that I will be calling on her for support as I am doing the 52 mile 6 day Tour of Merseyside in July and the Snowdonia Marathon in October in her name and in her memory, and after that I will more than likely be hanging up my tougher event shoes and just doing small runs for fun with friends.

I am however doing a year long cycling/running challenge of 2617 miles within a year from the 2nd June 2017- 2nd June 2108 as my overall fundraiser in memory of my Mum. I have set up a ongoing charity fundraising legacy in her honour called 'WWMD - What would Mum do?' The WWMD element is based on the well know WWJD What would Jesus do? and the lilac fish symbol is a combination of the Christian symbol for The Saviour and one of my Mums favourite colours Lilac.

This fundraising group mainly through myself will fundraise through various ongoing events and challenges and my intention is to get a few other people on board who want to do something in memory of passed Mum's or in honour of living Mums.

The group will also be a help focused group to help others because 'That is what Mum would do'. My Mum was a loving caring person who served the Lord faithfully through the majority of her life and looked after his flock wherever and whenever she could. I intend to carry this on to honour her and to continue to make her happy and proud. Myself being a believer was the one thing that made her the most proud and happy.

I am also using the What would Mum do? mantra as a way of thinking carefully about my situation in difficult times or even times of anger and aggression which can happen a lot, especially on social media etc. Thinking what would Mum do in this situation should remind me and others that our Mums are usually the caring loving calm ones who were not quick to speak out in anger like we often do.

Please follow my new fundraising group if you can on Facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/231508044007932/ 

Or donate to or follow our actual team/group fundraisng page here:
https://www.justgiving.com/teams/WWMD

Donations to my challenges can be made here:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/WWMD-LupusUK
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/WWMD-AnxietyUK



We are currently fundraising for Lupus UK and Anxiety UK, both conditions my Mum suffered from. I myself also suffer from Anxiety and my running and now cycling has helped me no end to try and deal with the condition. Please continue to follow my blogs as my adventures continue on through 2017 and beyond....

There and back again....A tale by Bilbo Baggins...Err I mean a seaside cycle by a knackered cyclist :)

Seaside Pier 2 Pier 2 Pier cycle challenge....Southport to Blackpool and back to Southport again! 70+ miles.

The night before....

Well out of madness and a little boredom comes great ideas right?.. Well maybe not. More like out of boredom comes stupid ideas.

The next day was going to be a long awaited day off, but also a chance to get some of my weekly cycling challenge miles in, as I have to do 50 miles a week avg to achieve my 2017 miles in 2017 'Risk it for a biscuit' challenge.

I'm currently on track despite only starting  in March, but have built up a little buffer with several 100 mile weeks when I first got my new road bike and was extremely enthusiastic.

The stage was set the night before when I decided that Blackpool was doable as I'd run from Blackpool to Southport before as part of the Seaside24 Pier 2 Pier charity run which was 35 miles. That made me feel fairly confident that I could do double that on a bike, as it equates to about the same effort. 

Early the next morning.....

I woke up early but had no intention of getting up as it was only 6.30am but I was hungry so decided that I could get my breakfast now and go back to bed. I opted for a cup of coffee and some peanut butter on toast and a couple of good old cheery bakewells....breakfast of champions right??

Breakfast of champions...or is it a subliminal cookie monster advert?

Time to get kit ready....

So I hadn't prepared at all, but had a good idea what I would need with me. I soon discovered it wouldn't all fit in 3 pockets on the back of my cycling jersey so I went with my running back pack/race vest. This had lots of room and space for a 1.5 lire drinks reservoir and drinks tube etc. Problem was I had taken it out of the race vest previously and couldn't remember how to thread the stupid tube back through the various holes and loops in the vest so that it sat upfront and was easily reachable while riding.

I wasted 30 mins trying to remember how it fitted but gave up on decided on my standard 500 ml drinks bottle that would just sit in the bottle holder on the bike.

I stuffed my pack with flapjacks and a banana and 3 or 4 gels and a Mars Bar, money, phone for photos and keys....and some tissue just incase I had issues :)

11.30am and time to go.....

So off I went and I was an hour late as I was supposed to be dropping into a friends Deli on the way out of Southport for a brew but decided I couldn't afford to lose more time as I needed to definitely be back by teatime preferably after breaks etc.

The route.....

The route was simple enough, bypass to Preston and another bypass to Freckleton, Warton, Lytham, St Annes and finally Blackpool itself....

Southport to Preston was pretty normal as I'd done it on foot before as mentioned earlier so was familiar with it. Most of the cycle path was OK, but many parts of it were quite frankly poor, pitiful, damn right dangerous and non existent.

It's no wonder cyclists choose to cycle on the road instead of the cycle path when you are constantly avoiding pot holes, patchy tarmac, glass, gravel, stones and junctions that you have to stop for and try and cross unlike all the cars on the road which are free to proceed unhindered.

Preston took me an hour to get to and was roughly 18.9 miles into the route. I stopped just beyond the dockside and had a banana and then carried on toward the next bypass/dual carriageway which headed toward Freckleton etc..

The Freckleton dual carriageway has a 2-3 ft strip of tarmac lined off on the left hand side of the road surface itself. It is as rough as hell on road tyres and was no fun at all. It also slowed me down a hell of a lot, that and the wind that was getting worse as I went.

Past Freckleton and next was Warton where the British Aerospace site is and this section was an abomination of is it or isn't it cycle paths and cycle lanes that just disappeared into thin air  leaving you wondering where you were actually supposed to be cycling. The strips of designated tarmac it did have was half worn out had loads of holes where your wheel dropped down to the previous layer of tarmac and then back up again which endless jolts through the handlebars and frame.

Next up eventually was the lovely Lytham and the prom and a proper cycle path shared with pedestrians and nice and smooth as well. I reached here at 1hr 35 minutes into the ride and promptly parked myself up at the windmill to take a pic to prove I was actually there....

Little windmill or big head?...and look at that nose!

The promenade was actually very windy and I had forgotten to check the forecast for the area. I had checked Southport which had forecast 16mph+ winds which is bad enough on a bike, but here it was more like 20-25mph it was hard work even with my head down, and it was a long prom.

The Promenade continues on past Fairhaven Lake etc and onto St Annes and as I was on the coast it was still exceptionally windy and it was slow progress. I was now thinking where I would stop for some decent grub, but was limited as I hadn't brought a padlock and chain as I wanted to save weight, and I didn't want to leave my bike anywhere anyway.

I decided to at least wait til I got to Blackpool itself and decide there. I took a gel to keep me going and to ensure I was topping up my energy supplies.

Blackpool finally arrived at just over 33 miles and 2hrs 5mins into the ride, but I cycled on as I wanted to get to the South Pier which was where the Seaside24 charity run had started, and I wanted a pic with Blackpool Tower behind to prove I had got there.....

As near as I was going to go, it was 35 miles in at this point.

By the time I got to South Pier and took the above picture it was mile 35 mile and time to turn around after only a few minutes of trying to take the picture.

The return leg....

Thankfully the wind was more behind me now and the cycle down the seawall was a treat, especially weaving down the wavy strips of different coloured SMOOTH tarmac, it was a true pleasure, much like the fairground used to be in it's day.

The Promenade at St Annes was not so much a pleasure sadly. It was like a competition to see how many odd squares of crap tarmac repairs they could fit on a once prime strip of Promenade. It was a shame as it really lets the town down.

St Annes Pier was my next target as I had spotted a Fish and Chip spot with seating outside so I headed for that. Thankfully it was still open mid afternoon as obviously it gets a lot of hungry visitors to the beach and prom etc.

I parked my bike up where I could see it and promptly ordered my self a portion of fish and chips at £5.80, not to bad a price considering it was at a prime seaside site.

Went down a treat.

I had packed a windproof packaway jacket so put this on as I ate, as I knew my body temperature would drop while I was stationary. As soon as I finished eating I set off again and decided to leave the jacket on as it was getting a tad chilly anyway.

Back down the Promenade at Lytham and nice and speedily this time with the wind at my back, and even time to stop to take a picture across the Ribble Estuary back toward Southport as I reminder of how far I had travelled......and how flipping far I still had to go.

Somewhere way..way in the distance you can see Southports Marine Way bridge.

The return journey now was obviously a reverse of the way there but on the opposite side of the road and on just as crap tarmac lol.

I hit mile 40 in about 2hr 29min of ride time, mile 50 in 3hrs 4mins and mile 60 in 3hrs 44min ride time.

At this point at mile 60 I was well on the way home and flagging as muscles started to ache with the ride position etc. Weirdly my bum was fine, I was expected lots of discomfort by this point, but maybe it was just numb or asleep.

Tarleton approached and another few sections of on and off cycle paths that throw you on the road and then off again without any warning. Sadly at mile 61 after another forceful reroute onto the start of the cycle path from the road and all the crap that accumulates I developed a rather deflated rear end....the back tyre to be more precise.

Thankfully I was kitted out with spare tubes and some tyre levers but no experience on how to remove the wheel and tyre and replace the inner tube on this my new bike.

I used a local bus shelter...as a shelter obviously and lay all the necessary kit out, including 2 plastic tyre levers! How crap were they.....I didn't realise how tight on the rim these road tyres are. Usually with most bikes a deflated tyre comes of easily and often without the use of leverage. I was doubting my abilty to get the tyre of but finally I managed it and it all went quite smoothly, including putting the new tube in and pumping it up to high pressure with just a small compact pump.

Half an hour lost, but I guess a bit of much needed rest and I was ready to go again and praying I had put the wheel back on securely and tightened the quick release kit properly.

What caused the puncture you ask?...This not so little beauty.....

How the nail had managed to achieve the necessary angle to go all the way into the tyre I'll never know, but to be honest I was expecting my first puncture on the new bike at any point soon anyway, I was just kinda hoping it wouldn't be the rear wheel, but to be honest it came off and went on again easily and without the use of any spanners.

The home straight....and straight for pizza.

So I had only 9 miles to go and the rest helped as I'd changed the tyre etc, but it was still difficult as the wind was pretty much back in my face, but nothing like the Promenade at Lytham etc.

Back in Southport and the final stretch and I was dying for a sit down on a bench for 5 mins but I plodded on knowing it would be over soon. 

I was despite all the cussing about the road conditions, very pleased with this ride and my ability to get it done in difficult circumstances and conditions, and I was aware that my recovery from this ride would be far quicker a more painfree than if I'd run any great distance. Truth be told the cycling is a lot more of a pleasure than the running at the moment, and I sadly pulled out of my next hill marathon last night the Excalibur Marathon at Moel Famau in North Wales. 

This was mainly due to hardly running and not training as I rest my right knee from running and impact to give it a chance to heal. This gives me painfree time to cycle instead though, and no stress of having to train for an upcoming event while not physically able.

Another plus point of the cycling, I can still stuff my face after big rides to regain the burnt calories, in this case 3500+ on this ride. Needless to say I stopped at my local pizzeria and ordered myself the largest pizza for my tea. I ate half before writing this blog and now I'm off to eat the other half :)

See you laterz folks!!....

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1690266209

10 mile run for Coffee and cake? seems worth it :)

The Calder Vale 10 mile Country Run.

Before...

Well it seemed like a good idea as I'd done the event before and loved it every time so far. I got a rare day off as it was Good Friday and my first thought whilst looking at my rota was "Why have I been given an unplanned day off?" My second thought was "Oooh, I know a good run event on that day!".

So I quickly asked good running friend Mr David Marsh whether or not he was available to run the event and also to give me a lift there and back as he has kindly done on each of the previous three times I've been to this lovely run.

I've not been running much as you will know due to my knee issue, which does seem to be improving and I'd not run since the Btr Liverpool/Vitality half marathon on April 2nd, so fitness was possibly going to be an issue as it is a hilly run with 890+ feet of climb overall.

I have been cycling a lot which you will also know, so have been relying on the cardiovascular benefits of the cycling replacing my lack of run training, especially with hills involved.

During.....

Well I was promptly picked up on time and we got there in good time, traffic has sometimes been bad in the past with it being Bank Holiday and Easter weekend but no problems this time.

All parked up and number was collect on the day from the Village Hall and all the numbers were laid out in alphabetical order for you to pick up.....simples!.

Visit to the loo, a little standing around and then it was line up at the war memorial for the 1pm start (What a luxury, no early start).

Of we went up the first bit of incline as we approached the main country lane that would take us out on a big 10 mile loop of the area with some great views along the way.

Basically you get a mile or two of flat and decline and then miles 2 to 4 are a slow gradual climb. This is all along country lanes with nice views either side of the country if you are wise enough to use it to distract you, especially on the 2 mile climb that sucks the energy out of you if you have gone off too fast on the downhill bits etc in the first 2 miles (guilty).

It was slow progress with a little bit of huffing and puffing, but my legs managed well and I think the hill training on the bike helped with leg strength and endurance. I was borderline all the way between pushing as hard as I could and having to stop for pushing too much and not pacing properly for 10 miles in total.

5 miles in was the water stop and I was struggling a little with my cardio as I was definitely running on an oxygen deficit and was not going to survive if I stayed at that pace. As soon as I got to the water stop I had a 2 min recovery walk to try and improve my breathing and too help me with the impending hill which I knew was coming up at roughly mile 6.

Roughly 6 people passed me as I walked as I was at the back of a large group and there was a gap behind me, and people where stopping for water as well.

I ran on again as more started to pass and quickly overtook again and back to my original pace.

Next was the biggest hill of the run which is somewhere between mile 6 and 7 and it's a long tough one as it gets steeper and steeper as you go. I could see the runners who had passed me but despite a few little walks that one runner had they were still too far ahead.

I was determined to run all the way up it as I'd had the recovery walk and needed to make up for it, by the time I got to the top I actually felt sick and thought I was going to have to have a little recovery walk again, but the guy infront didn't slow and I wasn't prepared to let him run away.

The long downhill was next and I tried to take advantage of it but had to hold back as I've bombed down it in the past and hurt my knees afterward despite wearing cushioned Hoka shoes.

Another big hill approached but a shorter one this time and the guy in front walked a little so by the time I hit the top I had caught up with him. I continued to run with him for roughly a mile chatting about the run and the fact that was a hard hill and that there was only one left.

After a mile alongside the guy another runner was right behind us and as it was now the final mile I ran on and up the last incline on a vain attempt to gain some time on the ones infront. Sadly they were just too far ahead for me to catch up.

The last half a mile back into the village is an up and down but mainly down stretch and a nice long decent down into the village and over the little bridge at the bottom for a finish outside the church and old mill, all to some great support and claps and cheers from fellow runners and locals.

I was pleasantly surprised with a time of 1:19:35 on my watch which is pretty much the same as the first time I did the event 3 or 4 years ago while fully fit, and I was only 1 min slower than last year where I didn't walk once during the run.

Next was a brief wait for Mr Marsh and it was time for coffee and cake...

After....

Well this was why we really came.....the selection of cakes as always was tremendous from the local WI ladies, and quite frankly I could of sat there and sampled at least 12 different cakes if I thought I could of got away with it.

They had hot food as well which seemed extremely popular with runners, I saw pie and peas, hot dogs and pretty sure I could smell other types of food.

I sat and enjoyed my cake along with a nice cup of coffee whilst having a good chat with David and a catch up on whats going on with him.

I finished 61st overall out of 190 odd runners I think it was and they were pretty much 95% club runners which makes them tough competition as not many club runners come here just for a light run as it isn't one it's a toughie.

Hats off to the organizer as always Steve Ashcroft who runs UK Road Races and puts on some great events especially in the Lancashire area.I can thoroughly recommend this event which is held every Good Friday at Calder Vale Village near Garstang just off the A6 about 5 miles or so North of Preston.

I would recommend any off his event actually, follow this link for their web page

http://www.ukroadraces.info/

Thanks all for reading, please share where possible and comment if you wish.

Gru :)

So what is the new direction for 2017?....

2017 and the year of the new road bike and an improved diet....


So we are now in April 2017 and most of my running is on hold with the odd event still thrown in for fun if I can run it damage free.

As I've touched on in earlier posts I have knee tissue damage that needs to heal and the good news is it does appear to be healing, but as with knee cartilage etc it will always be slow.

Having to drop all my big plans to step up to 50 mile ultras went out the window when I admitted to myself that I couldn't train properly for them without further damaging my knee and making it even harder to get to the actual start line never mind finish a 50 miler.

I felt a great sense of relief when I finally started to pull out of the events one by one as the year progressed and mentally it was a big help as I have been suffering with stress and mainly anxiety for pretty much the last 8-9 months after years of a job were you seem to be the go too person for any job that needs doing while you are on shift and the increased pressure that brings as you can't concentrate on one job or two at a time, which I need to do as I am slightly OCD and like to do everything properly and one thing at a time.

I felt like everything was down to me to do and I was being pulled from pillow to post and being spread extremely thin over the ground, so much so that I actually felt like everyone was walking all over me, which quite frankly they were. All this came to a head when I ended up on a disciplinary hearing at work for avoiding 'going that extra mile' when really I just couldn't deal with everything anymore.

I finally decided to change jobs to get away from the problem and the situations or stressors that were coming from the day to day pressures of my job.

I have been in the new job since Oct 2016 doing cleaning shifts for 5 days a week in a local gym and also keeping two shifts a week at my old job. This has made a huge difference as I no longer feel sick prior to going to work which was the indicator for anxiety which I originally thought was something to do with an intolerance to something in my lunch for near on 2 months.

Working in the gym is pretty much stress free, but still hard work and I'm non stop and busy, but the people in the gym are great and as we all know most people in gyms are usually in a fairly good friendly mood due to all the feel good endorphins flying around.

I still have anxiety issues but have learned to recognise them and try and deal with them. I have now come to the realisation that your health comes first and foremost including your mental health and no job is worth putting it at risk for, especially your mental health as it can spiral out of control and have deadly consequences. As a lot of you will know 1 in 4 people can and will suffer mental health issues, and mainly men, and the highest death rate is down to men under 35 committing suicide, this is way above all the various forms of cancer. It's a shocking statistic and one we need to address.

I have for many years findraised for various charities and I regularly go back to raising funds for Mind and I always include them in my various fundraising projects if I am fund raising for more than one charity at a time with my fundraising groups or projects.

All this leads to my new direction for 2017......

So what's new? well after all the rambling above, I have moved to a plant based diet were possible and am avoiding meat and dairy for healthier reasons and some moral reasons. I've watched a shed load of good and informative documentaries on Netflix and around the web. I've done a shed load of research and after already following some great ultra runners on social media for years and seen their results whilst living on a plant based diet I can see only positives in the change, although I wasn't happy falling another 3-4 lbs below my normal already light base weight. It's hard to eat a lot of fruit and veg :)

Apart from the new eating regime the biggest change is my training and fitness emphasis for 2017. I have now purchased a good quality road bike for going out cycling long and short distances out in the surrounding countryside and enabling me to continue and improve my overall fitness along the way.

It has also enabled me to seek another direction in my fundraising as I can now take on charity cycling events etc and not damage my knee in the process as there is no impact on my knee tissue.

I wasted no time in getting out there on my first week and doing a 20 miler, a 30 miler and a 40 miler within my first week, all this down to my running fitness giving me a good cardio and endurance base.

I also needed to ensure I had something to aim for for the year and I set up a new Facebook challenge page which enables you to choose or design your own challenge and raise money for a selection of charities preselected by myself and linked to our Facebook page care of a fundraising link for VirginMoneyGiving which sends the money direct to the charities.

The new page is titled 'Risk it for a biscuit' feel free to join it and commit to your own challenge. My challenge is to cycle 2017 miles by the end of 2017 and I only started in March so have to do on average 50 miles per week! This will ensure I get out on my bike and don't get lazy.

So please follow and support my blog as it heads in a new direction with it's new title, and please follow and support me along the way, and also please join me on the 'Risk it for a biscuit' page on Facebook or even join my team of charity fundraisers on the group Facebook page 'Run or Cake'

Thanks all,

Gru

Spring 2017 and a new direction......

What's new for 2017?......

Well we are now in April 2017 and so far I have dropped out off, transferred places for and deferred more races than I have ran. This is mainly down to my continued knee problems which I have already written about at the end of last year and earlier this year.

I'm pretty certain my knee has meniscous tissue damage as I recognise the familiar 'something stuck in my knee joint ' feeling that a loose piece of tissue causes, and the inflammation from within the knee and behind the knee cap that follows long efforts or impact.

I had pretty much already decided to back of on the running this year to try and let it heal naturally without surgery but hadn't decided which runs I would still attempt and which I would still do. I was safe with 5k and 10k training runs for my first run of the year the Southport Mad Dog 10k which I blogged about back in Feb and I had a good run and a new PB of 43:26 which I was well chuffed with.

Next event I was committed to was the Btr Liverpool/Vitality Liverpool Half Marathon on the 2nd April 2017. I was committed to this run as I had volunteered to accompany a good running friend who was doing this event as his first half marathon since 2011/2012 due to health issues and being told he would never run another one. It was an honour to volunteer.

I avoided actual run training training and knee impact as much as possible and only did 1 or 2 5k runs on a treadmill most weeks. I followed it up with a practice half marathon through my local sand dunes a couple of weeks before to test my endurance out. It went well, it was a bit difficult but I got through it, albeit with slightly sore knees after ward, but no consequences.

I am glad to say the event and the day went well and my friend successfully finished and in a sub 2 hr time too was which was good as he is in the 60-65 age category and as I said wasn't running this distance normally.

I also got to have a few drinks afterwards with members of my charity running group Run or Cake, which was a rare bonus as I have not been at many events. I even went home had a little rest and then went out on my new bike and did 25 miles for a recovery as it was such a glorious sunny day, but more about the cycling in the next blog entry to follow.....

Mad Dog 10k - A run for young and old dogs...Inc old and grey hounds like me!

 Southport Mad Dog 10k - 5th Feb 2017.

Intro:

Well it's  2017 and a new year of running has finally started for me. I have been taking it exceptionally easy since my last event the Snowdonia Marathon back in Oct 2016 as I sadly developed a knee problem which I suspect is meniscus tissue damage or a tear, and have been getting bouts of knee pain at the start of runs and occasionally during the day at work.

I've done my best to rest it and severely limit my runs and distance, and although it's helped a bit it hasn't cured it or healed it. The decision was made to back off on the big runs I had planned for 2017 and just try and do the easier shorter ones that I could get away with not really training for and saving wear and tear on my knee.

So my first run of the year on my calendar was only a 10k and in my local town of Southport, and as we hold the often voted 'Best 10k' event the Hesketh Round Table Southport Mad Dog 10k event I had no excuse.

This is a bang on cracking event year on year and has the best goodie bag, t-shirt and medal combo you will ever get for your money, and although places are around £28 all the profit goes to charity and local good causes, and it is worth every penny....hence my return this year after a trip to the Grizedale Half Marathon last year, which meant I missed last years. I was looking forward to this years return.

The night before:

As per usual the night before involved feet up and as much rest as possible and I luckily was not in work the night before so could get some leg rest. An evening on Facebook ensued as I kept up with fellow running friends who would be going and I had a meet up arranged for afterward with fellow runners from my charity running group Run or Cake.

After hours of Facebook chat and plenty of food which in this case was a big garlic bread with cheese and tomato and a veg pasta which I just couldn't manage and it was time for bed....

The Morning:

Well it was the morning itself and a fairly decent sleep was had and I was up at 7am and ready to select my running kit for the day. This to be honest was the hardest thing I had to think about for the race itself as I was comfortable with the distance and having done the event three times before I was extremely familiar with the set up and the route.

Mad Dog and Southport itself is notorious for extreme weather with it being run mainly down the seafront and along the Promenade. It is always a topic of conversation on whether we will get blown into the sea or the surrounding marshland as we attempt to stay on our feet in what is often 25-30mph winds!

This year thankfully was a no wind year, but temps were estimated at 3C with a feels like factor of 1C. This would make it difficult to select clothing for the run, especially if you are a fatless skinny runner like me who turns blue in the cold.

I eventually opted for compression shorts with a pair of dual layer Karrimor running shorts, Skins compression socks, a Sub Sports short sleeve compression top and then a Run or Cake vest followed by a Run or Cake t-shirt and hat and gloves. You could pretty much say I had it covered.

My all important shoe selection for the day was my trusty Hoka One One Clifton 2's, a great all round road running shoe which hasn't failed me yet.

Breakfast was peanut butter on wholemeal toast x2 and a black coffee, and I was good to go.

Transport was a swift walk to the Fairways park n ride car park where the trusty complimentary double decker shuttle service and parking had been put in place by the event organizers the Hesketh Round Table.

The Hesketh Round Table is a group of volunteers who give up their time for free to raise money for various charities and good causes throughout the year, and without their tireless efforts non of this would be possible. I thank them all for all they do and for putting on such a well known and professional 10k event, and one that is not merely profit orientated only like a typical mid range expense event.

Mad Dog HQ:

Safely at the event after a friendly bus ride with fellow Run or Caker Pat and it was time to make my way to the Sports Hall at the school at which the event is located as a HQ.

The sports hall was buzzing already and I collected the Worlds best goody bag which among other things included a Mad Dog buff/neck warmer, a compact Mad Dog back pack and a Mad Dog sweat towel with zip pocket for using in the gym etc, a discount booklet for the local DW Sports shop and various discount vouchers for food and also loads of food snacks and a drink etc in the goody bag itself. I  got my correctly sized t-shirt in advance (a lesson many events could learn from) after handing in my slip that contained my run number and t-shirt size I was keen to get out of the hall as soon as possible.

I suffer with anxiety and being in a crowd that has no order or control then makes me  start to feel really uncomfortable. A race crowd is different as it is fluid in a particular direction and easily negotiable.

I spent the rest of the pre race time looking out for fellow #cakers and other running friends I knew were taking part. I spotted a fair few, Helen, Vicky, Nicky, another Vicky, Pat, Rita, Emma, Sophia, Catherine, Steph, Anne, Sarah, Jodie, Barry, Chris and others I can't remember at the moment.

A quick pop back into the sports hall to strip down to my running gear and put my bag in the free and well organized bag storage area and I was good to go. This is another credit to the event and it's organization. Some of the £50 10k events out there could learn from this.

Next it was photo op time at a pre arranged meet up at the winners podium before the race start, as we had arranged to get together for a group photo of the Run or Cake group in our Run or Cake tops. As per usual the photo didn't go to plan as several went to the loo 5 minutes before, and as we all know porta loo queues don't come in less than 30 minute waits :)

We took a few pics of the ones who did make it and then set off for the start line as it was nearly race start time.

The Start line:

10:40am was official race start time and another bonus and well thought out aspect of this event is the fact that it has starting pens. These are all based on your estimated run time so as to ensure you are running with people of a similar speed and pace so there is no mad rush at the beginning as faster runners try and get past slower runners, and so slower runners don't get crushed or pushed by impatient faster runners.

Each pen has a breed of dog assigned to it, as does your run number, so the speedier runners were 'Greyhounds' for example and then various slightly slower breeds all the way down to 'Bull dogs'. It is a system that works well, especially when you can get to your pen later and not have to stand at the back of 2500+ runners!

We were honoured with the presence of special guest and starter Liz Yelling as well, which was a nice touch by the Mad Dog organizers.

I got in my pen and decided to stand near the back of my group the greyhounds as I wasn't too confident on my speed and fitness at the time and expected them all to go off really fast. I was happy to take my time if needs be.

And we're off!.....

Off we went for the first stretch that runs straight to the coast rd, and thankfully they didn't all go off at crazy speed so I didn't get left behind. I managed to settle into a decent pace as we turned the first left corner and onto the coast road itself, and we started our almost 4k stretch down the seafront.

I run this stretch all time so am familiar with it's never ending feeling so I looked around a bit and tried to appreciate the coastal views to distract my mind from the opening pace and effort. I managed to clock the first mile in 6:45 to 6:50 minute mile pace which was quicker than I wanted for the start but I was happy to take it and slow a little to get nearer the 7 minute mile target I had. 7 minute miles would just scrape me a new PB if I could keep it up, I was not expecting to be able to do so to be honest with the lack of training mileage in recent months.

As per usual we were entertained along the way with various bands and singers as we went, yet another good touch by the organizers. First up was the ever popular Batala Band from Liverpool an ever present at this event.

Next up was Pelvis Presley (or whatever we nick name him) who is always singing at the pier which is a welcome sight after the long stretch of coast road we just covered.

Once past the pier it's past the Ocean Plaza and the DW Fitness gym and onto the fairground roundabout and a left turn as we go around the outside of the fairground car park and head toward Victoria Park and the Promenade.

At this point we are just about hitting the 5k mark and are half way there. This is the point you evaluate how you are doing run wise and pace wise. If you are lucky you can check to see you have stayed on the pace you wanted and try and continue on, or if you have ran a little more comfortably then push on for the home stretch.

Thank fully for me I had maintained the sub 7 min mile pace and was on target still, and I wasn't puffed out so felt confident I may just be able to hang on.

We approached the start of the Promenade itself and passed another good band and headed of toward a water stop for those who needed it. No water required for me as it wasn't a hot or warm day and I didn't want to lose time overall.

We continued along the prom and then under the pier and then the Marine Way Bridge, all £5 million of it! we passed a huge rock choir at this point too, very good too!. Then past one of my workplaces the Ramada Plaza Hotel and past the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre and then back onto the prom.

Onward we went and probably now at about 7k we passed another singer outside the Worlds Smallest Pub, needless to say it didn't take long to run past.

End of the prom now and a left turn past the Shoreside Church and back toward the coast rd for 8k and another run past the fabulous Batala Band and a right turn at the roundabout to take us down our last stretch of coast road.

This is the stretch were if you have anything left you try and push, although it is deceivingly long and it is not helped when you can see the finish line off to your right and you feel like you are not getting anywhere fast. Thankfully as this was not a windy year I was still maintaining sub 7 pace and was desperately hopeful for a PB.

The final right turn appeared and 9k had just been passed and it was now the home straight back to the school etc. This is your last chance to push and if you are lucky overtake a few people as you go and bump up your overall finishing position.

I had been getting nowhere with the people around me pace wise as they were all pushing on and I was happily placed behind a group of 5-6 runners as I got to the last 100 yards or so and I was happy to hang on as the PB was definitely going to happen. As per usual I opted for the last spurt of energy for 50 metres or so to pass the group in front of me and over the line for a new PB time of 43:23 chip time which was an improvement over my previous Mad Dog PB of 44:50 and my overall 10k PB of 44:10!

Interestingly enough I was runner number 131 and I actually finished in position 131, I also was 40th in the Male 40+ category! ...

Finished:

It was time for the always eagerly awaited Mad Dog medal and this year it was a James Bond themed 'Live and Let Drool' medal to match the great t-shirt we got this year. Also a welcome bit of fruit a banana or an apple to get some energy and carbs rapidly back into the muscles and a welcome bottle of water.

It was time to stand and welcome in fellow running friends and #cakers and see how they got on. I managed to see Steve, Chris, Barry, Mark W, Tracey, Catherine, Nicola, Vicky, Susan, Anne, Steph..and the list goes on...

Back to the school to pick up my bag and get showered and changed before the mad rush. Or so I thought, sadly the school had decided to not turn the hot water on in the showers this year, which I suspect was a subtle way of preventing us using them.

Needless to say I did not partake in a Victorian shower and went for the deodorant option instead and a change of clothes etc.

Next it was time to get back to town and onto the cakers meet up in the good old Sandgrounder Pub on Lord St. I spotted the huge queues for the buses and instantly regretted hanging around too much at the finish. I figured I'd speed walk instead back to town which was roughly 15-20 mins walk away and the queue and trip would take about the same, so off I went for a good stretch of the legs and a recovery walk!

The #cakers meet up:

As per is the norm at a running event were there are a decent sized bunch of Run or Cakers running (near on 20-25 this time) we arrange a meet up at a decent sized pub nearby so we can get a drink, a bit of food and have a good chat and catch up. Especially as we are a Facebook based charity running group so do not often get to see each other.

This is also a good chance to catch up with a few newer members of the group and a few that have come back after a bit of time off. It is also a chance to gain new members as well.

As per usual The Sandgrounder Pub on Lord St very kindly agreed to reserve a decent sized area for us in the pub so we could all sit together as we pottered in at our own pace and sat down for a drink or two and a bit of food once appetites returned.

I had a nice veggie burger with additional onion rings which went down well as I have recently being eating a mainly vegetarian and dairy free diet and it seems to be working fine. It's been hard to try and maintain my already light body weight though as my selection of food is limited and I get lazy and often skip proper sized meals. I am working on improving this, but it has certainly helped my running and fitness as my time confirms and I didn't lack on energy during the run.

A good time was had by all in the pub and after several pints it was time for goodbyes and a short walk home and a hot shower and the remains of my previously left Veg pasta....

Final thoughts:

A great day had by all I reckon and a massive THANK YOU to the Hesketh Round Table and all their volunteers on the day and the days before and after for all the set up and take down etc. Thank you to the Sea Cadets along the course and the HQ, and thank you to all the bands for entertaining us as we went.

As always it was a great event and one to be proud of and confirmation that the Mad Dog 10k rightly deserves it's nomination and award almost every year as the 'Best 10k in the UK'....

Massive thanks to all the #cakers who attended the event and indeed made the effort to attend the meet up afterward instead of shooting off home. We are a close group and all efforts are appreciated as always.

See you at the Btr Liverpool Half Marathon and 10 Miler on the 2nd April folks!....