Awesome end to August, on to a Sensational September!

How fast time flies!  City2Surf feels like it was yesterday and already the Blackmore's Half Marathon is this Sunday!

Quick recap - August wound up with a huge improvement in my running (still work to be done but at least I can run for more than 500m again - and the videos of me running were far too embarrassing to post!).  A massive boost to my fundraising and confidence came in at the end of the month thanks to the Gosford APEX club who not only got behind me by donating $1,000 but also gave me a load of sausages, steak, onion and discounted drinks to run a Charity Fundraising BBQ at work.  

The BBQ took place at the Datacom offices in North Ryde last Friday (September 9th) and it was a great day despite the rain.  My team joined in to help set up, serve and clean up while Bernie from Gosford APEX joined us to man the BBQ outside (fortunately under a gazebo borrowed from my in-laws at the last minute).  2 hours of frantic activity, a whole lot of fun and thanks to the generosity of the Datacom staff we raised over $300 for World Vision SEE Solutions!

This week! 

Julius Cafe (part of Fibonacci Coffee) is donating their entire tips jar for the week, along with $1 from every coffee sold on Thursday September 15th  to SEE Solutions and in support of my marathon!  If you are anywhere near 1 Julius Avenue, North Ryde on Thursday, stop in and grab a great cup of coffee, support SEE Solutions and tell Maile and her staff what a great job they are doing!

18 days - $3,500, 54 days - 42.2km

The countdown is now on - 18days to finish my fundraising and only $3,500 to go!  54 days to finish my training and then it is only a 42.2km run :) As one supporter put it - "Think of it as 42 thousand steps, one foot in front of the other!".  Love it!

You can help me raise the funds and accomplish my goal by donating through my Team World Vision fundraising site, and pay by credit card, cash, cheque or BPay simply by clicking "Donate Now" and filling out the donation form.

$30 expands a sustainable fish farm in Cambodia

$50 provides training for a group in Kenya to start a small business

$100 trains 14 coffee farmers in Ethiopia to improve the yields and quality of their crop 

What Next?

Lots of email requests, Facebook messages and status posts going out along with a Facebook fundraising event running from now to October 1st asking people to donate - I can't get there without your support! 

I'll be launching my Limited Ticket Charity Raffle later this week.  This will be your opportunity to win one of 5 RedBalloon gift vouchers valued between $50 and $250, only 250 tickets at $25 each or 5 for $100 so get in quick! 

Also keep an eye out for details regarding the Post Marathon Party to be held in late November!

City2Surf ...

A week (and a day) ago I completed my first City2Surf and I have to admit it was not a great experience.  Rain 30mins before the start meant it was chilly and damp lining up, clothes, bottles and various other rubbish strewn across the start and for most of the course, bothersome shins that didn't warm up until AFTER heartbreak hill and most uncomfortable of all was busting for the loo just shy of 4kms - never knew running with a full bladder could be so painful!

My first thanks go to Woollahra Municipal Council for having the loos at the back of their council building open, saving me from continued pain and from having to queue for the porta-loo at the 4km mark.

What worked on the day?  I hit 8km and started to get comfortable and fall into a rhythm.  I still struggled a bit from time to time with shin pain and got to put into practice all the mental training around persevering and dealing with niggles and aches, and completed the race in 96minutes 36seconds - comfortably meeting my target of completing in under 100 minutes.  I proved to myself I can persevere! 

The BEST thing about the day was catching up with the legendary Rose and Colette from Team World Vision AND getting a fantabulous! leg massage by the wonderful people from the Australian College of Natural Therapies.  Team WV had a great setup on the first floor of Chapel by the Sea, warm and welcome with loads of food and drink as well as the massage team all set to care for tired legs and tight muscles.  Highlight of the day!

Fundraising

Crunch time is upon us and I need to complete my fundraising for World Vision by October 1st or I don't get to fulfill on my dream and run my first marathon in New York.  $4,630 to go, lots of plans in action with offers from the cafe at work to donate $1 from each coffee sold one day in September, creating a sponsored walk as part of a training run, guessing competitions, trivia nights and personal appeals?  

Can you help by donating online at http://www.teamworldvision.com.au/mikeedyejones_mmm?

What's Next?

I registered for the Half Marathon event at the Blackmore's Sydney Running Festival last Friday, so come Sunday September 18th I'll be at the start line (06:20!!) for the last of my event based training runs. I have to admit I'm nervous about being prepared in time given the trouble I have had the last few weeks with niggling aches in my shins. 

I heel strike, and therefore I suffer!

Last week I went to visit my physiotherapist (the ever patient Tony at ProActive Healthcare in North Ryde) to have my legs treated and my running style filmed and analysed, he found quite a few things for me to work on, two are the most significant:

1. I heel strike, hence the pain! 
2. I don't "kick" high enough. 

Having seen Tony again this morning where he taught me how to run - properly this time - I can feel (and thanks to running-cam, see) the difference. Tony has got me started on running on my mid to forefoot, and kicking me heel up off the ground.  All in all it makes for a shorter but faster step with my foot on the ground for less time. The ENERGY in that style of run is amazingly different to what I have experienced and I'm excited to get out and develop it further (under the watchful coaching of Tony and being sensible not to overdo it too soon and hurt myself).  I plan to post the video to remind myself of how to & how not to run so stay tuned to see what I'm talking about. 

City2Surf!

Woo Hoo!  

Sydney City2Surf is tomorrow, and another first for me - the first time I'll run in the world's largest fun run. OK, at 14kms it is only 1/3 the distance of a marathon but it is an important step in my training and a great indicator of how well prepared I am for New York in November!  

So excited!  12 weeks from today I'll be lining up in New York at the start of my first ever marathon, but to get there and be allowed to run I need your help ...

 This is why I run!

To make a difference in the lives of people who through no fault of their own do not have the access to education, markets, finance and health that will enable them to work their way out of poverty.  The opportunity to partner with Team World Vision to raise money for their SEE Solutions Campaign, to have a direct positive impact on the lives less fortunate than myself,  is what inspired me. 

How YOU can help

My target is to have raised $10,000 for SEE Solutions by October 1st. At the time of writing this I have raised $5,370. If I haven't reached my goal by October 1st, then I can't run the marathon.  My training will have been in vain, my reason for running will be denied.

Help me. Help World Vision. Help the poor of this world of ours become self sustainable! Donate now through the Team World Vision site at Everyday Hero