Bournemouth – Stephen's Wildlife

Bournemouth Half – Ready to run

Since signing up for the Bournemouth half marathon in mid August I have pulled on my running shoes on 28 separate occasions. I have run 205 kilometres in all kinds of weather – thunderstorms, blistering heat – and at all times of the day. I have run down Oliver’s Road countless times, tapping the green tub at the bottom before turning back up. I have lost nearly 5kg / 11lb in weight. And now I am in the final week. I will be lining up on the start line with thousands of others at 11am on Sunday 8th October, 2023. The weather forecast is for clear skies and temperature of 17-19 degrees celsius. I am excited, but nervous. My time looks like its going to be somewhere between 2 hours 15 mins and 2 hours 45 mins.

Donations to Macmillan Cancer Support are currently at an amazing £315. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this total. This is the link to my JustGiving page for anyone who would like to add their support to this worthy cause. My target is £500, so your contribution however small will help me to reach this.

The course runs from Hengistbury Head and finishes at Bournemouth Pier. If you are in the area, why not pop down and enjoy the atmosphere and amazing views across Bournemouth Bay and cheer me on?

My favourite training spot for hill repeats

Bournemouth half marathon training

It’s not all about the numbers. Three weeks to go until race day. The mileage is going up and the weight is coming down. Training is quite intense at the moment and its hard not to obsess about the little things.

I was doing my hill repeats this week. I do these on a quiet road not far from home. The road drops away quite sharply and there are stunning views across the Stour valley looking toward Canford Heath. I can run up and down a short section to my heart’s content and only see one or two vehicles and maybe the odd dog walker. There are a few houses on either side of the road, but only occasionally will I see one of their occupants.

I was on my 7th repeat out of 8 and struggled uphill before turning back down for the final climb. One of the occupants of a house on the right hand side of the road was in his driveway. He saw me and stopped what he was doing. I thought he was going to tell me to go and find another hill to run up and down, but he didn’t. He raised his right hand and gave me a cheery wave signifying approval of my exertions – I’ve never met the chap before. The effect surprised me. I reached the bottom of the hill and turned to climb again. My step was lighter. I picked up speed and gave it just a little more effort. I didn’t see the man as I passed his house on the left, but that didn’t matter. His simple gesture of encouragement raised my spirits and made me try just that little bit harder.

I’ve replaced my old trainers this week. And I have selected my hair colour – rebel red – which I’m hoping will wash out in my post race shower. There is a possibility, I guess, that its going to take more than one wash, in which case I may go through various stages of pink, before returning to my normal gray.

I’ve mentioned previously that I will be running with friends and family, so this is a shout out to those I am aware of who I believe will be there at the finish line: Doug, Debbie, Amy, Phoebe, Edd and Matt.

This is a link to my Just Giving page for anyone who would like to support me – Macmillan Cancer Support.

Half Marathon – training update

I am training to run the Bournmouth Half Marathon on 8th October. A lot of my training runs are on gravel tracks through woodland. As we move from summer to autumn the colours are muted, but quite stunning.

I have just five weeks remaining until race day. My first three weeks have gone well, although I lost three days to sickness – nothing serious, but just enough to prevent me training. I have lost 1/2 stone, which I am pleased about and my long runs are up to 8 miles. It isn’t pretty and it isn’t fast. Slow and steady wins the day.

Early morning sunlight peeking through the trees

Most of my runs are early morning before the heat of the day. Over the course of a week I train on 5 days and rest on 2. As well as just running, I’ve incorporated one day for weight training and one day for hill repeats – probably my favourite activity.

There are probably 3 weeks of hard training, followed by 2 weeks of tapering. I am quite excited as race day gets closer. I am resisting the temptation to dress up in a superhero costume, but I may mark the occasion with some red or blue hair dye.

I’ve cast my eye over the course. If the weather is clear there will be stunning views over Bournemouth Bay

My hill repeats are helping me prepare for the four hills on the course from sea level to the top of the cliffs. I’ve discovered that quite a few friends and family are also running, so it is building up to be quite a festive event.

The prime motivator for my running is thanksgiving. To give thanks to my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for my wife’s recovery from cancer. So I am running for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Bournemouth Half Marathon 8th Oct 2023

It’s been a while. I used to run but my last half marathon was in 2010. In recent years I have let it go, but a week or so ago my son took me on a walk in the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset. We walked 8 miles from Corfe Castle to Swanage on the coast and returned on the steam engine that runs between these two towns. About half way along the walk, we dropped off one hill ridge before crossing a road and climbing back up to Ballard Down. The climb was steep. 210 steps cut into the chalk until reaching The Obelisk at the peak. For me this was a wake up call. It should have been easy, but I struggled having to take regular breaks to catch my breath.

I love spreadsheets! When I got home I drafted a training program. Then after my first run, I looked for an event as a target for my fitness efforts. The Bournemouth half marathon was just 8 weeks away – perfect. After my first week I have shed 1/2 kilogram. Its slow and its humbling. My 11 year old son came with me on Wednesday for the hill repeats. He did 4 repeats in the time it took me to do 3.

Nearly a year ago my wife was diagnosed with cancer. It was caught early so it was successfully treated under surgery followed by a course of radiotherapy earlier this year. On the first day of radiotherapy we were sitting in the waiting room in Poole Hospital. She was so anxious. Then a friend who was a radiotherapist popped in to support her when she saw her name on the roster. Immediately my wife’s anxiety dissipated.

She is now clear, although it has been a struggle. Catching a virus immediately after the radiotherapy caused heart failure, but that is now on the mend with the help of a cocktail of medication. The picture above was taken on a recent walk, which would not have been possible just a few weeks ago.

So, I am running for a cause, Macmillan Cancer Support. This is a link to my Just Giving page for anyone who would like to support this worthy cause.