Welcome to my World!

I’ve a split personality which is now quite clearly defined. On the one hand I’m short, fat, bald, lazy, unreasonable, uncaring, selfish, foolish, generally unlikeable. On the other hand short, getting less fat, still bald, wannabe athlete, Outlaw, determined, focused, Morpher of challenges, fundraiser and encourager of others.

Weirdly Mrs B kinda fell for the former and then helped create the latter.

The battle is ongoing of course. One striving to improve and redeem and the other always looking for the easy option. Thursday’s lunchtime training session a prime example:-

Sid: “We’re going out on the Merida lunchtime!”

Steve: “Are we fuck its cold and windy and I’m tired”

Sid: “You fat lazy twat you disgust me. We’re going!”

Steve: “Aah fuck. Can’t we just sit here and catch up the blog and eat lunch. Catch up on exercise tomorrow. A day off won’t hurt!”

Sid: “No! Bollocks to you. It’s you that got us into this mess. I’m left to sort it out. We’re going and that’s that!”

We went. Sid wins!

Its not always like that. A weekend morning conversation often goes something like this:-

Sid: “Alarm’s gone off lets get ready and out there”

Steve: “Fuck off its cold, dark and far too early and we need more sleep”

Sid: “We need to get the miles in. We need to get out there”

Steve: “Look it’s a bit wet too. It’s gonna hurt. Its not like we’re meeting anyone this morning so we wont let anyone down. Just stay in bed”

Sid: “Snooze has gone off now fatboy. If we don’t do it now we won’t do it. We’ll fail again! We’ll let ourself down”

Steve: “I don’t give a fuck we’re staying in bed!”

Stayed in bed. Steve wins!

It can happen during a training session too:-

Steve: “ For fucks sake its freezing, windy and wet. Legs hurt, breathing hurts, gonna get stitch and a shit session isn’t worth it. Lets turn back!”

Sid: “Seriously, you underachieveing scrotepiece we’re doing the full distance. Its brilliant out here and if we get our act together it will fly by. In fact because you’ve pissed me off I am adding a section as punishment!”

Steve: “Are you fuck!”

Sid: “Yep”

Steve “No! We don’t need to. Lets just cut it short no one will know”

Sid: “We’ll know!”

Steve: “So what? It doesn’t matter. Turn here and cut it short.”

Sid: “No. We’re doing extra!”

Steve: “No!”

Sid: “Yes!”

Steve: “No!”

Sid: “Yes!”

This generally goes on to the point of the additional section. Literally the last step or pedal or stroke.

Steve: “Don’t!”

Sid: “Too late. Challenge made – challenge accepted.”

Steve: “But it’s a fucking big hill!”

Sid: “Tough shit we’re doing it!”

Sid wins!

Of course it always happens in an event:-

Steve: “See! We’re shit and we can’t do this! We’re gonna have to pull out. That nice Marshall and St Johns fella will wrap us up and transport us back. No more pain!”

Sid: “Fuck right off! We’re gonna do it”

Steve: “What’s the point? We’re miles behind, we’ve walked, we probably won’t even complete it and if by some miracle we do then most people will have packed up and gone home. We aren’t strong enough. You live in a dreamland to have even taken this on.”

Sid: “People are relying on us to finish. They’ve sponsored us to do this. We said we would do this!”

Steve: “YOU said we would! Besides they’ve already paid. Even if we don’t finish the money has been raised. Jack it in we haven’t prepared properly. Just feign an injury and pull out. No shame in that!”

Sid: “I would happily kick the fuck out of us right now. As it is we’re gonna do this as well as we can do this!”

Steve: “We’ll never finish. Just stop. Stop now.”

Sid: “No! Bollocks to you. We’re having a Jelly Baby and we’re cracking on. No shame in finishing last. Complete shame in failing!”

Steve: “Oh fuck!”

Sid “Twat!”

Sid wins!

With 19 or so weeks to Outlaw Sid is winning. I’m running much better than this time last year and cycling much better too. I am more motivated in training and I am really looking forward to Outlaw. I’ve avoided swimming to date, not necessarily deliberately, but due to a lack of focus. Could be the thought of the first Morphsuit swim? Must get over that issue asap!

Poppyfields2013Challenge is proving to be a great motivation alongside Outlaw training. With such a great team there is no way Sid can fail!

Poppyfields2013Challenge!

I’ll be honest with you. When Mrs B and myself thought up Poppyfields January Challenge and unleashed it on the world all I really hoped for was a few people to get involved, add a bit more to my attempt to raise £10,000 for Birmingham Children's Hospital and make people aware of the cause. I certainly didn’t think it would capture people’s imagination the way it has, raise £1000 in just a few weeks and create a community of support and encouragement for all of us hoping to get a bit fitter. From hardened triathletes to lunchtime walkers, from John O’Groats – Lands End cyclists to home exercise bike newbies, from multi class body pump zumba spinning gym nuts to living room Davina’s you’ve all blown my mind. Sharing exercises, support, a few birthdays, buns in the oven, injuries, advice, personal bests, personal worsts and the list goes on.

So, as we near the end of January we have all come through the odd blip here and there. For me personally the challenge and, more importantly, you lot doing the challenge have kicked my arse out the door for a run when I didn’t want to go on a few occasions and got me through the blips. It seems, reading the comments, that many of you have been motivated, helped and encouraged too.

Within a couple of days of starting this Leekey messaged me to say we should extend this to the end of the year. A few comments from you also hinted that this would be a good thing to carry on after January. We suggested it after about 10 days and there seemed to be an awful lot of support so that’s what we are going to do. As from February 1^st you are all cordially invited to continue to kick ass. Not just January but we are going to blitz the whole of 2013!

Rules stay the same. Exercise everyday and pay a £1 fine when you don’t. It’s that simple. There will be a one off £5 registration fee to take on 2013 payable at the start of February with a text of RUNS99 £5 to 70070. After that its fines only (RUNS99 £1 to 70070), if you have to. Online it can be done at www.justgiving.com/sidpoppyfields  The challenge is open to ANYONE to join at ANYTIME. It will be self policed so if YOU feel you’ve fallen short on a day then you pay the fine. If YOU feel a walk on a rest day is OK then no fine. YOU know your level, your goals, your exercise so we’ll leave it up to you. Rest days are important so build them into your weeks.

It is open to anyone and the more the merrier. The more awareness raised for the cause, the more kids we can help battle brain tumours and more of us getting off our backsides and doing something to help ourselves. As a continual challenge within the challenge I want us to add 50 people a month to the challenge. We’re currently 153 (incl 2 dogs) so if we all re-register and find another 50 we could be 200 strong heading into March!

The Group Outlaw Ironmorph for Poppyfields 2013 on Facebook is open to all and at the end of Jan the Twitter hashtag will change to #Poppyfields2013Challenge. Please help spread the word.

I appreciate many people have lots on their plate in 2013. People will be committed to other challenges at other times and this may not fit in or you may not want to continue. Obviously that’s entirely understandable so I will take this opportunity to thank you for taking on the Poppyfields January Challenge and being such a huge help! Thank you!

Who’s with me?

Morphswim Morphride Morphrun!

I was gonna blog New Years Eve and give a big thanks to all the people who helped me in 2012. There was simply too many of you though so I didnt. Its fair to say that if you have read this, or I follow you on Twitter, we've done the same event, we're mates on Facebook or we are actual in the person mates then you have been a great source of help with my challenges and fundraising! So thank you very much!
2012 ended with the birth of the Poppyfields January Challenge (see previous post and its not too late to join in!). Purely by word of mouth and social networks a project that I thought might catch the attention of 20 or 30 people is, as I type, nearly 150 strong with over £800 raised in 3 weeks! What has amazed me more is the impact the challenge has had. A community of support has built up, it's brought families together as they exercise together to maintain the challenge, people who dont normally exercise are reporting the benefit of getting up and moving after just one week and we've gone international with challengers from Australia, USA, Belgium, Denmark and Dubai! To say that I'm overwhelmed is an understatement. I tip my hat to you all!
2013 has one goal for me. Outlaw! Not a wussy last man home Outlaw. Not this time. This time I am going for it. You already know I am going to attempt the whole challenge in a Morphsuit. I dont think its been done before (probably for very good reason) so it would be nice to be the first. I dont want to just finish either. Given the Morphsuit limitations and my own lack of speed I am going for sub 15 hours in a Morphsuit. My training plan has been cooked up, tweaked, re tweaked and super tweaked and if I can hit my training target of 20 hours per day I should be fine! In reality if I can stay injury free (no lurgy, no chair lifts and no ankle twists this year) sub 15 should be the minimum improvement I expect. I honestly cannot wait to immerse myself in that event and community again. I have no other triathlons planned so Outlaw will be my second triathlon.
Training has started. November and December kicked along nicely with no injuries so I just kept my eye in with the running and cycling. I've stuck to my plan so far in 2013 with swimming being reintroduced this week having not swum since Outlaw. My main focus will be learning to Morphswim, any improvement on last years 1:35 will be a bonus, and Morphcycling or blindcycling as I like to call it! My cycle let me down badly last year. Or I should say that I let myself down badly with poor preparation for the cycle leg last year. That wont happen again.
After Outlaw I have one eye on the Ripon Ultra and JWUltra and I am hoping that either (or both) could be a springboard to WHW 2014!?
Thanks again and if you havent already get on the Poppyfields January Challenge!
As with 2012 it could all get a bit bumpy but it would be great to have you all on board for the ride!

Poppyfields January Challenge

Poppyfields January Challenge

Every penny to Birmingham Children’s Hospital and their research and treatment of child brain tumours!

The idea is to simply exercise everyday throughout January. Yes including New Years Day! You can swim, ride, run, go to the gym, turbo, dance, netball, walk, zumba, sail, aerobics or whatever exercise floats your boat and shifts your ass!

£5 sign up to take part by texting RUNS99 £5 to 70070 (through textgiving 100% goes to the charity!).Then just exercise everyday BUT if you miss a day you pay a £1 charity fine by texting RUNS99 £1 to 70070 up to a maximum fine of £10, Gift aid your texts too. It’s very simple.

If there is any problem with the text go to www.justgiving.com/sidpoppyfields and pay online.

Log your miles or exercise sessions with updates, pics and videos in the FB Group ‘Outlaw Ironmorph for Poppyfields’ and support fellow January challengers. It will be voluntary and self policing and it’s just a bit of fun to kick start 2013 and help kids fight brain tumours.

Don’t think that Couch Potatoes can’t get involved. Of course they can. It would be nice to see them moving but if Couch Potatoism is your thing just register with a £5 text and then pay the £10 maximum fine! Then couch back and watch everyone else get fit. You’ve still helped kids fight brain tumours if not yourself!

Send the text and prepare to blitz 2013!

1 Year on!

Its a year to the day since I started this blog mularky. It has involved lots of foul language, dollops of training panic, injury fear, bike breakdowns, lurgy, swimming doubts and running niggles but to balance all that out it has included all the good stuff too from getting fit, great mates, Mrs Brightside, Morphing VLM to becoming an Outlaw to the ultimate good news of Poppy's brain tumour being removed!! Afterall Poppy's plight was the driving force behind getting off my arse in the first place.

I am now at the point where I am preparing to tackle Outlaw again but this time in a Morphsuit. I was going to do the ride and run in it but not the swim as it won't allow me to breathe through it when wet. One thing however about any challenge is not cutting corners. Taking it on as it was intended. You dont for example take the bus between mile 17 and 19 of VLM because its hard. You dont get off the bike and taxi the last 10 miles of the Outlaw ride because its too hard. If you're gonna accept a challenge it should be done properly. So winter testing will not only include getting over the issues of impaired vision on the bike but will now involve finding a way to breathe through the Morphsuit in the water. Current thinking is Suit 1 for the swim using contact lenses and goggles under the suit and wetsuit on top. At T1 change into Suit 2 (identical) so I can be dry for the start of the ride, keep lenses and add tri shorts and socks under suit. This should then see me through to the finish with only a change of footwear necessary at T2.
If you are in Tamworth for a swim or in the surrounding areas on your travels please do not be alarmed if you see a Morph pedalling past or taking a dip. Its not some weirdo up to no good. If said Morph appears to be drowning however please alert a lifeguard!

I envisage that completion of Outlaw 2013 will bring to an end my current Justgiving attempt for Birmingham Childrens Hospital and will hopefully see me hit £10,000 following 2 yrs & 2 mths from Edinburgh Marathon 2011 through Liverpool Marathon 2011, VLM 2012, Outlaw 2012 to Outlaw Ironmorph 2013.
Thats not to say I will be hanging up my trainers to revert to the couch potato I once was. I am very much looking forward to doing the Birmingham Half Marathon next October with Mrs Brightside. She has very much got back into running and I love the runs we get to do together. I secretly hope the Birmingham Half (which I reckon we can both do sub 2 hours) will spur her on to want to do a marathon with me perhaps in 2014!

Other than Birmingham nothing is set in stone post Outlaw although I do have an eye on the JW 30 mile Ultra in Sept and the 35 mile Ripon Ultra in October. There are a few people I want to run with and these events can act as a springboard to The West Highland Way race in the summer of 2014. Its 92 miles off road 35 hour limit race along the West Highland Way. I've no idea why I like the look of it, I've no idea how I would prepare for it, and if it wasnt for the fact that I know I can I would really think that I can't do it. That seems reason enough to give it a go.
I cant guarantee this blog will improve over the next 12 months or indeed that anyone will start reading it but it remains a loyal outlet for my ramblings, failings, achievements and ludicrous follies. Stick with me if you dare, sponsor me if you care and dont be put off by my lack of hair!

Birmingham Half Morph!

Last week with just a few days to go I was offered a place in the Great Birmingham Run. I owe this race one but hadnt entered primarily due to financial restrainsts. As the place was free all I had to consider was whether I was prepared enough to do it and whether to Morph it or not.
I had not run further than 8 miles (once) since Outlaw but I had been regularly running shorter distances. I reminded myself that I am an Ironman and so I should stop fannying about and just do it. I put the question to Twitter whether to Morph or whether to go for a PB ie sub 2 hrs. The resounding response was the sensible 'go for a PB' or 'run one for yourself' so after careful consideration I of course opted to Morph it. The temptation is just too much and because the race had beaten me hands down when I first Morphed it in 2010 I felt it deserved to be Morphed again! It could also act as a good training experience in the build up to Morphing Outlaw next year! It was also on Channel 5 and I hoped to get Birmingham Childrens Hospital on the box!
And so on Sunday morning at 7am I found myself stood infront of the mirror cursing like a very angry person prone to excessive cursing when stressed, getting stressed about trying to put contact lenses in! I dont wear them usually I stick to glasses but I had a couple left over from Morphing VLM. By 8.30am I had finally put the bastard things in and it was not lost on me that many of the runners would complete the course faster than it takes me to put lenses in!
I travelled over with Kate, John and Gareth. I have run with all three lots of times but not for a while. They were all down to sub 1:45 half mara times so I knew I couldnt run with them. They were all starting from Green or Pink (the later starts) and I was starting in White (an earlier wave) so I thought that would even things out and we would probably all finish not too far apart. Parking, baggage, toilet break and start assembly all went very smoothly. So so so different from the organisational debacle that was 2010.
I walked down to White and got talking to a fellow Morph. Orange Morph Pete was running for MS. He had not run in the Morphsuit before so I gave him a few tips ie try to breathe, get used to not being able to see, be aware you dont take on as much water through the suit and cross your fingers the sun doesnt come out and we avoid rain (cant see and cant breathe). Finally, milk the crowd like a madman 'cause they love a Morph.He had done VLM (non Morph) in 4:30 so he can run. I offered him to run on when I slowed but he was keen to run with me.
Start was smooth and off we went.

Milking the crowd obviously comes as naturally to Pete as it does to me. We never once stopped hearing 'go Morphs' 'nice one cheese string' 'come on orange and white man' 'I can tell your religion in that' and my favourite of couse 'should have gone to Specsavers!'.
I had planned on steady first half due to no lengthy training runs then see what I have for the hill at the end but in reality I got totally caught up in the atmosphere and weaved from side to side hi fiving everyone. We ran the 1st mile in less than 8 mins it turns out, something I felt on the course and deliberately tried to slow. Looking back I was too conservative, perhaps lacking a bit of belief, but also really enjoying it and running for fun. Hi fiving the kids or waving at them or scaring them back to their parents is great fun. The crowd were great and we had a lot of fun all the way round
I had the usual odd wobble here and there but nothing serious. It was great to get shouts from @dannytheblade ahead of me on the opposite side of the road on his way to a 1:50, @TJ1974 a Poppyfields supporter behind me on the opposite side of the road (a timely boost) and from Gaz as he motored past me around the 6 mile marker on his way to a 1:45!! Its also great to talk to and encourage other runners, hear their stories and share the whole experience.
Most of my thoughts come back to Outlaw next year and my determination to do it in a Morphsuit. Around mile 10 when hitting the hill with the sun in my eyes so I cant see I did wonder will it be possible. I am looking at 112 miles 8 hours on a bike in the suit and 26.2 miles 6 hours on the run in the suit. Can I keep sane and cope with it for that long? You know what? I've no idea. I somewhat doubt it. Will I have a go though? Damn right I will! Whats the point in doing it if it is easy?
I plodded said hill - it is a killer finish to a half but very satisfying when you then whizz the last half mile down Broad Street milking the crowd on the left while Pete milks the crowd on the right. 2:07 was my finishing time. 10 mins inside my last Morphing of Birmingham time and a hugely more enjoyable experience.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/236021186
Could I have done sub 2 hours? I think so but I would have had less fun! Sub 2 hours is for next year with Mrs Brightside anyway!
The day was saddened by the awful news later in the day that a runner had died near to the finish. My heart goes out to his family. Although I didnt know the runner we all experienced the day together and its very sad to hear that someone trying to achieve something be it a personal goal or charitable effort or both, should die in their effort.
I was lucky enough to come home to my family safe and well but for the odd ache and niggle. Some cheekiness off the kids (apparently Orange Morph looks cooler than me!) and a proud hug off Mrs Brightside along with a post run snack set me straight.

Plans are afoot for us to do Birmingham together next year (she even said if she were to do a marathon she would want to do Liverpool!).
Loads and loads of people achieved this weekend at Birmingham and Amsterdam and Abingdon and all over the place. Special mention to Anne Devanney popping her mara cherry at Abingdon and Martin Hookway and @MrAFletch doing a little 50 mile Saturday leg stretcher.
A great weekend overall with a big elbow of a reminder of our frailty. RIP Kevin Paterson. This is the BUPA Great Birmingham Run Statement: -

We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Kevin Paterson, who died after completing the event yesterday.
Kevin, who was 36, reported to medical personnel complaining of feeling unwell and then collapsed. He received immediate treatment from medical experts from the moment of his collapse and during his transfer to Birmingham City hospital, but unfortunately, despite the best efforts of everyone at the scene and hospital staff, they were unable to save him.
Kevin lived locally and was a regular runner and enthusiastic sports fan who had trained for the event.
His family would like to thank the medical staff for their valiant efforts to save Kevin, and the public for their kind messages of sympathy and support.

Epic Fail!

What could be more simple than riding down a canal to then run back up it? Not a lot that I can think of! And so it was with utter confidence I locked my car in the car park of the Blue Bell Cider House in Hockley Heath (Checkpoint 2) to head off on my mountain bike along the canal to The Navigation Inn in Wooton Wawen.
I was running the middle leg of the JW Ultra Marathon on Saturday. A lovely 10 mile canal run. Mandy was runnning the first leg and I would hand over to Kate for the final leg. I left Checkpoint 2 at 10am with loads of time to travel the 10 miles to Checkpoint 1 to be there well in time to take on the baton from Mandy (estimated to be in about 11:20). I set off whizzing by the locks and shouting a 'good morning' to the other canal users. The weather was lovely, dry and warm, and I was looking forward to getting a decent run in race conditions under my belt. It would be my furthest run since Outlaw. This was all I had to do to get to the hand over.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/185322797
15 mins in and I came to a junction which suprised me because for some reason (and despite living next to Fazeley Canal JUNCTION!) I didnt expect any junctions on a canal. My phone was in the car so I couldnt check sat nav. No problem I thought I will ask the nice man on his bike over the other side of the canal. I asked for directions to the canalside pub The Navigation Inn. This was my first mistake! Had I added Wooton Wawen or 'on the way to Stratford' I am sure he would have directed me right. Instead he said straight on. At this stage I was not aware of Mistake One so off I went.
I soon reached a 'T' junction with a right or left choice? I asked a couple which way the the canalside Navigation Inn (Mistake Two - same as One!). They said left and off I went. About a mile or so along the canal I was beginning to 'feel' that this wasnt right. I stopped another couple and asked if I was going the right way to get to the Navigation Inn but this time added 'ON THE WAY TO STRATFORD'. Of course they said no I wasnt and suggested I go back and go right at the 'T' junction. At the moment I was going away from Stratford. A fellow MTB rider (MTB Man) also confirmed this to be correct and I followed him down to the 'T' Junction. I left him by wishing him a good day and set off at some pace to make up for lost time. I should still be well in time.
As I rode along the canal I was sensing a deja vu moment. It all looked a bit familier. It looked and felt like the 22 mile canal leg I ran with Mr Happy 18 months ago during his epic JOG - LE run. That couldnt be right though as I wouldnt be going the right way!? I consoled myself with the knowledge that most canal paths look the same unless there is something out of the ordinary along the route..............like the big effin concrete tunnel/steps combo at Shrewsly. Shit on a stick I was on the route I had run 18 months before and the shit part of that stick was that it was not the route I should have been on for the JW Ultra!
I got up to the main road. Confident I shouldnt follow the canal any further I reckoned hitting the road with some local knowledge could still possibly save the day??? I asked a gentleman if he knew the way to the Navigation Inn. He said yes it was left to the crossroads, left again and straight on for 'a few miles' and it was then on the right. I also asked him the way to Wooten Wawen. That was right for quite some distance he confirmed. Decision had to be made. I asked if the pub was canalside, he said it was so I went for Left (Mistake Three).
He was right in that I got to the The Navigation Inn, he was right that it was canalside, he was right it was a few miles (he didnt warn me about the hills!), so when I got there I was gutted, absolutely gutted that there were no runners on the canal, no marshals, no effin anything!! I'd travelled 15 miles - remember this as its relevent - oh so fucking relevent - to the conclusion of this fiasco with the help of hindsight! I thought I have no choice than to head back to Shrewsly and go right to Wooten Wawen. I was completely lost.
I retackled the hills (knowing they were there to be dealt with didnt help), went through Shrewsly, headed right, spoke to another nice gentleman to stay on track and finally, finally saw a car by the side of the road at an opening to the canal. Better news still there was a runner on it and spectators who confirmed this was the JW Ultra route. I could go right against the runners down to Checkpoint One or left with the runners to Checkpoint Two. I chose right (Mistake Four) thinking they might be waiting for me, or ringing me, or ringing the emergency contact number meaning Mrs B will be worrying that I've been run over, or fallen in the canal or some other such ridiculous situation I can get myself into.
I got stung, scratched and very nearly ended up in the cut as I bounced along the somewhat overgrown canal path. I stopped to let each runner through concscious not to impede their running and finally made it to Checkpoint 1. Mark looked at me like I was a schoolboy renowned for forgetting his kit for PE about to tell the teacher I had forgotten my kit again! He said Mandy was running my leg as she was first woman through and upon realising I wasnt there she had remarked "well we're not gonna not finish!" (I think this may have been littered with expletives!). So I set off with the naive hope of catching her so she could have the bike and I could at least run some of it. I was truly unimpressed with myself. I had travelled 22 miles or so for a 10 mile journey, missed the run and most importantly made Mandy run 20 miles at 10 mile race pace! I knew she would not be pleased and rightly so.
I went as hard as i could but realistically I couldnt catch her. I passed @Meldy67 and a few other runners and wished them well. Gutted that I wasnt with them on foot! About 5 miles from the end I popped out on the canal junction where I made Mistake One. More gutted that it was all so easy had I done it right. I finally got back to Checkpoint 2 that I had left 3 hours and 14 mins earlier. I had ridden 33 miles or so. I apologised with absolute sincerity to Mandy who had blitzed the run whilst Mark and Matt ripped the piss. Something I may have to get used to!
That was my Epic Fail for the JW Ultra. I am lucky that Mandy is so forgiving and such a good runner. My disappointment was highlighted this morning when I uploaded my Garmin to realise that at about mile 15 at The Navigation Inn Lapworth (the wrong one) I was back on the canal where I had sought help from MTB Man and so only a few miles from getting back on route and perhaps getting to meet Mandy only half way into the second leg. If only I'd......................
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/226401218