The BUPA Great South Run

 

 

As I have written about on many occasions, a few months ago I started running again.  This has been beneficial to both my physical and mental health.  I had to have a goal however.  I decided that I would not have the time, this year, to commit to a Marathon although I did give it serious consideration.

Instead I opted for two shorter races.  The BUPA Great South Run in Portsmouth (10 miles) and then a local Half Marathon (13.1 miles) in March 2013.  Along the way I have participated in various 5K and 10K races.  I watched the countdown clock on my Run Keeper account ticking down the days to the BUPA GSR and finally on Sunday 28 October 2012, it arrived.

Much planning, besides the running training, had been undertaken for this race.  It wasn't local to where I live so we had hotels to book.  The idea originally was that we would all go along for the weekend, myself, The Hubby, children and my parents.  Then my parents decided instead, to gift us a child free weekend.

So once child-care was in place, hotels secured, running information received, kit and weekend bag packed, route established, dog taken to her 'holiday retreat' (my cousin who would secretly like to keep her) we set off on a chilly October Saturday.

 

After a short detour (The Hubby always 'just has to do ... (something)' we arrived at our hotel in Portsmouth.  An upgrade to a suite received thankfully we dropped our stuff and heading for some food in the bar.  Whilst here, The Hubby started to chat to the only other patron in the area, and it turned out he was the snooker player Tony Drago.  The World Seniors Tournament was taking place not far from our hotel and he was due to play his match that evening.  He was a very interesting and genuine chap and we had a very pleasurable couple of hours in his company.

 

We decided on having dinner in the hotel restaurant as I wanted an early night before the big day.  I was in bed by 21:00 but did not sleep great.  I was very conscious of not getting the timing of the day wrong due to the clocks going back.  However, I felt good on Sunday morning and after a good breakfast we headed out early to make our way into Portsmouth, having been given fair warning about the amount of traffic that comes into the City for the race.

 

The morning was bitterly cold, but because we were early we got a good parking space quite near the start of the race.  This meant I could stay in the car, in the warm, until the last minute.  The race participants were divided into colours, Orange, White, Green, depending on what time you had indicated you could complete the race in.  I was in Green, the final group.  However, we watched the Elite Men go - started by Dame Kelly Holmes. 

 

It was great being in a big race again.  I forgot what the energy of a crowd of runners can do for you.  There was the 'warm up' - which resulted in everyone being in fits of laughter as there was no room to do any of the 'limbering up' that was being indicated for us to do.  Then there was cheering as the crowd slowly moved forward towards the start line.

 

It was a good route, very flat and support for the duration.  We took in the sites of the The Spinnaker, The Victory, The Boat Yard and other tourist attractions.  They had various bands situated at markers to lift spirits, I think my favourite was the African Drums, they were very powerful.  I wanted to stop and listen to them though.

 

 

 

Luckily I saw The Hubby at around the half way point and was able to give him my hat and gloves.  It is always lovely to see your loved ones on a race.  I was feeling really good until about 12K.  Then I had to have a sweet burst to help with the energy levels.  I decided to do a mile of a few minutes running, one walking to conserve the energy I had left to ensure that I could run the full last mile.

 

Seeing mile 9 felt great, and as always the support increased in the home stretch.  As much as I was hurting by this point, I kept on going and thought about the full body massage I had booked for later that day!  As I crossed the finish line, the big clock was showing 01:59:02 so I was thrilled to have completed my goal of finishing within two hours.  However, when my actual time was text through (within minutes of finishing to both mine and Hubbys phone) it was actually 01:54:46.

 

On returning to the hotel I enjoyed a deep, hot bubble bath before a very luxurious full body massage.  We then opted to be super lazy and order room service and a movie (a rare treat) before I had the best nights sleep I have had for ages.  A leisurely morning followed by an afternoon of sorting out J1's birthday presents was the end to a lovely weekend.

 

For anyone wondering if they should do a big race, I would recommend this one.  A flat and friendly route in a lovely City.

 

 

 

The Disability Diaries (The Life of J1) : The Holiday of a Lifetime

I have indicated in previous posts that things have been getting tough with J1 in ways other than his physical disabilities.  I do not mean for J1, but for me.

 

J1 is developing a fantastic sense of real awareness which is wonderful in so many ways.  The downside to this is that he is also developing the understanding of frustration.  The understanding of things he can not do, that other children around him can.  Things he would like to do but physically is unable to achieve.

 

For me, this lead to trying to explain why he can not do things as easily as others may be able too.  To trying to remind him with gusto of all the things he can do.  To desperately try and think of things that we can do, altogether, so that he doesn't have to worry about not being able to join in with his brother or friends.

 

To J1, I have been a cheerleader of positivity and 'can do'.  In private I have cried, felt frustrated myself and very low.  It kick started that anger only induced by the feeling of extreme unfairness.  The feeling of looking for someone to take responsibility for what happened to J1, only to find that is as productive as trying to climb a mountain made of fine ash.

 

I went along to my doctor, having seen the signs of a slippery slope approaching, who referred me to a good counsellor.  From this some of the negativity has subsided.  This teamed with the sheer inspiration and opinion defying wonder that was the London 2012 Paralympic Games has propelled my energy back into being more proactive.

 

We thought about what we could do, as a family that would be amazing.  Something mammoth that would stay with the boys forever.  I knew what I wanted to do.  Have wanted to do for sometime.  Something that would be a big undertaking, requiring a lot of research, a lot of phone calls, a lot working with other people to make it happen.  A lot of saving.

 

We wanted Florida.  We wanted Disney, Universal, Seaworld, Water parks.  We wanted the holiday of a lifetime.  So we decided it is time to make it happen. 

 

After weeks of browsing hotels, for those with suitable rooms, amenities, environments we narrowed it down.  After numerous phone calls to the airlines 'special assistance' hotline regarding specialist flight seats, hold capacity (as J1's chair does not collapse), and what we could do with regard to changing J1's pad on the flight - we decided on a date to go.  After contacting many transport companies to find one with a wheelchair adapted vehicle that could also seat five additional passengers, plus luggage we decided on where we wanted our transfer too.

 

We built our dream holiday. 

 

We are making it happen.

 

We are going to take that leap of faith and hope that the people on the other end of the telephone are correct in what they are saying and that in reality we do not find ourselves facing a whole heap of challenges.  The biggest predicament so far has been the flight seat.  The childs flight seat would be ideal for J1, but already at 8 years old he is too big for it.  So we are having to rely on the different adult version.  I hope that the transport company have fully understood that J1 has to go in the car, in the wheelchair and the wheelchair must be fixed as a seat itself.  I hope that the hotel have reserved the 'accessible' room and do not just allocate it 'if it is available' when we arrive as we have read about in some cases before.  We can only hope that we were firm and clear enough in our phone calls.  We can only hope, because if we did anymore than that we would never have made the decision to actually do it. 

 

So, with sheer excitement welling in our belly, we are going to a place where J1 can get on the rides (well, most suitable ones of course - I don't think The Hulk will be sporting a wheelchair carriage but who cares we'll be in the marvel, magical land of Florida!).  We are going to a place where, for the boys, the characters they watch on TV will be real life.  We are going to a place where we know we will only need shorts and t.shirts and suncream.  

 

For three weeks we will take a step outside of the reality of life and build memories to stay with us all forever.  Roll on 2013 - watch out Orlando and Clearwater Beach we are on our way.