22/10/2011 by admin.

It is amazing how different two consecutive days’ running can be.  Yesterday after after I developed my foot problem, it was really hard work.  Today it was a lot easier, I am delighted to report.Doc strapped the bridge of my left foot, with support underneath, to help the plantar fascia problem.  He also strapped my right ankle.  A combination of that, the ice applied to my foot last night and changing my running shoes has all helped.

We started out at Portishead today then headed south towards the Mendips.  It was bright and clear but very chilly at only 5C on the start line.  Guthrie ran with me initially, and then picked up the bike. We found an easy route through the hills, although we still reached a sufficient height to get a great view over the plain towards Cheddar.   I had 6 miles running on my own and then Guthrie cycled with me whilst I ran the last 3 miles .  We have finished to the south east of Weston-Super-Mare.  It was nice weather all day and I completed today’s marathon in the better time of 6 hours 5 minutes.

Tonight we are at the Premier Inn in Bridgwater.  Jannine and Paul’s daughter Claire joined us for dinner this evening and it was nice to meet her.  Paul has been doing a terrific job handing out our publicity fliers to anyone passing by.  We were given a 25% discount on dinner again this evening.  Still not as good at the Premier Inn at Tewkesbury ….

I am hoping to have friends and relatives joining me over the next couple of days.  If you know of anyone who might like to run/walk/cycle with me along the remainder of the route, please let them know about the challenge.  All the details are on the website - address below.  It is always lovely to see new faces.  Only just over a week left so not long to take advantage of the opportunity!

Best wishes

 Stuart

www.jogtole.co.uk

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22/10/2011 by admin.

The big news today is that injury unfortunately struck again today, but Doc says it is nothing that will stop me progressing - just a painful plantar fascia problem under the arch of my left foot.

Tony Richards of Wooden Spoon joined us from the start of the route today.  We walked for 6 miles and then he cycled for a further 3.  It was really good to see him and to spend a couple of hours with him catching up on news.  The weather was great at the start and then w were caught in a shower and after that it dried up and there was a mixture of clouds and sun.

The route was not on the Severn Way as we had originally intended but on the B roads close by it.  Again we were running/walking though some very picturesque countryside.

Guthrie took over at the 9 mile mark and cycled the rest of the way with me. At the 9 mile mark I was aware of a bit of a foot problem.  At 18 miles it had become pretty painful so I stopped for Doc to have a look at it.

Basically, the Innovate shoes I have been wearing (these were the ones I bought in Fort William) have insufficient arch support.  So I have reverted to the Mizuno shoes  I bought in Glasgow.  Unfortunately both these pairs of shoes were bought under extreme duress in that I needed a pair of shoes there and then in order to be able to continue, and they were the only ones available at the time that did the job I needed which was to give sufficient room for my toes.  Fundamentally the shoes are too big for me, other than in the toes, where they did accommodate the swollen, taped toes.  The swelling is now improving I’m pleased to say.  The size of the shoes caused the big blisters on the insides of my heels.

My feet did feel better after changing shoes at the 18 mile point, and running is more comfortable for me than walking at present.  I finished the 26 miles today in 7 hours.

When we stopped at the 18 mile mark, Jannine noticed that the front tyres on the Volvo were completely bald, so had to immediately go into Bristol to get that sorted out.

Tonight we are at the Premier Inn again.  After the generosity of Tewkesbury, we had one free meal last night in Stroud and tonight in Portishead we were given 25% off the bill.  Not as generous as our friends in Tewkesbury but it all counts!

So we have done Day 30 - 3/4 of the days, but only 29 marathons because of the one I missed from Loch Lomond to Milngavie.

Doc and Guthrie are working on my foot and I hope with the different shoes it will improve.

best wishes

Stuart

www.jogtole.co.uk

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19/10/2011 by admin.

The purpose of the ‘JOGtoLE Marathon Relay’ is not only to show support for Stuart’s mammoth
run but also Roger Allsopp’s World Record Channel Swim and supporting local rugby, something
close to Stuart’s heart. All monies raised from this marathon relay will go towards helping ‘Hope
for Guernsey’ and ‘St Jacques RFC’.
What is the Marathon Relay?
Whilst Stuart will be running the full 26 and a bit miles, we need 26 teams to run along side him
running 1 mile per team in relay, effectively passing on the baton from one team to the next.
Each team is tasked with raising £1,000 or more. A team must consist of at least 2 people but no
more than 10, and teams may be combined. The final route and the specific locations and times
of your teams starting place will be announced to the Team Captains nearer the time of the run.
How do I enter a Team?
Simply complete the form attached, stating the name of the Team Captain, the Team Name and
how many people you propose to have in your Team. We will then send out as many Sponsorship
forms as are required to the Team Captains for them to then issue to their team mates.

Please return this completed Entry Form to:
Chris Griffiths, Two Degrees North Limited, New Jetty, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 2LL
Relay Marathon

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19/10/2011 by admin.

Saturday’s CCC will be held at 9 am, meeting at the Reservoir.

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19/10/2011 by admin.

Today we started off by going down the Severn Way from Tewkesbury and then on to the Gloucester / Somerset Canal.  We went through the centre of Gloucester passed Gloucester Cathedral and Gloucester rugby club.  The Cathedral and the Rugby Club are both old and impressive and the centre of Gloucester is new and impressive.  I did not realise that Gloucester docks were such an important feature of the old city.

The Severn Way was slow, like the majority of the other off road tracks we have used.  There were no made-up tracks and the path went over styles and through woods - very scenic but very hard work.  Today’s marathon was consequently slow taking 6 hours 50 minutes.  On these off-road tracks you can’t get a rhythm going to your running or walking.

Guthrie cycled with me all day.  It was glorious weather and the scenery was fantastic.  You could see across the Severn to the Welsh hills.

I had a visit from my friend Barry Griffin from Guernsey along the route, and stopped for 10 minutes to chat with him.  Lovely to see him.

We finished just south of Gloucester on the canal, just short of Sharpness which was our scheduled stopping point.

We spent the evening in the good company of Tony Richards, the Regional Co-Ordinator of the Wooden Spoon and he is going to walk a few miles with me tomorrow which I am looking forward to.

Photo following of me at the end of todays’ marathon.

Stuart

www.jogtole.co.uk

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18/10/2011 by admin.

Today was another good day.  It was quite overcast, but dry.  There was a fairly strong wind to run into with which made things hard work.

Guthrie and I started on the canal towpath again, but it turned out to be in poor condition.  We had an alternative route prepared as we suspected that might be the case, so we switched pretty quicky to the roads.  We were going along small lanes again today so many of them were inaccessible to the campervan.  We are now in the Cotswolds so in lovely countryside.

Guthrie ran and walked with me for about 10 miles and then went back into one of the backup vehicles.  It was Paul and Jannine Birtwistle’s first day as drivers and they have fit well into the routine.

The highlight of the day was being met on the finish line (just outside Tewkesbury) by Sir John Foley, a former Lt Governor of Guernsey.  It was wonderful to see him again and he was in great form.  It was quite a long round trip for him to visit us and I very much appreciate him taking the trouble to come and be part of our challenge.

Doc was interviewed on BBC Radio Guernsey today by Kevin Stewart.

We are back in the Premier Inn tonight at Tewkesbury.  The staff have been lovely here and said they would like to give us a complimentary dinner if we would contribute the same amount into our fund raising pot which was very generous of them.  They are also emailing the Premier Inns we have booked further down the route to let them know we are coming and hopefully get the same arrangements.

I hope I am not tempting fate but I had no particular aches and pains today and no new blisters.

Best wishes

Stuart

www.jogtole.co.uk

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17/10/2011 by admin.

The date has been fixed for our cookery lesson to help busy people cook healthy meals that are quick and easy to cook.  This will take place on Tuesday 29 November at 6.45 pm.  If you would like to attend and haven’t yet put your name down please let me know.  Limited spcaes are available.

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17/10/2011 by admin.

Stuart Hardie finished his marathon in a superb 6 hrs yesterday.  Report below.

I had a much more successful day today.  Not as tired, no blister problems, and after asking about the condition of the canal towpaths, we tried them again and they were super today.  Lovely and quiet and very picturesque.

The weather was chilly again first thing, but not as cold a yesterday.  It was also a bit cloudy, but it brightened up and warmed up fairly quickly, and got up to about 16C again.

As we set off this morning to our starting point at Himley, it seemed like a very quiet Sunday morning, but in the car park where we were starting from, a gigantic car boot sale was taking place and the small lane past the car park was choc-a-bloc, so we did not hang about at the start as we were holding up the traffic.

Just as I started, messages were coming through about the Guernsey Church of Scotland’s fund raising breakfast held before this morning’s service.  It was terrifically supported and raised a whisker under £600.  I am very grateful to all who organised and attended that, and am very sorry to have missed it myself!

The route was through narrow lanes and it was a rolling terrain.  I found it quite difficult to get into my stride and build up momentum, so I did quite a bit of walking.  Guthrie was driving for his first day and was terrific.  He kept me updated on the New Zealand v Australia rugby score, he guided me on to the right roads and on to the canal at Cookley and kept me fed and watered throughout the day.  Many of the lanes were too narrow for the campervan to drive down, and once I got onto the canal towpath I was away from the cars for quite some time.  I had to phone once from the towpath to ask directions.

I came off the towpath at Stourport and then it was back on to rolling roads again.  The finish line was at Ombersley, just outside Droitwich and I made it there in 6 hours today.

Today we are having a change from the Premier Inns.  We have found that they have become a bit monotonous after a few weeks of a different one every night.  Tonight we are staying at Chateau Impney which is huge but nearly empty.  It looks like a large French chateau from the outside, but the inside does not match - lots of suits of armour and shields about.  At least my bedroom is not purple tonight.

Jannine and Paul Birtwistle from Guernsey have joined us this evening to drive for us until next Saturday, and I am looking forward to Guthrie running or cycling with me now that we have a full complement of drivers again.

I am going to send a couple of photos separately today - one of Doc and Guthrie studying the map, and one of me walking around about Kinver.

Tomorrow we head for Tewkesbury.  If you know of anyone in that area who might come out and see us on the way, it would be lovely to hear from you.

Best wishes

Stuart

www.jogtole.co.uk

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17/10/2011 by admin.

I had a much more successful day today.  Not as tired, no blister problems, and after asking about the condition of the canal towpaths, we tried them again and they were super today.  Lovely and quiet and very picturesque.

The weather was chilly again first thing, but not as cold a yesterday.  It was also a bit cloudy, but it brightened up and warmed up fairly quickly, and got up to about 16C again.

As we set off this morning to our starting point at Himley, it seemed like a very quiet Sunday morning, but in the car park where we were starting from, a gigantic car boot sale was taking place and the small lane past the car park was choc-a-bloc, so we did not hang about at the start as we were holding up the traffic.

Just as I started, messages were coming through about the Guernsey Church of Scotland’s fund raising breakfast held before this morning’s service.  It was terrifically supported and raised a whisker under £600.  I am very grateful to all who organised and attended that, and am very sorry to have missed it myself!

The route was through narrow lanes and it was a rolling terrain.  I found it quite difficult to get into my stride and build up momentum, so I did quite a bit of walking.  Guthrie was driving for his first day and was terrific.  He kept me updated on the New Zealand v Australia rugby score, he guided me on to the right roads and on to the canal at Cookley and kept me fed and watered throughout the day.  Many of the lanes were too narrow for the campervan to drive down, and once I got onto the canal towpath I was away from the cars for quite some time.  I had to phone once from the towpath to ask directions.

I came off the towpath at Stourport and then it was back on to rolling roads again.  The finish line was at Ombersley, just outside Droitwich and I made it there in 6 hours today.

Today we are having a change from the Premier Inns.  We have found that they have become a bit monotonous after a few weeks of a different one every night.  Tonight we are staying at Chateau Impney which is huge but nearly empty.  It looks like a large French chateau from the outside, but the inside does not match - lots of suits of armour and shields about.  At least my bedroom is not purple tonight.

Jannine and Paul Birtwistle from Guernsey have joined us this evening to drive for us until next Saturday, and I am looking forward to Guthrie running or cycling with me now that we have a full complement of drivers again.

I am going to send a couple of photos separately today - one of Doc and Guthrie studying the map, and one of me walking around about Kinver.

Tomorrow we head for Tewkesbury.  If you know of anyone in that area who might come out and see us on the way, it would be lovely to hear from you.

Best wishes

Stuart

www.jogtole.co.uk

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15/10/2011 by admin.

Today we had beautiful weather. Gary reported in full of the joys of spring having been given a clean bill of health after a day of tests at A&E.

We started at Newcastle-Under-Lyme and headed through the countryside over rolling hills and parkland.

I took a wrong turning and lost the back up vehicle but got back on track after a mile or so. The back up vehicle came to find me and I had already realised my mistake by then and had turned around and was heading back. Gary got ahead of me during my detour and, even though I know it is not a race, I was determned that he should not get to the finish line before me. Nicky and Raj knew Gary was ahead of me out of sight and I asked where he was several times and they denied all knowledge knowing that I would chase after him when I saw him. Which I did, though he waited for me at the end and we crossed the line together.

We passed Izaak Walton’s cottage where we ran with a couple who live in Nantes and are training for the Paris marathon. Doc met some very kind people on the route today who enquired about the run and one asked if he there was anything we needed for the trip that they could help with. Doc is so organised that the campervan is fully stocked

We finished in a great time today - just 6 hours. The difficulties with Endomondo appear to have been caused by me knocking the keyboard whilst I am running and I will try to take more care int he future. Sincere apologies for this. Today, for example, it registered about 41 kms run and we actually ran 44 1/2.

Amanda visited this evening from Nottingham with some delicious muesli bars and we had a lovely evening with her.

Tomorrow is another change over day so there will be some logistics to work out, as well as the rugby which Doc and Gary intend to watch. The rest of us are planning an early start and it looks as though the route will take us out to the west of Birmingham through the countryside. Canal towpaths have now been completely abandoned.

Thank you all so much for your messages of support.  I am sorry I cannot reply to them all, but they do give me a huge boost.

Best wishes

Stuart

www.jogtole.co.uk

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