After recieving lots of great logo designs for PLANETS Charity, I can reveal the winner was David Wilson of Thornhill Primary School. I’d like to thank everyone for their time in designing the logos. All of them were far better than I could have done! David will now be picked with his parents by chauffeur driven Jaguar on the morning of the event and will sound the air horn to signify the start of the GWA.

David’s design will be available to view as soon as possible.

After battering myself over a 2 hour run, dribbling and doubled over trying to catch my breath, an elderly man who was sat on a nearby bench observed “you’re tired arent you”!

Pupils from Thornhill Primary: “are you really rich and famous cos my Mum wants to know?”

“Are you quicker than Usain Bolt?”

“Why are you wearing tights?”

When Martyn was asked his reasoning for doing the challenge, one of his answers was “to put on weight”!

Steve (cameraman for the documentry) dropping the rather pricey camera whilst filming fitness testing. Only funny after the event though Steve!!

My new wetsuit filling up with water during a swim because I’d lost so much weight after being ill.

The next two weeks are what I call the “wrapping up in cotton wool” stage. Basically this means looking after yourself with even more care and attention during the ‘taper’ period and not doing anything daft. The key is to make it to the start line with a relaxed mind and a body that just wants to burst into action after its been repressed by performing at a lower intensity level in training.

Want to just be getting on with it now! Training hasnt gone to plan at all over last 2 months with hip problem but I cant do anything about that now. Just got to play with the cards I’ve been dealt.

With just a couple of weeks to go before the GWA, things are hectic as expected. Last Wednesday we took time away from GWA to have a meal and catch up with Consultants Brian Steadman and Neil Pearce from Soton General  and 3 inspiring ladies who have kindly agreed to help with the development PLANETS and have already produced stunning results.

PLANETS is the Charity Brian, Neil, Martyn and I set up last October. Its a branch under the umbrella of Soton Hospital Charity. Our first target is to raise £25000 to buy and liver and pancreas early detection scanner. The Great Wight Attack and the Novotel Ball in September are events to raise money to buy the scanner.

Scanning at an early stage can only increase ones chance of survival.

What a great day at Thornhill Primary School in Southampton. A big thanks to Mr Collins and colleagues for organising the day. We launched the PLANETS logo competition, did a bit of run coaching, sprint races and  had good Q&A sessions with some great questions coming my way. These included “are you quicker than Usain Bolt?” and “is the continual motion of front crawl the same principle as a propeller on a boat?” Incredible.

The school boasts some fine athletes with natural talent who can be as good as they chose to be. More importantly, all of them can boast infectious big smiles that lit up that playing field.

 Looking forward to attending the kids swim/run challenge next week. If this will  include a swimming race as a follow up to the run race, i’d better get some additional training in!

Things are starting to come together logistically. Equipment such as banners and flags from sponsors, barriers and gazebos are steadily coming in. IOW Council Risk Assesment approved, insurance sorted, a motivated team working overtime, event day schedule and ground plan near completion, compaire/dj has his script  and corporate sponsors tent taking shape.

Its been a busy 7 months thus far but this next month no doubt will be on another level! 

Sometimes I wonder what on earth we’ve created but its just grown with time. We didnt want to cap it, just let it realise its potential. Our support team now consists of 22 generous souls. Without these people, the event would be very different. It was origionally only designed to be a small event consisting of two nutters doing something daft. This is still the case but things around it have exploded.

I have a race against time to get the hip sorted. I have a chiropracteur clicking me around (she’s nicknamed me Bubbles because I pop like bubble-wrap), a Sports Therapist digging his elbows into my hip flexor and now an Acupuncturist sticking needles in my bottom. Lets leave that one there shall we! 

I’ve been advised not to run. Its stuffed up the run training big time but it needs sorting. It may well be that I’m advise not to run at all before the event but if it means me having the best chance of getting round then I’ll do it.

2 months of no running will result in a big loss of fitness but its such a mental challenge and that side of things is pretty well trained.

Starting to feel the pinch a bit now. With so much to do and only 6 weeks to get in done by, I’m starting to get a little stressy! More and more training sessions are being ditched in favour of working on getting the event ready. Not ideal but thats the way it is.

Its great to see so many donations going on the site. I dont know very many of the kind donors but thankyou very much!

I’m hoping to run again in a couple of days to test where the hip is at. Its feeling better but i’ll know more after a couple of miles at tempo pace.

Sleep, running, 30 hours in a day, legs 20 years younger and another £13,000 all needed.

I’m hoping my visits to Stefan (our Sports Therapist) and Liza (Osteopath) over the last 3 days have sorted my troublesome hip out. I have a very tight Psoas muscle (lower back to hip) which has thrown a spanner in the works and raised negative doubts. However, i am much more optimistic now after Stefan dug his elbow in my hip and nearly made me cry. And Liza pretending she was only giving me a cuddle before popping me like bubble wrap…which nearly made me cry again.

For the time being, no running at all for Mr Dave though. Patience and I dont mix, especially as we leave 7 weeks today.

We had another live Radio Solent interview this morning. The presenter eluded to me breezing round this challenge because of my athletic background-cough, cough, splutter, splutter-no chance. I’m under no illusions it will be absolute hell. We’ll need lots of support so please come and shout encouragement to two old men trying to do some good!! Please!!

As I sit here balancing an ice-pack on my shoulder updating my blog, I realise just how many varying aspects of the project there are. Its a right old juggling act! Anyway, best dash. Got a Risk Assesment to start followed by a menu to design and collection pots to label and distribute!