Marathon des Sables - 2nd Payment & Registartion Complete

Well, I have done absolutly nothing since returning from Paris and therefor I thought I would add some pictures of the Marathon des Sables and a You Tube link for the MdS 2009...... We have paid our 2nd instalment of the Marathon des Sables however this week and completed registration. I did do a Body Pump class but I am soo sore because of it I couldn't run this weekend, ha ha!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUexdN6rBgE&feature=related

Have a great week!!!!!

CS

A MASSIVE THANK YOU!!

I would like to make a Special mention for those that have sponsored me via my parents whose names are not on the Just Giving site.

Sally & Tim Dawson, Louise Dawson, David & Gill Stockford, Jennie & Vyv Hardless, Gill Clegg, June Gilmore, David Griffiths, Shirley & Tony Stricklen and Fitness First (my employer). Together you have raised £1610 which is simply incredible, thank you!!

On my birthday many of my friends and family left money in the shoe box so Thank you to you (including Fiona's taxi service money - Thanks Fi (my favourite God-mother xx)

I also want to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to everyone that has so generously sponsored me so far through my Just Giving site for 'Get Kids Going.' Thank you so much, it means a lot to me and so far we have raised £1905 which absolutely fantastic. I would also like to add that I have had a personal email from ‘Get Kids Going’ thanking me when we reached the £1,500 and wishing me all the best for the following 7 months before the race.

THE MARATHON des SABLES is organised by 'The Best of Morocco' who donate some of our entry fee to an African charity called - Noma, a disease that eats away the cheeks of (usually) young children. This is a terrible disease and one that with more research and funding will hopefully be treated.

Muchísimas gracias de mí.
Charlie

UP AND COMING FOR REST OF 2008!!!

• SEPTEMBER 28 - ZARAGOZA MARATHON - SPAIN
• OCTOBER 26 - FRANKFURT MARATHON - GERMANY
• NOVEMBER 30 - SAN SEBASTIAN MARATHON - SPAIN
• DECEMBER - TRAINING WEEK ON SAND AND IN HEAT WITH BRUCE WRIGHT

Remember if you want to Sponsor me or Bruce Wright on any of the events we are taking part in just check out our Just Giving sites or contact me.

http://www.justgiving.com/charliestockford1

Thank you, Charlie

5 WEEK SUMMARY

Its been a big month!!

I have run a total of total of 290km in August (around 70km / week) although the last week in Aug I had a stomach bug which kept me from doing anything. The London to Paris, Sleepless in the Saddle and some week day cycling made up a total of around 700km on the bike. Need to do more and keen to plan some winter heat for both of us. think this our biggest hurdle...

Feeling good now, the weather back here in Madrid is very muggy and close with little sun but need to get out there soon.... Have so much work on with Fitness First so going to have to be very very time strict or things could drop off!!! Soo much to do with soo litle time, such a shame that training for endurance events and work need soo much time....

CS

LONDON to PARIS BIKE RIDE

It’s a Raining on us, hallelujah; it’s a Raining on us!!!!!!!
Note to self: Stop entering Cycle races in the UK - It rains heaps there OK!!!
Just kidding, although it did rain pretty much non stop (or at least while we were on the bike) it was an amazing experience. We set off from Crystal Palace on Thursday morning - 24 Fitness First employees or suppliers en-route to Paris!! Nice. About 2 hours in and the rain came down, and it didn't stop till pretty much Friday night.. We cycled all the way down to Newhaven through Turners Hill, Ditchling and other English villages before boarding a ferry to Dieppe. Friday the rain was constant but thin... On we went for a smaller day heading to Gournay en Bray via Torcy le Petit, Mathonville and arrived after another 85km.... The last day was big one!! 120km to Paris.. Steve Kouma and myself had well and truly taken the leaders Yellow Jersey (not that it was a race, yeah right!!). We were cycling head onto a strong Southerly wind which pretty much stopped us if we stopped peddling!!! Good team work on the last day with most of the hard work from Steve - cheers buddy... So arrived in Paris at 16,00 on Saturday after cycling around 325km over 3 days and absolutly loved it!!!!
WE WERE CYCLING FOR - BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION and the Just Giving site for this event is:

• http://www.justgiving.com/FFLondonToParis08

We have so far raised around £30,000 so please help us raise the desired 35,000 - Thank you.
I want to say a special thanks to a fellow rider - Mr Rob Barker it was a pleasure to meet you and I have to say you have truly inspired me to do a Half Ironman next year.... For anybody interested I have decided to train for the Zurich Half Ironman next August... See you there!!
Charlie

VALENCIA Training Week with BW

So, 2 weeks ago Bruce and myself flew to Valencia for a bit of a training week (on sand). The grand plan was to test our running equipment like Backpack, Gaiters etc but we have not gotten around to buying any of the specialist gear yet.. Arrived Saturday and warmed the legs after the travel with a quick 45 minutes. Sunday morning we woke from our 5* luxury accomodation at a Parador and headed out. We left at 08,30 for a 4 hour run, soft sand, hard sand - the lot. We managed around 31km (which on sand is pretty good) and only the sun caused a worry. Thinking it got up to 30º at 12,00 ish and seriously slowed us down. Great run though, beautiful beaches, women, sun, women ;-)
Here is the 1st run:



The rest of the week was awesome also taking in the sights of the Valencia street circuit, La Tomatina - the Tomato throwing festival in Buñol, and around (in total) 80 - 90km running. On the last day we ran for 3hrs with the final 2km finished with a bit Fartlek across soft sand (sprint / jog / sprint / jog etc). Amazing training and seriously hard, could have done a bit more this!!!! Should have really done more running but a surprise Foam Party for children aged between 3 to 12 (and Bruce and Charlie) kept us up drinking untill 6am so wiped out 1 whole day - Oops, nobody is perfect!!
HAD AN AWESOME HOLIDAY THOUGH, WE NEED TO TRAIN HARDER AND TRAIN LONGER IN THE HEAT!!! I AM HOPING I AM GETTING USED TO THE HEAT, BUT WITH THE MdS AT THE END OF WINTER WE ARE BOTH GOING TO NEED TO TRAIN AGAIN IN HOT WEATHER SO 2-3 TRIPS TO A MEGA HOT COUNTRY ARE NEEDED IN DEC, JAN AND FEB I RECKON!!! WHAT DO YOU THINK BRUCE???
CS