Cancer

My blog's been dormant while I've been treated for cancer. Above is me the day after the second of my two operations this year. More to follow 

Streak on!

Our streak continues with a 21st run last night at Seaton. To be honest a lot of the runs have been in the 20 to 30 minute catergory and largely on road, but we've managed to keep going in spite of a few early mornings and several late night 'savers'. It's surprising how soon running every day becomes part of your life and unless one of us either gets seriously ill, or too injured to run, there should be no reason we can't plod on for a good while yet (famous last words!). We managed 53 days last winter leading up to the evening I found out mum had cancer and my first target is to improve on that. I heard reference to a '100 days of Christmas' challenge last night and 100 days would be a good second target if we can keep moving

Perspective

It was the Montane Lakeland 100 last weekend. Stef and I ran together and managed to do 75 miles before retiring at Mardale Head around 25 hours after starting. There was a heavy thunderstorm as we approached the check-point at Mardale Head and a combination  of us both having bad feet,  paths turning rapidly into streams,  the weather not really clearing properly and the next leg starting with a big climb meant we didn’t feel happy heading out towards Kentmere. The race organisers had laid on a bus for retirees and fairly soon we were back at race HQ in Coniston

Yesterday I received a call from a former work colleague. The call was to confirm what we already suspected: that a mutual friend of ours is in the final days of his life after battling bravely against cancer.  This friend is a much respected person in our industry and will be sorely missed by customers, friends of whom he has a great many and his family

The 100 was my first ever DNF in an organised race and upset me quite badly but yesterday’s news put that into perspective. Stef and I had an amazing day in an area of the country we both love and a good man I’ve known for over thirty years is about to lose his life. Not finishing the race isn’t really that important now

Sheena is a punk rocker

R.I.P mum

Firstly apologies for the title but I want folk to see this. It's not about the last lot of hill reps I did, or a night in the Swan, as you might have guessed already

My mother Margaret passed away yesterday peacefully after finding out barely two weeks before she had cancer. Our small family (both my mother and late father were only ones) are taking great comfort in that mum died at home in her own bed, suffered little pain in her final day thanks to the efforts of wonderful NHS and Marie Curie staff, and was surrounded by friends and family in her final days

The reason for this blog post is we suspect mum had symptoms for a good while before becoming really ill and ignored them, we think out of fear. Therefore I have a plea. If you have a problem and you're choosing to turn a blind eye to it at present please go and get it checked out. I'm arranging another blood pressure check asap for myself, because in spite of being reasonably fit, high blood pressure runs in our family and mine is borderline at best as I've posted before. If something is bothering you please go and get help soon

There'll be more to follow on my mum and her life soon