Running through London

Firstly guys, I would like to say “Hello, I’m back”. I haven’t blogged for over a month. Work has been manic and so I haven’t had a moment to think.

At the end of September I flew over to London to take part in the first ever ‘Big Gay 10k’ run. I was very excited about doing the run. It was my first ever run. I was going to crawl and possibly die in a gutter do my best and try to get a good time.

For those who had read more on my Just Giving charity site would have known that I had been training to run since the beginning of July. Fun, fun, fun…

Well – 400 people took part in the 10km run in London. Some were runners, some were walkers and the rest were mincers!

The route was fantastic! Here are some photos from the fantastic day. (I’m in the blue vest, my fiancé is in bright yellow). Our super friends Sue and Caroline came to support us.

The fantastic route with London’s finest landmarks all the way around.

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The race was started by Cheryl Baker, in pink in the photos (from Bucks Fizz, the 1980s pop group who won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981). I even met her and had a post-run-sweaty photo together. Once the race was started, Bas and I were off like a shot. My music was playing and I was high on adrenaline. I wanted to get a good time. So far my best time had been 10km in 52 minutes (I was averaging 55 mins).

We kept up with the front group and split from the main ‘pack’. The streets of London were packed. As we all reached the Embankment, where the London Eye stands we had to wriggle and jump in and out of the tourists. As it was the first Big Gay 10k in London the organisers had been unable to clear roads or pavements, meaning for us that we had to contend with human-obstacles. They must have wondered what was happening…

Halfway through the race I realised that I was well over my usual pace. I got ahead of Bas who probably got caught in the crowds. Bas caught up with me at about 7 or 8km into the run. That was when we came face-to-face with the photographers. (Time to look as though I was loving it…).

At 8km I hit the wall. Not literally – a wall of pain. I really didn’t know if my body would get to the 10km finish line. Bas was brilliant and ran along side me the rest of the way. The last bridge was the last hurdle. I said to Bas “I don’t want to go uphill anymore”. He replied that we were there.

We had made it.

We came 28th and 29th (seconds divided us). 29th!!!! From 400!!!!!

Stunned. You can see my time below. Just under 51 minutes. It probably took me those 41 seconds to stop my timer.

You can see how much money I was lucky enough to raise for a great charity in London! Brilliant supporters – thank you!

Proof on my time! I am still in shock that I managed it.

The breakdown of the route.

The amount I raised for ‘London Friend’.

Preparing for my BIG GAY 10K

I used to hate long distance running. I would watch runners go past and envy the fact that they could do it – and wondered why they liked it.

Strangely enough that all changed earlier this year. I had heard about an App for my phone which could help you get from ‘couch potato’ to a runner (possibly good enough for the Olympics… okay, I can dream).

I have stuck to the challenges and kept running a few times a week (once every two days when I’m being really good).

A friend of mine in London posted information about the first Big Gay 10K in London on Facebook and I was hooked…

A real challenge for me. Will you support me? Here’s my page.

What have I got myself into? The next thing I knew I was signing up for my very first ‘proper’ run. I am currently running distances of 3-4K. The 10K might just finish me off…

Here I am – Looking my most sporty….

I have set up a Just Giving page so that you can track my progress and see if I am still alive. Of course, I’ll be blogging more about it here too.

In short – this is what it’s all about.

• It’s the FIRST ever Big Gay 10k run in London.
• The run takes place on 30th September 2012.
• The 10k has been put together to raise money for some of the UK’s leading Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender health and well-being charities.
• The charities organising the event are London Friend and PACE.
• The route will go along the River Thames – It means I get to run past icons like the London Eye, Tate Modern, Big Ben and Westminster! Fab!
• You’re allowed to RUN it, WALK it, MINCE it…
• It’s a great excuse to get my legs out.
• I may not make it to October…

I would love it if you took the time to check out my Just Giving page – You may even like to make a small donation for the wonderful charity. (That’s the easy bit – I’ll be the one running around London in September).

A Generation Thing

“The youngsters of today”.

Oh what a terrible bunch.

“We were never like that when we were young”.

I am forever seeing emails, posts and memories of a rose-tinted past of when older generations lived an idyllic life. But – hang on a minute. I think some people have got it all wrong. Are the older generations right when they criticise the young people today? Read some of the comments below and take a minute to really think about them.

“The younger generation are so violent – It’s all because of the violent computer games”.

Which generation was it that started two World Wars?

“The younger generation have no family values”.

Which generation shipped off women to have their babies then forced them to return home in shame and never speak of their children, who they would never see again.

“The younger generation are always texting and using their phones – Facebooking and Tweeting…”

Which generation effectively Facebooked and Tweeted across their garden fences when entire communities lived in the same village or town. The world is more mobile now but the gossip is just as connected now as ever.

“The younger generation have no respect”.

Which generation showed little respect to other cultures (creating Empires, claiming nations, having slaves, banning mixed race marriages), or homosexuals (banning same-sex marriage)? Which generation created more divides between social and ethnic groups?

“The young are not educated”.

Which generation felt the need to only educate the men and knew that a woman’s place was at home?

If the older generation are proud then so be it, but I am glad to be from the younger, progressive, more open, less high-and-mighty generation where people can be more free with their lives. People can marry who they wish without having to live in shame or run the risk of being disowned by their families and friends.

The world is far from perfect – but surely it is improving – human rights continue to improve.

I would rather live in 2012 (which the older generation criticise so often) than the repressed 1940s.

The Incredible Bond

I wonder what you thought when you read the title of this post. I wonder what images flashed into your mind as you scanned the words and then clicked on the link.

My post today comes after watching a moving video showing Maureen Walsh, a Republican in the United States of America talk on the subject of gay marriage. Her political direction is not what I am focusing on today – more the words which she shares. The speech she gave was brief – only four minutes, but it felt so personal.

I am lucky to live in a country where I am free to marry who I choose. In fact, I will be marrying the partner I love and want to spend my life with… I am lucky to be here and not in one of the many countries which continue to discriminate so strongly against homosexuality.

Please watch the video. It doesn’t take long. Just listen to how passionately she speaks on the subject.

I wonder what you’re thinking right now…

I am thinking about the words she used:

“How can I deny anyone the right to have that incredible bond with another individual in life?”

So true.

I wish more people felt this way.