Tales of the Bob

The final update, sent 26th April, 2007...

My last London marathon update – promise. J

Given that I’ve been training for that ruddy race for the better part of 6 months & have been in your ear about sponsorship for at least 4, I think it’s only fair that you get your pound of flesh in the form of some unflattering photos, a couple of vids & maybe, if you can handle the tension, the truth behind my momentous battle with that pesky pooch, Scooby Doo.

Before we go on though, I really do have to once again say thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has supported me & sponsored me for this race. With your kindness & donations we have now raised just under £5,000 (A$12,000) & I know it sounds cornier than a very corny thing, but I really could feel all of youse out there with me. As Bette Midler might have said, you were the wind beneath my shoes. Or something. Anyway – obligatory plug for those of you still keen to chip in – the site will be open for the next couple of weeks as we do the final wrap-up & send the dosh off to the very grateful campers at Kidney Research UK – www.justgiving.com/thebob.

My time was officially registered as 4:09.17, meaning not only did I beat experienced marathoner Gordon Ramsay (that man has THE biggest head – saw it up close & personal as we raced, nay, staggered along Embankment), but I also got past former English rugby player Matt Dawson. Not bad for Fat Bob & something to cherish. Everyone I’ve spoken to said it was hard given temperatures of up to 27 degrees (might not sound hot for the Ozwegians amongst you, but when you’ve been training for months in 5-10 degrees, 27 is hot indeed).

Okay, enough of the updates & onto the real meat of this email – the truth behind my Battle with Scooby Doo.

I first saw Scoobs at around the 2 mile mark. I’d stopped for a widdle (as one does) & upon rejoining the pack I saw his bouncy brown head about 100 yards in front. “Okay Bob, there’s your marker” I says to myself. So off I trot to catch him up, passing him easily & settling into my race.

Miles roll by, I’m taking it slow, conserving energy, enjoying my time, slapping hands with the kiddies along the side of the road & generally having fun when up ahead I see Scooby again! What the hell, how did he get past me? Was I really going that slow? I know I was pacing myself & that there’s 36,000 people in this race but how did I miss a 7 foot brown dog overtaking me? So, off I run again to catch him up – this time however, throwing a nasty glance back over my shoulder to say “not again pal, not in my race”.

Okay, so we’re at 15 miles now, deep in the Docklands, sun beating down & only 11 miles to go. Starting to get tired, legs are weak, I’m sore all over but still up for the run of my life, when coming around the corner from Canary Wharf I see that feisty canine ahead of me again.

No. This is not happening.

After the near miss of the Reading Half Marathon Chicken Emergency I can NOT be beaten by a guy dressed up like a dog. And yet he had passed me again. Had I blacked out whilst running? Was I so busy concentrating on pounding the pavement that I missed his unmistakeable “hurro Shaggy, hehehe” laugh as he ran by? I was pretty sure no – but there he was ahead, running happily, tail wagging, ears bouncing. Bugger!

Now at this point I’d like to say I gallantly ran to catch him up again & once for all put his sorry doggy butt behind me. But no. I was a broken man. 16 miles into the London Marathon & I’d hit the wall, caused in no small part by knowing that not only did I still have 10miles to go, but a guy dressed up as a cartoon character was doing it easy. Every dog has his day & this was his – still, it’s kinda hard to take when you’re down & out.

So I struggled on, running, walking, limping, stopping to get my bearings & trying not to fall over. Running past Linda & co cheering at the 23mile mark, past Tower Hill, past Big Ben, past Gordon & Matt & finally onto Buckingham Palace & the finish. At last – done. Collect my medal, smile for the photo & almost collapse in sheer relief that I’d done it. I’d been beaten by a dog but I’d finished & I was happy.

End of story? Not quite. Hours later, I related my Battle with Scooby Doo to Linda & co over a couple pints, when with a smile she says “Oh Scooby Doo? We saw at least four of them running past, all spaced out along the course...”

Sigh.  And that, as they say, is that.

Finally – to the lovely Linda – thank you SO much for putting up with me, loading me up with pasta & rice & generally being the star you always are. I really couldn’t have done it without you. J

Cheers to all & thank you one last time - you’ve made this a very special event for me & for that – you have my heart.

Your friend,

Robbie

Post race update - send 23rd April.

Morning all,

I had 4 hours, 9 minutes & and 17 seconds yesterday to think about things & I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m really not cut out to be a marathon runner.

But, I did it. I finished. In the hottest London Marathon ever, in which the world record holder Paul Tergat pulled out, the great Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie pulled out, over 5,000 people were treated by St Johns on the side of the road & a further 70 were taken to casualty in a serious condition, I finished. A big tick in my life’s book of achievements & something that I’ll remember (mostly) forever. There were some very wobbly moments around mile 16 & my ongoing battle with Scooby Doo is something I’ll cherish for years to come (I think I got him in the end) – but for all that, I’m glad I did it.

A proper update with pictures will be coming in the next couple of days, but I just wanted to say: thank you for your support. I could really feel each & every one of you there with me on the course yesterday & when I hit a wobbly, it was the thought of you cheering for me that helped me carry on.

To Matty, Katy & Kristie & the lovely, lovely Linda -  thanks so much for coming down to support me! You rock – you have no idea how good it was to see you at 23miles & how your smiling faces got me through to the end.

Cheers all & thanks again,

Robbie

PS – Sponsorship update: now up to £4,850 (around A$11,700 J) & there’s still time if you’d like to make a last minute donation – www.justgiving.com/thebob. To everyone who’s already chipped in – thank you again!

Update #4 - sent 20th April 2007

So this is it – the deep breath before the plunge.

Only 3 sleeps to go before the London Marathon & you know what? I think I’m ready.

I had my final run last night, a nice & easy 10k (couldn’t have even said that 12 months ago) in my full marathon kit & it all worked a treat. For those of you coming down on Sunday, I’ll be the one in the green & purple with a big BOB written on the front, number 40360.  Linda & I drove part of the course on Sunday afternoon, checking out the start line in Greenwich, going past kiwi Matty’s at Surrey Quays (where Linda, Creany, Katy & others will be watching around the 9 mile mark) & onto the Embankment for the final stretch up to Buckingham Palace. Great for visualing the run (thanks Magdalena!) & so I say – enough training, bring it on!

Thanks again to all who have sponsored me so far – I’m now up to over £4,030 (including Microsoft’s contribution) – which converts to nearly $10,000 Pacific Pesos! All for the very worthy cause of Kidney Research UK. I personally cannot wait to deliver them the funds after the race as its by far the biggest thing like this I’ve ever done. Still time to donate as well if you haven’t had a chance: www.justgiving.com/thebob.

Best of luck as well to my friends, colleagues & fellow charity fund-raisers Susanne & Nicola – its been great bouncing training ideas & tips on how/where to apply vaseline with you & so all the best. Just think how good that beer is going to taste at the end!

So, cheers to all, wish me luck & I’ll be back to you next week for the post-race report.

Robbie

PS – if anyone’s coming down to the course on Sunday & wants to catch-up for a pint afterwards, then call the lovely Linda during the morning on 07737 265 414 to find out where we’ll be.

PPS – in true Upcroft tradition, I’ve crafted a little song to celebrate the occasion. With apologies to Kenny Rogers...

Sung to the tune of Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler”...

On a warm April’s morning, in a park east of London,

I met up with a runner, let’s say his name was Dan.

As we stood there slowly stretching, waiting for the starters whistle,

He said “don’t worry bout the blisters, just do the best you can”.

“You see son I’ve made my life, outta pounding on these pavements,

Never caring what the time was, just as long as I crossed the line”

“Cause if you don’t mind me saying, the best thing about this marathon,

Is drinking that cold Guinness, at the end, so you’ll be fine”.

Chorus

You’ve gotta get past the old ones, get past the cold ones,

Know when to walk the race & know when to run,

But you never count your beers, whilst you’re still out on the course,

There’ll be time enough for drinking, when the running’s done.

Now every runner knows, that the secret to survival,

Is using lots of Vaseline, in the place the sun don’t shine.

So I handed him my bottle, & he took care of everything,

Then he gave it back to me, & I took care of mine.

And then when we’d finished greasing, we headed to the startline,

Took in one final breath & waited for the gun.

And sometime later that morning, the runner he broke records,

And with his final words I knew this race was mine to run.

Chorus

You’ve gotta get past the old ones, get past the cold ones,

Know when to walk the race & know when to run,

But you never count your beers, whilst you’re still out on the course,

There’ll be time enough for drinking, when the running’s done.

3rd update, sent 12th April...

Afternoon all,

With only 10 days to go until the London Marathon (yikes!), I thought I’d share with you 10 interesting facts that you may not have known about this amazing race.

Before I do though, a big thank you once again to those who have sponsored me so far!  I’m now up to £1,882.20, which turns into £3,764.40 with Microsoft’s matching donation – cheers Bill J. For those of you in Oz, this is around A$9,035 – all for the very worthy cause of Kidney Research UK. For anyone who would like to chip in to help me get up to A$10,000 there’s still time right up until 9.45am on Sunday, April 22^nd & all you need to do is go to www.justgiving.com/thebob.

So, on with the facts & I’ll be back just before the big day with my final thoughts.

Cheers,

Robbie

PS – this is me finishing the Reading Half Marathon a couple of weeks ago, in a not so bad 1.41:14. Note the arms flailing, legs pumping, sheer determination of my run to the finish line – all because for the last mile or so I was being paced by a guy dressed like a chicken & I was NOT going to be in the same photo as him. So thank you chicken man, wherever you are...

Ten interesting (or maybe not) facts about the Marathon

1.       Legend tells of the ancient Greek messenger Eucles who ran the 25miles from Marathon to Athens to bring news of their victory in war. He announced “Rejoice, we conquer!” before keeling over & dying. This is known as hitting the wall.

2.       The official length of the modern course is exactly 26 miles, 385 yards. Or 42.195km. I’ve been told that rounding past Buckingham Palace & running these last 195 metres up The Mall in London can be one of the hardest, but also most exhilarating things you ever do.

3.       This length was set at the 1908 London Olympic games. Prior to this, it was always just around 25miles, give or take & it was going to be this length for those games as well. That is however until the Queen at the time decided that wouldn’t it be nice for the runners to start exactly in front of her balcony in Windsor & finish right in front of her daughter’s pavilion in London. Quite.

4.       The first Olympic marathon in Athens was famously won by local boy Spiridon Louis, their first & only gold medal of the games. Not to pour cold water on this, however most historians now agree that Spiridon perhaps didn’t stick to the spirit of the games (ie, getting a lift on his father’s bicycle for some 6km) & so the real winner should have been the amazing Edwin Flack of Australia, who had already won gold in the 800m & 1,500m & was third in the doubles tennis. Flack was way out in front in the marathon with mere miles to go, knew from messages passed on that no-one was in within a bulls-roar of him, when all of a sudden, up pops Spiro from behind a corner looking fresh as a daisy. Flack, feeling rightfully gutted & heartbroken, dropped out.

5.       The current men’s world record is 2 hours, 4mins & 55 seconds, set by Paul Tergat of Kenya in 2003. The women’s record is held by piddling Paula Radcliffe of the UK at 2 hours, 15mins & 25 seconds. The Bob will be aiming for 3hrs & 36mins, but would of course just be happy to finish the ruddy thing & certainly won’t be stopping by the side of the road to do his business like Paula! Or maybe he will – every second counts if he’s to beat UK colleague David Rosser’s time!

6.       On average, anyone who runs a marathon can expect to lose around 2-3 kilos of weight in sweat alone (probably more for The Bob me thinks so bring on the lucozade!)

7.       Kudos for most amazing marathoner must go to leukaemia survivor Lloyd Scott. In recent years, he has run a marathon every day for 26 days leading up to the launch, ran one underwater in Loch Ness & finally, completed the London Marathon in 2002 in a 120lb, 19^th century cast iron & vulcanized rubber diving suit. It took 5 days, 8 hours, 29 mins & 46 seconds – all for charity.

8.       London’s marathon is the UK’s single largest annual charity fund-raising event, contributing around £70million much needed funds every year.

9.       Think you’re too old to run? The oldest person to finish a marathon was 98 & in London last year, there were over 6,000 runners aged 50+, 1,000 past 60, 200 more over 70 & a remarkable 16 runners older than eighty.

10.   There’ll be around 33,000 people running in this year’s London Marathon, with nearly all of them running for a charity of their choice. So if you’re in London & get a chance on the 22nd, come down to the course, give a cheer & a word of encouragement & let them know you’re there! Here’s a link to the course – look out for me in my bright green shirt, purple Kidney Research vest & puffing red face: http://www.london-marathon.co.uk/site/images/course_map.pdf