Friday 22 August 2014

Cash for insults

There are a number of events each and every summertime that negate the need to look at the calendar to remind you what season we're in. 

Wimbledon, for example.  Glastonbury.  Recreational rioting.  Exam results.  The imminent X Factor auditions.  And the White family extended excursion to the Causeway Coast.  

The latter begins tomorrow and I cannot wait.  Well, I say that, but there's one bit I'm absolutely dreading.  

It's exactly a fortnight on Sunday until the Great North Run meaning that, this Sunday morning, I'll be forced to head out for my last but furthest "long run."  We're talking something between 11 and 12 miles.  So quite a bit then.

I ran 10 miles last Sunday. It was incredibly painful at the time, and I've genuinely been hurting all week.  In fact, a two-and-a-bit mile hobble last night was as much as I've been able to do since.

However, as soon as dawn's crack presents itself on Sunday coming, I'll have to be up and at it.

The good news is that many kindly folk continue to be very generous in donating to my fundraising pot for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. 

So much so that, last night, I passed through the halfway mark in my quest to raise £1,000 in memory of David McClarty and Mags Maciver, so we're well on track.  But I'll only get there if more nice people come forward to support me.

Returning to Sunday morning, my plan is to run from my mum's in Portstewart, along the Prom, out the Coast Road to Portrush and then to the Whites Rocks before heading back.  And I'll be wearing my chosen charity's garish yellow tee shirt.


Ah yes, the very one. 

Together with these running shoes.


Ah yes, the very two.

So you won't fail to spot me.

And I'll level with you.  Whilst I might say I intend to be up and away early, I also plan to spend at least part of tomorrow afternoon in my beloved Railway Arms (have you voted for Clare yet?) before heading out elsewhere later.  In other words, come Sunday morning, I'll probably be in need of a lie in - and most likely won't be up and at it early at all. 

If you are cruising along the North Coast and see me crawl into view, feel free to wind down your window and hurl abuse. I'll take it as a form of encouragement.  But the deal is that you then have to give me some cash when you get home via this link.

I can't say fairer than that.  And you can say whatever you think appropriate.  The shorter words, the more you pay.

Now then, time to pack.