The final countdown - the final 'thank you'!

Hello to you all.

Firstly may I say a big thank you to everyone who I have pressured into reading this blog during its very short existence - you can sit comfortably now knowing that this is the last time you will be forced into reading this tedious drivel. I have enjoyed writing it as it has been something for me to look forward to and keep me motivated.

I had 2 people at work this week tell me that they had actually 'enjoyed reading' this blog - they were quickly rounded up and passed onto the care of 'Occupational Health'!

So, just 9 days to go, no more 'long runs' left in my training, just a few short sharp bursts next week - probably to the chippy and back at lunch - so my legs feel in 'tiptop' condition for the race.

This week I can honestly say though that I am proud to have hit the dizzy heights of 9 miles in my training - a big achievement for me after picking up a virus last week meaning I didnt run for 10 days. I woke up at 515am on Tuesday to leave the office at 645am, on my own, as my running partner Ian 'Flo-Jo' Burgess had a poorly eye lash which prevented his legs from working. In horrendous wind and rain, I set off on my 9 mile route, just me, accompanied by the Backstreet Boys, N-Sync and Aqua on my MP3 player (personally I think singing Barbie Girl out loud whilst running IS acceptable). The rain was horrific. My clothes weighed an extra 3 stones by the time I had turned the first corner - but then again, thats what you get when you do your training dressed head to toe as Chubaka. I wont be wearing that again...





Anyway, I completed it, just. And felt very proud to have done so. My longest run so far. I think celebrating it with 3 bacon sandwiches and a diet-coke was a bit excessive but hey, I have made progress!

So, looking ahead to the big day, I am really looking forward to it. I severely hope that the adrenalin carries me the extra 4 miles as I really want to do this without stopping. Its been a very long few months in which I have lost weight, gained weight, gained some more weight, stopped smoking, ached, hurt, moaned and yawned but most importantly laughed. Its been fun in the most perverse way known to me!

So please wish me luck for the big day, I will certainly need it. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me and to everyone who has very kindly sponsored me to run for my designated charity Framework - it is massively appreciated.

As always, you can read about Framework and their fantastic work at www.frameworkha.org/ and you can kindly sponsor me at www.justgiving.com/james-sturman

And so I leave you with a short conversation I was having with a colleague the other day. She asked me if I was planning to raise my arms in celebration as I cross the finish line.

I kindly pointed out to her that after 13.1 miles, I wont even be able to raise a smile, never mind my arms...

3 weeks to go

Hello all,

3 weeks and 2 days to go – 23 sleeps and most definitely counting - until the big day of 19th September. My legs are now pretty much numb, I can’t stop yawning and I am single handedly sending the share price of Deep-Heat soaring.

After being banned from the gym for my escapades earlier in my training (you can read these below), I have had to take to running the streets around North Park and Gosforth. I have a lovely regular route planned out now which takes in a few slight hills, 2 bacon-sandwich shops, 3 conveniently located shelters where I can have a lie-down and multiple bus-stops - just the sort of route I need!

On a serious note, my ‘training’ for the Great North Run is coming on very strong – I am comfortably up to 7 miles after this morning’s run and I even found energy for a final mile dash today. I didn’t have to use my bus fare once.

Today I was joined for the second time by my work colleague / running buddy Ian ‘Jurgen Klinsmann’ Burgess. A 6.50am meet outside the office – now that is dedication for you. Well, what a pair of plonkers we looked. It was about -5 degrees, everyone else was wrapped up warm in their coats and there’s me and Ian, dressed like a couple of good ‘uns fresh from the set of Brokeback Mountain.

We did a 6 mile run last week which was largely uneventful but today’s run took a turn for the funnier with Ian seemingly tripping over a red ant after about 5 miles and subsequently doing one of the longest ‘whole-body-weight-being-forced-forward-staggers’ that anyone has ever seen – there must have been at least 20 steps and 40 arm circles before he finally was able to stand upright again.

The sheer panic on his face was enough for me to lose all control and ‘accidentally’ throw my 1 litre bottle of water at him – oh, happy days.

Anyway, that’s enough nattering from me – my next post will (un)fortunately be my last, written a week before the big day so for nearly the final time, please remember that I am doing all of this to raise some money for a fantastic charity, Framework, in Nottingham. I would truly appreciate any sponsorship money that you could be kind enough to part with. You can read more about Framework and their fantastic work at www.frameworkha.org and you can kindly sponsor me at www.justgiving.com/james-sturman

Thank you for reading.

Week 7

Wow, its been 4 weeks since I last updated this. Thats almost a month...Doesnt time fly. In this time, we've seen 'Team GB' win gold after gold at the European Championships, we've seen Alex Hurricane Higgins laid to rest, we've seen flooding in Pakistan, we've seen David James in Bristol, we've seen Lucas finally 'exposed' in Eastenders, we've seen budgets chopped, Beckham dropped, BP's leaking well has stopped...

So, while all that has been going on, what progress have I made in preparing for the 2010 Great North Run? 'Not very much' I hear you all say in unison! Well you would be wrong! For starters, I am running 4 miles every morning before work, with a longer run planned for each Sunday, its a 6 miler this weekend - I'm having to run outside each morning now though as I have been barred from the gym at work on 'fashion' and 'nudity' grounds! I think this came after I tried to shave a few pounds off when I got on the scales naked, standing on one leg whilst breathing in. They do let me have a shower in the gym afterwards though, so long as I 'keep everything hidden' I think was the exact phrase!

I have also gone 2 weeks now without a nicotine stick. I am feeling great for it. I'm not missing it one bit. Much. Probably.

I have purchased some running trainers today because I realised after 7 weeks of training that your feet bleed, your shins hurt, you get blisters, your back hurts and you generally look a bit odd running 4 miles every morning in a pair of white stilettos so I should make even more progress from today onwards!

So far, this 7 weeks has been a very strange pleasure, I am losing weight, I am getting fitter, I have given up nicotine and am putting myself through the mill every single day in order to raise as much money as possible for Framework so, please dig deep if you havent done so already and go to http://www.justgiving.com/James-Sturman, it is a very good cause believe me. You can read all about Framework and what they do at www.frameworkha.org

So, thats it for this week. I hope you have enjoyed reading this - there are now 5 weeks and 2 days to go - 37 sleeps - til the big day, its come round a bit too bloody quick for my liking!

Hopefully, by the time I write my next update, Arsenal will have stuffed Liverpool, I will have found some better music to replace Rick Astley and David Essex on my mp3 player and this Friday the 13th will have passed without a hitch...

Week 3

Hello to you all,

Its been a couple of weeks now since I last updated my blog - it seems that so much has happened in that space of time. The World Cup has finished, Raoul Moat has come and gone, Robbie has rejoined Take That (much to my delight) and after all my hard work so far, I have lost a staggering.................2 lb's 2 oz's.

2 lb's 2 oz's? Whats all that about? I've been ravenous and aching for the last 3 weeks and I've lost 2 lb's 2 oz's? Doesnt seem entirely fair.

Anyway, I am well into my training plan now, and was very pleased when I managed to complete a 4 mile run this morning. The others in the gym weren't so pleased though - apparently its not 'gym etiquette' to have Feargal Sharkey and Boyzone blasting out on your mp3 player, singing along while others are trying to train!

Well I am back in my beloved home town of Nottingham next week so if anybody there see's someone on the streets, dressed up as a camp, white version of Mr Motivator, running / skipping freely down the street whilst singing out loud to Chesney Hawkes, Charles and Eddie, Scatman John and many others, do not fear, I am only there for a couple of days!

So, thats me for this week. For next weeks weigh in, I plan to don the scales naked, whilst standing on one leg, after having shaved my head, shaved my legs, shaved my erm...armpits, cut my toe nails and fasted for 3 days - anything to get those scales to give me some bloody good news!

Anyway, thanks for reading. Til next week.

Thanks
James

ps. 2 lb's 2 oz's? Whats all that about?
pps. www.frameworkha.org and www.justgiving.com/james-sturman

1 week in

Hello to you all,

So, I am one week in and am absolutely cream crackered. Only 3 more months to go! My body and many other people are already telling me that I am an idiot for doing this. This was further backed up when I went for my first weigh-in at the gym yesterday. I am now fully aware of what 'overweight' and 'excess body-fat' really means!

My first proper run last week was an eye-opening experience. I completed the 3.2 miles in 34 minutes, stopping just the 4 times to throw up. The fact that I could barely walk for 3 days afterwards was no laughing matter. I found that the local 'mafia' dont seem to appreciate me running round their 'hood' in an Arsenal shirt, tighter-than-I-remembered blue shorts, white socks pulled up to around mid-shin level, illuminous blue hockey trainers and sweatbands on each wrist so I have been doing my running on the treadmill in the gym at work where everyone has a much better appreciation for fashion.

I have been given a training plan by a friend of mine, which I start in 11 days. By then, I need to be able to comfortably run 3 miles so I need to fit in around 30 miles between now and then. Joy.

And so, the hard work really has begun, I am aching from head to toe and its all in aid of Framework (www.frameworkha.org) and the excellent work they do. As before, please visit my just giving page www.justgiving.com/james-sturman if you would like to sponsor me to try to complete the Great North Run - it is truely appreciated.

Thank you...

Great North Run

So, here I am. 13 and a bit stone, the heaviest I have ever been. My lungs are about as effective as an England goalkeeper due to many years of nicotine abuse and I found out yesterday that I have 13 weeks to prepare for the 13 mile long Great North Run.

Courtesy of BUPA, I have been granted a free place on the run so I couldnt turn it down even if I tried (and believe me, I tried!).

The timing of this could not have been worse - the World Cup, Wimbledon, even the wonderful northern sunshine has come out - the perfect time of year for sitting on my backside and nailing a load of beers. But hey-ho, these things happen apparently.

As always happens with these sorts of things, I am hoping that as many people read this and sponsor me. All of the sponsorship I raise will be donated to a charity that I used to work for in Nottingham, a charity which truely does some amazing work, Framework. You can read all about Framework and their amazing work at http://www.frameworkha.org/

So, it is my first run tonight, I have a steady 2 mile run planned - not very far, I know, but those who know me well will recognise that I have never exactly been in 'tip-top' condition. I have made sure my route does not pass any bus stops, taxi ranks, pubs or chip shops so, for me, the dedication truely starts here. 13 weeks of gruelling training, no beer (tough), no cigarettes (even tougher), just 13 weeks of pure mind-over-matter for what I believe is a truely good cause.

I am planning on keeping this blog updated weekly to keep all of my supporters (or should I say both of my supporters!) updated with my (lack of) progress so thank you very much for reading this.

Pretty pretty please visit my just giving page at www.justgiving.com/James-Sturman and donate as much or as little as you can in aid of Framework.

Thank you
James Sturman