Day 442 - Sunday 11th March 2012

No exercise Saturday (this is always my day off).  I did however exercise my stomach by taking on a massive plate of Chinese food for dinner!  Probably not the greatest idea in the world as although I love Chinese it has been a while since I’ve had it and it’s not great in quantity for my chrones; also its not the best preparation for a long run the following day.

Sunday morning turned up at about 6am with the twins joining us (which meant we have a night free from them – yey) and then Asher joined about 6.30am.  The sun was already shining and it looked like a glorious one.  A bowl of rice crispies later and I was on the road at 8am for my run.  I ended up doing the lonhest one I’ve ever done in terms of miles and time; 3 hrs 9 minutes, 20.01 miles.  All was fine until about mile 16 when my right knee became so painful that I had to walk for about a mile; really annoyed about that.  After the mile it still really hurt, but I got going again and made it home.  I will not run now anyway for another week and will take that time to get some treatment and rest from running; I want to do it again next Sunday if possible, so need to have the knee sorted by then.  I think it was just an “I T band” issue, so stretching and foam roller, however painful it will be, should do the job.  Another thing that would help me if to take some drink and food/gels with me; as usual  am probable the only fool no eating or drinking on a 20 mile run!

The run itself was great though (apart from the pain).  I went dyke road to seven dials, down new England to fire station, along London road to pier, along coast road into marina, out marina onto undercliff road, along undercliff past Rottingdean to the wall as far as you can get, then turned and back to marina, up steep hill to top road , down road to pier, passed palace pier to west pier, turn back to palace pier, then around back to London road past pavilion, all the way along London road passed preston park, turn left up to Withdean stadium, then tediously slow up valley driver, then down dyke road and home.  When I was heading towards rottingdean I bumped into Fiona going the other way which was lovely.  Then when I was back on dyke road heading home I bumped into Little Bob and finished my run with him.  It was like Brighton Swimming Club running section! 

After getting home and having a 30 minute lye in the spa pool to rest the legs it was back up on em and back to the seafront with the kids on their scooters.  The rest of the day, although glorious weather and wonderful kids, was somewhat painful on the knee.  Hopefully tomorrow in the sea will help that (freeze away the pain!)

Swimming day 441 - Friday 9th March 2012

I’m still not sure how one functions being so busy and having so little sleep; but then again who cares how, as long as it continues.

Last night after dinner I headed to Falmer and joined Bob in the outside pool.  We did exactly 1 mile in lengths and then some speed exercises.  Before starting the swim we both looked like we were sleepwalking and energyless; however in we went nevertheless and an hour later we emerged wetter, more tired, yet energized.  Exercise really is a good energizer; it’s like Duracell for the body.

If it had just been the night swim then I would have woken all refreshed and ready for the day ahead; sadly Mia decided to play up.  Bless her heart she wasn’t well, however she was also being minxy as she does.  By 2.30am I was still sitting in her room and sending work emails on my ipad (my clients must think I’m a workaholic!).  Each time Sharon and I went to leave her room she screamed. We should have left her but we didn’t want the boys waking up, so it wasn’t until around 4am we eventually got to sleep in our own bed.  By 4.30am she was with us again, along with Jesses, then Asher!  So basically no sleep! 

By 7am, dressed and sleepwalking again, I was in the arch with Big Bob, LB, Mike, David, Paul S, Flick, Martina, Charlotte and Lindy – a large crowd at last; lots of laughs and jokes as usual.  The sea was relatively warm (up to 6.5 degrees somehow), very flat and it was a low tide. The sky was fantastic; bluie with whispy clouds and the sun threatening to come up any second. For a nice change Big Bob and I headed "out" rather than "along" and went to the silver ball and back. It was fab to see the end of the pier after so many months.  Hopefully anytime soon we'll be back swimming around it; 2 more degrees and it's game on for that.

Afterwards it was a fantastic coffee in the Red Roaster with my boys, then off to work for one of the most manic days I can remember in years (all good thank goodness) and then an hour in the gym with Ross to beat up my biceps. 

Now, 8pm, at home and still trying to get the kids to bed.

Roll on the weekend!!  Roll on bedtime!!  Roll on sleep!!

Swimming days 434-440 - Catch up now the sites live again

Horrah the Trust site is back up - many apologies for the down time; at least it meant you had a break from my ramblings for a few days.  However  we are now back up again and rambling can continue......

Day 435 – Thursday 1^st March 2012

A few days of small blogs; hardly any time and little to say.

A swim in the sea was very refreshing after yesterday beating by Bob.  Temperature up to around just over 6 degrees, so still cold but the face not hurting quite as much.  Very calm sea and we did around 14-15 minutes.

Big news for me is that after 21 years of trading solo, I have now completed both a merger and an acquisition!!  Not for the faint hearted and very time consuming and stressful. 

Day 436 – Friday  2^nd March 2012

No sea today because I am still a single man (a few more days) and this morning I had to take Asher to School and the Twins to nursery; then dashing to the office for a manic day.  Today and the next few days will be very crazy at work due to the merger and the acquisition; way more mentally tiring than even a 7 hour pool swim I think.  But if I can do a 7 hr pool swim then I can certainly do this!

After work (leaving at 3.00pom today as I need to get my head clear) it’s an hour in the gym with Ross followed by an hour in the pool.  I know I’ll be shattered before then and really should stay in the office, but in reality I will be much more use to everyone once I’ve cleared my head and exercised both body and mind. 

Day 437 – Sunday 4^th  March 2012

Raining hard, sleeting hard (actually snowing!!!) and cold!!  Where did that come from! 

Yesterday, Saturday being my day of rest from exercise, I had my 3 kids, my two nephews and one of their friends – a single parent of 6!!  After lunches, entreating and then dinner for all I was pleased to see the back of them all and head to bed!!  Actually they were all great and a joy, but 6 on your own is not something for everyday! 

After lunch I deposited the kids to my sisters, dashed home, stuck on some short shorts and a running vest and hit the streets for my Sunday run.  As it was around 2 degrees and raining and snowing it had to be a quick one; just around 5 miles and all at a run.  Did I feel better for it?  Of course!!!

Day 438 – Tuesday 6th March 2012

Yesterday was another no exercise day as I had to deposit all the kids to school/nursery, then complete a couple of client visits and then head to Heathrow to collect my wife – at last she returns!! 

This morning, with Sharon now on schooling duties it was possible to get back to the beach.  The cold spell over the weekend brought the sea back to 5.4 degrees, although it was still relatively flat.  Big Bob and I headed from our beach to the thistle hotel against the tide then back with the tide to our beach.  Total swim about 14 minutes and a decent pace both ways. 

After showering and dressing, realising I had forgotten my jumper and only had a shirt on, it did take about an hour to warm up.  But it was glorious. 

Usually on a Tuesday I would also get to the gym, but the work load prevents it, really not good as I could have done with it.  So tonight it will be the home gym for an hour and then making up for it with Ross later in the week; hopefully some pool work with Bob as well.

Day 439 – Wednesday 7th March 2012

I’ve been blogging but the Starr Trust web site has been down so I haven’t been able to post any.   Apparently some hackers attacked a hosting site and over 2000 website were affected; no damage caused, just sites down.  Now of course this wasn’t personal to me, but it has affected us; a children’s charity just trying to Help Children Smile.  What on earth possesses people to do such things and cause such disruption to others?  Ultimately they only hurt themseveles; negativity attracts negativity and therefore the law of attraction takes it back to them; why oh why!

Back to today.  A glorious swim this morning.  Cold in the air and dull in the sky, but the wind was kicking up a storm and the sea was reacting to it.  A lowish tide meant it wasn’t dangerous (well at least not for experienced sea swimmers – pool swimmers should not attempt such antics).  Big Bob and I went in right next to the groin where it was safest and we headed out rather than along.  A great fun swim amongst some big waves; not for the faint hearted or the less experienced, but great for us.  Little Bob and Mike (a naked Mike as he forgot his swimming shorts!!) also went in but stayed closer to shore; probably sensible.

What was not sensible however was on Sunday; Little Bob and Lindy did a half marathon ion that weather!  Rain, Sleet, Snow and extremely cold.  I ran about 5-6 miles and was happy to get back; they ran a half marathon out in the wilderness – nuts or brave!

Day 440 – Thursday 7th March 2012

Bloomin eck its cold this morning.  If I was a turtle I would wind my neck back in and hibernate a while.

The good news for today are that the Trust site is back up and working and also that Mike has found his trunks and was swimming again with dignity; phew.  The sea was chilly, down “once again” to 5.4 degrees and the air temp must have been around 2 degrees.  The wind had died down which meant a calmish sea, just a few large swells and a strong easterly tide left over from yesterday.  Big Bob and I headed towards the donut groin (our favourite swim of the moment), but the tide made it more like swimming on the spot.  We swam for around 15 minutes I think and an hour later my hands are still a little numb!  Other swimmers today were Little Bob, Mike, Flick and David – so few again.  I think others are coming at different times, but it’s a shame so few of us this winter.

Tonight at 9pm I’m at Pool boot camp with Bob again; be weired to do it in the dark of night rather than the dark of morning, but it’s gotta be done.

Swimming day 434 - Wednesday 29th February 2012 (leap year)

Come on, push yourself!  Get up Starr, get working!  What is this a play ground!!  Move move move!!!  Swimming boot camp with Big Bob; tough as it gets!

6.45am at Falmer and 7am in the outside pool. A grey morning, but warm in the air and by the time we finished a bright blue sky.  70 minutes of non stop pool lengths and sprints; about 2000 metres in total with no break.  As tough as it is first thing in the morning having had no sleep and a child throwing up all over you during the night, a swim like this with Bob is brilliant.  It really challenges and pushes you to the limit.  I certainly think that maybe food or drink before the swim would make me go faster, but even as it is I kept up with Bob most of the time and hopefully challenged him as much as he challenged me.

Tomorrow the sea calls.

Swimming day 433 - Tuesday 28th February 2012

Another night of ups and downs, although mostly with the Twins only, although I think Asher may have made one appearance as well (you tend to wake up in the morning after an hours sleep and not really know who came and who went and how many times).

Back to the arch by 7am and some usual peeps; Little Bob, Mike, Shoichi, Damien, Flick, Martina, Charlotte, Big Bob, James and finally after many months of extreme illness and operations; David.  He is quite something, the oldest member of the club, many illnesses that would stop most elephants, a recent virus that meant a hip replacement and he is back at the arch at 7am and heading into a 5.5 degree sea.  Some people are truly incredible and can make you realise that limitations are simply things that society place on us and it is our choice as to whether we buy into it or not.

Big Bob and I headed out to the donut groin and along mid way to the other beach before turning back to our beach about 12minutes later.  A decent swim in a flat sea calm sea.  Sometimes it really is enjoyable and this morning was certainly up there. 

This afternoon I’ve got an hour with Ross in the Gym followed by a short 5k run.  Then tomorrow it’s a morning pool with Bob at Falmer.  Already tired thinking about it!

Note to LB – changed it!!  Next chapter for your eyes only!!

Swimming day 432 - Monday 27th February 2012

Just as you think you’ve nailed it with the kids sleeping they throw you back into chaos and prove that in truth it is all in their control.  Last night was a mixture of Asher, Mia & Jesse all coming in at various times and us taking them back until they not only one the battle but also the war! 

Despite the battle of the Somme last night I was at the arch by 7am and ready to put my aching runners legs into some cold water.  And cold it was, although probably about half a degree up on last week.  Bob and I headed for the donut groin and back; total swim about 9 minutes, which was enough for me this morning.

Day 431 - Sundaty 26th February 2012

What a glorious summers day today.  The fact that it’s February doesn’t mean it can’t be summer; it’s sunny, warm, dry and simply beautiful out there.  8.00 am, running shoes firmly tied in place and I was soon the streets, so important to get some miles in now that the marathon is nearly here.  It’s a real balance to try to get enough training in to satisfy the channel swim (being the most important of course) and the marathon (not exactly an easy challenge).  I decided today to go for the enjoyment factor rather than watching distance or time, which is how I expect myself to run the marathon itself.  It’s quite tough as instinctively I want to check both time and distance, but I kept my iphone on silent and hidden away and only checked it when I got home.  

I ran all around Brighton, most of it along the seafront of course.  My god it was beautiful.  The sea was absolutely flat and a kind of sky blue and there was a number of seagulls just hovering around whilst others were simply floating on the sea.  Being still quite early meant that whilst there were a few runners and some early risers looking for coffee and toast, the seafront was relatively quiet.  It made it quite a personal run to be honest, which was a lovely start to the day.  Watching the sea all the way down the seafront made almost desperate to strip off (not in public of course) and head straight down the stone and dive in; it was almost compelling.  I don’t know if I only I get this as a sea swimmer or if other runners feel it as well, but I seriously don’t remember ever feeling like that before I started sea swimming.  There really is something about being in the sea everyday that becomes almost needy about it, almost habit forming, a drug of sorts; very odd, but in a good way.  Maybe all addicts think that!!

Back to the run; 15.93 miles in total (although I think it was a bit more than that as the iphone app does drop off sometimes) and a time of 2 hrs 9 minutes and 48 seconds.

As for the rest of the day; well as a wonderful summers Sunday it will be time with Sharon and the kids outdoors, followed by a yummy Sunday lunch and then a crash into bed before the rubbishness of TV takes hold.