A 37 years and 51 weeks blog - AKA why am I doing this?

Or so I've been told...

The running is slowly, and hopefully surely, picking up - to test (probably to destruction) my base fitness next weekend I'll be walking 40km - the walk I did a little while ago, so flat and fast, but this time turning around at one end and coming back.

Just to add to the commitment levels needed to do this, it'll be the day after my 38th birthday. So limited alcohol (1 pint and a short) and healthy eating on my birthday - oh well I'll make up for it before hand.

I was always told by my Mother that I had surgery on my birthday (not quite true, but close enough!) so its a time I always sit back and reflect on things...

Doubly so this year as it would seem that this challenge, and the awareness raising, isn't being loved by all. Recently its been suggested that I'm doing this for publicity for me, and that hurts. It also prompts me to sit in the gym, and wonder if its true...

I don't think it is, if it was the people who've commented on this blog, on the Heartlines messageboard, the GUCHs who commented wouldn't have been so positive. But still the doubt remains in me, am I fooling myself...

And then I look back over the last 4 months and remember all of the miles trodden, the number of people I've spoken to face-2-face, via twitter, facebook or while striding across the plinth and the number of people who've contacted me when my ugly mug, or even worse sweaty body, has appeared in various magazines and asked about where they can get support and help for themselves or for their kids...

I also look back at all the stuff that most people don't see; the trustee meetings on CHF, the monthly ECHG (the european GUCH meetings), the planning that goes into events for GUCH PA, the papers read and written, and telephone conferences... and reckon that if I was vainglorious enough to be doing all this for the greater glory of me, then I'm damn fool for doing so many things for which there is no glory!

The one aspect of this accusation I will agree with is that there is something in this for me - its a personal challenge, a commitment from me to get from A-B by walking and running 1000km and I'll enjoy as many of those kilometres as I can!

Think that's officially a rant... so back to the running

A week disjointed thanks to a cold in my nose, which is still lingering... But 12km done, indoors and out so just enough to keep my system ticking over for the coming week!

TTFN

Paul

Comments

  1. debbie1 November 2009 at 16:36

    Hey Paul,, Debbie here from HL, I say sod those people who say you are doing this publicly for you,, they dont know you and what you have been through, or why you do think awareness you do,, I am a great fan of kids doing sport and to raise awareness that you are for CHD kids can do sports in school and not to be told to sit on the side lines,, you go paul and do your stuff, its important for all our kids,, as you know Charlie was one who school never pushed until we had to prove what he could do without them having a panic,, now training to be a rower,, well done paul..

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