My next challenge in aid of Cancer Research UK

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Is it because I'm addicted to Spartans that I choose to travel all the way from West Yorkshire to Miami to take part in the Super Spartan event?

I agree it's nice to fly to Florida in our cold February ice and snow, but really it's because people I care about are DYING from Cancer, and 4 others have been dianosed this last year, plus a good friend has just today told me he has terminal prostate cancer.

Fact: 1 in 3 people will be affected by Cancer at some point in their lives.

My wife lost both her parents to a very aggressive cancer a few years ago and this was our first 'close encounter' with this awful disease. 7 years ago she too was diagnosed with SIN111 Cervical cancer, but luckily she is now a cancer survivor not a victim.

Corporate Sponsor Urgently Required.
Running, swimming, cycling for charity is what I do best. So I'm prepared to do all the hard work on February 25th in Miami and pay for all my own expences.

Do you know anyone who has an unassigned charity fund for 2012? Would you mind asking your company if they could step up to the mark and support me?

Anyway, I'm doing this to try and boost my £30,000+ fundraising and get closer to my £50,000 pledge I made a while back, and all sponsorship should be made directly into my JustGiving account for Cancer Research UK so any support at all is better than none.

If you would prefer to DO SOMETHING to help me, why not look at Campbell Bear's 'charity teams' page here. Could you join our team and do something to help raise some funds - or you could SPONSOR THE BEAR or SPONSOR MARGE STAFFY

Twitter followers: I will be running in the Miami Super Spartan at 10.30 Saturday Morning (3.30pm UK time) and expect it to take around hours.  There's no way I can get a report back to you of how the event is going or where I am. But I know you will be supporting me all the same. Your words of encouragement in the 'comments' box below will help me through.

Please email, facebook or tweet me if you can help. 

Oh... and please pass this blog around or RT the tweets - thanks.

Stephen, Campbell Bear and Marge Staffy

Was it something in my head or the Albmaleaf

Something amazing happened to me last thursday and again today but I'm not able to offer a diffinitive explanation, and my knees have stopped hurting as much.

My friends already know I've been struggling this last year with a lost running mojo, painfull knees and dealing with an alcohol problem. I'm not going to talk about these here - except to say, my running has not been very exciting these last few months and I've found it very hard to get a sub 50 mins for a 10k (6 mile) run, and anything below 52 minutes I've considered good these days. 

Anyway, in recent days I've been forcing myself to go out and just run 'comfortable'. Some days are more comfortable than others, but at least I've been getting the longer miles back in again. Then this week I get a message from David at Albamaleaf who has followed my lack of enthusiasm on Twitter and he offered me some great remedial advice about PNF massage & stretching plus sent me a sample of his Albamaleaf Gel. 

Thursday (1st December) the Gel arrived just an hour before I was due to go out for run and then to the gym. So I did as he suggested and rubbed some in with a vigerous massage and set out for a run.

So what happened? 

I only ran my 3rd ever fastest time for my 10k route since I started running 5 years ago. and it was a negative split 5k. Time was 46:52

Then today (3rd December) I decided to have a 5k run and then a hard gym session.
So once again I rubbed in some of the Albamaleaf Gel with a deep massage before setting off. Guess what? Another PB - my fasted ever 5k. Time was 22:32


So what did I do differently this last week?
1. Used proper warm up and stretching before I ran (not done that for a year)
2. Had a deep massage with Albamaleaf Gel (never done that before)
3. Have eaten turkey 4 times a week for 2 weeks (300% increase)

Please leave your comment below.