Last night, after work, I jumped on a tube from Aldgate and travelled 85 minutes on the Met line to it's furthest point - Chesham, all the way out in zone 9. My mate Martin joined me - we were armed with a bank card, a key, a phone and a travel card and some running shoes, questionable running shoes. We were due to run a half marathon in the intense heat after work.
It was fair to say, as with most of the runs, I was dreading this. We'd not get there until around 18.30, we'd run for 2 hours and not get home until 21:30. Martin would get home an hour later. It was baking hot and we'd just run a few days before - another half marathon - and as most of you know my body has long since given up on me so running is proving really difficult.
If this wasn't bad enough then the news that greeted us when we got to Chalfont was about to make our evening a whole lot worse. The Chesham line was suspended. The tube would be going to Amersham. If you go on to Google Maps you'll see why we wanted to start at Chesham - it goes Chesham, Amersham, Chalfont, Chorleywood etc - that's the order these places exist. We were faced with having to run from Amersham to Chesham (over 2 miles away) and then run all the way back again to then continue the rest of the tube stops we had planned to run.
Off we set and for 2.5 miles we ran downhill - it was literally all downhill. Sheeps grazed in fields, trees from the forest and park overhung the roads and the heat was really suffocating but at least it was downhill. The problem was though that we had to run back it up. We had to run around 2.5 miles up hill. Normally, for most people, this would be ok but such is the state of my ankles, knees and back this was going to be such a difficult task.
I rung my dad and he gave me a few words of encouragement. I turned my iPod on full volume and off Martin and I went. We decided to run at our own pace so Martin went around 20 yards ahead of me. We must have been running for 40 minutes, in the heat, up the most savage of hills. I don't know what kept me going to be honest. I was shouting at myself, out loud, to keep going. To put one foot in front of the other. I was making such noise that sheep were running away from me! We got to the top of the hill and got back to where we started - Amersham. We took on some water and decked a Mars bar.
We'd been running for an age but still had 3 stops, 8ish miles left to go. I was out on my feet. Nevertheless 1 hour 30 minutes later we made it to our destination. On the way we received 2 donations and passed through the county of Buckinghamshire. We got to the end and no shops were open so we couldn't get any water - it would be another hour until I got home and took on some water. At 10PM I had my first (and last!) ice bath to try to help me so that I can run tomorrow. I think the ice bath was worse than the hill!
We are running tomorrow in this poxy heat. We are running Saturday, then Wednesday and our final run is Sunday - when I can say I have run the entire London Underground. Last night I wish I'd never said I would attempt this. It was too big a challenge for me. I can do the odd run but I am now up to run 34 - most of those half marathons. There has also been a marathon. During this time my body has changed unrecognisably - every morning it hurts to get up. I am not after sympathy, nor am I looking to moan. I am just trying to describe how difficult I am finding this challenge. But as I write those words imagine how an 11 year old with a tumour the size of a tennis ball must feel. How does he begin to summon the courage to carry on? How does he continue to get out of bed and smile? How does he continue to raise money for others? All these things Harry did. It's time I stopped describing how difficult this thing is and realise how easy I have it. I am trying to run the underground - that is it. What he did, now that is brave. Help me help Harry to help others - sponsor me www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley - the pain I am feeling will go next Sunday. Harry and his family were never afforded that luxury. That's wrong.
Steve
Showing posts with label challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label challenge. Show all posts
Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Monday, 23 July 2012
5 to go
We completed the Victoria line the other night. Martin and I got the tube out to Walthamstow which is the dogs - a really grim place. We got there, after work, and in the rain knowing that we had a two hour run ahead of us. We'd pick up my mate Luke on the Way - at Finsbury Park. My dad had worked out the route for us and I'd ring him every two stops to keep him updated on progress, as since his stroke he can no longer come up and lug bags around. Logistically it is now quite hard for us - I take my bank card, Oyster card, a key and my RBS pass - that is it. I can't run with a bag so I have to make sure I am not holding too much. I also have my phone which helps me navigate the streets of London.
I started this 8 months ago and I ate shockingly and had aches and pains back then and I'd never run more than 10k. Fast forward 8 months and I still eat shockingly, much to the annoyance of my girlfriend and mum, and who knows what damage I have done but I am pot committed now - I need to finish, for so many reasons. We ran 13 miles of the Victoria line the other night and 13 miles doesn't sound a lot but my body failed a long time ago. A stress fracture to the foot, torn cartilage in both knees and a bad back injury means that 13 miles is now the equivalent to me of a marathon.
Walthamstow to Blackhorse road followed by the riot town of Tottenham Hale. Rain was falling and I was seriously fed up. We then ran up the Seven Sisters hill, bought a Mars bar, took some abuse from some people in a car and met Luke at Finsbury Park. Luke was wearing skinny green jeans and had to end up running with a bag! An hour and 10 minutes later, after already running for an hour and 10 minutes, we made it. I couldn't really walk, Martin was blowing out of his ar5e and Luke was ready for bed. But we'd done it, another line. I rang my dad who was chuffed and my girlfriend ordered me a dominos and ran me a bath. The dream - a dominos in the bath! The next morning I could not move!
We only have five runs left - just over 60 miles and I have 13 days to complete them in. Only problem is, is that it is the Metropolitan line - the line that goes out to Zone 9 - all other tube lines go to zone 6.
Tonight my friend and I have to get an 85 minute tube journey to Chesham, we then need to run for 2 hours maybe 3 hours to cover 5 stops and then we have to get a 70 minute tube home. The earliest I'll be home is 11 tonight but it has to be done because you guys have been amazing and sponsored us (www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley) and money needs to be raised to make sure more children don't suffer like Harry did.
We are running tonight, Wednesday, Saturday, Wednesday and then the final run - Harrow to Aldgate on the 5th August. Feel free to join us for that one. I got some amazing news - my dad is coming up for the final run. He's been there every step of the way and crossing the finishing line with him will mean more to me than anything. For now, if you live in the Chesham area and see some fed up guys in PJ bottoms - buy them a Mars bar cos they'll need it!
I started this 8 months ago and I ate shockingly and had aches and pains back then and I'd never run more than 10k. Fast forward 8 months and I still eat shockingly, much to the annoyance of my girlfriend and mum, and who knows what damage I have done but I am pot committed now - I need to finish, for so many reasons. We ran 13 miles of the Victoria line the other night and 13 miles doesn't sound a lot but my body failed a long time ago. A stress fracture to the foot, torn cartilage in both knees and a bad back injury means that 13 miles is now the equivalent to me of a marathon.
Walthamstow to Blackhorse road followed by the riot town of Tottenham Hale. Rain was falling and I was seriously fed up. We then ran up the Seven Sisters hill, bought a Mars bar, took some abuse from some people in a car and met Luke at Finsbury Park. Luke was wearing skinny green jeans and had to end up running with a bag! An hour and 10 minutes later, after already running for an hour and 10 minutes, we made it. I couldn't really walk, Martin was blowing out of his ar5e and Luke was ready for bed. But we'd done it, another line. I rang my dad who was chuffed and my girlfriend ordered me a dominos and ran me a bath. The dream - a dominos in the bath! The next morning I could not move!
We only have five runs left - just over 60 miles and I have 13 days to complete them in. Only problem is, is that it is the Metropolitan line - the line that goes out to Zone 9 - all other tube lines go to zone 6.
Tonight my friend and I have to get an 85 minute tube journey to Chesham, we then need to run for 2 hours maybe 3 hours to cover 5 stops and then we have to get a 70 minute tube home. The earliest I'll be home is 11 tonight but it has to be done because you guys have been amazing and sponsored us (www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley) and money needs to be raised to make sure more children don't suffer like Harry did.
We are running tonight, Wednesday, Saturday, Wednesday and then the final run - Harrow to Aldgate on the 5th August. Feel free to join us for that one. I got some amazing news - my dad is coming up for the final run. He's been there every step of the way and crossing the finishing line with him will mean more to me than anything. For now, if you live in the Chesham area and see some fed up guys in PJ bottoms - buy them a Mars bar cos they'll need it!
Monday, 16 July 2012
Six to go
I have been a bit quiet of late with regard to the running of the tube. The good news is that the runs have continued and we only have 6 runs to go.
We have now run every single line apart from the Metropolitan line. We have run and completed the Waterloo and City, Northern, District, Circle, Central, Jubilee, Piccadilly, Hammersmith and City and the Bakerloo. We have run half of the Victoria line which we will finish on Wednesday and then just have the beast that is the Metropolitan line. We hope to complete it in the next 3 weeks with our final run being a marathon.
It has been quite a journey. Originally when we set this up we were just going to run the Circle line and we hoped to raise £1500 for Harry Moseley's charity. 9 months on and we have almost run the entire London Underground and you have helped us raise in excess of £11,000. I have now run over 30 times in 9 months - a commitment that has really tested me. I have torn the cartilage in my knee, I fractured my foot and continued to run on it for four weeks which was naive! My dad appeared for every single run but then sadly had a stroke and has therefore not attended the last few runs. Running without him has been the most difficult thing about the run - he helped me carry on when I was in so much pain that I wanted to stop. Harry was the inspiration for me to begin these runs but my dad is the reason I am still putting PJ bottoms on and running every Wednesday night/Saturday day. He still maps out every route for me. Whilst he is not physically there, I ring him every two stops and he has the route in front of him, tells me where to go, asks me how I am feeling, and keeps me going. I owe it to him to get this done.
The runs have taken over my life. You'd think running 10-20 miles a week would be pretty easy but I am not an athlete and since week 3 or 4 I have been running in pain. I find it very hard to motivate myself to run from Dagenham to Tower Hill, in the rain, after work but I know I had to do it because I made a promise to do it. But also raising the money - quiz nights, bracelets, emails, facebook messages, twitter messages, events - they all take planning and time but they all help to raise much needed money.
On this journey I have had amazing support and we've raised an amazing sum of money. Truth be told - I can't wait for it to finish. I never realised the enormity of the task or what it would do to me both mentally and physically. But sometimes you just have to dig deep and realise that the pain you're feeling is nothing compared to what Harry, his family and countless other children like him experience on a daily basis. Children who get diagnosed with terminal brain cancer is a sentence that is just not right. We have to find a cure and the only way to do that is to raise awareness and to raise money. All you can do is your bit and you have all done your bit.
As for what happens at the end of the runs? A much needed break. I have applied for the London Marathon next year and if I get a place I will take on 7 marathons in 7 days in 7 countries. I will raise money for Harry and also for a Stroke charity that helps people less fortunate than my dad who have been devastating side effects. I'll leave it to fate if I end up running it - yes it'll be tough if I do but sometimes you have to get off your arse and be the change you want to see.
www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
We have now run every single line apart from the Metropolitan line. We have run and completed the Waterloo and City, Northern, District, Circle, Central, Jubilee, Piccadilly, Hammersmith and City and the Bakerloo. We have run half of the Victoria line which we will finish on Wednesday and then just have the beast that is the Metropolitan line. We hope to complete it in the next 3 weeks with our final run being a marathon.
It has been quite a journey. Originally when we set this up we were just going to run the Circle line and we hoped to raise £1500 for Harry Moseley's charity. 9 months on and we have almost run the entire London Underground and you have helped us raise in excess of £11,000. I have now run over 30 times in 9 months - a commitment that has really tested me. I have torn the cartilage in my knee, I fractured my foot and continued to run on it for four weeks which was naive! My dad appeared for every single run but then sadly had a stroke and has therefore not attended the last few runs. Running without him has been the most difficult thing about the run - he helped me carry on when I was in so much pain that I wanted to stop. Harry was the inspiration for me to begin these runs but my dad is the reason I am still putting PJ bottoms on and running every Wednesday night/Saturday day. He still maps out every route for me. Whilst he is not physically there, I ring him every two stops and he has the route in front of him, tells me where to go, asks me how I am feeling, and keeps me going. I owe it to him to get this done.
The runs have taken over my life. You'd think running 10-20 miles a week would be pretty easy but I am not an athlete and since week 3 or 4 I have been running in pain. I find it very hard to motivate myself to run from Dagenham to Tower Hill, in the rain, after work but I know I had to do it because I made a promise to do it. But also raising the money - quiz nights, bracelets, emails, facebook messages, twitter messages, events - they all take planning and time but they all help to raise much needed money.
On this journey I have had amazing support and we've raised an amazing sum of money. Truth be told - I can't wait for it to finish. I never realised the enormity of the task or what it would do to me both mentally and physically. But sometimes you just have to dig deep and realise that the pain you're feeling is nothing compared to what Harry, his family and countless other children like him experience on a daily basis. Children who get diagnosed with terminal brain cancer is a sentence that is just not right. We have to find a cure and the only way to do that is to raise awareness and to raise money. All you can do is your bit and you have all done your bit.
As for what happens at the end of the runs? A much needed break. I have applied for the London Marathon next year and if I get a place I will take on 7 marathons in 7 days in 7 countries. I will raise money for Harry and also for a Stroke charity that helps people less fortunate than my dad who have been devastating side effects. I'll leave it to fate if I end up running it - yes it'll be tough if I do but sometimes you have to get off your arse and be the change you want to see.
www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
Look how far we have run..
These two picture show how far we have currently run compared to how far we need to run. The picture with the blue bar is how far we've currently run.
We have completed the Waterloo and City Line, The Hammersmith and City line, the Bakerloo line, the District line, the Circle line, the Northern line. 53 miles of the Central line, 54 miles of the Piccadilly line.
We have the DLR, the Victoria and the Metropolitan to begin and we have 1 run left on the Central and 1 run left on the Piccadilly.
We've now run over 300 miles. I have been doing this since October but due to a knee injury I have only actually run for 4 months.
I have 12 runs left including a marathon. I have around 150 miles to go. I have just over 6 weeks to complete it. I have never done something this difficult nor have I ever felt this much pain. We have £600 left to raise.
Help us.
www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
We have completed the Waterloo and City Line, The Hammersmith and City line, the Bakerloo line, the District line, the Circle line, the Northern line. 53 miles of the Central line, 54 miles of the Piccadilly line.
We have the DLR, the Victoria and the Metropolitan to begin and we have 1 run left on the Central and 1 run left on the Piccadilly.
We've now run over 300 miles. I have been doing this since October but due to a knee injury I have only actually run for 4 months.
I have 12 runs left including a marathon. I have around 150 miles to go. I have just over 6 weeks to complete it. I have never done something this difficult nor have I ever felt this much pain. We have £600 left to raise.
Help us.
www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
Thursday, 22 March 2012
How do I feel?
The running has continued. Since the horrific marathon and even more brutal stag do in Barcelona I have run from Canada Water to Swiss Cottage and I have run from Ealing Broadway to Marble Arch.
My mate the other day asked me how I am feeling - hopefully this blog post answers it mate.
This challenge is without a doubt the single hardest thing I have ever done. So much so that I feel myself cracking - both mentally and physically.
When I decided that I wanted to run the whole of the tube back in October I didn't really give it the thought I should have. I thought it wouldn't be too difficult. Don't get me wrong I knew it would be tough but I thought I'd get it done in a few months. I didn't account for my failing body. I also decided that I wanted to raise a substantial amount of money for Harry's charity - £10,000. And until every tube line has been run and until every penny has been raised I won't stop. It's taken over my life.
I am part of a team of 7 - all of which are really great people. But as it was my idea, as I was closest to Harry, I, for some reason, feel the £10,000 burden a lot more I think. I plan all the routes, I navigate us as we run, I do every single run. All 6 of the guys have offered to help with every aspect of that - they're great - but this has become a challenge that I feel I have to complete. It has become quite overwhelming - all the time I am thinking how can we raise money? Quiz nights, dinners, videos, blogs, random fundraising efforts, Facebook statuses, Twitter statuses - it's become a huge a part of my life. I also have complete strangers looking to me for help - thinking that because I have helped Harry's campaign I will help theirs. I feel horrendously guilty when I can't. When I don't. I am told by people suffering from cancer that we're doing a great thing - but those very people who are telling me suddenly die days later. This only adds to my desire to raise £10,000 but it also adds to the stress - I can't seem to escape it.
Then there are the runs themselves. I am not an athlete. I have never really been an athlete. I play the odd game of football, badly, but that's it. I haven't trained, I hadn't changed my diet, my lifestyle. Yet I thought I could do a half marathon every single week - no matter what the weather. I thought I could do a marathon every month - no matter how I felt. I didn't account for tearing my cartilage, straining my ankle ligaments. I didn't account for 'stress'. I have had blood tests due to poor health and a stress hormone I have is way too high - apparently because of the pressure I am putting on my body. I've not slept properly in months. I didn't account for a bad back - so bad that every day if I sit in my chair for longer than 30 minutes I seize up. When I go out with mates down the pub or off to a club I feel too tired to stay out - this isn't me, this isn't how I normally feel. I thought all I'd be doing was a few runs and it'd be ok - but running with a body that is failing just causes it to fail more and for the first time I admit I am struggling, really struggling.
Recently I have never wanted to run less. But I have to. People have been incredibly kind and have donated hard earned money. People expect me/us to finish.
I get in after each day at work and I feel tired - this never used to be the case. I get up in the morning's and I ache - this never used to be the case. I can't sleep properly because I'm always thinking of how far I have to go and I am scared that I won't be able to do it.
In 8 weeks this challenge will be complete. Running the entire London Underground doesn't sound much. By the time we've finished I would have run close to 450 miles which spread over 5-6 months doesn't seem like a huge deal. Raising £10,000 doesn't sound like an impossible target. But both of these things have become my Everest.
As hard as I am finding it I only have to look at the kid I am running for. My body hurts but he had a tumour the size of a tennis ball growing in his brain. He was 11 and had Radium treatment, he had been pumped with poison when he had chemo. Did he complain? Did he give up? Nope. Instead he raised an incredible sum of money and inspired a 25 year old to try and do something. I won't lie - I am struggling but I can't give up, nor will I. Through the support of my 6 friends I am running with, the support of my family and my girlfriend I know I will finish this. It just seems a long way off I guess. Still, the runs continue - Saturday, Stratford to Epping, Tuesday - West Ruislip to Hangar Lane, Thursday - Cockfosters to Kings Cross and Sunday another marathon. We're at £9080 raised and over 300 miles run - soon it will be over and I'll look back and feel proud about what my friends and I achieved. At the moment I just see a mountain in front of me...but they've been overcome before and they will be again.
Steve
www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
My mate the other day asked me how I am feeling - hopefully this blog post answers it mate.
This challenge is without a doubt the single hardest thing I have ever done. So much so that I feel myself cracking - both mentally and physically.
When I decided that I wanted to run the whole of the tube back in October I didn't really give it the thought I should have. I thought it wouldn't be too difficult. Don't get me wrong I knew it would be tough but I thought I'd get it done in a few months. I didn't account for my failing body. I also decided that I wanted to raise a substantial amount of money for Harry's charity - £10,000. And until every tube line has been run and until every penny has been raised I won't stop. It's taken over my life.
I am part of a team of 7 - all of which are really great people. But as it was my idea, as I was closest to Harry, I, for some reason, feel the £10,000 burden a lot more I think. I plan all the routes, I navigate us as we run, I do every single run. All 6 of the guys have offered to help with every aspect of that - they're great - but this has become a challenge that I feel I have to complete. It has become quite overwhelming - all the time I am thinking how can we raise money? Quiz nights, dinners, videos, blogs, random fundraising efforts, Facebook statuses, Twitter statuses - it's become a huge a part of my life. I also have complete strangers looking to me for help - thinking that because I have helped Harry's campaign I will help theirs. I feel horrendously guilty when I can't. When I don't. I am told by people suffering from cancer that we're doing a great thing - but those very people who are telling me suddenly die days later. This only adds to my desire to raise £10,000 but it also adds to the stress - I can't seem to escape it.
Then there are the runs themselves. I am not an athlete. I have never really been an athlete. I play the odd game of football, badly, but that's it. I haven't trained, I hadn't changed my diet, my lifestyle. Yet I thought I could do a half marathon every single week - no matter what the weather. I thought I could do a marathon every month - no matter how I felt. I didn't account for tearing my cartilage, straining my ankle ligaments. I didn't account for 'stress'. I have had blood tests due to poor health and a stress hormone I have is way too high - apparently because of the pressure I am putting on my body. I've not slept properly in months. I didn't account for a bad back - so bad that every day if I sit in my chair for longer than 30 minutes I seize up. When I go out with mates down the pub or off to a club I feel too tired to stay out - this isn't me, this isn't how I normally feel. I thought all I'd be doing was a few runs and it'd be ok - but running with a body that is failing just causes it to fail more and for the first time I admit I am struggling, really struggling.
Recently I have never wanted to run less. But I have to. People have been incredibly kind and have donated hard earned money. People expect me/us to finish.
I get in after each day at work and I feel tired - this never used to be the case. I get up in the morning's and I ache - this never used to be the case. I can't sleep properly because I'm always thinking of how far I have to go and I am scared that I won't be able to do it.
In 8 weeks this challenge will be complete. Running the entire London Underground doesn't sound much. By the time we've finished I would have run close to 450 miles which spread over 5-6 months doesn't seem like a huge deal. Raising £10,000 doesn't sound like an impossible target. But both of these things have become my Everest.
As hard as I am finding it I only have to look at the kid I am running for. My body hurts but he had a tumour the size of a tennis ball growing in his brain. He was 11 and had Radium treatment, he had been pumped with poison when he had chemo. Did he complain? Did he give up? Nope. Instead he raised an incredible sum of money and inspired a 25 year old to try and do something. I won't lie - I am struggling but I can't give up, nor will I. Through the support of my 6 friends I am running with, the support of my family and my girlfriend I know I will finish this. It just seems a long way off I guess. Still, the runs continue - Saturday, Stratford to Epping, Tuesday - West Ruislip to Hangar Lane, Thursday - Cockfosters to Kings Cross and Sunday another marathon. We're at £9080 raised and over 300 miles run - soon it will be over and I'll look back and feel proud about what my friends and I achieved. At the moment I just see a mountain in front of me...but they've been overcome before and they will be again.
Steve
www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
Monday, 27 February 2012
We cant give up
Sunday 26th February. A special date for a couple of reasons - it was my Nan's birthday, who died from Cancer and it was the day I did my first ever marathon in aid of Cancer Research UK - the Help Harry Help Others campaign.
Before yesterday my friends and I had ran 210 miles. We had run in all weathers, we'd suffered various injuries along the way but we were just so determined to finish the challenge - the challenge of running all 430 miles of the London Underground. The challenge of raising £10,000 for a charity that we believe in. Big time.
Harry Moseley lost his life at the age of 11. He had an inoperable brain tumour but his family, his incredible family, are so determined to make his dream come true. Harry's dream was simply that no one had to suffer like him - to rid the world of brain tumours. And his family work tirelessly to take that dream and make it a reality. They say hope is grief's best music and I think the hope of one day Harry's dream becoming reality is helping them live day to day.
We had raised around £6000 and the donations were slowing down so I thought we had to make the challenge bigger, more ridiculous. The bigger the challenge the more likely people are to donate. So I said we would commit to not only run a half marathon each week but also one marathon a month. Yesterday was the first marathon. We would be running from Barking at the end of zone four to Hammersmith, the end of Zone 2. We were running the whole of the Hammersmith and City line - the line itself is not 26 miles, it is a shade under 20 but when running and running the route we took it ended up being 26.5 miles. There were 4 of us who were going to do it. Myself, Martin and the two girls - Chloe and Becki. Martin and I had been run around a half marathon every week since the new year together but never any longer than that since January because of my knee's and my physio who ordered me to not run above 12-13. The girls had not run for a while so to tackle a marathon was a huge, huge ask.
I went out the night before and got to bed at 1am - preparation is so important! I also had a whole packet of Maryland Cookies and a glass of milk for breakfast - it is important to have a proper runners diet! I put my knee supports on, I put my PJ bottoms on and I headed out - nervous and not at all up for it. The girls were starting around an hour and a half before us and were already at West Ham by the time I got anywhere near Barking. I got a text off of one of my best mates - Nick Jellett who said if I completed it then he'd donate £100! As I say around a month ago we were sitting at £6000 raised. After the marathon we are above £7600 - a sum we are really proud of. The gamble of the marathons paid off - we'd generated an extra £1500. Now we just had to run them!
I met Martin and met the support crew - the old man. Martin and I were a little nervous. We are not runners. I am not sure what we are but we certainly aren't runners. I was wearing two knee supports and began stretching. My groin had been playing up since the last run. Add a problem with my right foot and I was looking at a marathon with 4 injuries. Excellent. We shook hands with the old man and he went off to meet the girls and give them some waters and Gel's. They'd made great progress and met him at Mile End. Chloe was struggling badly with her hip and Becki was high on gel's. Martin and I meanwhile were running pretty quickly and ran the first 8.8 miles in just under an hour and met the support crew for a much needed gel, mars bar and swig of water. We then met the girls at Whitechapel station, got a quick picture - we wished each other luck and powered on.
Martin and I got to Farringdon pretty quickly and felt pretty good. And then we ran up Farringdon road - a road with a big hill. We got to the top of that and we were wiped. It completely killed us. My groin was in bits, my knees hurt and I could feel my foot going. Martin had aches all over his body and we still had around 11-12 miles left to run. We also knew the girls were in a lot of pain and suddenly I think we all thought we'd bitten off more than we could chew.
Martin and I got to Baker Street and I know that we both considered throwing in the towel. I was out on my feet. So was Martin. I can't really explain how much pain I was in. But at that moment I got a text from my girlfriend and from my mum and I remembered why I was doing it. I also remembered the £100 that was promised by my mate Nick if I finished. Yes it hurt. Yes I was in pain. So was Martin. So were the girls. But I had the chance to achieve something, to make a difference. I am a huge believer if you want something enough you can achieve it. Especially when so many great people are willing you on. So we carried on...
Martin told me, with a few miles to go, that he had never been in that much pain before. I ran up Shepherds Bush Road and could see Hammersmith in the distance and the pride and relief I felt is a moment I will never forget. I'd done it. I had run a marathon in 3 hours and 52 minutes. The girls managed to break their 7 hour target and they too completed it. 4 people who could have given up but didn't. Harry could have given up but didn't. Lance Armstrong once said "If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or fight like hell". And that is the reason we are doing this. Cancer is a sentence and not a word. We need to change that. We need to make Harry's dream a reality. For now all that we can do is our bit. Harry was the inspiration I needed to get off my arse and do something. I'd just wished to hell I'd done it earlier...I just wish that cancer was just a word to my Nan and to Harry and not a sentence. I think my Nan and Harry would be proud of me and the guys, for the first time in my life I was proud of me. I'd done a marathon. And I'd done it when every sinew of my being was screaming at me to give up. Let's not give up. Let's kill cancer.
Steve
Www.justgiving.com/Steven-whyley
Before yesterday my friends and I had ran 210 miles. We had run in all weathers, we'd suffered various injuries along the way but we were just so determined to finish the challenge - the challenge of running all 430 miles of the London Underground. The challenge of raising £10,000 for a charity that we believe in. Big time.
Harry Moseley lost his life at the age of 11. He had an inoperable brain tumour but his family, his incredible family, are so determined to make his dream come true. Harry's dream was simply that no one had to suffer like him - to rid the world of brain tumours. And his family work tirelessly to take that dream and make it a reality. They say hope is grief's best music and I think the hope of one day Harry's dream becoming reality is helping them live day to day.
We had raised around £6000 and the donations were slowing down so I thought we had to make the challenge bigger, more ridiculous. The bigger the challenge the more likely people are to donate. So I said we would commit to not only run a half marathon each week but also one marathon a month. Yesterday was the first marathon. We would be running from Barking at the end of zone four to Hammersmith, the end of Zone 2. We were running the whole of the Hammersmith and City line - the line itself is not 26 miles, it is a shade under 20 but when running and running the route we took it ended up being 26.5 miles. There were 4 of us who were going to do it. Myself, Martin and the two girls - Chloe and Becki. Martin and I had been run around a half marathon every week since the new year together but never any longer than that since January because of my knee's and my physio who ordered me to not run above 12-13. The girls had not run for a while so to tackle a marathon was a huge, huge ask.
I went out the night before and got to bed at 1am - preparation is so important! I also had a whole packet of Maryland Cookies and a glass of milk for breakfast - it is important to have a proper runners diet! I put my knee supports on, I put my PJ bottoms on and I headed out - nervous and not at all up for it. The girls were starting around an hour and a half before us and were already at West Ham by the time I got anywhere near Barking. I got a text off of one of my best mates - Nick Jellett who said if I completed it then he'd donate £100! As I say around a month ago we were sitting at £6000 raised. After the marathon we are above £7600 - a sum we are really proud of. The gamble of the marathons paid off - we'd generated an extra £1500. Now we just had to run them!
I met Martin and met the support crew - the old man. Martin and I were a little nervous. We are not runners. I am not sure what we are but we certainly aren't runners. I was wearing two knee supports and began stretching. My groin had been playing up since the last run. Add a problem with my right foot and I was looking at a marathon with 4 injuries. Excellent. We shook hands with the old man and he went off to meet the girls and give them some waters and Gel's. They'd made great progress and met him at Mile End. Chloe was struggling badly with her hip and Becki was high on gel's. Martin and I meanwhile were running pretty quickly and ran the first 8.8 miles in just under an hour and met the support crew for a much needed gel, mars bar and swig of water. We then met the girls at Whitechapel station, got a quick picture - we wished each other luck and powered on.
Martin and I got to Farringdon pretty quickly and felt pretty good. And then we ran up Farringdon road - a road with a big hill. We got to the top of that and we were wiped. It completely killed us. My groin was in bits, my knees hurt and I could feel my foot going. Martin had aches all over his body and we still had around 11-12 miles left to run. We also knew the girls were in a lot of pain and suddenly I think we all thought we'd bitten off more than we could chew.
Martin and I got to Baker Street and I know that we both considered throwing in the towel. I was out on my feet. So was Martin. I can't really explain how much pain I was in. But at that moment I got a text from my girlfriend and from my mum and I remembered why I was doing it. I also remembered the £100 that was promised by my mate Nick if I finished. Yes it hurt. Yes I was in pain. So was Martin. So were the girls. But I had the chance to achieve something, to make a difference. I am a huge believer if you want something enough you can achieve it. Especially when so many great people are willing you on. So we carried on...
Martin told me, with a few miles to go, that he had never been in that much pain before. I ran up Shepherds Bush Road and could see Hammersmith in the distance and the pride and relief I felt is a moment I will never forget. I'd done it. I had run a marathon in 3 hours and 52 minutes. The girls managed to break their 7 hour target and they too completed it. 4 people who could have given up but didn't. Harry could have given up but didn't. Lance Armstrong once said "If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or fight like hell". And that is the reason we are doing this. Cancer is a sentence and not a word. We need to change that. We need to make Harry's dream a reality. For now all that we can do is our bit. Harry was the inspiration I needed to get off my arse and do something. I'd just wished to hell I'd done it earlier...I just wish that cancer was just a word to my Nan and to Harry and not a sentence. I think my Nan and Harry would be proud of me and the guys, for the first time in my life I was proud of me. I'd done a marathon. And I'd done it when every sinew of my being was screaming at me to give up. Let's not give up. Let's kill cancer.
Steve
Www.justgiving.com/Steven-whyley
Monday, 30 January 2012
Running round Heathrow Airport in our PJs
As promised here is the next instalment of the blog! In the last post I told you how I did an assembly in my PJ bottoms to 500 kids despite having nothing prepared. I also told you how Dr Ng and I almost came to blows (grossly over exaggerated - he asked me, politely, to take it easy) over my diet, my general well being and the fact that I am doing too much running for my body to handle.
With almost a full course of antibiotics down me, porridge oats lining my stomach and a new found love for Satsuma's I was ready to run again. We had run the Waterloo & City line, the Bakerloo line, the Circle line, the District line and the Northern line. Next up was the Piccadilly. This was grim for so many reasons. It was 60 miles in length. I, for some reason, have an irrational hatred for the Piccadilly line and the grimmest fact of all was that we would have to go to Heathrow, in pyjama bottoms, and run round the whole perimeter of the airport.
I was feeling a little better and we'd agreed we'd do the run Wednesday. It would be me, Martin Chapman (who ran the whole of the District line with me) and Luke Butler. My dad, unbelievably would be coming to. A 3 hour journey to hand out Mars bars, Hula Hoops and waters. No words can express how grateful I am to the old man and his black bag full of treats. My dad also worked out the route for us. We were to meet at Hounslow West tube station. From there we'd run to Hatton Cross. Then run to Heathrow Terminal 4, then onto Heathrow Terminal 5, then Heathrow Terminals 1-3 and back to Hounslow West. 6 tube stations, more miles than I cared to think about and airport security staff to dodge. This was going to be a test. Our biggest test yet.
I had read that if you wanted to walk the perimeter road you had to let Heathrow BAA know. So I rung the press office. I said 3 guys in pyjama bottoms would be running around the airport for 2-3 hours. Was this cool?! The lady on the end of the phone choked on her tea, laughed at me a little and said 'no, of course it is not cool. You need a waiver'. I had a slight issue with this. I had rung them at 16.45 - the day of the run! I wasn't backing out now. She told me there was also no pavement and that it was just run or grass that made up the perimeter fence. The waiver took a few days to approve. I decided I would keep this little nugget of information secret from the old man, the two guys I was running with, my mum and my girlfriend - had I mentioned it the run wouldn't happen and I was going to run round that airport that night. I didn't care about rules and regulations. Rules and regulations are made to be broken!
After an hour and 10 minutes of travelling I finally got to Hounslow West and met all the guys. Everyone was in decent spirits, we were PJ'd up and we were ready to do this. We would meet my dad at Terminal 5, some 7 miles from where we were standing. So we started running. Butler, Martin and I chatted our way to Hatton Cross, we got a picture of us at the tube and then we had to get on the perimeter road. They weren't lying - there was no pavement! Planes were flying above our heads, planes were taking off 100 yards to the right of us, we heard airport staff shouting but we just put our heads down and carried on running! We feared we could bring the airport to a close by sparking a major terrorist incident - 3 men in pyjama bottoms meeting a man with a dark black bag at Terminal 5 - alas we got away with it.
The run was horrendous. I mean it was real, real bleak. But we got to Term 4, then Term 5 and met the old man. We all had 3 mars bars, went into the terminal and got a picture of us at the 'International Arrivals' and then we pressed on. None of us had wallets or money on us. My dad had got the tube back to Hounslow West and we ran probably about 1.5 miles away from Term 5 when Luke Butler screamed in agony and hit the floor. Actually collapsed onto the floor. Luke has had major problems with his knees before. Most of us have. Luke and I generally can't walk for two days after a run but this was different. He was on the floor and couldn't get up. We had no money. We were miles away from anywhere. My dad couldn't meet us. This was bad. Luke stayed on the floor for a minute and Martin and I said we'd carry him back to Hounslow West. Then Luke just got up and with tears in his eyes started running. We told him to stop. He ignored us. Luke Butler ran 5 miles back to Hounslow west. I still don't know how. None of us talked. Martin and I just slowly jogged behind Luke. Luke who was just trying to get one foot in front of another, just focused on somehow getting back to Hounslow West.
I've met some brave people in my life but that was one of the bravest things I'd experienced. My friends are literally putting their bodies on the line to raise as much money as they can for Harry's charity.
That run will go down as one of the worst but we made it. Luke made it. We got to the end and felt like we had achieved something major. We run again this Wednesday - another half marathon. In a months time we take on a marathon. We've run 180 miles. We've 250 miles to go. It is painful stuff, it is hard, it is depressing at times but I am running with great people, great friends and I've never been more certain that we'll complete it.
As ever you can donate at www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley or feel free to buy Luke some free physio sessions!
With almost a full course of antibiotics down me, porridge oats lining my stomach and a new found love for Satsuma's I was ready to run again. We had run the Waterloo & City line, the Bakerloo line, the Circle line, the District line and the Northern line. Next up was the Piccadilly. This was grim for so many reasons. It was 60 miles in length. I, for some reason, have an irrational hatred for the Piccadilly line and the grimmest fact of all was that we would have to go to Heathrow, in pyjama bottoms, and run round the whole perimeter of the airport.
I was feeling a little better and we'd agreed we'd do the run Wednesday. It would be me, Martin Chapman (who ran the whole of the District line with me) and Luke Butler. My dad, unbelievably would be coming to. A 3 hour journey to hand out Mars bars, Hula Hoops and waters. No words can express how grateful I am to the old man and his black bag full of treats. My dad also worked out the route for us. We were to meet at Hounslow West tube station. From there we'd run to Hatton Cross. Then run to Heathrow Terminal 4, then onto Heathrow Terminal 5, then Heathrow Terminals 1-3 and back to Hounslow West. 6 tube stations, more miles than I cared to think about and airport security staff to dodge. This was going to be a test. Our biggest test yet.
I had read that if you wanted to walk the perimeter road you had to let Heathrow BAA know. So I rung the press office. I said 3 guys in pyjama bottoms would be running around the airport for 2-3 hours. Was this cool?! The lady on the end of the phone choked on her tea, laughed at me a little and said 'no, of course it is not cool. You need a waiver'. I had a slight issue with this. I had rung them at 16.45 - the day of the run! I wasn't backing out now. She told me there was also no pavement and that it was just run or grass that made up the perimeter fence. The waiver took a few days to approve. I decided I would keep this little nugget of information secret from the old man, the two guys I was running with, my mum and my girlfriend - had I mentioned it the run wouldn't happen and I was going to run round that airport that night. I didn't care about rules and regulations. Rules and regulations are made to be broken!
After an hour and 10 minutes of travelling I finally got to Hounslow West and met all the guys. Everyone was in decent spirits, we were PJ'd up and we were ready to do this. We would meet my dad at Terminal 5, some 7 miles from where we were standing. So we started running. Butler, Martin and I chatted our way to Hatton Cross, we got a picture of us at the tube and then we had to get on the perimeter road. They weren't lying - there was no pavement! Planes were flying above our heads, planes were taking off 100 yards to the right of us, we heard airport staff shouting but we just put our heads down and carried on running! We feared we could bring the airport to a close by sparking a major terrorist incident - 3 men in pyjama bottoms meeting a man with a dark black bag at Terminal 5 - alas we got away with it.
The run was horrendous. I mean it was real, real bleak. But we got to Term 4, then Term 5 and met the old man. We all had 3 mars bars, went into the terminal and got a picture of us at the 'International Arrivals' and then we pressed on. None of us had wallets or money on us. My dad had got the tube back to Hounslow West and we ran probably about 1.5 miles away from Term 5 when Luke Butler screamed in agony and hit the floor. Actually collapsed onto the floor. Luke has had major problems with his knees before. Most of us have. Luke and I generally can't walk for two days after a run but this was different. He was on the floor and couldn't get up. We had no money. We were miles away from anywhere. My dad couldn't meet us. This was bad. Luke stayed on the floor for a minute and Martin and I said we'd carry him back to Hounslow West. Then Luke just got up and with tears in his eyes started running. We told him to stop. He ignored us. Luke Butler ran 5 miles back to Hounslow west. I still don't know how. None of us talked. Martin and I just slowly jogged behind Luke. Luke who was just trying to get one foot in front of another, just focused on somehow getting back to Hounslow West.
I've met some brave people in my life but that was one of the bravest things I'd experienced. My friends are literally putting their bodies on the line to raise as much money as they can for Harry's charity.
That run will go down as one of the worst but we made it. Luke made it. We got to the end and felt like we had achieved something major. We run again this Wednesday - another half marathon. In a months time we take on a marathon. We've run 180 miles. We've 250 miles to go. It is painful stuff, it is hard, it is depressing at times but I am running with great people, great friends and I've never been more certain that we'll complete it.
As ever you can donate at www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley or feel free to buy Luke some free physio sessions!
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
This whole thing just got a little crazier!
On Saturday, four of us (Chloe Garrard, Becky Pickering, myself and Martin Chapman) ran another 10 miles or so. We met at Tower Hill and we were running to Kensington Olympia. The night before I decided to have a house party...man was that naive!
I turned up at midday and felt HORRENDOUS. I was badly, badly hungover. The girls were there raring to go and Martin arrived shortly after. The girls set off first as I was dying and was also waiting for Martin to arrive. Around 30 minutes after the girls set off Martin and I unleashed the PJ bottoms and started to run. Immediately I began to get alcohol sweats! This was not helped by my 'athletes breakfast' - 11 Maryland Cookies and a brew. At Mansion House, I am ashamed to say, was the first time in 11 runs that I was sick! The Maryland's were out of my system, I had the Greese Megamix being played on my iPod, this was where the ran began properly!
The girls had made great progress and we met them at Victoria before Martin and I pressed on, met the support crew (my dad) at Sloane Square and finally got to Kensington Olympia after around 90 minutes of running. The girls arrived 30 minutes behind us. They've now done 4 runs, over 40 miles and have raised incredible sums of money. All of the guys have. I'm lucky to be able to run with great people who believe in the cause as much as I.
Tonight I finish the District Line. A half marathon beckons and it is fair to say I am not buzzing about it! Again, stupidly, I have not made things easy for myself. I played football last night, banged my leg quite badly and am now spraying some sort of freeze spray and decking Nurofens in the hope I can hobble round 13 miles tonight.
After tonight I would have done almost 3 half marathons in 7 days. One was brutal, one was nice (after the sick incident!) and tonight...well who knows! Martin (who has joined me for every district line run) and I have run the entire District Line in 5 runs. That is 62 miles (we have to run and hit each tube stop remember). By tonight we'd have run from Upminster to Ealing Broadway via Richmond, Edgware Rd and Wimbledon. We have run through all 58 stops on the District Line and can say we've run through Dagenham and survived! We've run in wind, hail and rain and done it all in PJ bottoms! The district line is the 2nd longest tube line and after tonight we'd have run 5 tube lines, 160 miles and passed way over 120 tube stops. This challenge suddenly seems achievable.
But we want to add to the crazy, make more people aware of the amazing Harry Moseley and get more people to donate to his incredible charity.
So I have done something a little stupid...
I have decided I want to complete the challenge by the end of May. This means that in the next 20 weeks I (and hopefully some of the other guys) will be running 4 marathons and 16 half marathons. A marathon a month for the next 4 months. Our final run will be 26.2 miles of the Metropolitan line. I will run 26.2 miles of the Central, Piccadilly and Jubilee line as well. I've never run a marathon. Let alone one a month. But Harry taught me that anything is possible if you want it enough.
He also showed me how important it is to raise money and awareness to kill this disease once and for all. I set the target of 10k - I am desperate to hit that. If I hit that I hope to raise £100k by doing more challenges. To raise money, a lot of it, I believe you have to do things that seem unachievable. That make people sit up and take notice. That inspire. That is why Harry raised £500,000 for Cancer Research UK. That is why he continues to raise money every single day. Because as a child, with terminal brain cancer, he did the impossible and made it happen. Now 4 marathons and 16 half marathons are no where near in his league, but if it makes just one person sit up and take notice. If it makes one person who hasn't donated yet donate then it is all worth it.
I'm a firm believer in pushing yourself and I may have bitten off more than I can chew with the marathons but I promise I will complete them and I (and the guys) will raise £10,000. If an 11 year old with terminal brain cancer can raise £500,000, what excuse do I have?
If you are between Richmond and Ealing Broadway tonight feel free to buy me a Mars bar and say hello! In 5 months time the challenge will have finished, in fact, the way I see it, the challenge will have just began...
Steve
www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
I turned up at midday and felt HORRENDOUS. I was badly, badly hungover. The girls were there raring to go and Martin arrived shortly after. The girls set off first as I was dying and was also waiting for Martin to arrive. Around 30 minutes after the girls set off Martin and I unleashed the PJ bottoms and started to run. Immediately I began to get alcohol sweats! This was not helped by my 'athletes breakfast' - 11 Maryland Cookies and a brew. At Mansion House, I am ashamed to say, was the first time in 11 runs that I was sick! The Maryland's were out of my system, I had the Greese Megamix being played on my iPod, this was where the ran began properly!
The girls had made great progress and we met them at Victoria before Martin and I pressed on, met the support crew (my dad) at Sloane Square and finally got to Kensington Olympia after around 90 minutes of running. The girls arrived 30 minutes behind us. They've now done 4 runs, over 40 miles and have raised incredible sums of money. All of the guys have. I'm lucky to be able to run with great people who believe in the cause as much as I.
Tonight I finish the District Line. A half marathon beckons and it is fair to say I am not buzzing about it! Again, stupidly, I have not made things easy for myself. I played football last night, banged my leg quite badly and am now spraying some sort of freeze spray and decking Nurofens in the hope I can hobble round 13 miles tonight.
After tonight I would have done almost 3 half marathons in 7 days. One was brutal, one was nice (after the sick incident!) and tonight...well who knows! Martin (who has joined me for every district line run) and I have run the entire District Line in 5 runs. That is 62 miles (we have to run and hit each tube stop remember). By tonight we'd have run from Upminster to Ealing Broadway via Richmond, Edgware Rd and Wimbledon. We have run through all 58 stops on the District Line and can say we've run through Dagenham and survived! We've run in wind, hail and rain and done it all in PJ bottoms! The district line is the 2nd longest tube line and after tonight we'd have run 5 tube lines, 160 miles and passed way over 120 tube stops. This challenge suddenly seems achievable.
But we want to add to the crazy, make more people aware of the amazing Harry Moseley and get more people to donate to his incredible charity.
So I have done something a little stupid...
I have decided I want to complete the challenge by the end of May. This means that in the next 20 weeks I (and hopefully some of the other guys) will be running 4 marathons and 16 half marathons. A marathon a month for the next 4 months. Our final run will be 26.2 miles of the Metropolitan line. I will run 26.2 miles of the Central, Piccadilly and Jubilee line as well. I've never run a marathon. Let alone one a month. But Harry taught me that anything is possible if you want it enough.
He also showed me how important it is to raise money and awareness to kill this disease once and for all. I set the target of 10k - I am desperate to hit that. If I hit that I hope to raise £100k by doing more challenges. To raise money, a lot of it, I believe you have to do things that seem unachievable. That make people sit up and take notice. That inspire. That is why Harry raised £500,000 for Cancer Research UK. That is why he continues to raise money every single day. Because as a child, with terminal brain cancer, he did the impossible and made it happen. Now 4 marathons and 16 half marathons are no where near in his league, but if it makes just one person sit up and take notice. If it makes one person who hasn't donated yet donate then it is all worth it.
I'm a firm believer in pushing yourself and I may have bitten off more than I can chew with the marathons but I promise I will complete them and I (and the guys) will raise £10,000. If an 11 year old with terminal brain cancer can raise £500,000, what excuse do I have?
If you are between Richmond and Ealing Broadway tonight feel free to buy me a Mars bar and say hello! In 5 months time the challenge will have finished, in fact, the way I see it, the challenge will have just began...
Steve
www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
Thursday, 5 January 2012
Got to love the rain...
Happy new year to you all! Hope you had a good one! Me, I spent it on a beach drinking a flask of tea (long story). I'd love to say I've piled on the pounds during Christmas but it seems my body is unique in that no matter how much rubbish I eat I am unable to bulk up. I was struck down with a horrible case of man flu (a slightly sore throat and runny nose!) over the Christmas period. I decided to have Christmas off from running, so the first run would be the 4th January.
The 4th January arrives and my man flu has taken a turn for the worse (I am now coughing!). I've also been struck down with a severe case of the new year blues. Nothing against my work but I am desperate to be at home, in bed, instead of the packed rush hour tube with my rucksack containing PJ bottoms, my Harry Tshirt and my highly unfashionable running trainers.
Now, I don't know if you've paid much attention to the weather yesterday, but it's fair to say it is not shorts weather! There have been a few spots of rain in the air and a light breeze of late! In fact, when I left work yesterday, in my PJ bottoms, the wind and rain really hit me. It was cold, it was miserable and I was man flued up!
I jumped on the tube from Aldgate East and made my way to Wimbledon. I still love the looks I get as I board the tube in my monster munch pyjama bottoms! I eventually got to Wimbledon 55 minutes later and met my dad and Martin - who was running with me. My dad was there, as ever, to lend his support, water and Mars bars. He was also there with his new best friend. The London A-Z. My dad's ultimate passion is the weather. Nothing seems to excite him quite like the weather. There has to be silence when the forecast comes on, he loves 'Countryfile' only for the weekly weather forecast and he gets great pleasure in getting my mum to text me (my dad doesn't know how to text) on the day of the run to let me know what the weather is doing later. I am sitting there, on the morning of the run, when the world appears to be closing in and freak storms are battering London and the text reads 'Dad reckons there could be rain tonight bring appropriate clothes mum' notice the distinct lack of punctuation, my mum hasn't got to grips with that part of texting yet on her Nokia 32-10. However, a new great love rivals that of the weather for my dad and that is the London A-Z.
My dad is a legend. That word is over used but he really is. He works out all the routes before I begin each run, he then emails me the route. He does all of this via his London A-Z. Google Maps...pffft no need! So I have the route on my phone (which he has emailed me...he can email!) and we then run through the first few stops together. He takes me through his A to Z like a proud man showing off his favourite toy. I feel like I am cheating if I use Google maps so wherever possible I will only follow the big man's direction and I too place a great trust in his A to Z. Yesterday, as ever, it did not let us down...
"Just make sure you turn left out of the station". "Yes dad" I respond. I start jogging out of the station, pretend to go right, look back and wink at the old man, who has 4 bags on his shoulders - he is a modern day pack horse.
Martin and I begin our run and the weather is truly abysmal. It's cold, it is wet and I am desperate to watch United on the box! Instead I am running from Wimbledon to Edgware Rd. A mile later we are at Wimbledon Park, Wimbledon is actually quite nice. Compared to Dagenham East it is beautiful. For the first time on the District Line run I felt I would not be stabbed, which is always a positive thing. Southfields, East Putney and then Putney Bridge. I almost got swept out into the Thames running across the bridge. The weather was truly horrendous and the wind that strong that I though my slight frame wouldn't take it! But made it I did! My knee felt the best it's felt in a long while. Parsons Green, Fulham Broadway and West Brompton all safely negotiated. The rain was getting stronger, I was getting colder. At Earls Court I begin to die, the motivation was waning and I had stepped through about 17 puddles, I was cold, I was pi***d off and I wanted my bed. I then got a text at just the right time. It told me to 'keep going, keep going, keep going' and that text helped me, big time. So to the person who sent it (!) thank you! I kept going :)
The most annoying thing about this tube run challenge is that, as I want to do it properly, I am forever having to re run places I've already gone through. So, even though I have done the Circle Line, I made the decision that I would still run High Street Kensington, Notting Hill Gate, Bayswater, Paddington and Edgware Road. Yes I'd done this exact route 12 weeks ago. But I'd done that route whilst running the Circle Line, this wasn't the circle line, this was the district line. So the route had to be done again. That will also mean I will have to do the exact same run from Barking to Aldgate East in a couple of months. Because even though I have done that run, I did it when I was running the District Line and not the Hammersmith and City line. That means I have to go back to Barking, a thought that keeps me up at night!
We got to Notting Hill Gate and began munching on a Mars bar when a man in a hat comes out of the tube, he approaches Martin, my dad and I and asks us to join us his cult. He explains the benefits of the cult, he tells me he is ex SAS (presumably to keep my attention) and is not happy, in the slightest, when I interrupt him to tell him we have to get running. He calls us selfish, questions our motives and says that why waste our time with a dead kid, a kid who is probably 'no good'. If this man reads this blog post, I wish you all the best for your cult. I do. But if you ever speak of Harry like that again, crazed tube runners in pyjama bottoms will hunt you down! SAS or not!
Two horrendously grim hours later we arrived at Edgware Road. I was SOAKED and seriously COLD. I got pneumonia when I was younger so my dad and mum worry a bit therefore my dad made me get changed into warm clothes. This meant that in the middle of Edgware Tube station, in full view of staff and travellers, I stripped to just my boxer shorts. No t-shirt, no trousers, no towel to cover myself - the ladies loved it! I then put on some warm clothes and got the tube home...a journey that I will be running sometime soon!
Anyway, that is now 138 miles run. We've at least 260 to go. But the District line is being tamed by the men and women in pyjama bottoms. As long as my dad has the A to Z - we can complete our journey...
Steve
www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
The 4th January arrives and my man flu has taken a turn for the worse (I am now coughing!). I've also been struck down with a severe case of the new year blues. Nothing against my work but I am desperate to be at home, in bed, instead of the packed rush hour tube with my rucksack containing PJ bottoms, my Harry Tshirt and my highly unfashionable running trainers.
Now, I don't know if you've paid much attention to the weather yesterday, but it's fair to say it is not shorts weather! There have been a few spots of rain in the air and a light breeze of late! In fact, when I left work yesterday, in my PJ bottoms, the wind and rain really hit me. It was cold, it was miserable and I was man flued up!
I jumped on the tube from Aldgate East and made my way to Wimbledon. I still love the looks I get as I board the tube in my monster munch pyjama bottoms! I eventually got to Wimbledon 55 minutes later and met my dad and Martin - who was running with me. My dad was there, as ever, to lend his support, water and Mars bars. He was also there with his new best friend. The London A-Z. My dad's ultimate passion is the weather. Nothing seems to excite him quite like the weather. There has to be silence when the forecast comes on, he loves 'Countryfile' only for the weekly weather forecast and he gets great pleasure in getting my mum to text me (my dad doesn't know how to text) on the day of the run to let me know what the weather is doing later. I am sitting there, on the morning of the run, when the world appears to be closing in and freak storms are battering London and the text reads 'Dad reckons there could be rain tonight bring appropriate clothes mum' notice the distinct lack of punctuation, my mum hasn't got to grips with that part of texting yet on her Nokia 32-10. However, a new great love rivals that of the weather for my dad and that is the London A-Z.
My dad is a legend. That word is over used but he really is. He works out all the routes before I begin each run, he then emails me the route. He does all of this via his London A-Z. Google Maps...pffft no need! So I have the route on my phone (which he has emailed me...he can email!) and we then run through the first few stops together. He takes me through his A to Z like a proud man showing off his favourite toy. I feel like I am cheating if I use Google maps so wherever possible I will only follow the big man's direction and I too place a great trust in his A to Z. Yesterday, as ever, it did not let us down...
"Just make sure you turn left out of the station". "Yes dad" I respond. I start jogging out of the station, pretend to go right, look back and wink at the old man, who has 4 bags on his shoulders - he is a modern day pack horse.
Martin and I begin our run and the weather is truly abysmal. It's cold, it is wet and I am desperate to watch United on the box! Instead I am running from Wimbledon to Edgware Rd. A mile later we are at Wimbledon Park, Wimbledon is actually quite nice. Compared to Dagenham East it is beautiful. For the first time on the District Line run I felt I would not be stabbed, which is always a positive thing. Southfields, East Putney and then Putney Bridge. I almost got swept out into the Thames running across the bridge. The weather was truly horrendous and the wind that strong that I though my slight frame wouldn't take it! But made it I did! My knee felt the best it's felt in a long while. Parsons Green, Fulham Broadway and West Brompton all safely negotiated. The rain was getting stronger, I was getting colder. At Earls Court I begin to die, the motivation was waning and I had stepped through about 17 puddles, I was cold, I was pi***d off and I wanted my bed. I then got a text at just the right time. It told me to 'keep going, keep going, keep going' and that text helped me, big time. So to the person who sent it (!) thank you! I kept going :)
The most annoying thing about this tube run challenge is that, as I want to do it properly, I am forever having to re run places I've already gone through. So, even though I have done the Circle Line, I made the decision that I would still run High Street Kensington, Notting Hill Gate, Bayswater, Paddington and Edgware Road. Yes I'd done this exact route 12 weeks ago. But I'd done that route whilst running the Circle Line, this wasn't the circle line, this was the district line. So the route had to be done again. That will also mean I will have to do the exact same run from Barking to Aldgate East in a couple of months. Because even though I have done that run, I did it when I was running the District Line and not the Hammersmith and City line. That means I have to go back to Barking, a thought that keeps me up at night!
We got to Notting Hill Gate and began munching on a Mars bar when a man in a hat comes out of the tube, he approaches Martin, my dad and I and asks us to join us his cult. He explains the benefits of the cult, he tells me he is ex SAS (presumably to keep my attention) and is not happy, in the slightest, when I interrupt him to tell him we have to get running. He calls us selfish, questions our motives and says that why waste our time with a dead kid, a kid who is probably 'no good'. If this man reads this blog post, I wish you all the best for your cult. I do. But if you ever speak of Harry like that again, crazed tube runners in pyjama bottoms will hunt you down! SAS or not!
Two horrendously grim hours later we arrived at Edgware Road. I was SOAKED and seriously COLD. I got pneumonia when I was younger so my dad and mum worry a bit therefore my dad made me get changed into warm clothes. This meant that in the middle of Edgware Tube station, in full view of staff and travellers, I stripped to just my boxer shorts. No t-shirt, no trousers, no towel to cover myself - the ladies loved it! I then put on some warm clothes and got the tube home...a journey that I will be running sometime soon!
Anyway, that is now 138 miles run. We've at least 260 to go. But the District line is being tamed by the men and women in pyjama bottoms. As long as my dad has the A to Z - we can complete our journey...
Steve
www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Another run done. Time for some stats...
This is the last blog post of the year, and we have just run our final run of the year. Last night was 12 miles of fun (I use that word generously!). You will remember that we ran from Upminster to Barking last week. So this week we ran from Barking to Tower Hill and it was as tough as ever!
As you now know all now my knee is quite bad and so is one of the other runners in the team - Luke Butler. I would probably say yesterday's run was the one I have dreaded the most since we begun. Before setting off I was still struggling to walk up stairs given that my knee was still quite painful. I was in a pretty crappy mood, it was quite cold, I knew I'd be running through East Ham and my mates were all out for a pretty big night. All of this contributed to me having the 'ump!
But in the afternoon I received a picture from a person who shall remain nameless(!) and on the picture it just had the words 'Good luck Whyley' - this was great. I can't really explain it but it was cool that people, even now, were still getting behind us. Then at 5PM I received words of encouragement from colleagues at work, friends via text messages, my mum, my aunt and numerous people on Twitter and Facebook. Suddenly I felt ready to do this. 12 miles isn't all that far but when you're not up for it and you know that when you finish you won't be able to walk properly for 3 days it is a prospect that doesn't really excite you! All these messages though are like a drug, the more I get, the more I am up for it. I realise it may seem like just a simple message but in my mind these people are thinking of Harry, for even the briefest of seconds. And this is what it is all about - to raise awareness, to raise money. We raised another £40 yesterday. We've now raised £5410 - a pretty incredible total given we've been only doing it for 3 months. I am so proud of the people I run with and the people whom have given their hard earned money, especially in times as hard as these. It is a reminder that I am surrounded by great people.
As for the run - we got to Barking, in our PJ bottoms, and met the support crew - the truly legendary old man (my dad) who has been with us for every single run! We ran through (not literally!) the route once more and Martin, Luke and I were ready to go.
Around 1 mile and a half in I was questioning if I could continue given that I was already in loads of pain. I cranked Neil Diamond up, saw I had 7 texts, and just carried on. A few miles later and Luke's knee had gone - it was now my turn to help him, just like he had helped me a few miles back. Barking to Bromley by Bow was pretty horrendous but once we reached Bromley by Bow I was confident we could do it. Luke was in a bad way but he may be the bravest man I've met and there was no way he would stop. And I was to be proved right.
As we approached Bow I rang my mate, which proved difficult - running, calling a mate and focusing on where I was going(!) - and told him I was approaching Mile End which is where he lived and begged him for a Lucozade! As we got to Bow two people started running with us. It was my two mates (my mate had rung my other mate) and suddenly we became five. Three of us in PJ bottoms, 2 of us in work shoes - it summed up the ridiculousness of the challenge! They ran with us to Mile End, I got my Lucozade and we then ran to Tower Hill, not before helping tourists and pointing them on their way to Liverpool Street. I fear they are still walking the streets now looking for the station...
Luke, Martin and I had finished - 2 hours 20 minutes. Not rapid but when you have 6 pairs of knees and only 4 work it is pleasing to just get round. Luke stripped in the street to his boxers, wooed the ladies, and put his jeans on. I gave the old man a big hug as for the first time I was quite overwhelmed - for the first time I realised I could actually do this, I would do this.
As the end of the year is a time for stats, let me give you some.
The Tube Runners have run 125 miles over the last 10 weeks, averaging just under a half marathon a week.
The longest run has been 24 miles.
The shortest run has been 1.7miles.
We've had weeks where only 2 people could run.
We've had weeks where 38 people have run.
We've raised £5410.
The highest donation has been £370.
We've hosted one pub quiz
We’ve hosted one fun run.
I have written 42 facebook status updates about what we are getting up to.
I have written over 10 blog posts about Harry and our run which equate to over a dissertations worth of work (over 10,000 words).
My mum has put on two dinners and raised £170.
I have received 214 text messages wishing me luck.
I have received 354 text messages during runs asking me how I am doing.
I have got lost. A lot.
I have made 2 amazing new friends.
I have got closer to the other 6 original friends.
I have cried 3 times – once during a run. Once after. And once when Harry died.
I have had two different physio's treating 2 different injuries.
I have got 70 new Twitter followers who are spreading Harry's amazing story.
I have run the Bakerloo line, the Northern line, the Circle line, the Waterloo and City line and started the District line.
All the tube runners have run at least two lines.
I have passed through 116 tube stations, sometimes twice, sometimes thrice.
My dad has spent in excess of £100 travelling round London with me handing out water to myself and the other runners.
At least 300 children under 12 will be diagnosed with brain tumours next year.
Harry Moseley was just 11 when he died.
Harry Moseley raised £500,000 for Brain Cancer Research.
From all of us, a massive thank you. From the text messages, to the pictures, to the dinners, to the kind words, to the money raised - we could not have done this without you. £10,000 and 406 miles of the London Underground seemed like an impossible task 3 months ago, you don't realise just how easy you are all making it.
Only one stat matters next year - the number of children who are diagnosed with brain cancer. This stat has to be lower than 300. It just has to be. Help Harry Help Others and continue your good work...
Steve http://www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
As you now know all now my knee is quite bad and so is one of the other runners in the team - Luke Butler. I would probably say yesterday's run was the one I have dreaded the most since we begun. Before setting off I was still struggling to walk up stairs given that my knee was still quite painful. I was in a pretty crappy mood, it was quite cold, I knew I'd be running through East Ham and my mates were all out for a pretty big night. All of this contributed to me having the 'ump!
But in the afternoon I received a picture from a person who shall remain nameless(!) and on the picture it just had the words 'Good luck Whyley' - this was great. I can't really explain it but it was cool that people, even now, were still getting behind us. Then at 5PM I received words of encouragement from colleagues at work, friends via text messages, my mum, my aunt and numerous people on Twitter and Facebook. Suddenly I felt ready to do this. 12 miles isn't all that far but when you're not up for it and you know that when you finish you won't be able to walk properly for 3 days it is a prospect that doesn't really excite you! All these messages though are like a drug, the more I get, the more I am up for it. I realise it may seem like just a simple message but in my mind these people are thinking of Harry, for even the briefest of seconds. And this is what it is all about - to raise awareness, to raise money. We raised another £40 yesterday. We've now raised £5410 - a pretty incredible total given we've been only doing it for 3 months. I am so proud of the people I run with and the people whom have given their hard earned money, especially in times as hard as these. It is a reminder that I am surrounded by great people.
As for the run - we got to Barking, in our PJ bottoms, and met the support crew - the truly legendary old man (my dad) who has been with us for every single run! We ran through (not literally!) the route once more and Martin, Luke and I were ready to go.
Around 1 mile and a half in I was questioning if I could continue given that I was already in loads of pain. I cranked Neil Diamond up, saw I had 7 texts, and just carried on. A few miles later and Luke's knee had gone - it was now my turn to help him, just like he had helped me a few miles back. Barking to Bromley by Bow was pretty horrendous but once we reached Bromley by Bow I was confident we could do it. Luke was in a bad way but he may be the bravest man I've met and there was no way he would stop. And I was to be proved right.
As we approached Bow I rang my mate, which proved difficult - running, calling a mate and focusing on where I was going(!) - and told him I was approaching Mile End which is where he lived and begged him for a Lucozade! As we got to Bow two people started running with us. It was my two mates (my mate had rung my other mate) and suddenly we became five. Three of us in PJ bottoms, 2 of us in work shoes - it summed up the ridiculousness of the challenge! They ran with us to Mile End, I got my Lucozade and we then ran to Tower Hill, not before helping tourists and pointing them on their way to Liverpool Street. I fear they are still walking the streets now looking for the station...
Luke, Martin and I had finished - 2 hours 20 minutes. Not rapid but when you have 6 pairs of knees and only 4 work it is pleasing to just get round. Luke stripped in the street to his boxers, wooed the ladies, and put his jeans on. I gave the old man a big hug as for the first time I was quite overwhelmed - for the first time I realised I could actually do this, I would do this.
As the end of the year is a time for stats, let me give you some.
The Tube Runners have run 125 miles over the last 10 weeks, averaging just under a half marathon a week.
The longest run has been 24 miles.
The shortest run has been 1.7miles.
We've had weeks where only 2 people could run.
We've had weeks where 38 people have run.
We've raised £5410.
The highest donation has been £370.
We've hosted one pub quiz
We’ve hosted one fun run.
I have written 42 facebook status updates about what we are getting up to.
I have written over 10 blog posts about Harry and our run which equate to over a dissertations worth of work (over 10,000 words).
My mum has put on two dinners and raised £170.
I have received 214 text messages wishing me luck.
I have received 354 text messages during runs asking me how I am doing.
I have got lost. A lot.
I have made 2 amazing new friends.
I have got closer to the other 6 original friends.
I have cried 3 times – once during a run. Once after. And once when Harry died.
I have had two different physio's treating 2 different injuries.
I have got 70 new Twitter followers who are spreading Harry's amazing story.
I have run the Bakerloo line, the Northern line, the Circle line, the Waterloo and City line and started the District line.
All the tube runners have run at least two lines.
I have passed through 116 tube stations, sometimes twice, sometimes thrice.
My dad has spent in excess of £100 travelling round London with me handing out water to myself and the other runners.
At least 300 children under 12 will be diagnosed with brain tumours next year.
Harry Moseley was just 11 when he died.
Harry Moseley raised £500,000 for Brain Cancer Research.
From all of us, a massive thank you. From the text messages, to the pictures, to the dinners, to the kind words, to the money raised - we could not have done this without you. £10,000 and 406 miles of the London Underground seemed like an impossible task 3 months ago, you don't realise just how easy you are all making it.
Only one stat matters next year - the number of children who are diagnosed with brain cancer. This stat has to be lower than 300. It just has to be. Help Harry Help Others and continue your good work...
Steve http://www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
Monday, 19 December 2011
A new years resolution
Every year I try and set a new years resolution. Every year I fail to keep to it. Some years the resolutions are big, brave and ambitious. Sometimes they are beyond stupid.
Six years ago my new years resolution was to pass my first year at uni without going to a single lecture. I came so very close - I did not attend a lecture but it turns out there is a correlation between attending lectures and passing years. Needless to say I failed uni.
Five years ago I said I would try a new meal every week - I am a horribly fussy eater - five years later I am still living on a diet of milk and cookies (seriously).
4 years ago, my new years resolution was to find a blonde girlfriend. Yep, seriously, that was my new years resolution! I had never had a blonde girlfriend and so for the months of January, February and March I pursued anything blonde with a kind of gusto that would of made my dad proud. Alas, blondes it seems don't like me - so four years later I remain single and without a blonde girl in my life.
3 years ago the resolution was to write a TV script. Easy enough. Except it wasn't easy. I had just broken up with girlfriend, I was pretty down and I found writing hard. I just wanted to go out and get lashed. But for the first time in my life I saw a resolution through, I had written a TV script. Once finished I sent it off places but nothing really materialised. I wasn't to know at the time but seeing that resolution through would have a tremendous impact on my life 2 years later.
2 years ago I read a book (I had read before!) - the book was 'Yes Man' by Danny Wallace. The book is simple in concept - say yes more. Danny took it to a new level, whereby he said yes to everything. If someone asked if he wanted to go out he would say 'yes' no matter how he felt. If someone asked him to go on holiday he would say 'yes' despite having no money. By constantly saying 'Yes' Danny turned his life around and ended up meeting his future wife, the future mother of his child. Before I read that book my default answer to opportunities was 'no'. I read the book in December. My new years resolution was decided. I was to say 'Yes' more. This was the second resolution I had stuck to. It changed my life. That is a big statement but I firmly believe it did. I now have more friends, better friends, I live in London, I've travelled across the United States in an RV, I have travelled the west coast, I have travelled New Zealand, Europe and Australia, I have got promotions at work. I am incredibly happy and the reason for that, I think, is because I now say 'yes'. Try it. It is surprisingly addictive.
1 year ago my new years resolution was to film my own sitcom. I'd written the script, now I wanted to see it on screen. By saying 'Yes' to opportunities I found myself, 13 months ago, at a football reunion with people I hadn't seen for 10 years. I promise to all those reading this blog post that before my new years resolution 2 years ago I would not have attended this reunion. But by making 'yes' my default I found myself at this reunion speaking to a guy called Luke Butler. Luke Butler had quit his job and had created a film production company with his friend Martin Chapman, also at the reunion. I got talking to him and told him I had written a TV script. Over the next year my sitcom - Rules of Life - was made by Luke's production company. It finished filming last month. Through that process Luke and Martin have become life long friends. I have also met some other incredible people during the filming process. All of this wouldn't have been possible without my previous two new years resolutions.
So, I have been thinking, for the last few months, what would my new years resolution be for 2012? Find an attractive blonde? Eat more food? Nope. My new years resolution for 2012 is by far the most important resolution I have ever set myself and unlike years gone by I cannot fail, nor will I.
My new years resolution for 2012 is to raise £100,000 for Help Harry Help Others.
As you guys know I am attempting, with other friends, to run the entire London Underground for Harry Moseley's charity. Harry is incredibly special to me. Someone asked me 'what's the deal with me doing this running thing given I've never met Harry?'. It's a fair question. My answer is pretty simple. I am a heart on your sleeve type of person - I cry at rubbish films, I like awful cheesy music and I get moved by things. But it is incredibly rare for me to get genuinely upset about real things, about real life. There have been four times in my life where my tears were real and where I could not stop myself. My granddad dying, my Nan dying, my friend dying - made up 3 of these moments. The 4th was when I saw a picture of Harry Moseley just after an operation he had had to remove part of a tumour that had grown in his brain. I vividly remember where I was. I was sitting on a bench, at a park, when I logged in to Twitter and saw Harry's mum had uploaded a picture. Harry's hair was missing, he looked in pain, he looked tired - he looked like he had cancer. He was only 11..
I had been following Harry's story for a year and was utterly overwhelmed by how someone so young, who was so ill, could be so utterly selfless. In quite a cynical world it is rare for someone to be selfless. Someone who doesn't do something for their own good but instead someone who just wants to help others. This was amazing to me but what made it more amazing was that Harry was suffering from terminal brain cancer at the time. Someone so ill was still so kind. I knew Harry had had his operation that night and it is rare for me to pray but that night I did. I prayed he wouldn't be in pain. And then I saw the picture.
I couldn't understand, and I still don't and I never will, why what happened happened to Harry. All I can do is try and learn from him. He started an incredible campaign that has raised £500,000 for Brain Cancer Research. To me it is simple - the more awareness, the more money that is raised, the fewer children have to suffer like Harry did. There should never be a picture uploaded like that picture I saw that day - I want to help, albeit in a small way, to help ensure that type of picture is never seen again. Sydney Smith once remarked 'It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little - do what you can'.
£100,000 isn't just a finger in the air target. I have researched how I can get the money, I have researched what the money can be used for. I came to the conclusion that £100,000 could make a real difference. I have some big ideas as to how I can get there. New years resolutions are great as they help focus the mind. I have had an interesting history with them but recently they have helped me make my life better. I hope this one can help contribute make someone else's life a little better.
My friends and I have 290 miles of the London Underground left to run. If I haven't hit £100,000 by the end of those runs I will find another tube line to run, another city, another country. If you saw the picture, you would understand why we have to kill cancer. Do your bit. Sponsor at www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
Have a great new year...I will be running the tube and trying to find a blonde girlfriend :)
Steve
Six years ago my new years resolution was to pass my first year at uni without going to a single lecture. I came so very close - I did not attend a lecture but it turns out there is a correlation between attending lectures and passing years. Needless to say I failed uni.
Five years ago I said I would try a new meal every week - I am a horribly fussy eater - five years later I am still living on a diet of milk and cookies (seriously).
4 years ago, my new years resolution was to find a blonde girlfriend. Yep, seriously, that was my new years resolution! I had never had a blonde girlfriend and so for the months of January, February and March I pursued anything blonde with a kind of gusto that would of made my dad proud. Alas, blondes it seems don't like me - so four years later I remain single and without a blonde girl in my life.
3 years ago the resolution was to write a TV script. Easy enough. Except it wasn't easy. I had just broken up with girlfriend, I was pretty down and I found writing hard. I just wanted to go out and get lashed. But for the first time in my life I saw a resolution through, I had written a TV script. Once finished I sent it off places but nothing really materialised. I wasn't to know at the time but seeing that resolution through would have a tremendous impact on my life 2 years later.
2 years ago I read a book (I had read before!) - the book was 'Yes Man' by Danny Wallace. The book is simple in concept - say yes more. Danny took it to a new level, whereby he said yes to everything. If someone asked if he wanted to go out he would say 'yes' no matter how he felt. If someone asked him to go on holiday he would say 'yes' despite having no money. By constantly saying 'Yes' Danny turned his life around and ended up meeting his future wife, the future mother of his child. Before I read that book my default answer to opportunities was 'no'. I read the book in December. My new years resolution was decided. I was to say 'Yes' more. This was the second resolution I had stuck to. It changed my life. That is a big statement but I firmly believe it did. I now have more friends, better friends, I live in London, I've travelled across the United States in an RV, I have travelled the west coast, I have travelled New Zealand, Europe and Australia, I have got promotions at work. I am incredibly happy and the reason for that, I think, is because I now say 'yes'. Try it. It is surprisingly addictive.
1 year ago my new years resolution was to film my own sitcom. I'd written the script, now I wanted to see it on screen. By saying 'Yes' to opportunities I found myself, 13 months ago, at a football reunion with people I hadn't seen for 10 years. I promise to all those reading this blog post that before my new years resolution 2 years ago I would not have attended this reunion. But by making 'yes' my default I found myself at this reunion speaking to a guy called Luke Butler. Luke Butler had quit his job and had created a film production company with his friend Martin Chapman, also at the reunion. I got talking to him and told him I had written a TV script. Over the next year my sitcom - Rules of Life - was made by Luke's production company. It finished filming last month. Through that process Luke and Martin have become life long friends. I have also met some other incredible people during the filming process. All of this wouldn't have been possible without my previous two new years resolutions.
So, I have been thinking, for the last few months, what would my new years resolution be for 2012? Find an attractive blonde? Eat more food? Nope. My new years resolution for 2012 is by far the most important resolution I have ever set myself and unlike years gone by I cannot fail, nor will I.
My new years resolution for 2012 is to raise £100,000 for Help Harry Help Others.
As you guys know I am attempting, with other friends, to run the entire London Underground for Harry Moseley's charity. Harry is incredibly special to me. Someone asked me 'what's the deal with me doing this running thing given I've never met Harry?'. It's a fair question. My answer is pretty simple. I am a heart on your sleeve type of person - I cry at rubbish films, I like awful cheesy music and I get moved by things. But it is incredibly rare for me to get genuinely upset about real things, about real life. There have been four times in my life where my tears were real and where I could not stop myself. My granddad dying, my Nan dying, my friend dying - made up 3 of these moments. The 4th was when I saw a picture of Harry Moseley just after an operation he had had to remove part of a tumour that had grown in his brain. I vividly remember where I was. I was sitting on a bench, at a park, when I logged in to Twitter and saw Harry's mum had uploaded a picture. Harry's hair was missing, he looked in pain, he looked tired - he looked like he had cancer. He was only 11..
I had been following Harry's story for a year and was utterly overwhelmed by how someone so young, who was so ill, could be so utterly selfless. In quite a cynical world it is rare for someone to be selfless. Someone who doesn't do something for their own good but instead someone who just wants to help others. This was amazing to me but what made it more amazing was that Harry was suffering from terminal brain cancer at the time. Someone so ill was still so kind. I knew Harry had had his operation that night and it is rare for me to pray but that night I did. I prayed he wouldn't be in pain. And then I saw the picture.
I couldn't understand, and I still don't and I never will, why what happened happened to Harry. All I can do is try and learn from him. He started an incredible campaign that has raised £500,000 for Brain Cancer Research. To me it is simple - the more awareness, the more money that is raised, the fewer children have to suffer like Harry did. There should never be a picture uploaded like that picture I saw that day - I want to help, albeit in a small way, to help ensure that type of picture is never seen again. Sydney Smith once remarked 'It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little - do what you can'.
£100,000 isn't just a finger in the air target. I have researched how I can get the money, I have researched what the money can be used for. I came to the conclusion that £100,000 could make a real difference. I have some big ideas as to how I can get there. New years resolutions are great as they help focus the mind. I have had an interesting history with them but recently they have helped me make my life better. I hope this one can help contribute make someone else's life a little better.
My friends and I have 290 miles of the London Underground left to run. If I haven't hit £100,000 by the end of those runs I will find another tube line to run, another city, another country. If you saw the picture, you would understand why we have to kill cancer. Do your bit. Sponsor at www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
Have a great new year...I will be running the tube and trying to find a blonde girlfriend :)
Steve
Thursday, 15 December 2011
A grim couple of hours!
Last night was one of the shortest runs I have done so far but it was also one of the most difficult.
I was running 11 miles - from Upminster to Barking. Upminster is located in Zone 6, it was the first time I had been out to run as far as Zone 6. Harrow, High Barnet and Edgware are all Zone 5. It was also the first proper run I have done in 3 weeks since being told I had to rest my knee.
I was feeling pretty decent but stepped out of the office to be faced with falling rain and temperatures that were, shall we say, on the low side! I ran to Fenchurch street (like I wasn't running far enough already) and got on the C2C train to Upminster. I was to meet the support crew (my old man) at Upminster. I had in my hand the route - Upminster, Upminster Bridge, Hornchurch, Elm Park, Dagenham East, Dagenham Heathway, Becontree, Upney and finally Barking. The route we had mapped out was to take us through some real beauty spots :) it was fair to say this run wasn't going to be a particularly attractive one.
After 20 minutes I arrived at Upminster. I had to get changed into my pyjama bottoms (the support crew had bought them up) so at the Entrance to Upminster station I dropped my trousers to show off my incredible legs and my questionable boxer shorts. This was embarrassing enough but for some reason I had put my boxer shorts on the wrong way round yesterday - so my behind had a row of buttons! The support crew finally stopped laughing and handed me the PJ bottoms - much to the delight of the guards at the station. My friend Martin then arrived and we would set off. We'd meet the old man at Elm Park.
We began running and my knee felt sore but ok. We got to Elm Park fairly quickly, had a glucose gel and some water and we would meet my dad at the next station - 3.2 miles away. The run from Elm Park to Dagenham East will haunt me! First of all the buttons on the boxers were causing an issue! Second, we were running through gangland Britain! Literally! Down every road we were turning there were gangs of teenagers. Now this is fine, I am sure they are all pleasant enough! But when you are wearing PJ bottoms the teenagers are prone to shouting out the odd comment! We ran past Dagenham East YMCA - this really did feel like the end of the world. Why anyone would stay here is beyond me. It looked like a bad nightmare. A big concrete slab of a building. It looked like a lego set built in the air. Amazingly though it was busy - the village people tribute act had clearly drawn in the punters. We continued, we ran past the cemetery, the lake, the sewage depot. You could sum up Dagenham by saying it has a cemetery, a lake and a sewage depot - there is very little else to it! The surroundings were getting bleaker and bleaker and my knee was getting more and more painful. I must have been the first person in the history of civilisation to actually utter the words 'I cannot wait to get to Barking'.
We got to Dagenham East. My knee was seizing up and I was really struggling but fortunately my dad and Martin kept me going. I also received some timely text messages to give me a second wind. We got out of Dagenham as quickly as possible, not before passing more gangs. Becontree and Upney safely negotiated, we finally made it to Barking. Due to the pain in my knee it had taken us 2hours 20 minutes to run just under 11 miles - it was a slow pace. It was a truly grim run. But it is 11 miles closer to the target, a target that is now less than 300 miles away.
When we finished I again couldn't walk up stairs - fast becoming a normal feature of our runs! I rang my mum looking for lots of sympathy which was duly given and finally got home about 10 o'clock.
The next run is Wednesday. These runs are tough, my body is failing me but I am seeing London - all sides of it! And we are raising money, so the runs continue. A big thanks to Martin and my dad for helping me through a grim 2 and a half hours!
I was running 11 miles - from Upminster to Barking. Upminster is located in Zone 6, it was the first time I had been out to run as far as Zone 6. Harrow, High Barnet and Edgware are all Zone 5. It was also the first proper run I have done in 3 weeks since being told I had to rest my knee.
I was feeling pretty decent but stepped out of the office to be faced with falling rain and temperatures that were, shall we say, on the low side! I ran to Fenchurch street (like I wasn't running far enough already) and got on the C2C train to Upminster. I was to meet the support crew (my old man) at Upminster. I had in my hand the route - Upminster, Upminster Bridge, Hornchurch, Elm Park, Dagenham East, Dagenham Heathway, Becontree, Upney and finally Barking. The route we had mapped out was to take us through some real beauty spots :) it was fair to say this run wasn't going to be a particularly attractive one.
After 20 minutes I arrived at Upminster. I had to get changed into my pyjama bottoms (the support crew had bought them up) so at the Entrance to Upminster station I dropped my trousers to show off my incredible legs and my questionable boxer shorts. This was embarrassing enough but for some reason I had put my boxer shorts on the wrong way round yesterday - so my behind had a row of buttons! The support crew finally stopped laughing and handed me the PJ bottoms - much to the delight of the guards at the station. My friend Martin then arrived and we would set off. We'd meet the old man at Elm Park.
We began running and my knee felt sore but ok. We got to Elm Park fairly quickly, had a glucose gel and some water and we would meet my dad at the next station - 3.2 miles away. The run from Elm Park to Dagenham East will haunt me! First of all the buttons on the boxers were causing an issue! Second, we were running through gangland Britain! Literally! Down every road we were turning there were gangs of teenagers. Now this is fine, I am sure they are all pleasant enough! But when you are wearing PJ bottoms the teenagers are prone to shouting out the odd comment! We ran past Dagenham East YMCA - this really did feel like the end of the world. Why anyone would stay here is beyond me. It looked like a bad nightmare. A big concrete slab of a building. It looked like a lego set built in the air. Amazingly though it was busy - the village people tribute act had clearly drawn in the punters. We continued, we ran past the cemetery, the lake, the sewage depot. You could sum up Dagenham by saying it has a cemetery, a lake and a sewage depot - there is very little else to it! The surroundings were getting bleaker and bleaker and my knee was getting more and more painful. I must have been the first person in the history of civilisation to actually utter the words 'I cannot wait to get to Barking'.
We got to Dagenham East. My knee was seizing up and I was really struggling but fortunately my dad and Martin kept me going. I also received some timely text messages to give me a second wind. We got out of Dagenham as quickly as possible, not before passing more gangs. Becontree and Upney safely negotiated, we finally made it to Barking. Due to the pain in my knee it had taken us 2hours 20 minutes to run just under 11 miles - it was a slow pace. It was a truly grim run. But it is 11 miles closer to the target, a target that is now less than 300 miles away.
When we finished I again couldn't walk up stairs - fast becoming a normal feature of our runs! I rang my mum looking for lots of sympathy which was duly given and finally got home about 10 o'clock.
The next run is Wednesday. These runs are tough, my body is failing me but I am seeing London - all sides of it! And we are raising money, so the runs continue. A big thanks to Martin and my dad for helping me through a grim 2 and a half hours!
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Thank you
I just wanted to write a blog post to say a sincere thank you.
10 weeks ago I took on the challenge of running the London Underground for Harry Moseley's charity HelpHarryHelpOthers. I wanted to run 406 miles, travel through all 272 tube stops and complete every single tube line. Most importantly though I wanted to raise £10,000 for Harry's charity.
When Harry died, 2 months ago, I was left feeling devastated. Which in itself is amazing given I had never met Harry. I had followed Harry's story on Twitter and one day, a day I will never ever forget, his mum - Georgie, posted a picture of Harry. The picture showed Harry, 11, with staples in his head, with half his hair missing and a face that was so young and innocent but at the same time looked so weary and so very tired.
Harry had his childhood taken from him - for 4 years he was battling a disease that we don't know an awful amount about, which in itself is wrong. He had a tumour growing inside him that was the size of a tennis ball. This caused severe headaches and resulted in two lots of chemotherapy and one lot of Radium treatment. This disease affects thousands of children each year. The disease that cost Harry his childhood also tragically cost him his life. Two months ago Harry lost his brave fight; tragically Harry was only 11 years old. Ask yourself what have you done since you were 11? Just pause and think of the things you've seen, the people you've met since you were 11. Harry never had that opportunity. That to me is just so wrong. Harry is not alone in suffering this disease and losing his life at a young age. It is so important we raise money and raise awareness - Cancer Research UK are entirely self funded but since they have existed they have given cancer patients the chance to beat cancer. Cancer is an awful disease, it has killed two members of my family, and it has killed a friend of mine. The single greatest thing humanity can do, in my opinion, is to find a cure. To do that we need money. Harry, at the age of 7, realised this...
Harry, despite having cancer, decided he would make a difference. He decided that he would help others and start a campaign to find a cure for brain tumours. I have never come across someone so inspiring and from that moment I knew that I wanted to do something, to help his campaign - no matter how small - I wanted to do my bit to try and help ensure that no one suffers like Harry suffered. Helen Keller once remarked "I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do." And to me that is what charity is all about - I can't cure brain cancer but I can help. Even if that help amounts to very very little in the grand scheme of things - something is better than nothing. If everyone did something, anything can be achieved.
I knew it had to be a little insane to ensure I raised money and awareness. I was on the tube one day and it broke down at Moorgate. I had to get to Kings Cross quickly and so I jumped off the tube and started running - not being a great runner I was blowing out of my (insert rude word!) by the time I got to Kings Cross. I got to Kings Cross, boarded my train and decided that I had stumbled across the challenge - I was going to run every single tube line, I was going to run every single stop, I was going to run all 406 miles. I rang my dad and told him of my plans; he said it was a great idea and that I should start training next year and aim to complete it over the next 2 years. I told my dad I wouldn't be doing that. I told him that I would be starting next week and I'd do the lot by the summer (9 months). He called me (insert rude word!) and as I was about to ask him if he could help me and hand out some water's to me on my first run (all 19 miles of the Circle line) he said 'Well I best get my oyster card ready, cos you aren’t doing this on your own'. I have run 100 miles and my dad has been there handing out water, bandaging parts of my body, giving me pep talks for every single run - no matter what the time, no matter what the weather, the old man is there, waiting to help. You will see that this is completely indicative of this challenge - people amazing me constantly. My mum as well - she has hosted two dinners raising just under £200 and has attended two runs to cheer me and the guys on - without my folks this challenge wouldn't be possible.
I set up a Justgiving page. Within an hour I had raised £100. I was buzzing! I then put what I was up to on Facebook. 9 people contacted me, 3 of which I didn't know all that well, 6 of which are good friends of mine. They are even better friends now. They all said the same thing - when can we join? All 9 wanted to join me, all 9 were inspired by Harry and all 9 (2 girls, 7 boys) would join me for the Circle Line run. I have run 100 miles of the London Underground, Luke Butler has run approaching 60 miles, Jon Myers has run 60-70, Martin Chapman 60, Shaun Purvis, Chloe Garrard and Becky Eighteen have all run 35 miles and Nick Kindred and Craig Gallacher have run somewhere close to 20. All of them have given up their own time, have run in all different kinds of weather, have all run in pyjama bottoms. And without them I 100% would not have been able to run 100 miles. One run I did was all 24 miles of the Bakerloo line and I can honestly say that Jon Myers dragged me round - I remember being in a place called Willesden Junction, questioning if I could carry on, Jon just told me to 'just run' - so I did. My foot was in pieces, so Jon just talked to me, and kept talking, until 26 stops later we had arrived at Elephant and Castle. This is in no way an isolated incident - all the guys at different points have dragged me round. Luke Butler, on one run, was in such pain that he was in tears - still he continued to run - that moment showed to me just how brave people can people. They say it is not the miles you do but who you do them with that counts and the 8 people who have joined me have become life long friends.
And now to the really important people...you guys.
So far we have completed 25% of the challenge; we've run 100 miles, completed 4 lines and begin the District Line tonight. But we have reached 45% of our target - we have raised £4500. My family, my friends, colleagues and complete strangers have donated once, twice and sometimes thrice. The generosity of people to donate their hard earned money to our cause has completely blown me away. As you guys know I have struggled with the runs - I strained ankle ligaments and tore cartilage in my knee for which I am receiving physio for (free of charge!) - But you guys have made me continue. £4500! I still can't believe how kind people are and the difference you have all made is incredible. It is not just monetary donations either - every run we have done I have received numerous texts wishing me luck. One girl has text me before, during, and after every single run wishing me luck and keeping me going (Miss Barnes - thank you!). To all those that wish us luck and find out our progress it keeps us all going. It may not seem a lot, to just send a text, but when you run pass a Crime Scene Investigation in Wembley and it is pissing down with rain, a text message can help you get one foot in front of the other. We also had 40 runners for our Waterloo and City line run (see pic) - again, this was absolutely incredible and helped raise £800
If you've had a (insert rude word!) day and question the people you work with, or your friends you hang out with or the family you live with I can whole heartedly say that they will surprise and amaze you if you let them. The press is full of negative stories, the press ignores the good and at times I think we do as well. It is not until I did this challenge that I realised just how good people can be.
This challenge began because I wanted to help Harry help others. The truth of the matter is this challenge is helping me - it has made me fit, it has shown me London, it has given me new friends, it has made existing friends better ones, it has given me a confidence to think I can do anything if I want it bad enough and most importantly it has reminded me that people are fundamentally good.
From myself and all the runners - a sincere thank you. Have an amazing Christmas, and a great new year.
Steve www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
10 weeks ago I took on the challenge of running the London Underground for Harry Moseley's charity HelpHarryHelpOthers. I wanted to run 406 miles, travel through all 272 tube stops and complete every single tube line. Most importantly though I wanted to raise £10,000 for Harry's charity.
When Harry died, 2 months ago, I was left feeling devastated. Which in itself is amazing given I had never met Harry. I had followed Harry's story on Twitter and one day, a day I will never ever forget, his mum - Georgie, posted a picture of Harry. The picture showed Harry, 11, with staples in his head, with half his hair missing and a face that was so young and innocent but at the same time looked so weary and so very tired.
Harry had his childhood taken from him - for 4 years he was battling a disease that we don't know an awful amount about, which in itself is wrong. He had a tumour growing inside him that was the size of a tennis ball. This caused severe headaches and resulted in two lots of chemotherapy and one lot of Radium treatment. This disease affects thousands of children each year. The disease that cost Harry his childhood also tragically cost him his life. Two months ago Harry lost his brave fight; tragically Harry was only 11 years old. Ask yourself what have you done since you were 11? Just pause and think of the things you've seen, the people you've met since you were 11. Harry never had that opportunity. That to me is just so wrong. Harry is not alone in suffering this disease and losing his life at a young age. It is so important we raise money and raise awareness - Cancer Research UK are entirely self funded but since they have existed they have given cancer patients the chance to beat cancer. Cancer is an awful disease, it has killed two members of my family, and it has killed a friend of mine. The single greatest thing humanity can do, in my opinion, is to find a cure. To do that we need money. Harry, at the age of 7, realised this...
Harry, despite having cancer, decided he would make a difference. He decided that he would help others and start a campaign to find a cure for brain tumours. I have never come across someone so inspiring and from that moment I knew that I wanted to do something, to help his campaign - no matter how small - I wanted to do my bit to try and help ensure that no one suffers like Harry suffered. Helen Keller once remarked "I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do." And to me that is what charity is all about - I can't cure brain cancer but I can help. Even if that help amounts to very very little in the grand scheme of things - something is better than nothing. If everyone did something, anything can be achieved.
I knew it had to be a little insane to ensure I raised money and awareness. I was on the tube one day and it broke down at Moorgate. I had to get to Kings Cross quickly and so I jumped off the tube and started running - not being a great runner I was blowing out of my (insert rude word!) by the time I got to Kings Cross. I got to Kings Cross, boarded my train and decided that I had stumbled across the challenge - I was going to run every single tube line, I was going to run every single stop, I was going to run all 406 miles. I rang my dad and told him of my plans; he said it was a great idea and that I should start training next year and aim to complete it over the next 2 years. I told my dad I wouldn't be doing that. I told him that I would be starting next week and I'd do the lot by the summer (9 months). He called me (insert rude word!) and as I was about to ask him if he could help me and hand out some water's to me on my first run (all 19 miles of the Circle line) he said 'Well I best get my oyster card ready, cos you aren’t doing this on your own'. I have run 100 miles and my dad has been there handing out water, bandaging parts of my body, giving me pep talks for every single run - no matter what the time, no matter what the weather, the old man is there, waiting to help. You will see that this is completely indicative of this challenge - people amazing me constantly. My mum as well - she has hosted two dinners raising just under £200 and has attended two runs to cheer me and the guys on - without my folks this challenge wouldn't be possible.
I set up a Justgiving page. Within an hour I had raised £100. I was buzzing! I then put what I was up to on Facebook. 9 people contacted me, 3 of which I didn't know all that well, 6 of which are good friends of mine. They are even better friends now. They all said the same thing - when can we join? All 9 wanted to join me, all 9 were inspired by Harry and all 9 (2 girls, 7 boys) would join me for the Circle Line run. I have run 100 miles of the London Underground, Luke Butler has run approaching 60 miles, Jon Myers has run 60-70, Martin Chapman 60, Shaun Purvis, Chloe Garrard and Becky Eighteen have all run 35 miles and Nick Kindred and Craig Gallacher have run somewhere close to 20. All of them have given up their own time, have run in all different kinds of weather, have all run in pyjama bottoms. And without them I 100% would not have been able to run 100 miles. One run I did was all 24 miles of the Bakerloo line and I can honestly say that Jon Myers dragged me round - I remember being in a place called Willesden Junction, questioning if I could carry on, Jon just told me to 'just run' - so I did. My foot was in pieces, so Jon just talked to me, and kept talking, until 26 stops later we had arrived at Elephant and Castle. This is in no way an isolated incident - all the guys at different points have dragged me round. Luke Butler, on one run, was in such pain that he was in tears - still he continued to run - that moment showed to me just how brave people can people. They say it is not the miles you do but who you do them with that counts and the 8 people who have joined me have become life long friends.
And now to the really important people...you guys.
So far we have completed 25% of the challenge; we've run 100 miles, completed 4 lines and begin the District Line tonight. But we have reached 45% of our target - we have raised £4500. My family, my friends, colleagues and complete strangers have donated once, twice and sometimes thrice. The generosity of people to donate their hard earned money to our cause has completely blown me away. As you guys know I have struggled with the runs - I strained ankle ligaments and tore cartilage in my knee for which I am receiving physio for (free of charge!) - But you guys have made me continue. £4500! I still can't believe how kind people are and the difference you have all made is incredible. It is not just monetary donations either - every run we have done I have received numerous texts wishing me luck. One girl has text me before, during, and after every single run wishing me luck and keeping me going (Miss Barnes - thank you!). To all those that wish us luck and find out our progress it keeps us all going. It may not seem a lot, to just send a text, but when you run pass a Crime Scene Investigation in Wembley and it is pissing down with rain, a text message can help you get one foot in front of the other. We also had 40 runners for our Waterloo and City line run (see pic) - again, this was absolutely incredible and helped raise £800
If you've had a (insert rude word!) day and question the people you work with, or your friends you hang out with or the family you live with I can whole heartedly say that they will surprise and amaze you if you let them. The press is full of negative stories, the press ignores the good and at times I think we do as well. It is not until I did this challenge that I realised just how good people can be.
This challenge began because I wanted to help Harry help others. The truth of the matter is this challenge is helping me - it has made me fit, it has shown me London, it has given me new friends, it has made existing friends better ones, it has given me a confidence to think I can do anything if I want it bad enough and most importantly it has reminded me that people are fundamentally good.
From myself and all the runners - a sincere thank you. Have an amazing Christmas, and a great new year.
Steve www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley
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