Bob

Hello all, apologies for the lack of posts, as i said previously i tend to post more often when things aren't going too well, and to be honest, things have been pretty good.

It's less than a month now until my attempt at the Bob Graham Round, for those that don't know, it looks like this:
66 miles
27000ft uphill
27000ft downhill
42 mountain tops

yup, its a long one!

current status is...bricking it! it's a huge challenge for people without physical disabilities, let alone a heart transplant recipient.
my main problem is speed, i'm not quick, i'm not built to be quick, the transplanted heart doesn't react the same as a persons own heart, owing to the nerves from the brain not being connected, so it doesn't know to speed up when slogging up Jenkins Path or when i'm trying to run fast.
In that respect i'm even slower going uphill, as once again it can't be told the need to pump harder as my legs feel like lead weights full of lactic acid. Downhill i'm good, brain off, fall forwards and let gravity do its job!
secondly, my stomach, now its held together on long runs so far, but it has a mind of its own, especially with a little stress thrown in!
third, pressure. i'm under enough just by myself! so if you want to be out and shouting encouragement then please do so! as you'll see i have restricted help on the legs to 2 people. i hate letting people down, so the less directly involved, the less pressure there is!

it's because of this that i'm foregoing the 24 hour limit to be officially recognised as a finisher. i reckon i can go sub 30 hours, and that's good enough for me. If you disagree and don't agree that it counts as a finish then keep your thoughts to yourself, or undergo a heart transplant and then try a sub 24 attempt.

The pure aim is to finish, My long runs 20 miles / 7500/8000ft have been coming in at 22 hour pace, but they haven't been as frequent as i would have liked.

i had a rough start to 2017, with missing 6 weeks with a heavy chest and the worst cough i can remember having. I've still managed to pump around 400k of vertical into my training throughout 2016 and the 2nd half of february until now this year, with a couple of months last year barely hitting 10k due to illness and general fatigue.

And now i'm finding myself out of mojo for the big days out. make no mistake about how tough the training has been, and i have not taken it lightly, i've been out on legs that hate me, i've been damn near hypothermic running in absolutely horrendous conditions, and in the correct kit! i've also been out on glorious days where i've not needed to even take a t shirt, drank from mountain streams and stared in disbelief at the views before me. But its hard work, even on the good days. my body doesn't heal or recover like a normal person, and thats tough to deal with sometimes.

probably the hardest part though, is the constant question "with all my training, imagine how fast i might be if i was normal?" and it is a stupid question because we'll never know, but its infuriating putting in all this hard work and still being the slowest in the group when i might have been the fastest!

is it enough? most would probably say yes, i would say "i don't feel like its enough"

finishing is the goal, and i've dreamt about finishing, even dreamt a time of 22:49 but thats doubtful!! the funds raised for the Childrens Heart Unit Fund are the goal.

if i finish i will be ecstatic, and probably an absolute emotional wreck, but i can't promise that i'll finish. i can promise that i'll go out and give 110% of myself.

the dream team:

Leg 1
Robert Morrow
Steve Angus (unconfirmed)

Leg 2
Rupert Bonington
Lee 'Toast'

Leg 3
John Millen
Andy Ford

Leg 4
Andy Ford
Nick Ray

Leg 5
Dave Kearns
Kath ??

Road Support
Food & Supplies - Hazel and Azja
Transport for runners - Rach & Dave Kearns

And George Lloyd is going to run as far as he feels like going!

I'd like to take this time to thank the following:

George Lloyd for being on almost every single training run, except my really mental ones which he just ignores when i ask him to come.

Dave Kearns for being on a lot of training runs and for the support the whole way through this endeavour.

Rupert Bonington and Mountain Fuel for their support and advice over the last 15 months

Lee Procter and Inov8 for believing in this project and for sponsoring me with shoes to train in and to run in on the day

Pete Sissons at Montane for the supply of a pack and clothing to train in over the last 12 months,

And finally to my other half Azja, as many of you will be aware she lives in London studying at university and i haven't been able to visit as often as i would have liked, or indeed relocated as i have needed as much time as possible to be available to be spent up a mountain!

only one thing left now....final few weeks training and then GET IT DONE1

2016

995.4 Miles
312,744ft
314ft/mile
183 runs

I seem to have lost at least one run from my watch/training log as i know for a fact i topped out on over a 1000 miles this year.

Numbers look ok, i wanted more. A great start to the year came undone in July with a low level virus which I couldn't shake, resulting in a pathetic 8,000ft total. Recovery in August and then a solid month (45k ascent) in September, followed by a serious lack of mojo for 2 months, and the mentality of getting out in every weather & on tired legs waning somewhat.

It's been a whirlwind year, from Life on the Fells debuting, to Mountain Fuel, Inov-8 and Montane bringing support to my training. Time spent in utter marvel at the Salomon Advanced Week, & walking away from a job i loved.

2017 brings some big challenges, starting my training in massage, and progressing (hopefully) into sports injury, so any locals reading  this - freeby massages for months to come!

In May i take on the biggest challenge since my transplant, fighting my way around the Bob Graham Round. Whilst sub 24 is the obvious aim to 'join the club' my goal is to simply finish. I'm not put together like most people taking on this challenge, and whilst my stats look promising, my speed, lack there of, isnt!

Try as i might injecting speed into my running hasn't worked, my body just cannot keep up with the demand to work that hard, it's all systems go, with my heart sitting in the back not pulling its weight! Thankful to be alive, and thankful that I'm stubborn enough to force myself up and down mountains for fun.

The last few weeks of 2016 have been spent without a run in a sight, and i think i've needed it, my waistline disagrees though!

My mental health is getting stronger, pushing my boundaries with a holiday further abroad, and 2 weeks in Poland, with a week away from the comfort and safety of Azjas house whilst there, and coping when pretty ill not to panic!

The plan now is to kickstart my course, then smash the hills, no excuses. Run in the morning, massage & theory work in late afternoon & evening.

Lets do this!