YouthNet blog

Thursday Jan 18, 2007

Rain, rain, go away...

Here's Donna's update on her Marathon training for YouthNet:

Hi, day four of the training has now been completed. 

I have to say once I committed, I started having panic attacks as I realised what I was taking on and what a challenge I had ahead of me.  However on Monday, after watching the first episode of Corrie, and after my dinner had gone down, I pulled on my woolly hat, grabbed Solo's lead and headed out in the dark and drizzle.  I've always been able to run 5 miles quite comfortably on a treadmill but getting out on the actual pavement I've always found harder.  I can't say I was looking forward to the run.  However after 5 minutes and Solo getting used to the fact that he was expected to lead me, we started going very well.  I got lots of leaps in avoiding huge puddles and avoiding a 'peeing' Solo or a 'sniffing' Solo but managed to get round my circuit in ½ hour.  Not greatly impressed but blamed the dog as he had lots more new places to smell. 

Tuesday came around and thought I'd better walk both dogs first (I've got two German Shepherds) so Suzie wouldn't get too upset and I could let my tea go down.  However coming back in the rain with Solo, slipped on some mud and nearly broke my knee.  Got home covered in mud and blood and a hole in my trousers adamant that I'm never going out in rain again.  However, by 8.30 guilt was getting to me, the rain had turned to drizzle so I thought sod this, let's get out there.  I did the same run 8 minutes quicker.  So pleased with myself.   

By the time the weekend came around I have to say my body was starting to wonder what had happened.  I've always messed around with this running lark, but not to this degree.  However as it was extremely windy, didn't want to venture outside so headed off to the gym.  Thought I could run for an hour and see how I got on.  10k in an hour and 15,  better than any of the 10ks I've ever done so feeling rather confident, even swam 30 lengths afterwards.  Got home and collapsed.  Felt euphoric but body was screaming.

Yesterday I thought I should take it easy but still ended up doing 7k.  Don't know if it was first week enthusiasm but feel much more confident.  Am aiming for 10 miles by the end of January and if I can do that, I think I can realistically do this. 

Therefore everyone who reads this please sponsor me.  I'm very enthusiastic, working very hard and sadly letting this running take over my life.  YouthNet is a great cause and deserves all the support it can get.

Go on – log on to http://www.justgiving.com/donnashaylerrunsthemarathon

today and support me.

Thanks

Donna's currently raised £150 of her £2,500 target

Posted by Jim Valentine ( 4:08 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]

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Starz in her eyes

Under David Cameron's leadership there seem to be three essential requirements for a speech by a leading Conservative politician. First, you must reverse traditional ideas about what the party stands for.

Cheryl Gillan, Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, did that this week with a speech to The Centre For Policy Studies. The thrust of her argument, was that Blair and Brown had created a selfish society. Margaret Thatcher, by contrast, knew "that economic freedom needs to be underpinned by a strong society, by mutual understandings and obligations".

Full marks for chutzpah.

The second requirement for a Tory is to come up with an eye-catching policy idea. Cheryl Gillan's was certainly innovative.

"...on behalf of David Cameron and the Shadow Cabinet, I am today submitting a policy proposal to Iain Duncan Smith and the Social Justice Policy Group. We would like Iain and his colleagues to investigate the idea of Volunteering Vouchers - taxpayers money which you can "earn" for the charity of your choice by volunteering for it. This would not represent an increase in spending, but a reallocation of existing funding. Rather than the state controlling this money, we believe that individuals and communities could be in charge of it."

Vouchers are a favourite cause of economic liberals, especially in education, but as Volunteering England have been quick to point out, the idea of money following volunteers is surely flawed.

Linking funding to volunteer numbers reflects a deep misunderstanding of volunteering and the voluntary sector. The number of volunteers an organisation involves is in no way a reflection of the worth of an organisation. Some organisations need to involve a large number of volunteers to carry out their work. Others very few. There is no logical reason for the latter to be punished by reduced funding. The same applies with roles that are by their nature harder to fill. Some roles, client groups or causes are always likely to be more challenging or less fashionable than others.

Never mind. At least Cheryl Gillan remembered the third requirement for a Conservative speech (or one by any politician, in fact): the awkward reference to popular culture.

There's a song in the charts at the moment by the singer Just Jack. It's called Starz in their Eyes - and it's a savage attack on the cult of celebrity, and the cynicism of a media which makes money out of the gullible dreams of the young.

The Arctic Monkeys are so last year.

Posted by Tom Green ( 10:19 AM ) Link to this post Comments[0]

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