Monday 26 April 2010

26days 20hours and 33minutes to go!

Not long now is it?!

Time just goes so fast!

I'm thinking I really need to get some writing put on my running top - another way to raise awareness of Stop the Traffik. So thats my job this week, to find a place to get my pink running top printed on!

I managed 18 miles yesterday and 16 the Sunday before. I enjoyed the 16 more than the 18 - maybe I hadn't given my baby legs enough time to recover from the 16 before attempting the 18? Or maybe I hadn't eaten properly the day before? Who knows!
There were times yesterday when I am sure I was running so slow people could have walked past me!

Downloaded my garmin watch last night and saw the mega difference between my speed last week and this week, even with keeping my rehydrating the same both weeks and using some gel stuff thats meant to taste of orange but they obviously dont know what organce tastes like.

So this week im going for some shorter runs, a 5mile, 6mile, day at the gym and a 10-13 mile - leading up to a few days rest and short runs and then a 20 mile which will be my last long run before the big day!

I best get some more pasta in , I think I'm going to be needing it!

A massive word of thanks to all those who have supported me during this time! So far a massive £539 are going to Stop the Traffik - which is £39 more than my target! WOOOO!!! :)

If you would like to support this cause then you can still make a donation HERE.

Remember it only takes each person to do a little bit to make a HUGE difference!

Steph xxxx

Wednesday 7 April 2010

ooppsss!!

oops! It would seem I'm better at actually getting out running than I am at writing this blog!
Which is a good thing I guess.

The training has been going really well the last few weeks. After another few weeks out because of calves that decided they didn't like running, I have finally been able to do about 3 weeks of training with no problems. yey!

I did 13.1 miles the other day in 2.08min - which is ok - but considering I used to be able to do that in 1.50min I can definitely tell I am not at the place I was 2 years ago! However I'm just happy that my calves managed it!

This week I'm aiming for a stronger 13.1 and then next week hopefully 15. I realise I am putting my miles up quicker than they recommend. (Whoever "they" are?) but with only 45 days to go I'm kind of running out of time!

Before Christmas when I began to train I would have liked to have seen myself run it in under 4 hours. Now I'm thinking maybe 5 or 5 and a half hours.

But I have to remember I'm not running it for my own personal gain. I'm running it as a way of raising money. A way of raising awareness.

When I was out this morning, oh my word what a gorgeous morning it was! I had my ipod on, but after the first song I turned it off just listening to the morning.

I started talking to God about random things, and then about Stop the Traffik. And I became so frustrated, sad and sickened by the way that one human can treat another human. What a love starved planet we live on. That if people could just love each other there....well then it wouldn't be a love starved planet would it. It would be a joyful, peaceful planet.

But to love another, well that might take sacrifice. And I know for myself that sometimes I want to hate instead of love. I want to do it my way instead of compromise - instead of love someone else. And on a global scale when people choose not to love and instead have it their own way - then you end up with what we have. A love-starved planet.

BUT! This week I have met some amazing people who have shown me complete sacrificial love and it has put a smile on my face and made me see the ray of hope that is alive today. Not to mention the Easter weekend which put a great big stamp of hope on our world - beautiful.

Why do I care about trafficking? Because I want to offer hope to those who don't feel they have any. I want to show people that even though there are those who don't love - there are those that do and that do care and who will go out of their way and make sacrifices to give hope to this love-starved planet. To the people working courageously to end trafficking, may God give you all you need to persevere, to continue to offer hope to those who urgently and desperately need it.

xxxx

Tuesday 16 February 2010

It's 26 NOT 20!

Training continues to go well - and got up to 9 miles on Sunday morning. Too many hills for my liking but I made it!

Soooo I was running along thinking "well now, if next week I do 10 then I'm half way" and I was very happy with myself. Until the clogs did a few turns and suddenly I realised it was 26 miles NOT 20 ha!

So not quite half way there but 95 days to go so we'll get there.

I received an email the other day from a a charity called "the A21 campaign" . The A21 Campaign stands for abolishing injustice in the 21st century. Anyone can join - everyone can make a difference.


* Roughly 2 to 4 million people are trafficked in and across borders each year.

*Human trafficking is now a leading source of profits for organized crime, together with drugs and weapons, generating an estimated 9.5 billion dollars per year.

* The overwhelming majority of those trafficked are women and children.

* The average victim is forced to have sex up to 20 times a day.

All of a sudden your bad day at work doesn't seem so bad anymore does it?

* The CIA calculates that profits from one trafficked woman alone averages around 250,000 American dollars per year.

Find out more, and how you can help HERE


One question for you:
Should someone do something about this horrifc slavery?
I'll leave the answer up to you

Steph xx


Wednesday 10 February 2010

It's been a while!

Well it's been a while since I've posted. Here are my excuses:

Christmas
Snow
More snow
Even more snow

then....

bad hamstring
calf muscle that wasn't happy

So those are my excuses :-) or rather :-(

BUT we are back on track HORRAY!!

I had felt that I was on a real good run (pun not intended) before Christmas. Then Christmas arrived and it all went wrong! Few weeks not running and it's amazing how quickly you lose the miles.

Then when I started again I pulled a muscle, then another one. Good job I have a lovely sports therapist as my husband :-) I'm not very good at being told what to do - not sure if that's a woman thing or just a awkward thing- maybe both. However I have been learning to listen - and have done my exercises and stretches and it would seem my lovely little muscles are happier.

Sooooo - I have been to the gym quite a bit and out for a couple of runs and so far so good. 6.5 miles yesterday at a good pace and it felt good to be back out. Except the last mile that I got caught in the snow/rain/hail. That was not so much fun. The drivers going past must have thought I was mad. I really wanted to stop them and tell them that when I left the house it was actually quite nice out! And no bad pain, just good "I know I've done some exercise" pain (I secretly love that pain!)

So we are back, hopefully back for good. I have my training plan on the fridge and as long as my legs don't decide they don't want to run - then in 101 days Edinburgh here we come!

Please keep sponsoring this fab cause. Donating money to this cause, however little, will ensure that women, children - and men, are saved from this modern day slavery.

Steph xx

Tuesday 15 December 2009

Together we can do more :- )

Ok it sounds corny, but it's true! Together we can do more!
Many years ago (scary just how many)...but many years ago at college I met my friend Elaine. She has been so supportive of me that is has really made me smile. Elaine is running the London Marathon for the fanatsic charity the NSPCC and you can keep up with her quirky and fun blog here .
When my friends want to help, and raise awareness of trafficking - or any injustice in this world, it just makes things so beautiful. That your friends will stand by you, support and want to help you with what is on your heart - well it's just gorgeous. So thank you to Elaine, and to my other fab friends for being so supportive.

Now for a bit of honesty about my morning.

I had it all planned:

7.15 get up
7.35 arrive at beach
7.40 6x5 mins FAST! with 3min slow in between
8.40 leave beach feeling fresh!
9.00 steal bacon and eggs from my mum and dads house

This is what really happened
7.15 alarm went off - hit snooze
7.30 alarm went off - hit snooze
7.45 alarm went off - hit snooze
8.00 alarm went off - re-set alarm to 8.30
8.30 FINALLY got my lazy self out of bed

Not good at all.

However reading Elaines blog made me think I must stop thinking I can run a marathon by pressing the snooze button!

Soooo - tomorrow (the best plans always start tomorrow don't they?!) but tomorrow I will NOT press snooze and I will get up and get to the beach and do some running!

Monday 14 December 2009

7 miles turned into 8.5!

On Saturday I decided that I would do 7 miles.

After faffing about and watching some rubbish on tv (I was secretly hoping it would snow and I wouldn't be able to go out) I grabbed my trainers and headed to the beach. Setting my ipod for to my "workout" setting I began to run. After a whole minute my I pod decided it didn't want to work anymore. Which I tried to use as an excuse to stop running, but it didn't work and I continued on.

After reaching my 7 mile marker I decided to keep going and ran until I got to Marsden Grotto and turned back. once back at my car I drove to the Grotto and realised I'd done 8.5 miles WOOO!!! :- )

FANTASTIC NEWS!! Nestle are going to go FAIR TRADE on their 4 finger kit kats! It's a good start.

ALSO great news is that 21 women have been saved by police from trafficking on the streets of London - one girl was seen on CCTV being sold outside Selfridges for £3000 to a brothel owner.

Read the full story here
So sad - but great news that these girls have been saved.

Please support STOP THE TRAFFIK and help raise awareness of this disguisting slavery.

Steph xx

Thursday 10 December 2009

Another 6!

Today saw another gorgeous sunrise over the North Sea as I managed another good 6 miles. I didn't keep track of minutes per mile but just tried to keep at a steady pace and ended up at 58 mins, so not as good as yesterday but still a good run. Rest day tomorrow then going for a strong 7 miles on Saturday.

Please keep up the sponsors at http://www.justgiving.com/stephanie-langford and support this fantastic cause.

You really could change someones life. You could SAVE someones life. Now isn't that worth a few of your pennies?

Steph xx