We made it!

Larraine & David on Marathon day

It was the day of the Brighton Marathon, it was Fantastic!  Fantastic! Fantastic! Beautiful weather conditions, enthusiastic crowds, Brilliant organisation, what more could I ask.  David and I thoroughly enjoyed the First Brighton Marathon and we were proud to be there.  There were more hills to walk compared with the London Marathon, but it didn’t  seem to phase any of the runners.  The crowds of marathon supporters have no idea how much it meant to us when they were cheering us on, even the runners that were passing us  were cheering us along too.    We pushed on as hard and fast as we could at fourteen miles a large blister on my left foot burst, but I pushed on, some how the constant cheering of the supporters kept my adrenalin flowing and spurs me on.  We pushed on mile after mile, then at eighteen miles another blister burst on my other foot.  I was in quite a lot of pain at this point, but I  knew the finish was in sight.  Finally we crossed the finish line and there were tears in my eyes, but they were tears of joy.  My mother had travelled to Brighton by train and greeted me at the finish line with tears in her eyes, she said she was very proud of her daughter.
 
I picked up my medal and my marathon goody bag then we went to the hotel to get a massage but we had to walk the four miles.  My feet were both very sore and my legs were aching, but some how I managed to walk back to the hotel.  It was worth the walk just to get the massage to release the tension on my aching legs.  Finally, we didn’t have far to walk to the car but it took us another hour to actually get through the traffic and get out of Brighton, then we were on the motorway and heading for home.  By the time I got home my legs were so stiff and my feet so blistered that I could hardly walk.  I fell into my bed and drifted off to sleep straight away.  The next morning when I woke up I really was hurting badly and I couldn’t walk very well at all.  A dear friend of mine came round to help me out and keep me company whilst I was suffering, but all he did was keep laughing at my funny walking movements and doing John Wayne impersonations.  People ask will I do the marathon again, but whilst I’m still in pain its the last thought in my mind, at this point I just want to rest my weary body.  I am very pleased that I achieved my dream of doing the first Brighton marathon and I’m also delighted that I could do it for SAVI.  I would really like to thank all my trainers, escorts and guides for their wonderful assistance and the support of all my sponsors was worth every step of the marathon.  I’ve WON!

To find out more about SAVI follow this link: www.surreywebsight.org.uk or sponsor me on-line at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LarraineReed

The Sliding Door…

The Brighton Marathon is getting closer now only two more days! I received my running vest this week which is yellow with my name and SAVI logo are in black. My friend said that I will look like a wasp at least I will stand out in the crowd I hope! Unexpectedly I was on BBC Surrey Radio this week that was exciting. David and I met last Sunday to do a short walk around the Virginia Water Lake just to put my lead into practice! We have a strap attached to our wrists so that I don’t go wandering off. I find it an effort carrying my white cane for 26.2 miles in one hand, it would be too tiring on my arms so I need to change hands occasionaly. We have to practice swopping the lead from side to side whilst on the move, so we have developed a technique called the sliding door. We have now perfected this movement to a fine art and we are now considering going on Strictly Come Dancing!

Listen to my radio interview by clicking the link and go to time 1.21.30

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0077f83/Afternoon_with_Allison_Ferns_13_04_2010/

To find out more about SAVI follow this link: www.surreywebsight.org.uk or sponsor me on-line at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LarraineReed

Runner number 10570

I have received my running number on Thursday. My number is10570. I am excited now!

I appear to have fully recovered from my cold now and I’m ready to start  training again, I haven’t been able to go out road training this last week because all my coaches were busy.  If the weather is ok I’m hoping to go out training with Clive Tyrrell on Saturday and Monday.

Although I’ve missed out on my road training I have spent a fair bit of time down the gym weight training and stretching my muscles, I’ve also been working hard on the tread mill.  Its not long to the Brighton marathon now, but although I’ve had a few medical issues and the weather has been against me, am confident that I will still complete the marathon in the time I have allowed myself.

I recently went to the Windsor Royal Theatre to see a musical called Tap Dance Fever, at the end of this wonderful show a man jumped off the stage grabbed my hand and led me up to the stage.  Before I knew it he had me dancing with him and the rest of the artists.  Whilst this was going on, unbeknown to me he had dropped his trousers around his ankles and all the audience were cheering.  I thought they were cheering my dancing, but they were cheering at his naked legs!  For a very brief moment I felt like a star!

To find out more about SAVI follow this link: www.surreywebsight.org.uk or sponsor me on-line at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LarraineReed

If Eddie can do all that, surely I can do one?

Eddie Izzard - multi Marathon Runner

Unfortunately after I last went out  training with Clive I caught a very bad cold, I have been to my local doctors and he says  that I have contracted a very bad virus.  The Doctor says that I must stop training for a few weeks, as I could increase the chances of it recurring.  So I’ve stayed in and wrapped myself up warm and taken as many cold and flu antidotes as I can.  I have also tried to maintain my stretching exercises, with the hope of keeping my body in some sort of fit shape.  Even with out training I am still very optimistic that I will complete the Brighton Marathon in the time that I have allowed myself, I don’t want to let any body down.  In recent times I have been watching Eddie Izzard on TV, he’s been running around the country doing six marathons a week for charity, so I think if Eddie can do all that, then at least I can do one.  I am sure Eddie Izzard has been an inspiration to many other runners besides me. Another inspirational video I have recently seen is on you tube, it is a video of a man carrying his disabled son while doing the triathlon. It moved me to tears, perhaps you wish to see it. You tube-My Redeemer lives-team Hoyt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFVGdZOhlL0

To find out more about SAVI follow this link: www.surreywebsight.org.uk or sponsor me on-line at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LarraineReed

The hazard of extender leads…

Last Saturday I went marathon training with Clive Tyrrell, it was a cold windy day but we still decided to go. We set off from Egham at about 10.00am, we walked hard and fast to keep our body temperature up. We didn’t plan an exact route or destination, we just thought we would see where we ended up. Our main agenda is to avoid busy noisy roads as much as possible, so we much prefer public foot paths across fields or along the river bank. Due to having very limited vision I have to keep myself on constant guard not to trip over peoples extended dog leads, they really can be a hazard to me. I will see a person one side of the foot path and a dog on the other side and I naturally assume the dog is running free, because I can’t see the ten foot lead dragging across the path. Over the years I have had several incidents involving extended dog leads, which not only shocks me, but it also shocks the dog and its owner. I do wish that fully sighted people would use their eyes and watch what they’re doing. I some times think when they see me walking along with a long white cane , they must think I’m a Frankie Vaughan impersonator as they don’t seem to have a clue that my white cane means I can’t see! Even though it was cold we worked up quite a sweat and we managed to walk at least sixteen miles in a pretty quick time, so I was very pleased with myself. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to train this week as I have cough and a very bad cold, but I will keep taking the Lemsip until I get better, then hopefully I will be able to get out training next weekend. I need to be patient with myself !

To find out more about SAVI follow this link: www.surreywebsight.org.uk or sponsor me on line at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LarraineReed

Barbara Woodhouse eat your heart out!

On the day of the Brighton marathon I will have a fully sighted guide called David Johnson.   He is some years younger than myself, so I hope he doesn’t mind walking twenty six miles with a comparatively old lady.  I promise not to talk to much or drag him into any shops whilst running the marathon.  Which will certainly be a great relieve to him!

Last week I went to Windsor Great park to meet David for a training day together, it was the second time that we met each other.  I have a guide communicator called Jean Ruhle who works for SAVI, she drove me up to Saville Gardens which is in Great Windsor park to meet David for the first training.

Instead of me holding David’s hand or arm we experimented with a strap tied to each others wrists, we tried different lengths of strap until we found the one that worked for us the best.  We set off at a fairly brisk pace through the park, once we got warmed up and got a good walking rhythm together it worked out just fine.  I started to giggle to myself as we walked along, it tickled my sense of humour that all the dogs in the park were running around off their leads and there was I! on a lead.  It crossed my mind that I ought to be training with Barbara Woodhouse!

It poured with rain the night before my training day, so I was a bit concerned that we would both get soaking wet, but luckily we didn’t.  Our trainers got a little bit muddy, but apart from that we were alright.  We both pushed on and walked about six and a half miles at a fairly rapid pace.  I was very pleased with the way it went and I think David and I will be a good team on the day of the marathon.

Weather permiting I will be going out training on Saturday with Clive Tyrrell, all going well we hope to do at least twenty miles.

To find out more about SAVI follow this link: www.surreywebsight.org.uk or sponsor me on line at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LarraineReed

Getting started…

I have had my place in the Brighton marathon confirmed now, so I’m ready to start training for the Marathon again.  I say again because I entered the London marathon in 2009, but sadly I didn’t win it. (Joke!)  I completed the London marathon in seven hours and two minutes, I am hoping to complete the Brighton marathon in a faster time this year.  At the moment I try to get out training at least twice a week, I can only train with the help of a guide.  Luckily I have a dear friend called Clive Tyrrell who assists and guides me when I need him.  So far I’ve been out with Clive a couple of times, the first time we went out we walked eighteen miles, I was pleased with my performance as it was my first outing.  We walked all the way to Windsor via Windsor Great Park, round the outside of Windsor Castle and through Windsor to Eton bridge.  We swung right there and got onto the river Thames tow path, we followed that all the way along the river through Datchet on to Old Windsor and then to Staines which is where we finished.  It was a very bitter cold day, but I find if you keep pushing on your body stays warm, in fact I was sweating.  When I arrived home I didn’t have any aches or pains just a couple of small blisters on my feet.  I am hoping to walk twenty miles on my next training day, I don’t mind the cold as long as its not raining.

To find out more about SAVI follow this link: www.surreywebsight.org.uk or sponsor me on line at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LarraineReed

Hello world!

Hi, thanks for visiting my page.

Many people have asked me why I have chosen to do the Brighton Marathon on SAVI’s behalf.  Well, I am deaf and blind myself and with out SAVI’s help I wouldn’t be able to function as a normal independent human being.
I have to face many challenges due to my double disability, but with SAVI supplying me with a Communicator Guide, I can face the world with new hope and security.
I don’t just want help for myself, I want the help to be there for other people with similar disabilities as well.  But of course SAVI can only provide this wonderful service to me and others like me by receiving financial donations.
I will except the immense challenge of doing the Brighton Marathon in the hope that  others will except the challenge of donating to a wonderful charity like SAVI.
I don’t just want to take from the charity, its important to me to put some thing back!

To find out more about SAVI follow this link: www.surreywebsight.org.uk or sponsor me on line at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LarraineReed