Mission Accomplished: 4hrs 45min

Well its the morning after the day before, I can't really move my legs that much this morning but that's hardly a surprise. Yesterday was truly amazing. I headed down for City Hall and met Jo, Nuala and Aron. We waited with eager anticipation for starters orders and just shortly after 9am. We had to walk for the first 100m or so but soon we were off, I was overawed by the mass of people sprawling out in front of me, easily about 5,000. As we set out towards the east of Belfast, the sun was shining right overhead, there was little wind and I was concerned it was gonna be warmer than I had expected, I had support in the form of lil cols who was waiting for me, it was good to get her mad encouragement even when it was early on in the race. The first stage which took in the Holywood Rd and the Syndenham Bypass went pretty well and I got into a real good pace, I was coming up to the first checkpoint at Bridgend when I saw a poor soul, being treated at the pavement, a relay runner who was probably in his fifties, I was saddened by this and noticed other people around, me, some people were running in this race and putting their health at risk for their own indivdual causes a truly humbling experience. I was then heading through town and out the Falls Rd past Clonard Monastry and on to the Springfield Rd and onto the Shankill and up Tennant St to the second changeover point at Hillview. Things were going well, I was getting myself ready for the Antrim Road which is a gradual incline lasting over 2-3 miles, it was tough and I could feel a bit of the acid in my legs, however I still felt I was a good pace. I went past a mobile timer which was placed at the halfway point which was displaying 2hrs 22min so I was encouraged that if kept up at this pace, I'd be in under the 5 hour mark. I descended the whitewell road and through onto Gideons Green which is down by the shoreline of Belfast Lough and was now heading inwards towards town and the finish (10miles away) This is known as the bleak part of the course as it takes in the Dargan industrial estate and as expected it threw up some lovely funky smells, that I care not to get a whiff of. I don't even know what they were making that threw up that smell but I can assure you, I don't really want to know. The path along the shore was narrow but I was overtaking a few marathon runners and fresher relay runners which really encouraged me as it was demonstrating that I still had a lot of puff left. As I came through the industrial estate I really started to slow and I found myself beginning to wane in spirit, probably because of the grim surroundings, there was little water available which didn't help matters. I guess this was as close to the wall as I got but I was still wary at the time that things could get worse. I came through corporation st through the last relay point, it was here that I had done the relay last year so it was a welcome sight as I knew I was so close now. The runners at this relay stage are marked with an E before their number so I had a wee joke to myself that I was never so glad to see such a long list of "E numbers before" I guess you had to be there but any crappy joke helped me along the way. I went on though to lanyon place were i near choked on my own dextrose tablet (Top tip! Don't run fast and eat at the same time tis bad). I was now onto the towpath heading up to the ormeau bridge, I could see the finish line on the other side of the river but I knew I still had the Ormeau road and Ravenhill to contend with. The Ormeau is a bit of an uphill and so at this stage my legs were pure acid, just then at the Errigal Bar I got a big cheer and I looked and it was mummy and daddy and Val cheering me on, what a boost! I charged on and then got another cheer from Elizabeth who had already completed her leg of the relay! It was great I summoned enough energy from this to go up to the apex between the Ormeau and the Ravenhill Rds. I knew the ravenhill would be tough as I had run it last year and even though it's downhill, it's deceptively long. At this stage I was trying to focus on everything positive to keep me going. I went round the corner onto the embankment and I knew I was there, I rounded the corner and there it was, the finish line. I got such a rush of adrenaline, that I just tore at it and sailed over the finish line. It was over, i was just punching the air with my first, I had achieved something amazing and I was so chuffed. My first mission was to get a medal as I didn't get one last year as a relay runner so I wanted one! It was a great feeling to get that wee hunk of metal around me mmmmm. I spied Mum and she was cheering and I seen Val further down. I then got to meet Paula and Mark and wee James and Eva who were indifferent to the occasion around them. So that was that I still had enough energy to walk a mile up to vals via the Errigal to get a wee Guinness. Then onto Vals for a shower before getting a meal in Bourbon. It was really nice to wind down after the run and I was glad to get out for much deserved drinks later on in the evening.

Today, as expected I am sore but am still functioning, I went to the Ramada hotel to get a Swedish Massage which was bought for me by the girls. It was great and shall I just say it was "extensive and thorough" (Oo-er!) I am now sitting glad that I am not at work again tomorrow as I am getting more stiff by the hour. Time for a hot bath and then some DVD. No marathon to think about now, although it doesn't take long for something else to come along take up all your thoughts such is life. So I shall leave you for now. I shall be summarising in a future post soon but for now take care

As ever

Connor

The Last Broadcast

Good morning!
Yep here we are, my God that flew in very quickly! Just up at around 6.15am took me ages to get off to sleep, it must have been about 1am but I expected that it would be that way, kinda like Christmas Eve all them years ago. All set just cramming loadsa carbs into me in the form of toast and pancakes and hydrating up with powerade I feel really excited and can't wait until that starters gun fires. I anticipate that there will be some rough spells but I will draw mental strength from the support of family and friends from far and wide to see me through. The Donations are spillng in and I'm easily up to 880 pounds which is more than I ever dreamed of raising, so thank you, thank you soooo much for all your donations and messages of support. Well as it is now nearly 7 and I've got some more eating and stretching etc I shall shall say goodbye and leave you with the thought that you could be doing this in 15 months time if you put your mind to it,

Over and out

Connor

Sponsor me at http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee

Awful Close!

Hey Folks,
Well, well, well........ It's now Wednesday night, less than a week to go. So since I last posted I've been doing short runs during the previous week and then tackled an 8 miler on Sunday. The 8 miler didn't go well for me and I had to stop a few times. I found this event quiet worrying as I knew that I had scaled down my training as per the plan. Not to worry though, I believe it was the fast short runs that lead to this and never really gave me the chance to recover, so a quick change of plan had to be implemented i.e. don't do another run until the big day. I am quite tired these nights and have been going to bed earlier and earlier to try and get a lot of rest, my legs are still quite acidy so I'm going to make sure I rest well for the rest of the time. There's no escaping the hype now, people in work are talking about it, my mates are phoning and texting me enquiring about things and the papers have been writing about it. As for the fund raising, I am continually overwhelmed by the warm response from people, especially those who I haven't seen in a while, I'm almost at 650 quid and I have a few more donations to come. This is great and will go to a worthy cause. In the few days left I am just relaxing now and getting prepared got Josh Ritter gig tomorrow eve and a wee coffee date on Fri then a whole weekend of DVD watching and scoffing the carbs and sleep. Righto off to bed, although I can't help but watch the news as poor Gordon Brown just made one of the biggest mistakes of his career and it's so addictive. Righto over and out.

Con

Donate now at http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee

Latest Mile Sponsor list

1 Aud "The Prod" Breen
2 The Limvady McGee's of Terrydo!
3 Michelle Black
4 The Canadian McGartland Posse.
5 Noel "Dylan in Disguise" Grimes
6 Lucy Anderson
7 Stephen "Storrrreeeeeeeeee" Phillips
8 Liam Mallon
9 Fintan "The Cockney" McCullagh
10 Ciaran "Next year" Marron
11 Cathal Rice
12
13 Maebh Drain
14
15 Pat and Mary McGartland
16 Emma "There's no i in Team, but there is one in
Smith" Smith.
17 Orla Mallon
18 The O'Neill family of Brackalisleagh Mansion. D'Town
19 Brenda Marron
20 John "Mountaineer Supreme" McGee
21 Geraldine Douris
22 Valerie McGee
23 Boris Pinto
24 Clare Conroy
25 Jane McGrath
26 Eileen "Top ma" McGee

Donate now at http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee

Knees Up

Hi all,
Only 2 weeks to go and it's all getting very real! Yesterday, I ran the first two stages of the Marathon route with Nuala and Joanne. The route basically runs along east Belfast then bacl through town and out by the Falls Rd and the Shankill Rd 9 miles in total. There were yellow AA signs giving the Marathon route which made me realise that the big is drawing near and as I write this I am thinking that I will be finished this day two weeks, my stomach tightens at the thought of it. My knees are giving me trouble at the moment and I'm quite anxious to rest up as much as possible although it's difficult when you are walking around a hospital pharmacy all day long! Ah well you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs (or patellas) On the donation front we're nearly there! Only another 60 quid and we'll have reached the target of 500 quid, so thanks again to everyone who has donated your response has been great. Well that's me for now!

Good luck to ya

Connor

Donation site http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee

Altitude training?

G'day Folks,

Been a while but again all's quiet on the preparation front! Just back in Belfast today after a hard trek up Errigal Mountain in Gweedore in County Donegal. You really can't miss it, it's a big pointy hallion of a mountain amongst other no so pointy hallion mountains in the Derryveagh Mountain range in North West Donegal. Really boggy at the bottom, rocky and slippy as hell halfway up and then narrow and downright scary at the peak. I had good company in the form of my dad who hadn't climbed it before and despite the fact mum had doubts over his fitness but he done it no sweat and I definetely know where I got my stubborn determination from now. To see photos click on this link http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=417474&id=646585102&l=c905c46478. So what has this got to do with marathon training? Well I've gone a bit Mr Miyagi on this one, firstly the steep climb helps to strengthen my leg muscles which can help improve my time and secondly, I'm not great with heights, so there was the psychological challenge of continuing on despite every nerve in your body saying "No No Noooo" I hope there will be parallels to this and the "Wall" which is a state when your body and mind tell you that you can't go on and usually happens in the later stage of a Marathon. Oh and thirdly, the weather was fantastic and I couldn't be arsed running (Not so much Mr Miyagi's philosophy, more my own). So still got to do this 20 miler, reckon I'll do that tomorrow eve. On the fundraising front, the Money is pouring in, I am genuinely humbled by the warm response and good wishes I have received some peole have given money but still haven't put forward their name against a mile! There is still plenty of time to donate at http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee. It's three weeks tomorrow arrrggghhhh!

As ever

Connor ;-)

P.S. Big CONGRATULATIONS to Geraldine Douris who completed the Paris Marathon today in 4hrs 15mins what a legend!

Tick-tock, tick tock!

Hey all!
Not really that much to report, I guess I'd be happier typing than watching Man U destroy B.Munich. Went on a run on Easter Sunday morning in my shiny new trainers and they didn't disappoint! They were lovely and I was running with a great feeling because loads of people had been donating over the weekend which has really lifted me and also a bit of a reality check in that this is really happening and it's coming up fast!!! The donations have been great and I'm just so chuffed that people took the time and donated their hard earned cash for this cause. Anyways, I plan to get another 20miler in, then start the tapering down. The oul focus failed the Mot so might even plan to run home to Omagh at the weekend again lol! Special mention to Geraldine Douris who is taking on the Paris marathon this weekend, we're all behind her!

Bayern have just got one back! Yes!

I welcome donations from all football fans including Mancs

As ever

Connor

Sponsor list

1
2
3
4
5
6 Lucy Anderson
7
8 Liam Mallon
9
10 Ciaran "Next year" Marron
11
12
13 Meabh Drain
14
15
16 Emma Smyth
17 Orla Mallon
18
19 Brenda Marron
20
21 Geraldine Douris
22
23 Boris Pinto
24
25 Jane McGrath
26 Eileen "Top ma" McGee

Donate now at http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee

Sponsor Mile List

1
2
3
4
5
6 Lucy Anderson
7
8
9
10 Ciaran "Next year" Marron
11
12
13 Maebh Drain
14
15
16 Emma Smyth
17 Orla Mallon
18
19 Brenda Marron
20
21
22
23
24
25
26 Doing this for me.

Donate now at http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee

Antrim Rd and Gideon's Green run.

Back again as promised. Did the 12 mile run with Nuala tonight, it went very well and I must say when you are running with someone, it makes it much nicer. It was a beautiful evening and I got to enjoy a lovely view over Belfast Lough. The Antrim Rd is a long hilly affair, but I felt it ok, dropping down the Whitewell to Gideon's Green. It is here where I saw the full extent of poor Nuala's grim leg of the marathon last year. The first part is grand, which is a pleasent bit of path along the coast but then it runs along the motorway and then through the Industrial estate which treated it to some grim sights and funky smells. The organisers might be introducing some form of entertainment along this part of the route, to prevent runners losing the will to live. It was exciting to be actually running a part of the actual Marathon route and it think it's helped me to mentally prepare for the day. Well I'm off to bed, disappointing to come in from the run to see that Liverpool got beat tonight, well hopefully they can overturn it at the return game at Anfield. Off to Omagh this weekend, the car's up for MOT, hope the snow has cleared so I can get some more running and Christen the trainers. Have a happy Easter guys! Mine's a Buttons egg if yer buyin'

Connor

Donate now at http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee

Marathon Miles Sponsor list

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 Ciaran "Next year" Marron
11
12
13 Maebh Drain
14
15
16
17 Orla Mallon
18
19 Brenda Marron
20
21
22
23
24
25
26 Doing this for me.







Donate now at http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee

Partial route run!

Hello again! Not much to report since the mad run on Sun, except some exceptionally crap weather. Well tomorrow, all being well, I shall be doing a 12 mile run, incorporating two stages of the Marathon, the Antrim Rd and the Harbour Run Part. It'll be good to do the Antrim Road as it is a prolonged effort up hill and at least I'll know what I'm up against. I also have company in the form of my friend Nuala who is also doing her first Marathon for the first time this year, so it'll be nice to have company for the first time ever during a run. I best check the weather first, last night was horrendous! Ok well that's enough for tonight! Thanks to the folks who have already donated so far, I realise people are collecting for charity every fart's fiddle so I really am grateful to them for donating. I am still putting names to miles, so far I've got Brenda, Ciaran, Maebh's name down, at miles 19,10 and 13 respectively. Two more sponsors are yet to get their miles in. So if you decide to donate remember to write your mile number down!

Donate now at http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee

Jelly baby power!

20 done! Well chuffed! I have run the most I need to in training, albeit I will repeat this run next week then start to taper down after Easter. I think that taking a wee stash of Jelly Babies did the trick and just took them at 5 mile intervals and drunk down powerade (two shop stops!). It really seemed to work as I think I ran the last 5 miles faster than the previous 15. I was trying to get back under four hours and I just missed out by 1 minute but as I stopped at the shop twice, I'm gonna allow myself the four hour time lol! The time taken is getting mad, I left at 5.50pm and got back at 9.50pm it's crazy that a whole evening can just go by when you do this sorta thing, that's why I wanted to get it done today so that I can just relax after work as opposed to getting ready to go out on a run. Righto, not gonna do my charity spiel as I'm sure you guys have gotten the message by now lol!

Until the next time....

Connor

Donate now at http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee

20 mile eve

Not much to report over the past few days. I was down home in Omagh where I managed to get a 6 mile run done incorporating some tough hills and some yappy dogs and a nice Donkey. Slight niggle in my calves and got woken up with knee pain on Thursday night but it's all good! Got my new trainers but as previously mentioned, this was bad timing and so I'll be running the Marathon with my old trainers I reckon at this stage. I got the Asics Keyano 16 which are the sorta sequel to my trainers, more likely tweaked a bit and given a different colour to fool the running masses, probably stole the idea of Man Utd replica shirt sales. Been chatting to folks at work who are running as well this year, reckon it's gonna be a great occasion and we've only just got over 5 weeks left!!!! Where does the time go?! Well I've scheduled a 20 miler tomorrow and I've got the brufen, I reckon it'll be a rough one but sure it was never gonna be a stroll in the park! I have decided to give the 1st twenty six sponsors the opportunity of naming a mile after them so Ciarans Mum is down for Mile 19! So if you want to get your name to a Mile just put a request on the message facility when you are making your donation. This is for a really good cause, remember £20 can provide an hour of cancer care so it'd be great if you could help me reach my target of £500 by giving what you can and we could get enough for somebody who is suffering from a terminal illness to be nursed free of charge for 24hrs. Until next time.....

Connor

Donate now at http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee

The quest for new trainers.

Took a wee trip into town today to get my running gait analysed. I went to the up and running shop where they took a video recording of me running on a treadmill (DVD out Monday from all good retailers. Piracy is theft). I was impressed by all the gadgetry and could see that I was a moderate over-pronator so I needed a motion control shoe. The guys were really helpful and I'm gonna get me a pair by the weekend. I think it might be a bad idea to switch trainers this late in the game, so I'm gonna stick with the Asics for now until the marathon, unless there's a shoe with nitro turbo boost facilities out there. Need to start my fund raising drive, I really want to get more for the Marie Curie Cancer Care team. Right, off home now, thinking of climbing Mt Errigal to strengthen the legs and test myself on the old heights front again. Until next time...Connor

Donate what you can to.

http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee

Sweet 18!

Completed my first 18 miler yesterday and feck me it wasn't easy. I left without my water bottle and only realised about three miles in. Faced with a decision, do I press on or go back, a little voice in my head was saying ah don't bother sure you have to go home and pick the place up for my visitors later on and get ready for my birthday night out. Thankfully as this experience has taught me so far, limiting defeatist thoughts are counter productive and usually you find that you can push through it. So I pressed on and as the route sort of goes in a loop and after I completed 11 miles I was close to the house so I guzzled down some rehydration stuff and I set off again this time, with a water bottle on tow. I think one of the lessons i learned from today is that you shouldn't stop, because the last 7 miles were really tough and my legs were in agony even after 14 miles which i had found bizarre, maybe it's cause I hadn't taken any brufen before I headed out, I could now understand why althletes would try and cheat and take painkillers because they just take the edge of (Physically of course!) So after 3 and half hours I finally make it back, although the walk up the steps to the flat are hell. But 18 done! So I went out and had lovely steak and the girls got me cake as well, then in was onto the errigal for a few drinks and I still had enough energy for a wee boogie. I find that I can't sleep on nights of runs or (etoile visits?) I think it's cause the body's metabolism is so stoked up that it doesn't slow down for sleep. So today I've just been taking it easy, watched the Liverpool game amid some animated united fans in the Hatfield before rescuing the poor focus again. So looking forward to a good nights rest and a lie in tomorrow. As I type this, Eddie Izzard is on with his Sports relief marathon programme, I find it inspiring that that fella can do so much with little preparation and it fills me with optimism that I will acheive my goal in just over six weeks time. This is so achievable and for the person reading this, you could easily be doing this in a year's time even if you have never ran the length of yourself. Until the next time.... Connor.

Donate now at http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee

New Trainers

Time to get outta the gaffe and get me new pair of trainers. I tried on the ones I thought I would get last night but they ain't comfy! Dunno even know if the old ones are knackered. Ah well.

First ever blog post!

Yep, I can think of at least a hundred other things I could be doing with my time off, but hey whaddya gonna do. So where are we so far? Ok well, as I was explaining, last year actually on Valentines weekend, I started to train for a small event called "Between the Bridges race" It was simply an event to mark the official opening of the westlink and the unofficial drying out of the underpass (He he). Having not ran much ever I entered into the 5k race and got round it Ok. I couldn't help but be impressed by the people who were running the 10K and thought mmmmmm I'll have some of that please! I loved the sense of occasion at the event too and I remember a man who used to come and get his terminally ill wife's scripts of me. She passed away about a year or two before this day and there he was with, his young son and other members of his family wearing T-shirts in her memory, doing this walk/run for charity. It was the first time it really struck me about the positive things people do having come through such hardship. I've often seen people on telly do things in memory of loved ones, but never really gave it much thought until it was someone whom I knew and saw what suffering they had endured. I must say, I just loved the occasion and the positive atmosphere and I wanted to be part of more events like this.
Late March 2009, my attention turned to Omagh and the 4 mile fun run. Had I'd known the route ahead of me (Up by those hills at Coolnagard for those who know Omagh) I'd of probably not done it, but as I was only informed by a fella at the starting line, I had no real choice lol! So off I went and feck me it was tough but I got through it and again just relaxed and compared times with a fellow competitor, one of the local Undertakers!!!!
Two events down and it wasn't long before the next event popped up. My sister's Financee (He he) was raising funds for his charity trip to Africa to help train people on computer technology. He decided to enter two relay teams into the Belfast Marathon, which I am glad to say I was a member of one. So off I went training for the 5 mile final leg of the run. I must say I never experienced such a great day as last years Marathon day, 10,000 odd participants in the various events available, the atmosphere was electric and the feeling to run to the finish line was something I'd never experienced before. It was a great day!
July 09, I then took part in the Dromore (Co. Tyrone) fun run which was part of a fundraising event for The Spirit of Paul McGirr, a charity set up in the memory of Paul McGirr who tragically died after a bad collision during a Tyrone Minor Match in June 1997. It was a beautiful day (although thunderstorms had been forecast) and I got sunburned and roasted because I had prepared for bad weather, I even got a big cheer from my Granny as I passed her house or maybe she was trying to chase me away from her gate. Now I was up to running 10k which is about 6.25 miles.
During the Autumn and Winter, I kinda slacked a bit but in November/December time I pushed myself up to 12 mile runs, something I never thought I'd ever do! I took part in the Greencastle 5 mile race on Boxing Day. Such a bizarre day, it really was a winter wonderland, running on slushy country roads in the foothills of the Sperrin Mountains, nothing but white and a thick fog. Was a very unique occasion, and the hill at the end is a right pain in the Ass/thighs/calves etc.
So in the New Year period, I thought I'd train for the Belfast Marathon. The winter weather though had hampered my training so far as the frozen snow and icy footpaths were much too treacherous to run on, so I had to wait until things got a wee bit warmer, which eventually it did and off I went. So it's now March 19th My last long run was 16 miles last Tuesday and I'm aiming to do my first 18 mile run tomorrow and then go to Etoile and stuff my face with steak and maybe sneak a wee drink in the Errigal for my Birthday. Wow not a bad first blog, I promise the next ones will be shorter. Con DONATION WEBSITE http://original.justgiving.com/connormcgee