19 Sunday Jan 2014
Posted in Editor's Posts
Is the collective issues over fluid to be the biggest issues faced by the team? The dry January approach is proving challenging, Tony has already reserved a Bye for a long weekend binge under the guise of “golf” and Andy is tempted by girly cocktails his mates have bought him then David is guzzling shots of iced Rose on top of protein drinks!
The whole concoction sounds ghastly!
17 Friday Jan 2014
Posted in Editor's Posts
Andy only took up endurance racing 2 years ago, Tony has been racing for… well probably longer than Andy has been alive! David is 8 years younger than Tony and 6 younger than Peter. (So if Dan cycles in an easterly direction how tall will Peter be at 4pm)
Only Dan and Tony have done the full Ironman thus far, but Andy has completed the cycled length of France and David across the UK. There are a fair smattering of pre existing conditions the Health Insurance Industry would probably decline to cover but drive and commitment is palpable.
So how have they progressed over the last 4 years at the Sprint distance:
750m swim, 20km cycle and 5k run.
However this is the shorter of the distances normally undertaken. For the uninitiated there is the Olympic distance which is basically double the distances, then the Long Course of half Ironman 70.3 and the big mamma The Ironman.
Combine the fact that different courses will generate different times due to conditions and course difficulty. So the first comparison would not reflect the stamina and endurance required for the longer distances. Here the experience of preparation, tapering, training balance of endurance and core strength will be influencing factors. SO cross comparison is not really clear cut.
Then again we have little in the way of statistics to work on above distance this except for Tony:
So we need a more scientific way of evaluating the likely outcome of the Team Russell podium.
Football! Well I am told it is the answer to everything… so lets see.
On the current Premier League results:
Dan would head the premiership of the four with strong performance in all three disciplines, David in Second feeling the away part of the game impacting his performance and Tony third with lack of direction during training from ever changing Managers and Peter feeling sick as a parrot.
but the season is only half played,
So more science is needed… last year. This would have seen David top the league with Tony in his wake but keeping his lead after a strong swim leg over Dan, and Peter feeling sick as a parrot.
It could be that this science has some merit, after all if we were talking about 2010/11 Then we would have seen Tony the experienced (fanatical) competitor steeling the lead with David on his heals with barely a whisker between them and Dan chasing, and with Peter feeling sick as a parrot.
But there is respite for the most interesting season 2011/12 and here we see David, Dan and Peter whipping the experience with youthful exuberance, and Tony left for dust.
So what will it be? Training hard work, preparation, nutrition, kit and conditions or the “science” of football?
16 Thursday Jan 2014
Posted in Editor's Posts
This blog was first launched in January 2013 to bring to the world’s attention the need to raise funds for Headcase Cancer Trust to help find a cure for a horrid disease. The emotional journey we all followed and felt a part of Colin Smith and his family as they moved from normality to devastation in less than one year generated such passion from those who read about it we raised over £30k. Now we want another 20k.
In that time the blog was visited over 35 thousand times:
From the map you can see we pretty well had hit from every unsanctioned western world country with an internet connection.
From New Zealand to Norway and Argentina to Australia.
I think we have a few left to conquer, do you know anyone in Namibia, Chad or Ecuador?
What is very exciting is since the recent relaunch on Monday we have already had over 240 visits, led I am sure by those involved but will permeate out to those they know and encourage to follow the blog.
SO… please spread the word and encourage people to follow and comment. Then with additional pressure with a sharp implement if needs be ask them to donate.
This cause gets relatively little funding and is such a catastrophic disease we need to find a cure for. The people it hits are normal, adults, important to their families and friends and they get so little time to say good bye.
If one of the posts brings a smile to your face or cheers up your day please donate. and remember you don’t have to donate only once, pay day does come round again.. month after month. perhaps if you donated last year you can donate again now. Team Russell need support to get up at 6am every morning, arrive at the gym in the dark, drink no beer, talk about nothing else but muscle aches and chafing.
Please click the purple button and donate.
14 Tuesday Jan 2014
Posted in Editor's Posts
We thought 50K was a nice round figure and we wanted to keep the thread going from all the work everyone did since January last year. So a re styled just giving page might encourage everyone to dig deep over the next few week and months and remember the research to find a cure needs to be supported. We will be posting news on what our money was used fro shortly along side Possible suggestions for Peter’s lycra wardrobe options!
Please read our posts – talking to one’s self is bad enough, blogging to yourself could be the next main affliction to our modern society
24 Monday Jun 2013
Posted in Blog, Editor's Posts
I am not sure where my services will be needed next, and I am not sure what more there is to post on the Ironman journey itself other than the Guys are safely back home and probably currently sprogged out on a sofa in utter shattered silence. Colin’s journey is still very much our concern and I hope there is more to keep people up to date with as we all wish him and his lovely family every fortune possible.
I would like to thank David Russell for his sentiments in his comment, I hope everyone has enjoyed the ups and downs of the postings, not just during yesterday’s epic experience, I confess I certainly enjoyed the sun, but the tension was a little stomach churning at times.
I have spent the last 6 months as “Admin/Editor”, having been conned into the role with a rather pathetic request from Tony, for assistance to help set up a blog, please someone remind me that all that glitter is most certainly not gold. This has involved retweeting every tweet for IMHeadcase as well as writing original IMHeadcase tweets being continuously inventive in so few characters is challenging! Also the chasing of the guys for their training stats, excuse me boys we need this weeks please!!!), then being asked “why haven’t you updated the blog, 14 seconds after an email piece of editorial arrived, which often needed some serious proof reading – what is it with “…..” at the end of each sentence?
Late at night whilst uploading posts I have wept as posted Colin’s and Helen’s weekly updates, sometimes through hysterics sometimes from frustration on life’s judgments. I have sourced photos to match stories from every corner of Google Images and when there seemed no news to report, found some. The results of Triathlon competitions postings have enabled me to navigate the Triathlon technology services and find live update boards, stories and league tables, I have learnt about drafting, tapering, nutrition and a plethora of kit requirements, and if anyone thinks I have a problem with shoes, Lynn assures me now Tony could have out stripped the entire female supporters crowd with his store of old trainers!
The Lloyd’s the musical nearly led to fisticuffs over logistics, tickets, arrangements, and expectations. The need to chase donation pledges in ingenious ways to encourage those wallets to open and the vast array of people I have had the pleasure of meeting if only in most cases in the virtual world (must get out more). Even this weekend as bag minder, and chief bottle washer it fast unfolded that hotel booking requirements were needed on the ground with lastminute.com supporters group touching down with no guarantee of a beds to sleep in.
I do return with a scorched shoulders and a hoarse voice and a new interest to claim, every single competitor was an inspiration, and with that I will have to face the one bike ride a week and a few breast stroke lengths in the pool don’t really cut it. My son aged 15 has had his interest sparked and a new Tri-bike was sitting in the kitchen for him on Saturday
I could go on, there has been so much I have “won” from the involvement. But most of all it is firstly Colin that has brought us all together and then the rest of you for your comments and taking the time to read the blog that has made it worth it, oh and two nutters that diced with death one Summer Sunday in June.
I should make mention that is not too far from a reality as there was indeed on fatality on the course, a Briton who hit a wall on the bike. There was a minutes silence at the end of the race as a mark of respect. For those that haven’t heard their war stories yet – one includes the fact that Tony decided to stop on the ride to check a clicking noise on his bike only to find the wheel was loose, somewhere around the 40k mark! So when we all think how mad they are putting their bodies through such a heavy test, from slip and trips, rotator cuffs damage, knees and chest infections not withstanding but the race itself had additional dangers ever present.
I hope you will remember all that has been said and the fact that above all it has been to raise money for Headcase Cancer Trust as an attempt to find a cure to a horrid disease and save another family from what Colin and Helen are going through.
As Tony has said before, they were doing an “Ironman for a Top Man” and I claim the right to quote that here.
Kind regards to everyone, its been a priveledge …. Kirstin
23 Sunday Jun 2013
Posted in Blog, Dan, Editor's Posts, Tony
Tags
Dan Russell, headcase, ironman, Nice 2013, Tony Russell, triathlon
Probably tucked up in bed, at least those in Blighty. Whilst the support crew are up and at ’em at 4am, fumbling for the light switch and the tooth brush to be bright and breezy for when the guys are ready to leave. Bring on the coffee and don’t tell them we may well grab a few 40 winks after they head off up into the mountains!
22 Saturday Jun 2013
Posted in Blog, Colin's Blog, Dan, Editor's Posts, Tony, Uncategorized
For anyone with a computer on a Sunday who wants to keep up to date with every trackable stage of the race click on:
http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/coverage/athlete-tracker.aspx?race=france&y=2013#axzz2Wv63JKUq
Type in the bib number
Tony 2759
Dan 480
22 Saturday Jun 2013
Posted in Blog, Colin's Blog, Dan, Editor's Posts, Tony
In 24 hours the Support team with have escorted the competitors to the beach, distracting the nerves. Tony and Dan will have lined up with over 2000 other insane nutters, Considering the best method to cover the 2 or 3 meters of very uncomfortable stones and launch themselves into the waves to commence a race of a life time.
The walk back from the Pasta Fest last night covered topics such as the metal boredom of straight road run, the merits of setting a time goal for each stage vs being delighted just to complete it and the issues over pre-race preparation involving the bathroom!
The 5k walk, rather than waiting for the hot and overcrowded bus was an opportunity to calculate the view around the bay that will appear on each of the three circuits, and the hope that there will be as little wind as possible to battle with.
The guys talk of flick flacking between nerves and excitement and the desire to just get it started now. But in reality the last day of essential training involves doing very little, and resting, perhaps taking in the rugby, but definitely feet up, until they announce, “perhaps a little swim in the morning would be a good idea, oh and a small run later on” But for now it is a question of mental calm and biding the time to the start.
It is not clear where the live results are to be posted online, if we find out we will pass the information on through a blog post. But the start is 6:30am, remember Nice is a hour ahead, so obviously we hope everyone will be up bright and early at 5:30 to be thinking of them at their start line.
7:30-7:50 they hope to be exiting the swim., hopefully fending off any kicks to important parts of the body, and dodging the jelly fish.
Then the bike, a bit of an unknown really and with some pretty eye-watering inclines the challenge is immense:
The race is not possible to view en route unless you are residing in one of the mountain villages as lots of roads are closed and the thought of taking a car or taxi up to station yourself to see them wizz past but increase the chances of being the cause of a collision with a competitor in some freak accident is not worth it.
So after thy have done the journey they will return to the seafront. It is thought anytime from between 2 to 4pm local time.
Then the run, four times up and down the Promenade de Anglais.
Support crew on hand if required, mainly in full voice to cheer as loudly as possible, and post any and all news as live as possible.
Expected finish time, nothing firm and no expectations, but vaguely any time between between 7 and 9pm, But we will keep you posted.
14 Friday Jun 2013
Posted in Blog, Editor's Posts
So now we are in the last 10 days here comes the BEGGING bit.
We are SOOO close to reaching our target by a week on Sunday. How on earth can we get that last bit?
Well if every follower, that is YOU, added just £15 more to the total we would make our goal.
Tell you what I’ll go first just to prove how easy it is.
Please could you consider this, tonight, and make that generous commitment as a message of faith in Dan and Tony for their mammoth task in Nice Sunday 23rd, and to support Helen and Colin knowing that one day there might be a cure that would save another family from what they are going through.
We really would like you to just click that button and make this ambition to meet £30k by next Sunday a reality. That is just £10 from you and £10 from your Partner, or £5 from you both and your kids, £2 from you all and the Dog, 3 cats, 2 guinea pigs and 3 fish and Jim next door, or a £1 from your staff at work, a quick whip round at the pub?
Just imagine how good you will feel.
Editor
11 Tuesday Jun 2013
Posted in Blog, Dan, Editor's Posts, Tony
Tags
Dan Russell, GBM Cancer, headcase, ironman, NICE2013, Traithlon
So Dan might have beaten Tony by 3mins 44secs, but Tony did go to work the next day!
Dan arrived back from Dubai on the Thursday with a tight chest and sore throat (he also has Asthma), he seemed to have gotten away with it. Dan left the UK after the race at Blenheim coughing wheezing and with a sore throat, not good 13 days before the race of a life time. He flew back last night and things got worse.
Barely feeling his feet on the ground again and he was into the hospital, and within three hours of landing, he had a chest Xray, bloods taken, he was put on oxygen and drugs injected to ease chest rattle, along with bottles of anti-biotics. He then slpt, and slept. He is on a tight timetable to sort this……everything crossed.
They are both supposed to start “tapering” soon, but Wikipedia didn’t say anything about being bed ridden!
Seriously get better soon, you’re not getting out of this that easy !
Headcase Ironman 