50@50 CHALLENGE 2019

by Clive Smith.

WHY 50 YOU ASK?

A couple of years ago when I was thinking as I was approaching 50, I wanted to do something that would be challenging.

17 years ago I lost my dad (October 2002) to cancer age only 57 and he was ill for a couple years before that. So when coming up to the age of 50 years, it plays on mine that my dad only lived a few more years so I wanted to make the most of this year. My moto for life is to live for Today.

Also a few years, one of best friends was diagnosed with Prostate cancer (Vic Venus, who made a full recovery) and it made me think about men around my age and the effects that it can have on life and family.

Then at the turn of this year, the local Doctors requested I go for an MOT, and being a good boy I did. It was during this check up that I found out I was type 2 diabetic which was a shock, but it made think even more about my eating because for those who don’t know that the reason for type 2 is a lack of exercise, smoking, excessive drinking or bad diet; I only falling into one category thankfully!

PLANNING

When I started to plan in the summer of 2018, I had deferred my London Marathon place due to injury, so this meant on top of trying to do 50@50, one would be a marathon...I knew I would have to train properly or it would be hell! Then in October 2018, one morning I bent down to pick up a box and my knee gave way. At this point I thought 2019 was off and would I get back in time for London. Thanks to Liam Slater at Bridge Centre on Ladybank he fixed it and 5 weeks I was able to jog. Then the Sunday before Christmas was a big landmark as I managed 10 miles with London Marathon training partner Shelly. I could start it work on Alan’s marathon plan.

The idea was to do as many different events has possible and spread them over the 12 months (4 to 5 per month) and to do Running, Swimming and Cycling plus a few quirky events. So the spreadsheet was set-up and I found 56 events, because I believe that there may be some time of illness or small injury might kicked in. Luckily as of today I have completed all 50 planned and still have 6 in the diary which plan to do.

HOW DID IT START

I started with the New Years Day Hangover organised by Dave Denton. Up at Belper, a 4.8 mile course in rural Derbyshire with 2 big hills, which I admit I walked up the 1st one with everybody around. Thanks To Carolyn Derbyshire who got up early to run event 1 with me. Rest of the month made up of XCountry for MRC, Park Run and Dave Denton midweek winter series (which I have done 7/8 with December to go)

HI-LIGHTS OF 1ST HALF

My first swimming gala took place in the North West meet in Blackpool. My swimming challenge was to do the 22 masters events (25,50,100 & 200 in the 4 strokes plus 100 200 400 IM and the distance events on Freestyle 400 800 and 11500) In Blackpool I started with 800 and my worst event 200 back which somehow I did. In March, MRC did Notts 20 mile part of London training and a couple more swimming galas. Then come to April with London Marathon at the end of month so I needed to taper but still do a few events to keep me going. So first weekend was a double header, Xrunner mud run at Osmaston park (clue in the name very muddy with drop in lake 10 degrees) on Saturday afternoon followed by 10K Sunday morning with lots MRC runners, very steady 54 minutes run with Michael and Jake.

London Marathon – what a great event with crowds and to see Katie and MRC gang cheering along the way. At 20 miles all was going to plan, went through in 3.04 with 6 miles to go, heading for 4.05-4.10 finish. Then between 22.5 and 23 miles, the body packed up and the worst 3 miles of the year taking nearly 40 minutes finishing in 4.25 (was disappointed at the time but realise it’s still great to finish)

May started with two 10K’s breaking 50 minutes for the first time in my life, thanks to Michael Richards encouraging me up the railway line and then going quicker at Sinfin the following week. A weekend in Liverpool at Rock N Roll doing the half with Jaq Mann was a great event (including a great night out at The Cavern Club Spanish Rock Night)

June was relative quiet just a little gala in Sheffield, then Derby Half which started very quick as usual then held together to get my Half PB. I then had a weekend in Bolton with the Rolle family. The school where their kids go had a sponsored 10 mile walk which me and Chris Rolle made in to an event which included a climb up Winter Hill (for anyone who knows that area hell of climb). At the last minute I got place in the team for MRC for Hairy Helmet - always a great night

End of June, 26 events done as per the schedule and feeling good.

2nd HALF

July started with one of my passions, but perhaps not for others. I did the 5k open water masters event at Holme Pierrepont Nottingham winning 3 medals for one event: 2nd in age, top East Midlands and top Derbyshire. The following Friday was sunshine 5k starting at the market place in Derby at 5.30 AM (yes AM that’s morning to some people). Nice morning run before 6.00 with fruit at the finish. Then on to one of the best team events of year, Thunder Run with my 4 team mates Ian Porter John Shiel Rob Freeman and Nick Connor. Can’t remember total laps for team but I did 5 laps making 50k in the 24 hours

August was probably the most crazy month, with a mixture of events. Starting with a trip to London to swim Thames marathon 14K with 2 friends from swimming Jaq and Janet, we were all in different waves. I was first in the water at 7.05am and first in my wave to get in the Thames at Henley 3 hours 46 minutes and 12 seconds later I get out at Marlow only to lose to Jaq by 8 seconds (still bitter). The local 10k PIGS run was the following Wednesday evening. Then nice 30k cross country around Belper in Rugby Rover, thanks to Georgie Bestwick and Nat Goodwin for company that morning was very tough but enjoyable. My final event of August was Brooklyn 10K organised by New York Runners in Prospect Park, one thing when planning was to do event outside UK. After travelling to New York and a full day walking the sites of NY. I worked out we have to get up at 5.45 to catch the underground to Brooklyn, then walk to collect numbers then walk to start for 8.00am start. Not sure how but finished up doing PB 48.12 then eating Bagels and Ice Cream before 9.00.

September had 6 events, starting with Wilne 10K then off to Llandudno to a swimming gala where I did 1500 at the start of day and was very tired for the rest of day. Mid September I went to Etwall to do Derby Tri and after a bad swim finished up with good Bike and Run to get a reasonable time. Another swimming gala in Leicester. Dave Denton Midweek September gave me PB in mile at 6.48 and 5K 22.45 which not beaten in October or November. Finish the month in Derbyshire at Tissington half Marathon getting another PB 1.45.09 this after saying at start I was going steady today whoops.

October is a big swimming month, starting with double header, Etwall Eagles club championship on Saturday with just 3 swims against some of the children I coach - always interesting. Then on the Sunday back to my birth place Burton to do Bridge to Bridge (1500 meter swim in the pool) I did this as an individual in the morning, then as a relay twice in the afternoon, great team events thanks to Janet Jaq Paul Graham Marie and Carolyn. Finishing the month at Sheffield for 3 days doing 4 swims at Ponds Forge, which I was pleased with all 4, especially the 800 free in 12 minutes 8 seconds. On running I got asked by Alan to join a mixed team in Scary Helmet with Jaq Mann and Vicky Shiel. The name of the team was Scooby Doo where are you and 4 of us dressed up as 4 characters. Great team effort and we were 3rd in the fancy dress awards winning BEER.

So end of October I was at 47 events

November started with a weekend off, so event 48 was South Yorkshire masters at Sheffield with me just swimming 3 races and not the best. It was back to Dave Denton on Wednesday 13th November, with weather this week the road I go from work was shut and so missed the start of 1 mile getting there with 5 minutes to spare but getting on start line doing event 49. Felt pressure after Tracey had put in newsletter that 50th was at Derby 10 mile.

So Sunday 17th November Derby 10 miles, weather had created rumours it could be off because it runs by the Derwent and through Elvaston Castle which was waterlogged. But thanks to the organisers, they came up with a new route. Feeling very nervous this was one chance to beat my 10 mile of 1.19.40 from nearly 10 years ago. Went out hard and on one of the first turn around. I think I was good 45-60 seconds ahead of the 1.20 pacer so pushed again at 7 miles, I was then a good minute ahead of 1.20. Went past 8 mile marker in to Alvaston Park and felt like very hard work just needed to hang on as a few people went past me. Then 400 meters to go and the little uphill that felt like mountain back to Derby arena. Over the finish line in 1.18.19, over the moon.

So made 50@50 challenge with 6 weeks to spare and still have 6 events in the diary which I am hoping I can still complete.

I want to thank all at Etwall Eagles Swimming club where I have been member since 2014 and made some great friends especially those who helped in training and on event days which make some great memories. Then past 3 years, I have been a member of Mickleover Running Club, again making a new group friends, which I think all who encouraged me at running races and in training especially when I was coming back from injury in 2018 twice. I have a training partner who’s not a member of either above, Georgie Bestwick, who I have trained with on Wednesday mornings for 5 or 6 years on bike or runs (lots of xcountry in winter) and to Shelly Burrows who I did most of my long runs with in training for London this year.

Finally thanks to my wife Katie who 100% supported me during the whole of 2019, including joining me in some of the races and taking many photos.

Hope Dads looking down and has enjoyed watching me do my sport. He was always there when I was younger with my football and swimming.

Editors Note: Many of you will have noticed that there’s a little bit less of Clive than there was at the start of the year! Well done Clive – not only in achieving your goal this year but also reversing your Type 2 Diabetes!!