20 Jan 2021

Run 40 Kilometres

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

For all the running I have done in my life, I hadn’t ever run 40 kilometres in one go. My original intention was to achieve a 40 kilometre run by completing the Manchester Marathon but it was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I still intend to take part this October but whilst in the UK recently a friend suggested I take part in the Anglezarke Amble, a 24 mile / 38.4 kilometre route over the Pennines. You can read more about it on the following link:

https://www.ldwa.org.uk/WestLancashire/W/2968/anglezarke-amble.html

The Anglezarke Amble usually takes place on Valentine’s Day February 14th from Anglezarke to Entwistle reservoir and back in a loop. Unfortunately, the 2021 example of this event has also been cancelled due to the pandemic and I wasn’t going to be around for that long so instead it provided the inspiration and foundation for a 40 kilometre trail / fell run that would also take in the remote crash site where Herbert Noga crashed his RAF Mustang just after the end of World War Two.

With over 1,000 metres of elevation gain and the temperature below zero throughout this was going to be a memorable run!

The route map was as follows:

I planned the route out on Garmin connect in advance and then uploaded it to my Garmin 245. I know most of these roads and trails but haven’t ever tied them together into one run. The Garmin navigation system was brilliant, enabling me to stay on track and if I drifted off, it was easy to use to guide myself back. Really impressed with that and given the conditions it was practically essential!

I also took my new GoPro Hero 9 Black out for a thorough test and it’s a massive step up from my previous Hero 4 Black. Super smooth, easy to operate and the battery life seemed to be much longer, certainly in below zero temperature conditions.

I made a video summary of the whole run:

I predicted completing the 40km in 6 hours and the Garmin data tells me I passed that point in 6 hours and 9 minutes – not a bad estimate given the conditions. However, due to human error and distraction I had completed 41.3km at the finish point so decided I should simply carry on to 42.6km to complete a marathon – another first for me!

Other notable Garmin data is as follows:

Some nice pictures:

Rivington Pike
The Wader at Entwistle Reservoir
The crash site of Herbert Noga – may he rest in peace
Heapey Waterman’s Cottage on Anglezarke Reservoir

In the video I refer to a ‘Tragedy on the Moor’ and that I would read about it. This is a good link to what is a truly sad story, may those lads also rest in peace:

https://www.lep.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/retro/frozen-death-lancashires-moors-673507

19 Jan 2021

Fourteenth of 40 donations

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

The fourteenth of my 40 donations went to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration via Nancy’s Girls and their Hot Shot Challenge.

This fundraising team was founded by the daughters of Nancy Hessey, who has been sadly missed since passing two years ago due to Frontotemporal Degeneration.

The Girl’s were raising money and awareness so other families can get more of the help they were so grateful to have had themselves.

https://www.classy.org/team/322139

https://www.classy.org/campaign/ftdhotshotchallenge/c297105

#FTDhotshotchallenge#EndFTD#40s440

19 Jan 2021

I can do 40 times better than this..!

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

I’ve been neglecting this blog. There are many excuses but only one solution – to reintroduce balance back into my life. The last half of 2020 was difficult for everyone and in my case, the increasing work demands with associated laptop ultra-marathons became all-consuming. Like a lot of people, I wasn’t able to take a break all year but finally been able to spend some time with my Family over the Christmas and New Year holiday period allowed me to decompress and reassess.

My fingers and back have become extremely sore for a while now (I will write about this in a future blog now I know a little more about it) and it has prevented me from wanting to spend more hours on a laptop once I have logged off from working. The neglect of this blog is frankly an electronic symptom of how my personal life has become overshadowed by and secondary to work.

I’d like to apologise to anyone who feels they have been on the wrong side of Craig’s see-saw.

I have been keeping up with the challenges as best as possible and my achievements and experiences will for the subject of imminent 40s440 blogs as I catch back up.

I’ve been trying to follow something of a process with social media. For example, I might post a single 1×1 picture update on Instagram and this would be followed by a similar but often more detailed post with widescreen pictures on Facebook. However, following up on both of these with a much more detailed blog is where I have allowed neglect to creep in. It has helped me to appreciate the effort that some bloggers must put in.

Ordinarily, I’d berate myself and sign off with ‘must try harder’ or suchlike but at age 40, I have managed to find some of my limits and should resect them.

I didn’t set any New Year’s resolutions for 2020, instead I began the 40s440 challenges. This year I resolve to complete the challenges and address imbalance.

18 Jul 2020

Twelfth of 40 donations

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

The twelfth of my 40 donations goes to The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust.

The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust was named after Stephen Lawrence, a black teenager who was murdered in 1993 at the age of 18 in an unprovoked racist attack in southeast London.

The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust was founded on the premise that inequality must be tackled in all its forms. This includes inequality of access, and of opportunity, wherever it occurs. It is committed to “transforming the life chances of young people and improving the world in which they live​”.

You can read more about Stephen’s story on this link:

https://www.stephenlawrence.org.uk/stephen-lawrence-day/stephens-story/

In 2018, BBC One broadcast a three-part documentary series titled Stephen: The Murder that Changed a Nation, exploring the story of the Stephen Lawrence case and the impact it has had on British society in the 25 years since Stephen was murdered. The series won two Grierson Awards (Best Documentary Series and Best Historical Documentary) for its opening episode, ‘The Loss of Joy’.

A range of short clips from the series are available to watch on the below link:

https://www.stephenlawrence.org.uk/resources/stephen-the-murder-that-changed-a-nation-documentary/

This has been going on too long; stay safe, be kind, one love.

18 Jul 2020

I can’t breathe… for 4 minutes 40 seconds?

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

In advance of any 40s 4 40 related content, it’s important to recognise the origin of this phrase and why it has become a slogan associated with the Black Lives Matter movement.

I’m using it here to maintain awareness of the worldwide protest against police brutality in the United States and against the lack of police accountability due to qualified immunity.

The phrase originates from the last words of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man who was killed in 2014 after being put in a chokehold by New York City Police. A number of other African-Americans, such as Javier Ambler, Manuel Ellis, Elijah McClain, and George Floyd have said the same phrase prior to dying during law-enforcement encounters.

I make a choice to hold my breath – it shouldn’t be a privilege, it’s a fundamental human right. I hope these terrible events bring about the social change we need. My next charity donation will reflect that.

Breath holding or static apnea was not one of the original 40s 4 40 challenges but I was prepared to be doing a lot of it in preparation for free diving 40 metres both deep (in the Constant Weight category) and 40 metres length (in the Dynamic No Fins category).

Breath-hold training is definitely best done on dry land unless you are with a trusted and experienced buddie or buddies.

The down side of dry training is that the mammalian dive reflex does not occur but hopefully this means that when I do finally get in the water that my performance will be even better.

When I got my AIDA 2 qualification I managed a breath hold of 3 minutes 20 seconds so naturally, I challenged myself to 3 minutes and 40 seconds.

Well, I achieved 3:40 and then, probably in some part thanks to lock down, I managed a full 4 minutes, twice.

Screenshot from the stopwatch on my mobile

I actually thought 4 minutes might not ever be possible, certainly as a dry static apnea so I’m pleased with the result; this just goes to show what can be achieved if you commit and put your mind to it.

I train either lying on the sofa or first thing in the morning when I wake up. It is essential to have a low heart rate and relax into it to achieve good results.

I made a choice to do this, I can’t imagine the terror of being forced to do so against my will – “no justice, no peace”.

10 Apr 2020

Eighth of 40 donations

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

The eighth of my 40 donations goes to the UK Sepsis Trust.

The UK Sepsis Trust‘s goal is to end preventable deaths from sepsis and improve outcomes for sepsis survivors. They believe that earlier diagnosis and treatment across the UK would save several thousand lives a year.

The UK Sepsis Trust was founded in 2012 by NHS consultant, Dr Ron Daniels BEM. Renowned for his systems and translational expertise, Ron had spent the previous 7 years developing and disseminating the Sepsis 6 pathway across the NHS and globally.

My Father passed away 7 years ago today and whilst it is clear he was not well as he was undergoing treatment for cancer, I firmly believe he would not have died when and how he did, had the hospital ensured he was administered antibiotics within one hour of experiencing rigors.

Unfortunately, antibiotics were not administered for a number of hours and by that time, the damage was done and his body went into septic shock and he didn’t recover. I commend the critical care staff who looked after him for those painful last few days and am grateful that now practice has changed to ensure antibiotics are administered concurrently with chemotherapy drugs to mitigate the risk my Dad fell foul of.

We love and miss you, Dad, Daddy, John x
14 Mar 2020

Fifth of 40 donations

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

The fifth of my 40 donations goes to Age UK. Age UK provide companionship, advice and support to older people and their loved ones. Unfortunately, it seems older people are more likely to be adversely affected by Corona.

The following BBC Article helps explain why:

A combination of two things – a weaker immune system in the first place and a body less able to cope.

We know our immune system gets weaker with age.

“The quality of the antibodies you produce when you’re 70 is a lot worse than when you’re 20,” says Prof Hunter.

And there are some suggestions older men may be more prone to high levels of inflammation which can become deadly.

A lifetime of wear-and-tear takes its toll on the body’s organs and that leaves you less able to survive an infection.

“If you’re 95 and your kidney function is already at 60% of what it used to be and then you hit it with something else, then [your kidneys] may no longer be functioning at the level required for life,” says Dr MacDermott.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51774777

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/health-wellbeing/conditions-illnesses/coronavirus/

16 Feb 2020

Third of 40 donations

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

The third of my 40 donations goes to the Samaritans in memory of Caroline Flack who passed away, aged 40 🙁

#BeKind

Information and support

If you or someone you know needs support for issues about emotional distress, these organisations may be able to help.

Samaritans

Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provide a safe place to talk 24 hours a day.

Phone: 116 123

Email: jo@samaritans.org

Visit the Samaritans website

Shout

Shout is a 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone struggling to cope and in need of immediate help.

Text SHOUT to 85258

Visit the Shout website here

HOPELineUK

HOPELineUK offer support, practical advice and information to young people considering suicide and can also offer help and advice if you’re concerned about someone you know.

Phone: 0800 068 41 41

Visit the Papyrus website

CALM

CALM, the campaign against living miserably aims to prevent male suicide in the UK and offers anonymous, confidential listening, information and signposting.

Phone: 0800 58 58 58 (daily 5pm-midnight)

Visit the CALM website

Lifeline

Lifeline provides support to people suffering distress or despair in Northern Ireland, regardless of age or district.

Phone: 0808 808 8000 (24 hours a day)

Visit the Lifeline website

Community Advice & Listening Line

Community Advice & Listening Line offers emotional support and information on mental health and related matters to people in Wales.

Phone: 0800 132 737 (24/7) or text “help” to 81066

Visit the Community Advice & Listening Line website

Breathing Space

Breathing Space offers a confidential phone and web based service for people in Scotland experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety.

Phone: 0800 83 85 87 (Mon-Thu 6pm-2am, weekends 24 hours).

A BSL service is also available via the website.

Visit the Breathing Space website

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide exists to meet the needs and break the isolation of those bereaved by the suicide of a close relative or friend.

Phone: 0300 111 5065 (9am to 9pm daily)

Visit the Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide website

Related Information and Support

If you have also been affected by bereavement, or self-harm, organisations listed on our Bereavement support page or Self Harm support page may be able to help.

You can find current information and support for issues covered by Action Line on the BBC Action Line website.

Nightlines

Nightlines are confidential, anonymous, non-judgemental support services run by students for students.

If you’re a student, you can search for your institution’s Nightline details via the website.

Visit the Nightlines website

14 Feb 2020

40 Press-Ups in 1 Minute & My Current Baseline

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 2

I previously referred to the 40s 4 40 challenges as ‘stretch targets’ and to appreciate why, I have attempted to record my current performance in this post. This will help me to understand how big a task I’ve got ahead of me. I’ve listed some of the challenges below with various reference points; my plan to completion will be the subject of a future post…

40 Press ups / push ups in a minute: the easiest thing to do is watch the video; I reckon I’ve already nailed it and with a bit of work I’ll have this one sorted by the end of 2020…

In early 2022 Thounaojam Niranjoy Singh from Manipur broke the Guinness Book of World Records for most push-ups (finger tips) in one minute. Niranjoy, who is a two-time Guinness World Record holder, broke the old record of 105 push-ups by achieving 109 push-ups in one minute during a Guinness Book of World Records attempt organised by Aztecs Sports Manipur at Aztecs fight studio in Imphal.

The previous record holder in most push-ups (finger tips) in one minute is Graham Maly from the United Kingdom who set the record in 2009. These incredible records really put my achievement into perspective!

Run 10k in 40 minutes: My Personal Best (PB) for 10 kilometres is 45 minutes 11 seconds and currently I feel comfortable running at 5 minutes per kilometre so really I’m probably running 50 minute 10ks. I therefore need to improve by between 12% and 20%. Not insignificant.

Ironman 70.3 in 4 hours and 40 minutes: My PB is 5 hours 7 minutes, split as follows:

Bahrain

To achieve a 4:40 means I need to take just under half an hour off my best ever time and I’ll be looking to the run to achieve most of that…

Marathon in under 4 hours and 40 minutes: No baseline as despite all the running I have done in my life, I have not yet run a marathon – hence the challenge! My PB for a half is 1:43.

Free dive to 40 meters: I am AIDA Level 2 qualified (20m depth in constant weight class) but I once touched 22.4 meters, according to my dive watch. 40m is practically double my current depth and so quite a challenge. As a sub-category of this, I will attempt a 3 minutes 40 seconds breath-hold (my current personal best is 3 minutes 20 seconds). This is a mere 10% improvement and ideally I’d like to get over 4 minutes.

@zak_dive / #zak_dive / https://www.facebook.com/zakaria.dive

40,000 feet of climbing: The highest I’ve ever climbed is the summit of Aconcagua at 22,837 feet (6,962 meters) in January 2020 and until now, I’ve only ever climbed one high-altitude mountain per calendar year.

The most I’ve ever climbed in a calendar year before now is 19,341 feet (5,895 meters) when I did Kilimanjaro in 2018. In a rolling year I’ve climbed a total of 56,370 feet (EBC & Kala Patthar in 2017 plus Kilimanjaro and Elbrus in 2018).

I need to climb more than twice as high in one calendar year than I’ve ever done before but actually less than I have done before in a rolling year to reach a cumulative 40,000 feet (or more).

Climb my 4th of the World’s 7 highest summits: I have climbed 3 of the World’s highest summits (Elbrus, Kilimanjaro and Aconcagua) so the next will be my 4th. This goes hand-in-hand with climbing 40,000+ feet.

Cycle 40km in an hour: I completed a 25 mile time trial in October 2019 and was I’m 8 minutes over 1 hour so I need to improve by 12%.

Drink a ’40’: I’ve seen them on American films but I’m yet to see one in the flesh and of course, drink it!

Giving £40 to 40 charities: I think is better described as a privilege than a challenge….

7 Feb 2020

Second of 40 donations

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

The second of my 40 donations goes to Mountain Rescue Search Dogs England – check this out:

https://www.top13.net/man-buried-in-snow-films-rescue-dog/?fbclid=IwAR26_MXUUogG3ELa6nFGrKBy6iwG7zJSaCbtN-8kNQmul3ZWFpRA4ln1Ueg