The First BIG run

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Trip Start Apr 01, 2006 Trip End Jun 26, 2006 Next
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  Grenoble, France
Monday, May 1, 2006

HeyHey, Well I chose today to really kick off the training efforts, up until today I have been just concentrating in getting the distance in but today I decided that it was time to see how I coped with a bit of altitude. Over looking Grenoble is a fort and behind it a fairly large hill, it actually went fairly well, there where points as I jogged up that I felt like my lungs where gunna explode but once I found my rhythm it was all fine! Coming down was another matter as I managed to choose the thin gravel path clearly built by a crazy man, more sliding than running!

But I don't really want to talk about the jog today; I want to explain a bit where this idea came from and the motivations behind it. This year I have been on studying in Grenoble and we are surrounded by mountains, everyday I wake up look at the window and see mountains, so the year has kind of revolved around conquering mountains, whether it be through Skiing down them or rock climbing up them... I have been looking for something; one last challenge to sort of seal the year off for me and the Mont Blanc Marathon seemed perfect. I have been in training now for five weeks and am starting to believe that I can do it. I know that its not gunna be a question of making the distance we (Me, Will and Ben) are young and we shouldn't have a problem with that, its going to be the gradient that will hurt us, the profile looks something like the tour de France mountain stage profiles...infact it probably is!!

So yes that's why I want to do it, My support for SOS has been there ever since I worked for them in Togo, the work they did was so unlike the other NGOs I visited, the workers actually appeared to care deeply about all the children there and vitally there wasn't any wastage of money going on (as is fairly common in international NGOS...I hate to make sweeping statements). I liked the fact there was no imposition of one religion, the children where free to choose, I liked the fact they support the children right up until they are firmly established on their own 2 feet. The director insisted that noone call the village an orphanage because that's not what it is, they can never be parents but they try to get as close as they can for these children who are orphans...

So check back here for updates on how I get on, if you've got this far please don't forget to donate today at www.justgiving.com/johnnyc

Thank you

Johnny

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