Cheeky charity request

[EIM]

I'm running 10k (I know, right) in an attempt to raise money for Saint Mary's hospital neonatal intensive care unit. There's a bit about why in the link. I know we shouldn't be relying on charity to prop up NHS services, but I'm making an allowance here because it's something close to me. If you've ever thought, "Hey, that EIM is ok, I'd buy him a pint!" then this is your chance. You can donate £4 to this instead. Every little helps.

If you don't want to help, that's fine too. But you've got to try every trick in the book, haven't you?

Peace xxx

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/greyhorsemcr

[Satchmo Distel]

I thought for a minute that you were going to dance with the Cheeky Girls for charity.

[EIM]

Just did my first training session. I figured I'd start at 5k and work my way up.

The running machines at my gym overlook Portland Street. When it's dark, you just get a reflection of yourself running towards you. It's disconcerting. 16 stone whatever of hulking beard in a food-stained France shirt coming at you forever. It keeps you running, that's for certain.

I stuck on an Andy Weatherall playlist to get me through it. 5k is 30 minutes running. That's about 5 songs. Hallelujah - Club Mix by the Mondays. Loaded by Primal Scream. Imperfect List - Part 1. And Papua New Guinea by The Future Sounds of London. It started off alright. I was even enjoying it. Music. Movement. Thought. The lurching spectre of myself looked calm, serene. By the time Primal Scream had kicked in my reflection looked to be suffering. I was fine. Felt good. Legs felt good. Lungs felt good. But my reflection was sweating, starting to gulp for air poor lad. But even 3km in I thought this would be easy.

I hit the wall at 4k. Somwhere during Papua New Guinea. My legs couldn't run straight. My chest was burning. My phone which was providing the music, lubricated by sweat, slipped through the waistband of my shorts and it dangled free down by my leg somewhere, swaying wildly with the motion. FUCK THIS, I began to think. There's no way I can do 10k.

But the 1k to go becomes 0.75. Then 0.5. And by the time there's 0.15km to go the pain was almost euphoric. Almost. All that was missing was the euphoria.

Getting off the treadmill makes every step feel like a moonwalk. It's a very strange sensation. But when it subsided I realised my legs weren't moving in the agreed manner, the manner they had been doing all our life. They're going to fucking kill in the morning, but I'll worry about that then.

I'll take a rest day tomorrow. I figure a few sessions doing 5k until I'm used, then up it bit by bit until I can do 10k. Piece of piss, right?

[Sits]

Done.

Nothing cheeky about this EIM, totally worthy and well done.

The kms will get easier, but feel free to continue entertaining us with your struggles.

[ursus arctos]

Also done

And what Sits said

You are a good human, EIM

[EIM]

Thank you both. For your donations and your kind words.

[Hot Pepsi]

I’ve never done a 5k let alone a 10k. I don’t think I ever will. Too painful on the knees.

You’re a good man for doing this. I’ll try to remember to contribute, but I’m really running low. I give so many little donations to animal rescue and health campaigns. It’s too painful to say no.

[Moonlight Shadow]

Look for those 'Couch to 5k' apps, they get you up to speed with intervals training (run 2min/walk 1min/etc/etc), you can play your music and u get the signal through your earphones.

[Giggler]

Well done EIM, will; drop you a few quid after payday. Also likely to be in the pub on Saturday afternoon if you're about.

Definitely echo what Moonlight shadow said, I've heard great things about those apps. I need to get sorted with one myself as I'd like to raise money for the charity which helps my godson.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

If you run 5km each day for 10 days, you'll be in my local in time for the Watford-Liverpool game.

[WOM]

Also done.

[caja-dglh]

Don't add too much too quickly. You will get hurt. Add a mile or a km per week preferably. Distance running is a slow process when the real game is avoiding getting hurt rather than pushing the limits (in fact, you really very rarely are meant to train running hard, but being both male and human makes that very challenging to comprehend).

[EIM]

Thank you all who've donated. I'm very touched. George asked who EIM is, and I'm not sure how to broach the subject.

I just went down to the hospital to pick up fundraising stuff; collection tins, t-shirts and that. I had to walk through Manchester Uni, and I got a bit choked up. Every child should have the opportunity to grow up, learn, make friends, make mistakes. Then to sit in the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital... well it's horrible isn't it?

Anyway. Enough morbid stuff. The press officer from the hospital wants to speak to me about the story. I'll check with my mate first, obv, but anything that gets the message out can't hurt.

Unlike my legs.

[caja-dglh]

Thank you all who've donated. I'm very touched. George asked who EIM is, and I'm not sure how to broach the subject.

George is just prickly that you are bossing the donations.

He will be less prickly when he realizes this means you can't back out.

[Toby Gymshorts]

Done.

Best of luck, man.

[WOM]

George asked who EIM is, and I'm not sure how to broach the subject.

Just say it's Welsh for Richard or something.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Also done. Thanks for doing this, it means a lot to people, much more than you can imagine.

[Giggler]

Bump.

[Sits]

Bump.

[EIM]

Fucking hell. I just lost a long post saying how mint you all are. It didn't even save on OTF. What the fuck. I'm going to kill TalkTalk and their useless tech support team. Lying imposters. It's not tech support it's a fucking sales call. My internet has worked for two fucking years, stop trying to sell me an upgrade and make the system I'm paying for work, you fucking dicks.

Anyway. What I was saying before I was so rudely booted off the internet, was how proud and humbled I am to be part of this online community, even if I do pretend to think you're all weirdo creeps most of the time.

We've raised over £2k in two weeks, which is an amazing start. I'm so genuinely touched by everyone who has read this and contributed to this so far. I wasn't expecting anything when I posted this, and OTF saw it and fucking had it, and I'll never forget that. You're all welcome in my house.

I spoke with a press officer from the hospital charity last week. My mate and I met her as she wants to circulate a release about the story. Hearing the details of how Christian died was heartbreaking. I can't even begin to process it, and the strength my mate is showing is inspirational really. But hearing about the support and care he received from Saint Mary's really stayed with me. These people are doing God's work, if God was real. I love each and every one of them.

So thank you again. I'll never forget your kindness. And when the world is being a bit of a dick, and the bad dickheads seem to be on top, it's something to treasure when good people get together and give a stranger a cuddle. I'll pay it forward. I promise.

https://www.justgiving.com/GreyHorseMCR

[EIM]

The training is going well. I feel fitter, and I'm even starting to enjoy it in parts. I hit a rhythm and everything gets shut out, and for a brief time it's like a sort of bliss. A weird, sweaty high. It sadly doesn't last long before I remember my lungs are screaming at me and my legs are refusing to hold up their end of the bargain, but for those brief minutes...

[Sits]

What do you listen to? It’s very important when you’re running.

[Sits]

Oh and that was a lovely post.

[EIM]

What do you listen to? It’s very important when you’re running.

The gym booms out dance music. I whack on a playlist of songs what I like. It needs a strong beat, nqat.

[Moonlight Shadow]

The training is going well. I feel fitter, and I'm even starting to enjoy it in parts. I hit a rhythm and everything gets shut out, and for a brief time it's like a sort of bliss. A weird, sweaty high. It sadly doesn't last long before I remember my lungs are screaming at me and my legs are refusing to hold up their end of the bargain, but for those brief minutes...

This deserves a donation....!