Blind Dave's Blog

BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN

19-10-2007

By his own strenuous standards, Black Country marathon runner Blind Dave Heeley has been taking it easy of late, but now the dark winter nights are here he's stepping up training ahead of next year's 7/7/7 marathon attempt.

Hi Stirrers

Well after a couple of weeks off apart from a great run in Sheffield, training resumes as normal and I'm once again knackered.

We've had a pretty good week, surprisingly the fitness has come back pretty quickly, no horrendous accidents to shout about - makes a change - other than I'm still puffing like an old steam train, but that goes with the territory I suppose.

After a week we have got up to our first long run - 15 mile - it was hard work and now the training for the challenge next year is kicking in. You quickly forget but then soon remember how hard and painful it is to train for a marathon. What am I saying? You fool, Dave, you've got 7 to train for.

So it was 15 miles on the Saturday and then 18 split into two runs on the Sunday. I suddenly remembered how much it hurts. All that sweating, brings on a pint, but we've got the little fact of the Great North Run yet - that's the next one and to be honest I'm looking forward to it. Thankfully it's a flattish course!

This week I had a run out with Karl, who steps in occasionally and gives me an extra training run, but who needs enemies when you've got friends like him.

I told him I'd had a good hard weeks training. "Stop moaning " he said. "We'll do some efforts then, that will make your legs work better". He's a sadist - he made me do a session, 6 x 3 minute efforts, fast, with a 2 minute recovery period.

Between them all I think they're trying to kill me, what with Debb threatening to increase my life insurance and now my so called friend - no wonder I puff a lot when I get to the top of the Newton Road. Why can't we do efforts down hill! Always up!

Our two littlest girls were featured in the Express and star this week - well the bedrooms I did for them were, but the pictures wouldn't have been complete without the two little princesses.

The three girls bedrooms are all themed on Winnie the Pooh, they have slides, rabbit burrows, castles, dens and the lovely part about it is they really love them and when friends come around they all want to play up there, which makes it all worthwhile.

The Star did a lovely article and took some nice photos and also got me in a whole load of trouble. On the Monday after the article was in the paper, I was picked up by a local taxi firm I use regularly.

The first words out of the mouth of the taxi driver, who I know quite well, were, "Thanks for getting me a right telling off from my missus" or words to that effect.

"I haven't ever seen your missus", I commented, which is quite true, in more ways than one.

"No," he said. "I'm forever telling her about your exploits and then she saw the article over the weekend". I had to smile when he told me what she had said: " He runs marathons, builds bedrooms for his daughters, he's blind and you can't even put a shelf up".

Well, I was in bits when he told me and he was on a "promise" up till then - "was" being the operative word.

"Sorry " was all I could say. I was laughing too much to say any more, I still have a good snigger when I think about what he said. Sorry, Karl at least it gave me a laugh!

So with me puffing like an old steam train and putting in plenty of efforts, Karl the taxi driver is neither puffing nor having any efforts! As for the girls they stand there proud, not even knowing the article got Dad the blame for other reasons, so in my two minute rest period, it's bye from Blind Dave till next time.

Next April Blind Dave will attempt to become the first disabled athlete to run seven marathon in seven days on seven continents.

He's trying to raise funds for Guide Dogs For The Blind - and you can help him.

Just go to www.justgiving.com/777