Martin Parnell Finish the Race Attitude

Book Quest 80,000:

• Complete initial manuscript: July 10th 2011
• Total words (target): 80,000
• Words actual (todate): 4038
  
• Words target (Feb 27th): 8000
  

Comrades Marathon Training:

• Race Date: Sunday May 29th 2011
• Race Distance: 89km
• Training Km's Target (Jan 1st to May 28th): 1292km
• Training Km's Actual: 204km (15.7%)

Sue and I went over to our friends John and Joanne's the other night to watch the 83rd Annual Academy Awards. It was a fun evening. I guessed eight correct categories out of twenty four, much better than last year when I only got three. However, I was bitterly disappointed that there were no "Running" films nominated. Leonardo DiCaprio in "Inception" sure can move and Natalie Portman must have clocked a few miles for her role in "Black Swan".

I think we need to have the "Running Oscars". We would pick Best Running Actor, Best Running Actress, Best Race Director and Best Running Film. My selection for Best Running Actor is Tom Cruise in "Knight and Day". He out ran a car and motorcycle and that's pretty good. Best Running Actress goes to Angelina Jolie in "Salt". I bet she's hammered a few 10kms. Best Race Director goes to Dave McGillivray for the "Boston Marathon". He's had some challenges this year. The 2011 event filled up in eight hours and, for 2012, they plan to have a staggered sign up based on your qualifing time. If I was race director I'd turn it into an ultra and have you run 84.4kms, from Boston to Hopkington and back. Now that would cut the numbers down.

The final award for Best Running Film goes to "Run, Fatboy, Run". In it, Dennis (Simon Pegg) tries to win back his girlfriend, Libby (Thandie Newton), by running a marathon. I think we can all relate to that. Nice one mate.

Dr Randolph Randolph's book of animal jokes (Spider's)

Q. What do you get if you cross a tarantula with a rose?
A. I'm not sure, but I wouldn't try smelling it!

Quote of the Day

"We choose to go to the moon, and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

John F. Kennedy

Angelina Jolie, voted Best Running Actress, with her hydration pack

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Book Quest 80,000:

• Complete initial manuscript: July 10th 2011
• Total words (target): 80,000
• Words actual (todate): 12,557
  
• Words target (Mar 13th): 12,000
  

Comrades Marathon Training:

• Race Date: Sunday May 29th 2011
• Days to the race: 80
• Race Distance: 89km
• Training Km's Target (Jan 1st to May 28th): 1292km
• Training Km's Actual: 240km (18.6%)

A week and a half ago, I flew over to Sudbury, Ontario and went skiing with my 7 year-old granddaughter, Autumn. She's been taking skiing lessons with the Nancy Greene ski program and she thought it was time we did a few runs together. Adanac ski hill in Sudbury is an excellent place to learn and the day I arrived there was a 10cm dump of snow. In the early afternoon, we headed up the hill, with the snow still falling. At first, things went well. Autumn showed me a couple of her favourite runs. Then she decided to try a new run. The sign said "Terrain Park". The visability wasn't good and the next thing I saw was this little green and orange shape go flying up in the air and then disappear. I turned sharp left and just missed a monster jump. Autumn was sprawled out on the snow. I stopped and asked how she was. She said " I banged my knee but I didn't cry!". That's my girl.

Big day on Thursday, at St Timothy school in Cochrane. The school held a "Stick up for Right To Play" day. This entailed students buying strips of duct tape and sticking a student to the gym wall. I arrived at 9.45am and was welcomed by Principle Mark . Now, like many people I have a bucket list. Last year I crossed off "workout in a bouncy castle" and today I had a chance to tick off another one: "hanging from a wall with duct tape". I asked principle Mark if I could be "Stuck up" and he said fine. On the count of three the "Stick up" started. A quickly assembled team of teachers started to plaster duct tape across my body. In 15 minutes nine students and one marathon man were hanging off the walls in St Tim's gym. Principle Mark started cutting the duct tape at key locations. It didn't take long for me to fall off the wall. I knew I should have worn a long sleeved T shirt, ouch!

At the end of the day the teachers and students had raised $1,080 for Right To Play. Now that is going to stick!

Dr Randolph Randolph's book of animal jokes (Spider's)

Q. What is a spiders favorite TV show?
A. The newly-web game!

Quote of the Day

"Move and the way will open"

Zen Proverb

Grade 7 Zoya is duct taped to the wall at St Timothy School. The teachers and students raised $1,080 for Right To Play

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Book Quest 80,000:

• Complete initial manuscript: July 10th 2011
• Total words (target): 80,000
• Words actual (todate): 12,557
  
• Words target (Mar 13th): 12,000
  

Comrades Marathon Training:

• Race Date: Sunday May 29th 2011
• Days to the race: 78
• Race Distance: 89km
• Training Km's Target (Jan 1st to May 28th): 1292km
• Training Km's Actual: 280km (21.7%)

Day 10; Dear Diary: Last night I heard the wind howl across the vast expanse of ice. Fear gripped my heart and I wondered what the coming day would bring. I left base camp at 7.30am and made my way across treacherous ice flows. With every step I heard the ice crack and on either side of me crevasses threatened to suck me down to the icey depths below. Up ahead, I could see the vague outlines of three black creatures. The sun, reflecting off the translucent ice almost blinded me. Were they Penguins or the scavenging Ravens? In these parts, a flock had been known to strip a fallen soul in three minutes!!!

You may think that this is an extract from Robert Falcon Scott's diary when he made his attempt to be the first to the South Pole only to be beaten by Roald Amundsen in 1912. But no. In fact It's what happened this morning as I tried to run from my house, the 5kms along the Bow River, to Guy's coffee shop. The river has gone crazy. Huge chunks of ice have blocked the flow causing the river to double in size. As the water has flooded the low-lying areas, it has refrozen, pushing slabs of ice up on to the pathway system. Further downriver the ice is building up under the old bridge, with the very real possibility of it becoming jammed solid. I spent the morning skirting around closed paths and taking pictures of this natural wonder. Before I knew it I had run 30km. A fun day.

Dr Randolph Randolph's book of animal jokes (Spider's)

Q. Why are spiders like tops?
A. They are always spinning!

Quote of the Day

"I decided to go for a little run"

Forrest Gump

Ice cubes in the Bow

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Next Quest:

CalgaryTower Quest 802

• Climb the Calgary Tower (802 steps): April 16th 2011
• Climbs in 5 hrs (target): 20
• Climbs in 5 hrs (actual):

It's been 2 1/2 months since I finished Marathon Quest 250 on December 31st 2010 and the honeymoon is over. It's time to get off the couch and make plans for 2011. Firstly, I'll be doing a weekly blog. Every Monday, rain or shine, I'll be giving my view on world events, status of my Quests and animal jokes. My plan is to continue fundraising for Right To Play and earn some money (Sue says!).

The following Quests are planned for 2011:

Calgary Tower Quest 802: This is a "Climb for the Wilderness" and I fully support the wilderness. The objective is to climb the Calgary Tower (802 steps) as many times as possible in 5 hrs. It takes place Saturday April 16th from 8.30am to 1.30pm. See you there.

I started training last Saturday by running up and down a set of 84 steps for an hour. It hurt.

Comrades Quest 89: The Comrades Marathon is an 89km ultra run in South Africa, on May 29th. The race is from the coastal city of Durban to the inland city of Pietermaritzburg. It's an up hill run so Calgary Tower Quest 802 will be great training.

TQ37: ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? This Quest is top secret and the main fundraiser in 2011. However, this fundraiser will not stay top secret as that would not be a very good fundraiser. More details later.

Book Quest 80,000: "M is for Marathon" is on it's way. I'm targeting 4,000 words a week and so far I've written 15,590. They'll all very good words but I may have to work on the order.

As for earning money, I've signed up for "Speaker Spotlight", a speakers agency. If you need a speaker or someone to turn up at your birthday party, I'm your man. I also do "Run-o-Grams". Check out the link below.

Martin Parnell: Inspirational Endurance Racer

So now it's time for the animal joke.

Dr Randolph Randolph's book of animal jokes (Bees)

Q: Who is the bees favorite singer?
A: Sting!

Quote of the Day

"When all else fails, start running"

Dean Karnazes

The Dark Tower: A place of pain and suffering

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Next Quest:

CalgaryTower Quest 802

• Climb the Calgary Tower (802 steps): April 16th 2011
• Climbs in 5 hrs (target): 20
• Climbs in 5 hrs (actual):

Today, runners Kevin, Kathy and I decided that, we would explore a brand new set of trails, which have been under development, since late last year. The Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park is located between Cochrane and Calgary, along the Bow River. This land was donated by the Harvey family and when it's finally complete the system will have over 35km of trails between the two locations. Early this morning, we parked at the Park entrance and headed off into the unknown. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of snow and a pair of snow shoes would have been very useful. However, this didn't stop us enjoying the amazing views along the river valley and watching huge chunks of ice float down stream.

"M is for Marathon" is coming along nicely. By this date, my target was to write 20,000 words and so far I've written 20,289. I've covered my early life in England and how I came over to Canada, to find my fame and fortune (oh well). I'm presently writting about the 4 months I spent cycling across Africa in 2005. There's been a lot of discussion about the name of the book. Sue suggested "The Man with the Running Tattoo" but I felt this was a rip off of that other best seller. I suggested Sue writes a book and call it "The Marathon Runners Wife", now that's a catchy title.

Dr Randolph Randolph's book of animal jokes (Bees)

Q: Who is the bees favorite pop group?
A: The bee gees!

Quote of the Day

"Beware of the chair"

Author Unknown

The Man with the Running Tattoo

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