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Mick’s Marathon: Blog Post 2

ExtraCare’s CEO, Mick Laverty, is running the London Marathon this year to raise £40,000 for the charity’s vital care, well-being and dementia services.

Vital Stats

Days to marathon = 53
Longest run = 18.5 miles
Next target = 20ish miles (but no more than 22 miles)
Donations so far = £30k (75% of £40k target)

As you know, I’m running the London Marathon to raise vital funds for our charity.

All donations are greatly received and will go towards our well-being services to enable better lives for older people. Our well-being services include support for those living with dementia, a condition close to my heart – my Dad has Alzheimer’s and, as the disease progresses, needs additional help. Donations will also support our end of life care, making the final stages for our residents in all locations, who are approaching end of life, comfortable and dignified.

Donations can be made direct via https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/mick-laverty or by contacting our fundraising team at fundraising@extracare.org.uk

Overall training is going well, though I did experience trouble with my hamstring and had to lay off for a week. But I’ve eased back in with a few short runs and I’m now back on track. Injury is still my biggest worry, when my hamstring’s not playing up my Achilles heel is and I’ve now developed runner’s nipple (although I’ve been given some surgical plasters from one of our Care Teams to sort that out!).

However, I’ve had so many generous people sponsoring me that I’m determined to get round (regardless of the pain) on the day.

A few weeks back I met with ex-Olympian and world record holder, David Moorcroft, he advised three things:

Two weeks before the marathon I should completely stop. I’m aiming to reach 20 plus miles in the first week of April and then to taper off.
But he also said 20 miles is the halfway mark, not the 13-14 miles I had in mind, meaning half of your training should focus on reaching this point, and the rest of your training should be to power you from 20 miles to the finish line!
Lastly, he recommended not overstretching, especially my Achilles, as this could be as bad as not stretching at all.

He was also one of many people to tell me not to go too fast at the start, to slow down and pace my run as this will really help with the home stretch.

I’ve started to introduce fluids and jelly babies into my runs to help maintain hydration and energy but I need to pace my drinking and eating too, having finished the drink and jelly babies halfway through my last long run of 18.5 miles. The short spell of warm weather at the end of February caught me out and I returned home a little sunburnt – all good lessons to learn now ahead of race day.

The challenge for the next month is to step up the distance from 18.5 miles to somewhere between 20 to 22 miles, start eating more carbs and stay injury free.

For further information, contact our Fundraising Team:
fundraising@extracare.org.uk
02476 506011

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Mick’s Marathon: Blog Post 2

Vital Stats