UPDATE 18/09/2018 NEARLY HALF WAY

So we are now nearly half way through the challenge and are on course to complete it by 1st April 2019 . It has been difficult to find the races and plans have had to be changed . We were booked for Porto on the 16th September but it clashed with Stockholm on the 15th . The running calendar in Sweden appeared to shut down for the winter after this date so we altered our plans at the last minute .We have now covered the Scandinavian countries Denmark , Finland and Sweden and the three Baltic States Estonia , Latvia and Lithuania .Neither of us had visited these countries before and we enjoyed them immensely. Brexit is now in full swing but doesn't seem to be attracting much interest with the people we have met, but I guess every country has its own agenda and worries . We have been made very welcome everywhere and the UK has been well represented in most of the races . As far as the challenge goes after 13 races I have had to donate 5 x £10.00 for not completing the half marathon distance in under 2 hrs and Jackie has had to donate 7 x £10.00 for not completing the distance in under 2hrs 15 minutes . At times we missed out by just a few seconds .

Comments

It was never going to be easy October 24th 2018

It was never going to easy. After Amsterdam we had done 17 half marathons and 7 in a row. On Wednesday 24th October I did a talk at Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club on our experiences so far. I was nervous but got good feedback and everyone liked the content. With a lack of technology I reverted to old fashioned methods and it seemed to work. It was far from perfect but I think I just got away with it and can certainly improve on what was a first time effort. Then our first major problem I hadn't been feeling great and on Wednesday 24th October I went to the doctors and he did a blood test . I got a call on Thursday 25th saying my kidney function had fallen from 90 to 40 . Nothing to worry about but he booked me in same day at North Manchester Hospital for further investigation and further blood tests . We waited nearly all day at the hospital and the outcome was that they wanted me to return the following day for a CT scan . Another full day at the hos...

Saturday 9th February Domein Het Leen 21km or 42km No 23 Belgium

Trail Domein Het Leen 10km 21km 42km Saturday 9th February 2019 Belgium No 23 Richard 02:26:53 Jackie 02:36:58 We flew to Brussels Charleroi hired a car and drove to Gent where we were staying . The race was a trail run in the beautiful forest of the provincial domain Leen in Eeklo just half an hour from Gent . The trail run is now in its 6th year and has an entry limit of 750. The entry fee was 12 Euros and there was a choice of a mini trail (6.8km) and 1-4 laps 10.6km-21.1km-31.8km and 42.2km , leaving at various times through the day from 10am to 1pm . The half marathon which we had entered started at 11.00am and had just under 200 runners . We were the only overseas entrants but it felt very much like a home event . There was a large car park next to the start a cafe and toilets and it seemed like we were turning up to a local cross country event all very familiar . The weather was also very familiar cold windy and showers , yes we felt at home and it...

BREXIT CHALLENGE

Before I start I just want to raise the question of Brexit and I will try not to mention it again , if that's possible! We wouldn't be doing it if not for Brexit .So lets say it was inspired by Brexit . I have learned so much from Brexit that I didn't know before . There are 28 members of the European Union , could I name them all , not a chance . Can I now , yes I think so .There are 19 countries in the Euro Zone , could I name them , no way , can I now errr probably not . I have a fair grasp now of the single market and how it works and I get why trade deals are so complicated and important . In fact I am now more European than I ever was . So why are we doing it ? Because we can for a start , we were very lucky to sell our business after 25 plus years in 2007 just before the financial crisis of 2007-2008 . We now run a small online retail business from home which gives us a small income , but also bags of free time . Lucky us , b...

European running Challenge

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