Outrageous idea - 100 marathons in April 2007?

webberg · Post by **webberg** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 1:35 pm

There is some traffic in the forum about setting up our own charity. The mechanics of this are relatively straightforward and I believe that we have the resources to do this.

What we also need is something that will kick off the fund raising.

There is a thread onto which many fine ideas have been posted.

Here's another one:

Could we target a week in April 2007 during which the team completed 100 marathons?

I know that some of us could do a continuous marathon (some of us have already demonstrated that they can do several, sometimes back to back!). Others are capable of doing half marathons.

I would propose that only full and half marathon continuous pieces would count and it would be necessary to do two HM's no more than 24 hours apart.

April is traditionally "Marathon Month" and some of us may already be forming plans to have a go. It is also towards the end of the season and if we are to get to the moon then we may need the surge in metres.

What do you think?

Is there a world record for simultaneous global marathons?

PSims · Post by **PSims** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 2:26 pm

Sounds good.

The justgiving website is the best mechanism to get donations - once we are set up as a registered charity and they recognise us.

big dave k · Post by **big dave k** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 2:26 pm

on the subject of outrageous ideas....

yesterday, after finishing our 24 hour row, i decided to look at the records for 24hours to see how we compared. most of them we were miles off, but..................

........ the junior mens' small team record is only 2:04 splits. now normally, im not a junior. once you hit 19, you have to mix it with the bigger boys. but for this record, it's 19 and under. which gives me 6 months. there's another guy who's 18 and is keen. but only 2 other guys in the club who qualify. 4 of us could do it, in theory, but it would be a soft record as anyone who came along with 10 guys would piss all over it.

we're now thinking that if we can get another 4/5 under 19s who can pull decent splits within 6 months, we could have a bash at a WORLD RECORD! (it's a bit obscure and it seems to me the catagorues are getting more and more niche like to accomodate more people, but a record's a record)

still extremely early stages yet. the logistics need looking into, and we've got the problem that we've already done a sponsored 24 hour row at brunel now, it wouldnt have the same appeal less than 6 months later.

just thought id share my idiocy with you guys!!

ptruz · Post by **ptruz** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 4:06 pm

I like the idea....I migbht be ready myself by then.....my birthday is 4/12 and this would be a nice gift to myself......

Also....it's near the end of the moon shot......we might need the meters! We can rest in May.

webberg · Post by **webberg** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 4:16 pm

"Rest" - I think I remember that.

Confused me no end there Peter, I thought 4/12 was 4th December. I think you mean April 12th?

English and Americans - two people divided by a common language.

Gooner Neil · Post by **Gooner Neil** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:13 pm

Great idea, why don't we delay one month and do it for the start of the rowing season. Was planning to do 300-400 in four days on May 1-4 for charidee. If we find a friendly gym or IRC we could attempt some of this together?

Stan · Post by **Stan** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:15 pm

Well I am certainly intending to do another marathon in April and would be happy to coordinate it with a FS event.
No resting in May though - we will be on our way back to Earth

Rita · Post by **Rita** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:37 pm

Stan wrote:Well I am certainly intending to do another marathon in April and would be happy to coordinate it with a FS event.
No resting in May though - we will be on our way back to Earth

Or maybe some of us will go to Mars

. I heard they found evidence of water... so maybe at one time there were Martians OTW!

Post by **BorisZ** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:55 pm

I'm in!

Mike Channin · Post by **Mike Channin** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 1:58 am

Global Marathon week/fortnight will probably be the last two weeks of the season (end of April) so seems sensible to aim at then. Maybe I'll do a marathon a day for the whole two weeks. (Erk, did I say that??? Maybe someone will shoot me?)

Neil - if you want to carry on the week after, once you've had a bit of practice, go for it!

ptruz · Post by **ptruz** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 4:42 am

Mike: Do we have to restrict your rowing? We have no rules.....but you have to have sense man!

Mike Channin · Post by **Mike Channin** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 10:23 am

Ptruz - thanks for the offer. I usually find some sense in the end, and to be honest a marathon a day for two weeks is actually less impressive than some of the stuff already being done by people like IronAr$e. I also have to have a tilt at the 100k sometime, but that I am NOT looking forward to...

Jessica-Red · Post by **Jessica-Red** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 6:37 am

That will give me the motivation I need to actually have a go at a marathon-my birthday is May 1st so I can do it end of April then celebrate !!???

Tom Barrick · Post by **Tom Barrick** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 6:40 am

Never done a marathon, myself, Jessica, so we can all do it together. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

BigWaveDave · Post by **BigWaveDave** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:13 am

Sounds like a good idea - the number of marathons by all FS's and not Mike's for 1 FM per day for 2 weeks

but I'm sure Ironar$e might keep him company.

webberg · Post by **webberg** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:05 am

Mike, be careful you're not overtraining.

The idea here is to include as many people on the team as possible. Not everybody will be inclined or capable of a marathon and certainly the junior members will nto be allowed to aprticipate although we can design something shorter that will count.

I also think that any one individual should be limited to no more than say 3 in the selected week.

I need to check with C2 website but I think the week beginning April 21st and ending Friday 27th strikes me as best.

Rules are that each marathon needs to be completed as either one piece or as two half marathons on consecutive days.

The C2 website has training plans and tips for this distance and I will post the liks here in due course.

I will collect a list of participants and will also have a word with Thomas about sending out a team mailing to encourage as many as possible to join in. This I will do until the end of (thanks to a truly evil and twisted new ELM challenge) DRY January. Once past that date I'll go public with what we have and also some ideas on how to promote it as part of a Free Spirits Charity launch.

Post here is interested but don't expect to see a full list for a few weeks.

Thanks for the comments to date.

mash · Post by **mash** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:52 pm

Count me in, I'm up for a FM in April as I've foolishly agreed to doing 100k fo Children in Need 2007 (November) on the office rower at the London HQ of the company I work for!!

Mash

webberg · Post by **webberg** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:04 pm

Mash, where in London?

There are a few of us around who would be happy to come along and support

mash · Post by **mash** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:13 pm

Thanks for the offer, fantastic.

Our HQ is close to Aldgate East - Braham Street.

The office gym has one model D which I'm going to ask to use for a day to attempt the 100k.

I don't think the enormity of the task has set in yet!

If not in London then I was going to approach the gym I used to be a member of in Birmingham, would be a little free publicity for them if nothing else.

Mash

webberg · Post by **webberg** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:44 am

Aldgate is close so I'm sure I can get along.

I've mentioned before that we have a large foyer here and I have asked the house managers if we could put 2/3 ergs there and have a 100k challenge or similar for charidee.

They haven't said no but the whole area is presently being refurbished and we're spending our shareholders money on nice new reception area, video wall, various interactive banking stuff.

There is however a staff entrance that also has lots of space so this might eb possible. We have arouind 3000 people here who go through that area at least twice a day and would no doubt boost the donations.

I know Mike has thought about a 100k (probably only the pacing aspect) but I don't know about any others.

Has possibiities though?

PSims · Post by **PSims** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:20 pm

Can someone explain to me what is so important about the pacing? (!!)

webberg · Post by **webberg** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:35 pm

Apparently Paul, if you have more than 2 beers every 25 minutes there is a danger that you become irresistible to bar maids (of all persuasions) and have to be the last man standing at all night raves.

So it's a question of PACING yourself to no more than 2 beers in every 30 minutes unless you are reaching that last 10 minutes of opening time when it's allowed to sprint.

Please note that this message comes with an ELF warning and should not be relied upon as being accurate, amusing or correct.

PSims · Post by **PSims** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 11:50 am

Good job I don't drink then

Outrageous idea - 100 marathons in April 2007?

Outrageous idea - 100 marathons in April 2007?

More marathons?

Eh?

!