Result of Week 2 Training Plan

Finished week 2 of my training plan, and here is how it went

Monday 23rd May - 30 mins Aerobic
Rowing Machine - 10.06 mins and 2062 meters
Indoor Bike - 20.02 mins and 5.01 miles
Both personal bests

Tuesday 24th May - Rest

Wednesday 25th May - Cross Training
Weights day doing 7 machines, focusing on upper body

Thursday 26th May - 40 mins Aerobic
Rowing Machine - 10.08 mins and 1947 meters
Indoor Bike - 20 mins and 4.86 miles
Treadmill - 10.03 mins 0.61 miles Walking on speed L6 and up to Incline L14

Fri 27th May - Rest

Sat 29th May - 2 Hour Walk
Instead of doing a 2 Hour Walk, I ended up building wardrobes, and then did a 40 min on my mini indoor bike (while watching The Giro D'Italia) and then a 10 min run covering 1.04 miles

Sun 29th May - 1 Hour Walk
Not doing the 2 Hour Walk yesterday, so I decided to do it today after coming back from Guildford. Made sure I did a few hills, and covered 7.83 miles in 2 hrs 11 mins
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1189455029

My week 3 training plan is

Mon 30th May - Rest
Tue 31st May - 30 mins Interval
Wed 1st June - Cross Training
Thur 2nd June - 50 mins Aerobic
Fri 3rd June - Rest
Sat 4th June - 2.5 Hour Walk
Sun 5th June - 1 Hour Walk

Don't forget you can sponsor me at

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/NickBright100km

93 Days To Go: Injuries & Mental Toughness

93 Days to Go & aim focuses on this challenge. One of my motivations is recovering from all the injuries & illness I had over the years. 

The surgies of the last two years has pushed my fitness back to zero. Well I say zero, the lung capacity went back to zero but my legs still had some sort of muscle memory, even though I hadn't run for quite a few months. So it was always a challenge as legs wanted to go faster than the lungs!  

And recovering from my lung surgery back in Jan 2014, I maybe pushed myself bit too hard as I ended up getting a hernia after completing the Brighton Half Marathon in 2015, which meant pulling out of Brighton Marathon 

So this year I'm making sure I take it careful. Though the biggest difference is I'm now doing gym work as well as the aerobic training. Using weights to build up my muscles, so hopefully less likely to get injury 

My biggest running injury has to be when I got a stress fracture in my leg while running the Nice to Cannes Marathon in 2009, not that we knew it was fractured at the time. I was running with a friend, Michelle & we both thought I must have pulled a muscle in my knee and tied to stretch it out. This happened at mile 13 & thought at first I can run it off, but it got worse & worse until by the very end I was running on one leg. I was run / walk / run (using telegraph poles or other markers to work out how far I could run before stopping). It was only when I got back home from France, and my physio saying they didn't think it was muscle damage that I got an X-Ray to discover the stress fracture.

This injury taught me one thing, I know where the going gets tough, I will still go for it. The mental toughness to say I will finish this race, is the lasting impression. Knowing this, and knowing mental toughness will be the thing I need the most for this 100km walk. Knowing I have to walk through the night  

Luckily having done the Moonwalk, 26 mile walk through London at night, and the night version of the London to Brighton Bike Ride has given me good idea of how my body reacts to this. So feel confident with a few practice night time walks this won't be a problem. 

If you want to sponsor me you can do so. See below for Just Giving link  

Walking 100km from Eastbourne to Arundel for Rise because they such an important & great charity

http://www.justgiving.com/NickBright100km

New Funko Pops Coming Up

I am a big Funko Pop fan, and there are a host of new figures coming out soon, so I thought I give you all heads up

All of these Funko Pops can be bought from www.forbiddenplanet.co.uk

31st May
Deadpool - Foolkiller
Teen Titans - Raven Red
Star Wars - Ree Yees
Ghostbusters - Rowan's Ghost
Ghostbusters - Kevin
Ghostbusters - Gertrude Eldridge
Ghostbusters - Erin Gilbert
Alice Through the Looking Glass - Iracebeth
Alice Through the Looking Glass - Young Chessur
Alice Through the Looking Glass - Mad Hatter
World of Warcraft - Durotan

30th June
Game of Thrones - Bloody Jon Snow
Ferris Buller's Day Off - Dancing Ferris Bueller
Ferris Buller's Day Off - Cameron Frye
Golden Girls - Sophia
Golden Girls - Rose
Golden Girls - Blanche
Golden Girls - Dorothy
Star Wars - Snap Wexley
Star Wars - General Hux
Star Wars - Bearded Luke
Finding Dory - Dory
Flash Gordon - Prince Vultan
Flash Gordon - Ming the Merciless
Flash Gordon - General Klytus
Flash Gordon - Flash Gordon
DC Heroes - Joker 1966 Surf's Up
DC Heroes - Batman 1966 Surf's UP
Marvel Heroes - Doctor Strange
Marvel Heroes - Spider Gwen

31st July
Hanna  Barbera - Space Ghost
Disney - Pete's Dragon
Scott Pilgram vs The World - Scott Pilgrim
Scott Pilgram vs The World - Ramona Flowers
Ghostbusters - Ecto 1 & Jillian Holtzmann
DC Heroes - Batgirl Imposter Poison Ivy
DC Heroes - Batman Imposter Two-Face
DC Heroes - Batman Imposter Penguin
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory - Augustas Gloop
Presidential Campaign 2016 - Donald Trump
Presidential Campaign 2016 - Bernie Sanders
Presidential Campaign 2016 - Hillary Clinton

31st August
Star Wars - Battle Final Scene Rey
Aliens - Alien Queen
Aliens - Ellen Ripley

And some of the other cool recent figures

Deadpool - Pirate
Fallout - Female Power Armour
WWE - Bella Twins Alternate Costume Set
Secret Life of Pets - Snowball
DC Heroes - Supergirl
DC Heroes - Firestorm
Doctor Who - K-9
Harry Potter - Sorting Hat Harry Potter
Sesame Street - Big Bird
Pac-Man - Blue Ghost
DC Heroes - Swamp Thing Flocked
WWE - Daniel Bryan
Monty Python Holy Grail - Black Knight Flesh
Futurama - Professor Farnsworth




 

Result of Week 1 Training Plan

Here is the results of my Week 1 training plan, my first official week even though had been going to the gym for the last few months, as well as doing the 5k Heroes Run last weekend.

Just a reminder I am walking the South Coast Challenge, a 100km walk from Eastbourne to Arundel, raising money for Brighton charity RISE

Monday 16th - Rest Day

Tuesday 17th - 20 mins Aerobic
I did 20.13 mins on the Indoor Bike covering 5.01 miles on the rolling hills setting

Wed 18th - 30 mins Aerobic
I did 10.05 mins on the rowing machine completing 1897 metres
Then 20.30 mins on the Indoor Bike covering 5 miles on the rolling hills setting

Thur 19th - Cross Training
A weights day doing 13 machines, covering arm, legs, chest, shoulder etc

Fri 20th - Rest

Sat 21st - 2 Hour Walk
I did a 2 hour 3 min walk along Brighton seafront, up to Ovindean and back covering 7.35 miles. This has given me a good idea of my walking speed, so I can plan future long walks
See my walk on Garmin Connect https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1177547700

Sun - Rest

So here is my week 2 training plan

Mon 23rd - 30 mins Aerobic
Tue 24th - Cross Training
Wed 25th - Rest
Thur 26th - 40 mins Aerobic
Fri 27th - Rest
Sat 28th - 2 Hour Walk
Sun 29th - 1 Hour Walk

Will update next Sunday, how Week 2 has gone.

103 Days To Go

103 Days To Go until the South Coast Challenge

Today is day 1 of my official training plan, and the best thing is it is a rest day

So my schedule for this week is

Mon - Rest
Tue - 20 mins Aerobic
Wed - 30 mins Aerobic
Thur - Cross Training
Fri - Rest
Sat - 2 Hour Walk
Sun - Rest

Will be posting on Sunday how my training week goes. 

Set up my fundraising page for this event (shameless plug)
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/NickBright100km

So now thinking of fundraising ideas, and have a few in mind. But if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

1. Second Hand Book Sale - one at work in London and would need to find a venue in Brighton

2. Offer people twitter / social media / business advice in exchange for charity donation.

3. Lego Fire Walk

4. Asking People very nicely! 

The Week That Was 150516

The Week That Was 150516

Images from the last week

Lou Reed's Drone at The Spire as part of Brighton Festival

Lou Reed's Drone at The Spire as part of Brighton Festival  

Lou Reed's Drone at The Spire as part of Brighton Festival

Lou Reed's Drone at The Spire as part of Brighton Festival

Lou Reed's Drone at The Spire as part of Brighton Festival

Lou Reed's Drone at The Spire as part of Brighton Festival

Lou Reed's Drone at The Spire as part of Brighton Festival

Lou Reed's Drone at The Spire as part of Brighton Festival

Lou Reed's Drone at The Spire as part of Brighton Festival

Lou Reed's Drone at The Spire as part of Brighton Festival

One of the reasons why we run  

Me as The Flash before Heroes Run

The line up before the start of the Heroes Run on Hove Lawns  

Some of the finishers in today's Heroes Run  

Sara Pascoe signing her book after we saw her comedy show at Brighton Dome

Lego German Football CMF released  

Lego German Football Minifigure ready to be assembled  

Morris Dancing in Pavilion Gardens  

Morris Dancing in Pavilion Gardens  

Morris Dancing in Pavilion Gardens  

Morris Dancing in Pavilion Gardens  

The hotel where we had my mum's 70 birthday lunch  

Tools of the trade for the croquet game against my dad  

The croquet lawn  

The menu 

The Week That Was 080516

The Week That Was 080516

 Images from the last week 

Brighton Festival has started  

Surfboard graffiti in Fringe City

Spray painting in Fringe City 

Spray painting in Fringe City

Spray painting in Fringe City

Improv Comedy in Fringe City  

It was May The Fourth Be With You Lego Star Wars promotion  

I so want one of these  

The Disney Lego Minifigures are back in stock after selling out after an hour when there were released  

Amazing customised memory box which make a perfect gift. Saw these in Little Beach Boutique, North Laine, Brighton

Cool glass work from Little Beach Boutique, North Laine, Brighton  

The Painting Pottery Cafe with their Cat art display as part of Artist Open House

The Painting Pottery Cafe with their Cat art display as part of Artist Open House

The Painting Pottery Cafe with their Cat art display as part of Artist Open House

The Painting Pottery Cafe with their Cat art display as part of Artist Open House

Mrs Penguin loved her giraffe print from Hello Geronimo

Having a dinner at Si Signore on Sydney Street to celebrate Mrs Penguin's birthday  

Mrs Penguin's birthday cake  

How I decorated the flat for Mrs Penguin's birthday  

Night before Mrs Penguin's birthday, birthday meal at Wahaca, excellent customer service 

I change my Lego display cabinet every month, this is May's

This was the April one which I took down last Sunday

The first Lego Disney CMF I got, the excellent Cheshire Cat

Coming back from The Ritz, discovered Orange Street, behind our flat was having a party  

Coming back from The Ritz, discovered Orange Street, behind our flat was having a party  

Coming back from The Ritz, discovered Orange Street, behind our flat was having a party  

After Ritz, walking around St James Park

Tea at the Ritz celebrating my mum's 70th Birthday

Tea at the Ritz celebrating my mum's 70th Birthday

Tea at the Ritz celebrating my mum's 70th Birthday

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

The 3 R's of waste management are Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, this is what you need to be thinking about in your office, in your home, in your life.

So this will be another one of my blog posts, I will keep updating this with great advice and people to check out so you can Reduce, Reuse, Recycle your waste

Reduce

As you can expect this is the hardest one to master. It is all about making sure if you don't need it, don't get it. If you don't have something, it can't be waste. Though one of the simplest ways of Reducing waste is the new 5p bag charge, bringing your own bag to the shops so you don't need another plastic bag.

Reuse

For me this is the most interesting and the one with the most potential. Things can be reused is so many different ways, anything from donating unwanted items to friends or charity shops, to finding unusual ways of reusing items (have you seen the chair made using a shopping trolley before?)

Recycle

This is the one we are most used to, and the easiest to do. Hopefully you will know where your nearest recycling bins are, and what you can recycle.

You can recycle clothes using Clothes Banks, many supermarkets and shops will have battery bins for recycling. Does your office have recycling facilities for printer toners, electrical equipment?

Below is where I will be posting good Reduce, Reuse, Recycle people to check out, sites to visit, and tips to help you

Zero Waste Week - An excellent website, with some many great ideas and resources. They run an annual Zero Waste Week in Sept, next one is 5-9th Sept 2016 www.zerowasteweek.co.uk

First Mile - An recycling company based in London, who offer recycling services to business in 22 London Boroughs. They also cover Birmingham. They can offer your business all types of recycling and waste collections from mixed recycling to food waste, confidential waste as well as recycling for glass, textiles, fluorescent tubes www.thefirstmile.co.uk

Freegle - Don't throw it away, give it away is Freegle's motto and it is a perfect way to sum up what they do. So do you have a sofa you don't need, or have a load of stuff in your loft you don't use maybe they are other people in your community who could make a use of it, or maybe you in need of something. They are over 400 groups across the UK, so you just need to find out where your local group is http://ilovefreegle.org 

We Can Recycle - A group of friends based in South Belfast, trying to make a difference by recycling what we can. Collecting recyclables within the greater Belfast area using 100% pedal power. Recycling aluminium cans, writing instruments, baby food pouches, tassimo pods, biscuit wrappers, inner tubes and much more https://wecanrecycle.wordpress.com 

Silo - A restaurant in North Laine area of Brighton, which was designed from back to front, always with the bin in mind. Aiming to create Zero Waste with re-usable delivery vessels, and choosing local ingredients that themselves generate no waste. Compost machine inside Silo turns any scraps and trimmings directly into a compost to produce more food... Closing the loop. www.silobrighton.com 

Library of Things - Finally finding a new home in West Norwood, the Library of Things is a friendly space where you can borrow, share and learn with your community. All about encouraging REUSE, where instead of a whole street having their own DIY tools or gardening things, you can borrow them from Library of Things www.libraryofthings.co.uk

#StarWarsDay The Blog

Today I have been blogging about #StarWarsDay and some of the great creatives out there and their spin on the whole Star Wars saga

So this is recapping everything I have been tweeting about

Golden One - Dynamite Gallery - Click Here

The Flock Awakens - Dynamite Gallery - Click HERE

Vader Wire Frame Tee - Chunk Clothing - Click HERE

Kibooki - www.evilcorp.tv

Eweniverse - www.eweniverse.com

Law and Moore  www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LawandMoore

Creative Spectator -www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CreativeSpectator

Lego - Click HERE

Leia (Gold) by Not Now Nancy - Art Republic - Click HERE

Star Wars by Stikki Peaches - Art Republic - Click HERE

Vinyl Figures, Plush Figures, Home & Accessories, Tees - Funko http://funko.com

Dark Bunny Tees - Click HERE

The Illustrated Mind - Click HERE

Manic Minotair - E-www.etsy.com/shop/manicminotaur

And a few more Star War Images 

And lastly some photos of me at Star Wars Celebrations event at the Excell Centre in 2007

And finally  

World Book Night Homeless Care Packages

Tomorrow, Saturday 23rd April I will be delivering the homeless care packages I have created with the help of some very generous donations  

Masato London - Fashion Brand http://www.masato.co.uk/

Raw The Band - Musicians http://youtu.be/mt-6s1fVN9A

Rise UK - Domestic Abuse Charity 

http://www.riseuk.org.uk/

Oatopia - Organic Porridge & Homemade Flapjacks outside Brighton Station 

http://www.oatopia.co.uk/

and the book I am donating is from World Book Night, a initiative which encourages people to read http://www.worldbooknight.org/ 

I will be going around Brighton handing out the packages, and any packages left over I will be giving them out over the following weeks, months. 

So far inside the care packages I have:

Deodorant, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Water, Snack Bars, Wet Wipes, Socks, Space Blankets, Water Ponchos, Toilet Paper and w have Sani Products as well.   

And of course we have Last Bus to Coffeeville by J Paul Henderson. 

One possible idea is to create a homeless library, where we can create a network of books, which can be shared around. So if anyone has any ideas / suggestions on how we could start this please let me know 

Why South Coast Challenge?

Why South Coast Challenge

I used to be fit.

Well I used to be unfit, and not very sporty then in 2006 I took up running. At first it was just an attempt to reverse the weight gain of my 20s, but then it became an addiction. A good addiction though, a challenge which I enjoyed, it was something I could see myself improving in, and there wasn't many things I was good at. 

I ended up running various races, including London Marathon twice, Nice to Cannes Marathon (completed it with a stress fracture in my leg), and the Beachy Head Marathon (nice and hilly). I also did the Moonwalk (26 mile walk around London at night), London to Brighton cycle ride at night, and lots of other races and adventures.

Then came December 2013, and I ended up in hospital for three weeks with a serious lung infection, off work for several months recovering from the surgery. When I started running again late 2014 I had to start from scratch,  Roll onto February 2015 and I completed the Brighton Half Marathon and discovered I caused myself a hernia. By September 2015 I had the surgery for the hernia (and emergency appendix surgery in May 2015). Rest of 2015 was recovering from the surgery (still get pain post-surgery, I even named the pain - Herman)

So now I am going to the gym, and decided I wanted a challenge to get myself fit again.... and I choose The South Coast Challenge

What is the South Coast Challenge?

It is a 100km trek from Eastbourne, up Beachy Head, along Seven Sisters and through Brighton at the midpoint. Then up Devil's Dyke and end up at Arundel. People can run, walk or jog this event, I will be very much walking, though may jog the event if I still have the energy! Walking it will take me between 24-34 hours

www.southcoastchallenge.com

Who For?

So part of me doing this is the challenge of getting fit again, challenge of having a goal and achieving it. The other reason I am wanting to do this event, is to raise money for a very important charity. I am supporting the charity RISE UK, a charity which helps people affected by domestic abuse. Offering practical solutions, shelter and support in Brighton, Hove and Sussex

www.riseuk.org.uk

Fundraising

So I have a few ideas so far for fundraising but if anyone has any ideas or suggestions on how I can raise money let me know... I will be setting up a justgiving page (or do people have a better suggestion for fundraising)