Overwhelmed

Just 3 weeks after launching my fund raising, I have passed the £5,000 target. To all those who have donated so far .... you know, I'm sure, that the money will make a big difference to Spinal Research. You should also know how much your support is helping me. It's uplifting, motivating, energizing - even healing. Thank you. And sooooo ..... I've raised the target to £7,500. You made me do it!!!

Getting there....

7.66k today - new record, another 1k closer to the target. First 4k was tough going - messy gait, uncomfortable on the hills and with lots of people around. But the second half was better and the last 1k felt good. Encouraging! It was 30 degrees by the time I finished, after 2 hours 27 minutes walking - hot and tired by the end, but happy with the progress!!

http://www.justgiving.com/Paul-Fairhurst

Run Magazine

Run Magazine has published my story online. Hoping this will help swell the coffers for my fund raising (which are already swelling very nicely!!)

http://www.runmagazine.asia/Inspire/On_The_Road_To_Recovery.htm

http://www.justgiving.com/Paul-Fairhurst

Nudging ahead

Today's walk - nudged a bit further and longer. Felt like I'd gone further and faster, but this is ok. Last 2 weekend were cloudy, today was sunny, so good to know I can achieve this in the heat. Felt fairly strong towards the end too - more to come!! Added 20 mins in the pool afterwards, walking and jogging, to see how I'd respond to well over 2 hours exercise. Seems OK!! 

A few short clips from Friday morning's training session - going up and down a grassy hill behind the running track. I was doing this for 30 minutes! Followed by 30 minutes around the field inside the running track. I enjoyed the challenge - but my legs were burning by Friday night!

INSEAD inspire and be inspired

Last night I had the privilege of joining a panel of speakers on the subject of "Inspire & Be Inspired" at INSEAD - part of the Global INSEAD Day. Many thanks to INSEAD for inviting me along and making me very welcome, and to the many people with whom I had great conversations at the cocktail party afterwards. I really enjoyed myself! Here's a link to the event flyer

INSEAD Inspire & be Inspired

840 steps

After a few days in Seoul. back at the training this morning, at the running track with Swee.....mixing things up nicely. at one end of the track there's a set of 20 wide steps, with ramps coming down either side. This was my routine.....up 20 steps, down the ramp on one side, up 20 steps, down the ramp on the other side; repeat x 6, then do a 400m lap... and do all of that x3. That's 720 steps climbed, all done diagonally, which adds a new challenge for me. Step climbing was a bit mixed, but very happy with my walking down the slope (not normally a strong point) and around the track - some of which felt notably more relaxed, smoother and stronger than before. Happy with that!!

Hurtling towards £5000!!!

Wow - over £1300 donated to Spinal Research in the first 6 days. Thanks so much to all those who have donated so far

My 10k Challenge - raising funds for Spinal Research

It's been over a year since I wrote to my group of fantastic supporters. You've given me a ton of support in the past, and I'm going to ask for your help again. This time, I'm asking you to support me in my next big challenge - a 10k walk in December - and to help me raise funds for research into therapies for spinal cord injuries.
 

I have signed up for the Standard Chartered 10k in Singapore on 1st December 2013.  That’s a very big challenge for me - almost double the longest distance I've walked so far, and likely to take me well over 3 hours.

Over the last year the tone and spasticity caused by my injury has has increased, exacerbated by stress from uncertainties and pressures in all aspects of my life. Now I also experience constant neuropathic pain. There have been times in the last 12 months when I have questioned whether my progress has stopped or even gone backwards. I've fallen a few times and sustained  a couple of injuries - nothing serious, but painful and a blow to my confidence. For such a long time my recovery rode on a crest of self assurance that I'd continue to get better. More recently, I've had to learn how to confront doubt and fear. 


But I've stuck at it, and beneath all the difficulty my belief that I'll be fine has stayed intact - tested and battered, but still strong. Over the last few weeks I've had a number of breakthroughs. Things are looking clearer and brighter again, and my confidence is coming back. Signing up for the 10k has helped, motivating me to get myself out walking further and more frequently, and providing a screamingly loud reminder of the benefits of setting goals. Last week, I walked almost 13k across the week, and this morning I did a 5.5k walk - both new records for me, by big margins.  

I know I am very lucky to be able to walk that far - in fact, to be able to walk at all, and to be fully functional and able to live independently. Most people with this injury never walk again and face a lifetime of serious medical complications and care dependency. 

Today, there is no cure for a spinal cord injury. But there has been progress and researchers are getting closer to therapies that would help restore function and transform the lives of paralysed people. I want to support that. I will be raising funds for Spinal Research, a UK based charity funding medical research around the world to develop reliable treatments for paralysis.  
http://www.spinal-research.org


There's a partly selfish motive here - I live in the hope that science might find a therapy that resolves my remaining physical challenges. But I don't know whether that's on the horizon. What I do know is that the work being funded by Spinal Research - and others like them - is getting closer to treatments that will help restore some function and movement to spinal cord injured people. I'd like to help, and this is one way I can do it. 

Please support me in this, by donating to Spinal Research via my JustGiving page: http://www.justgiving.com/Paul-Fairhurst

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity. 

If you want to follow my progress towards the race and on the day, please like my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/paul10kchallenge


Thanks for helping. Wish me luck!

Paul