Our Visit to the Hearing Dogs Training Centre

Yesterday we went on a bit of an adventure. We went on the train to Saunderton in Buckinghamshire to visit the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People training centre. It was an organised get together for all the people running the London Marathon for Hearing Dogs. After a quick but delicious lunch in the local pub (where we were temporarily adopted by the pub dog, Rufus, a giant golden labrador), we walked the quarter of a mile to the Hearing Dogs centre in the pouring rain. A warming cup of tea later, we were ushered into the "Puppy Hall" to watch demonstration dog, Teal, and his handler, Tom, show us how Hearing Dogs help their recipients every day. When a household noise occurs, such as an alarm clock, the cooker timer or the phone, Teal places two paws on Tom's leg and then leads him to the sound. Teal had a "senior moment" (he is 12!) when he led Tom to the cooker timer, but it was the phone making the noise. He got it right the second time! When the noise is an emergency sound, such as a smoke alarm, Teal still places his paws on Tom's leg, but instead of leading him to the sound, he drops to the floor, so as not to lead Tom to the danger.


While some assistance dogs, like Guide Dogs (for blind people) need to be big and sturdy, many different types of dog are suitable to be Hearing Dogs - Teal is a Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever cross (try saying that after one Tizer too many) and one of the most popular and receptive breeds used is the cockerpoo. Yes, I know you're wondering what a cockerpoo is now. It's a cross between a cocker spaniel and a poodle, which conveniently inherits the poodle's non-moulting properties, making it suitable for some people with pet hair allergies.

After the demonstration, we had a surprise visit, which turned out to be the highlight of the day. We were all told to remain in our seats while several volunteers came in with armfuls of puppies. There were about ten in total, seven cocker spaniels and 3 labradors, all the cutest things ever and incredibly lively. We had a good quarter of an hour cuddle time, followed by a site tour led by Hearing Dog Molly and her recipient, Jenny Smith. Before we went on the tour, Jenny thanked the runners for running to raise money for Hearing Dogs. Having Molly has clearly changed her life for the better and James and I both felt a lump in our throats when we realised how much difference to someone's life we could be making.


The tour took in the various buildings of the former stud farm, including training houses, where the dogs learn to deal with the sights and sounds of the home, and the kennels, where we met our first cockerpoo, who was called William and was, of course, adorable. It was there that I really appreciated the huge range of dogs that can be trained to become Hearing Dogs - as well as little William, there was a ginormous black German shepherd called Blue, who was very, very hairy and had orange eyes which gave him the look of a hungry wolf. Turns out he was a big softie though!

After another cup of tea, we were given a talk on nutrition for marathon runners by Jenny Tschiesche, a nutrition therapist who actually has real qualifications and isn't afraid to include proper science in her materials. It was refreshing to hear someone not just telling us what we should and shouldn't eat while training, but also telling us why. You can find Jenny's practice at www.eatlivedo.com.

During the day we also had the pleasure of meeting Hannah Phillips, Hearing Dogs' events coordinator. Hannah has the unenviable task of finding and then organising all the Hearing Dogs marathon runners, as well as coordinating the people who support Hearing Dogs in myriad other challenge events, from cycling to firewalking.

The Hearing Dogs' training centre is a fantastic facility. It has everything they could possibly need, but without any frills or frippery that would be unbefitting of the organisation's charitable status. The thing they really need cash for is the maintenance and staffing of the facility to enable more Hearing Dogs to be trained and paired with deaf recipients. We've been stuck on £1,475 for a little while now - could you be the person to take us over the £1,500 barrier? Sponsor us at www.justgiving.com/bbjamarathon. Please! Pretty please!!!

Sussex Beacon Half Marathon

On Sunday, we braved the wind and the hail and the rain and the cold and ran the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon in Brighton. I can honestly say I have never been so wet and cold in my entire life. For anyone who was out and about in Hove on Saturday and saw a bedraggled woman clad in black running gear stomping down the seafront by the lagoon singing the song from the tabacalera scene in Carlos Saura's Carmen at the top of her voice, yes, you guessed it, that was me. I have to admit it wasn't the most tuneful rendition, but I was pretty much on my own at that point and the hail was getting to me at around 7 miles in. My great aim for the day was to get around in one piece (which I managed) but it would be dishonest to say I hadn't hoped to do it in under three hours - which I didn't manage; I made it over the line in 3:01:50. At least I have something to aim for next time. "Next time?" you say. Yes, next time. I actually found the half marathon distance easier than the 10k, so now I have high hopes that the marathon will be easier still. I feel I may be disappointed there. James fared slightly better than me and finished ahead of his target in 2:08:59 (though about 20 seconds of that was waiting in the queue to get over the finish line!)

I hate the first 2 miles

Went out and covered 5.2 miles today, as usual the first 2 miles were hellish. Thankfully after a January of not being able to run properly, I get into my stride now after the first couple of rather horrible miles. Shin splints, random pains, excessive effort to keep going forward; but after the 2 mile mark it all seems to click. Hopefully on Sunday it will all be fine after those most hated 2 miles.

As I was saying I went out and covered 5.2 miles today. The first 4, at hoped for half marathon pace, involved running: round the back of the prison; up the hill to Tuffnel park tube station; then up the hill again, to the pub where we turn down towards the heath; into the heath; up parliament hill, back down to the duck ponds; round the duck ponds and back to Tuffnel park, all in 40 min dead on. I was very impressed I had managed to average 10 min/mile pace the whole way; in the drizzle that would be more appropriate in Manchester. The 10 min/mile pace was important today as that is the pace at which I hope to complete the Brighton half on Sunday. If I can do this then that means 11 min/mile pace should be achievable for the marathon.

I then did a few stretches to revive my legs. When I looked down at my legs there was a haze rising from them due to the humidity in the air and the damp clothing; it was a most strange sight. After the stretches and the marvelling at water vapour I headed back home at 11 min/mile pace for the last 1.2 miles.

I have often said that I hate running in the rain, but today running along the top of parliament hill in the rain in a mostly empty park was a great feeling. Probably linked to oxygen deprivation and beta-endorphins, but whatever the reason it felt nice for a few seconds, then the reality of the pain and the rain crept back in round the edges.

Marathon update with inane rambalings about tea and oranges

We are now 73/2 days, depending how you count(correctly or not), away from marathon day. At this point on marathon day I expect to be hating the world and wishing I had never got a place. If I am on target for 10 or 11 min miles at this point on marathon day then I should be ....(let me work this out)....about 4 hours 15 or ~ 24 miles in and about to go down towards the finish. The thought of all this still fills me with a kind of fear nay dread, yet the excitement won't go away.

On Sunday we ran 16 miles, which reminds me I have to grab my tea and an orange, in separate containers; I am not that wyrd. But they could be great together....? Back in a bit. While carrying those back to the laptop I navigate my way round the hoover and countless other things I had foolishly left in the middle of the floor. Anyway back to what I was saying.... On Sunday we covered 16 miles, both of us in new trainers, me because the merchandising at Meet The Experts worked on me and BB because her last pair died, a most terrible death. Mine gave me a blister and BB's were great.

In other news we are a couple of weeks away from running our first proper half-marathon, the Sussex Beacon Half-Marathon. And a bit more away from running the Kilomathon which should be fun/painful. Nom, Nom, Nom orange washed down with tea is really tasty. If exceptionally sweet, I got some tasty oranges form the Cypriot shop in Haringey.

16 miles last week, then 6 next week; before the half marathon, then back up towards the 16, 8, 16.3 (kilomathon), then 18, 10, 20, 12, 8, !!!!26.2!!!!

I will try to keep things updated here.....

Also our new bed arrived and it is great :)

Benito's Hat

Does everyone remember how I said last week that long runs were a joy? Well they're not. Yesterday we traipsed (that's the only word that can really describe it) around London for hours on end in order to clock up our 14 mile quota. We went from base camp in Holloway to Angel, along the Regent's Canal all the way to Limehouse, through Wapping, across Tower Bridge, along the South Bank all the way to Westminster Bridge, through Parliament Square to Whitehall, then through Trafalgar Square and up Charing Cross Road and Tottenham Court Road to finish at Benito's Hat on Goodge Street.

Benito's Hat is great. They sell burritos and tacos and not a lot else, but you can have all the fillings in the world inside them. And, best of all, they make your burrito or tacos right in front of you, so you don't need to wait for ages (which is really important when you've just run (traipsed) 14 miles).

During the run, I managed to sustain my first real injury of the training campaign. I can almost hear you thinking "knee? ankle? hamstring?" No, don't be silly. I managed to injure my left arm. That's right - I injured my arm while running. You are now thinking "how could she possibly injure her arm while running?" Well, I did it while trying my hardest not to fall into the canal. We were on a cobbled humpbacked bridge that takes the towpath over the entrance to a canal basin. I caught my toe on a cobble and did that uncontrollable-staggering-forwards-while-trying-not-to-fall-over-and-trying-not-to-look-too-stupid thing, paying special attention to changing my course sufficiently to avoid going head first into the canal. This resulted in my careering into the back of James who, luckily, had realised I was about to fall over and had braced himself for the collision. Not so my arm, which got itself twisted up. It felt OK for the rest of the run and it wasn't until bedtime that I realised I'd done something quite nasty to it. Getting dressed this morning was quite tricky.

On the bright side, my horrible deal signed late on Saturday night, so this week I should be able to get back into the swing of the mid-week running, all in preparation for next week's 16-miler.