More About Brathay
- Duncan
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
More About Paddington
It was quiet in the physio room this morning, and a little subdued in the 10in10 meeting room. Perhaps people had things to worry about? Maybe it was the ominous shadow?
Routine becomes established quite quickly, breakfast, treatment, briefing, run, treatment, prep fuel and hydration for the next day, dinner, blog, sleep, rinse and repeat. Personal admin they call it in the services, it's where we have to organise our electrolyte bottles and food we think we'll need on the course. Each drink station is a plastic box, placed at strategic points around the 26 miles, you grab your item, eat and go or, go and eat.
The briefing daily is to let us know how we're doing, any incidents on the course, useful updates. Day 1 is always a little bit stressed, No different today, during the briefing there was information on our time chips (dibbers), trackers, but more besides. Everyone is itching to get going, so when someone chips in with another tidbit of information it becomes like the scene from 'Dude, Where's My Car', and then...
Day 1 gets us all together and is a chance for publicity for Brathay. Not sure whether you know but Jasmin Paris is a patron. There's a lot of chatter and 'the second thing,' continued Scott 'is a photograph, I think it would be nice if we could have a family group taken.' First it was all the female athletes with Jasmin (if I'm allowed to call her that), then everyone together. It is tradition that the patron sends us off with words of inspiration. My experience of this previously was Joss Naylor, bless his soul, who offered the sage advice 'and dunt go off like silly buggers'. Jasmin's advice went something like this. 'I'm in awe of you', in my head I retorted this is nothing compared to what you've achieved. She continued, at which point a bright spark standing near her said, well. I'm sure you can join us or words to that effect, her reply, 'I can't I've got the baby with me,' another reply which stayed in my head (I hope), since when has that ever stopped you. If ever there was an athlete, a person who demonstrates the personification of the word resilience, it is that woman. To meet her once has been a privilege.
Who is the most interesting person out of all the young physios? Ella, she's lived lives already, she's got ice skates in the back of her car, just in case. She left her golf clubs at home, the lads have got her football, oh and she's hosting sports day for some children at Brathay on Monday. Who's your best friend, here? That would be Izzy. You two sound an ice-cream flavour, IzzyElla, like a strawberry and lime ice-cream?
Big thank you to the 'angel' who made me smile with my banana message at mile 15, I needed that! I also got bought a KitKat at Reception, thank you so much. Why is everyone so kind, I'm a slightly overweight mid 50s man plodding around a lake for a few days, everyone at Brathay makes you feel so special, like you matter, no wonder I keep coming back.
It is a regular thing for me to be clumsy, impetuous, somewhat unpredictable, so arriving at the event with the thoughts of an injury have done the opposite to my mindset, start of steady, walk the hills, run the flats and downhills and limp home as best you can. Today went to plan. Predicted 5 hours, came in 1 minute late but I enjoyed the finish, trying to sing the best version I could of Chappell Roan's Pink Pony Club.
The right Achilles is sore, a little swollen but I'm walking alright on it. I put my trust in Ella and Dr Katie to see me right.
The marathon was a little bit weird today, tried listening to an audiobook, 'I Know What To Do, So Why Don't I Do It', thanks Dr Hall, but so far, no thanks. I've enjoyed learning about health and vitamin C and how you've completed your kayaking event (every blooming chapter he plugs it), 'fear' as a motivator (useful, the only emotion that deals with the future, quite thought provoking and no I'm not being sarcastic), amongst other useful bits but I'm not sold, in fact you are not the 'Mr Gruber' I was looking for, perhaps I should go back to the Yellow Pages.
By the way, each year Brathay aim to help thousands of children. It is a charity that inspires young people to build their brighter futures, it encourages them to be their best selves and thrive in their community. My opinion of Brathay is that it simply helps young people to change and realise they are not the product of their environment, it feels different here, th
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