Only Dead Fish

The Race That Was

A sweaty and knackered me

After the race that never was, the race that was. Yesterday I ran my first marathon. When I had to pull out of doing the London Marathon earlier this year due to illness I was massively disappointed, but I set my sights on doing another one before the year was out. To be honest, having done all the training and build up for London it felt like unfinished business, and although everyone kindly allowed the charity to keep all the money I'd raised, I still felt like I wanted to complete the distance to somehow 'earn' the sponsorhip.

So I signed up for the New Forest Marathon which meant a whole bunch more training, another new pair of trainers, and a few more blisters - but I'm not complaining, because it was an amazing experience. It's funny how it's the little things that give you such encouragement and inspiration. So thanks should go to the guy from the Royal Navy that I ran 8 miles with when the heat was really kicking in, the girl that high-fived me at 16 miles, and to the lady that offered me biscuits at 21 miles (it's the thought that counts). And at the risk of this turning into a gushing Gwyneth Paltrow speech, thanks again to all those who were so generous with their sponsorship (I raised over £1600 for the PSP Association), and special thanks to my better half for the immeasurable support (and the Hawaiian Lei). I loved it all.

Gone Fishing

I'm taking a well-deserved break for a couple of weeks but normal service will be resumed before you know it. Have a great couple of weeks. Back soon.

Tweetable Career Advice

Image courtesy
This is a lovely idea from Ad Age - career advice in 140 characters from young creatives, planners and account execs "challenging norms and flipping the communications industry inside out". Here's my favourites:

Noah Brier, head of planning and strategy, the Barbarian Group, on ideas: "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."

Heidi Hackemer, senior account planner, BBH, on work: "Work your ass off. Love people/brands/culture. Embrace your crazy. Remember it's just advertising. And dance whenever possible. It helps."

Bud Caddell, strategist, Undercurrent, on leadership: "As a member of the most culturally and technologically literate generation, quit looking for a job and instead find an empire to sack."

More here.

1998

Image courtesy

Sometimes, one year in our lives stands out from all the others. I don't mean just an exceptional year. I mean a truly exceptional year. The kind that changes your life, sets it on a new direction. The kind that has repurcussions for the rest of your life. 1998 was just such a year for me. A lot of stuff happened that year. Good stuff, not so good stuff, truly amazing stuff. Stuff that lives with me to this day.

A lot of other stuff happened in 1998. Including some stuff in Susan Wojcicki's garage. But today is my birthday, so good reason to think about the stuff that happened in 1998 that played a big part in me being who I am today.

New York 2008

Made using a cheap casio camera.

New York 2008 from Vicente Sahuc on Vimeo.

The Race That Never Was

I've been laid low for a number of days now, fighting off a stomache virus which in the end prevented me from running The London Marathon on Sunday. I was bitterly disappointed about missing the big race. But sometimes life throws you a curved ball and there's little you can do about it but just get on. And as Asi so rightly said, it's the journey the matters

It has however, made me more determined than ever, so I shall be signing up to do another marathon just as soon as I can get myself a place, and I've suggested to all the people who very kindly sponsored me that in order to ensure the charity still benefit from their sponsorship I will earn it through that run instead. So watch this space. In the meantime I'd like to publicly thank each and every one of you who sponsored me. I was blown away by people's generosity, much of which came from people who I never would have known or met were it not for this blog. So thank you.

Life Is Beautiful

I've been under the weather the last couple of days, laying low a bit and trying my best to get better for the big run on Sunday. So when I saw this tweeted by @RedFraggs today, it made me smile because, well, it is.

Life is Beautiful from Stephen Niebauer on Vimeo.
Thanks RedFraggs.

Running The London Marathon

Kate, on the left in the picture above, is a good friend of mine. Four years ago her Father was diagnosed with Progessive Supranuclear Palsy, a degenerative disease that comes on in later life. PSP is a little known disease but its affects are devastating, involving the gradual deterioration of selected areas of the brain.

Late last year, I decided to run the Flora London Marathon for the PSP Association, a body that does amazing work helping to fund research into finding a cure for PSP, and providing support for those affected. Those that know me know that I'm not a natural runner so this is no small thing for me, and before I started training the furthest I'd ever run was 10Km. My followers on twitter have been subjected to a steady tweet-stream of success/failure/pain/triumph as the distances have increased.

I've never asked for anything on this blog. But on April 26th I shall be running 26.2 miles for Kate and her family, and for all those others out there affected by this dreadful disease. So please, I'm asking you to spare whatever you can to support me by going here. It is a good thing you'll be doing. Thank you.

Blackdown

Early, Sunday morning.

Up above, the skies were cloudless. I've missed blue skies.

New Arrivals

Two new chickens have arrived at Dead Fish HQ. Lucy, who is a Maran hen:

...and Charlie (short for Charlotte), who is a hybrid (and a little camera shy):

And somehow we managed to come back from the chicken man with another youngster in tow:

We asked my five year old daughter what we should call him. She said "Chris". Thankfully her second suggestion was "Alfie", which somehow seems much more appropriate, so Alfie it is.

We seem to rapidly be developing somewhat of a menagerie.