A short Film

The Runners. I love this and wish it could have gone on longer. You never know, one day there may be a sequel or more films like this. Real life...humanity. I hope you enjoye it as much as I do. Let me know what you think in the comments below.

The Runners from Banyak Films on Vimeo.

hugs Sarah xxx

Running tips! Try the stairs

Just found this great article. Very happy to find it. I didn't know this, nor have I heard this before :) Great to learn http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/why-stair-climbing-is-good-for-runners Happy running :D Sarah xxx

Every runner has a reason

Some recent AIDS news

Please visit this link which will take you to the latest article about HIV news posted on The Rutger Hauer Starfish Association. I find it SO nice to have some positive news, and hope for a chance. Such a shame there isn't more but lets take what we can get. Enjoy and perhaps make a donation if you feel you can afford to right now. Be well and take care! Sarah xxx

Congratulations John.

About 5 posts ago, I mentioned that my dear friend John had undertaken an initiative to lose weight and get healthy whilst at the same time raising funds for the Rutger Hauer Starfish Association. I will let him tell you all about it.

http://gethealthyforstarfish.wordpress.com/

He has continued to lose weight which is fantastic even though upon her return his wife didn't notice ;)

Congratulations John!

xxx

 

New summer running tops

I am now the proud owner of 2 new running tops. These are my first ever sleeveless tops and I am enjoying them whilst I can over the summer season. I think I will have to purchase more in the future.This is what they look like.


As I am not in training at the moment I am swimming twice a week, tuesdays and thursdays and jogging at the weekends. As I am currently off work for the summer term I have time to run during the week too :)




I have an update regarding my last post in which I stated that I had raised £400 for Starfish. Their currency is euros and so this is the currency I send the money to them in of course. For the first time ever I made a mistake in my calculations which I didn't know until I recived my bank statement. I sent them 681 euros thinking this equated to £400 when in fact it equates to £561. I had just been paid so I don't mind, everybody wins. I will be more careful in future when I use an online currency converter :D.
Happy running one and all! xxx

The funds are in.

Yesterday 21st of June was a good day in many ways. I feel happy as I always do when the sun is shining. As well as being the Summer Solstice, it was also International Humanist Day. I felt extra happy though as my favourite part of this whole fundraising process arrived. I emailed the funds raised this year to Starfish :D The final total was £400. I cannot stress enough how important this is and how much it means to me. If you have looked at their website you will be aware of all the amazing projects they have done since their inception and all the people in need whom they have helped. They continue to do so and this is made possible due to our help. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will return when I know where I am running next year. Peace and health go with you. 

New gear

I've just found an online bargain and thus made a purchase. Its only on for a few days but there is a sale on a women's sleeveless running top. it has the slogan ''This girl loves running''. There was a choice of 2 colours so I've gone for one of each. Black and cherry. I shall post pictures and I am excited for them to arrive. Its about time I got some new running shoes too ;) Take care!  

Updates on fundraising initiatives.

Hi readers,

First of all, thank you for visiting my blog. I have updated my website again and tweeked out all the bugs so now all photo's etc are visible. Please visit the 'about me' page to see me with Rutger Hauer.They are treasured memories and I feel very proud and lucky to say I have attended the last 2 fundraisers in the US as prt of the Starfish team. Always happy to help! You can see my report from my last run in Chester which was 3 weeks ago now. I am still collecting sponsorship for this and it is not too late if you want to sponsor me which means you will be helping people globally in their fight against AIDS/HIV. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
http://sarahstracks.webplus.net/

I also want to tell you about another fundraising initiative which is currently ongoing. My friend John Schneiderwind is on a month long diet leading to a lifestyle change and is feeling better already. He is asking for $ per pound of weight loss and is aiming to lose 20 pounds. He is a week into this initiative and I believe today is weigh day so I can't wait to hear how he is doing thus far! Please consider sponsoring him. He is writing a fantastic blog about his experiences which you can find here:   

 http://gethealthyforstarfish.wordpress.com/

As you can see he raisng funds for The Rutger Hauer Starfish Association too. Please cheer him on and support him.
We both thank you and just by sharing this post and spreading the word about all that Starfish do you are helping.

To find out more about the non-profit organaisation we both support, please visit

 http://www.rutgerhauer.org/rutgerhauer.org/index.php

Have a nice day!

Sarah xxx

Tuesday morning motivation

Chester Half Marathon 2014 report

It seems like a long week to me. Only one week ago today since I did the Chester Half marathon. What a wonderful day it was. A big thank you to our friendly and accommodating landlord for making breakfast earlier for us so we would get to the run on time. It was a gloriously hot day and any other time I would welcome a beautiful summer's day but not today. So I accepted that the run would take me longer than expected. It started at 9am on the racecourse. I was wearing my Garmin runner on my wrist which Glynn bought me from christmas and started it when we got the start line and thus started to run. This was 9.10am.

In the early stages, this run has a couple of hills but it did flatten out and had great views everywhere. I would certainly do this run again. The first water station appeared at mile 3 and according to my Garmin I was 2 minutes ahead of schedule at each mile marker, i.e when I got to mile 3 I had ran 3 miles 2 minutes. This started to tally with the course at mile 6 when I went to a portaloo. There were plenty of water stations and one had a lady giving out bags of jelly beans. Two or three bands along the way as well. A very pleasant experience. After10.5 miles my fingers started to feel stiff and I flexed them abit and noticed they had swollen! This reminded me of Brighton all over again though I'm relieved to say I felt absolutely fine other than bigger than normal fingers. I was wearing my starfish ring on my left hand and tried to get it off, unsuccessfully.

I found it hard to believe I was dehydrated after all the fluids I had drank even though I was sweating and had sweets of my own. Like I say though, I felt fine and knew I was going to get the rest of the way without any problems. That is exactly what I did! In this photo on the right >>>>>
the guy photographing me from behind is my partner Glynn. How he manages to snap me during my runs like he does is amazing. Most of the pix here are his :) So when I saw the finish line up ahead of me I just ran for it, such a great feeling. I was happy to get my medal (and goodie bag) which is very big and I did feel like I had quite a weight around my neck. The clock said 3 hours and 22 minutes but my Garmin tallies with my official certificate with a time of 3 hours and one minute. I am happy with this given the weather. I had my official photo taken and then Glynn caught up with me.

Then I went to the St John's tent where I met some lovely caring folks who inquired about my fluid intake. They concluded that I had drank to much and it all went to my fingers! Hard to believe I know, the last thing I expected. They took my blood pressure which was fine and gave me a packet of crisps whilst advising me to go to hospital if things didn't improve. Once I was home for a while and just before I had a salty meal of sausage and chips, my finger returned to normal size and I was able to remove the ring. Anyway after leaving the tent I posed for some proud after run photo's with my medal.

What a day, very memorable and I am glad to have done it. I can now say I have ran around a race course as well as an olympic stadium. This run was dedicated to 2 friends who sadly passed away last year and I spent a great deal of this day thinking about them. Suzanne Fleischman-Druge Gilbert and Margaret Lynn Hall. Thank you for looking after me today ladies, miss you lots xxx The dedication on my t-shirt, which is the same both sides is unfortunately unreadable from the photo's. It reads 'This year, my angels run with me. Suzanne Fleischman-Druge Gilbert..... Margaret Lynn Hall. Dedicated to those who supported our cause, even while losing thier own battles against cancer and addiction'

    As I write I am still collecting sponsorship for The Rutger Hauer Starfish Association who help HIV positive women and children all around the world and also help spread awareness of this harrowing disease. It is never to late to sponsor me however :) I foyu would like to support me and help others in thsi way please do get in touch. No donation is too small and as a non-profit every penny, cent etc counts. Thank you very much and take care!
Sarah Murray, UK
 

only one more...

Only one more running day left that is! Saturday will be a rest day but I will gently make my way to Chester via train, have pasta for tea and an early night. Taking the laptop of course ;) I am looking forward to saying I have ran around a racecourse. there is truly no rest for the wicked though saturday evening will see me bowling with birthday girl and good friend kirstie! xxx

Run imminent!

Not long now and as always when May begins I am excited, full of adrenaline and a wee bit nervous. For the love of Starfish I know I will do it :D My information pack arrived today. The number you are looking for is 4172. Can I remind all you caring folks out there that there is never a deadline on sponsoring me. Please visit my website to do so. The link is on the right. Also, lots of love to all my supporters of the past 12 years. You are golden. Wishing everybody a wonderful weekend. xxx  

Monsterpalooza Starfish Event

Hi all,

If you were there I'm sure you enjoyed it every bit as much as we did. If you weren't I'm sorry you missed it. It was a great and fun event and over the 3 days we managed to raise $15000. Here, is a link to Rutger Hauer's website where you can see the photo's of this event

http://www.rutgerhauer.org/rutgerhauer.org/burbank/burbank2014.php


You do still have time to sponsor my Chester Half Marathon this May

Hugs

Sarah xxx

Starfish fundraising event

Exciting news! On March 28th-30th Rutger Hauer will be one of the guests at a convention in Burbank LA. I am very lucky and proud to be attending as a member of the Starfish Team and I can't wait to see everyone again. such things make me feel like a big kid but to be honest it doesn't take much. if you like conventions or want to meet Rutger Hauer, please do come along and support his wonderful non-profit organisation. I would love it you popped in and said hello and perhaps even want to sponsor my half marathon. This event is called Monsterpalooza and here is the link to their official website

http://www.monsterpalooza.com/march2014/index.html

As you can see James Hong and Joe Turkel will be there too and I had the pleasure of meeting them 2 years ago at a convention in Charlotte. I also see that Joanna Cassidy will be there too so its a real Blade Runner fest! I hold on to the dream of one day meeting Ridley Scott. So if you are in the area,  I do hope you can make it. not long now until this event or my Chester Half Marathon…

Take care! xxx

Origin of AIDS

I was sent this 45 minute documentary in my Youtube email subscription. Its very interesting and quite an eye opener! I also have a new book to hunt down The River :) I would be most interested in any comments you have on this.

http://youtu.be/LZs1V8mpcoY

I feel we need an updated documentary on AIDS. I haven't seen any unless they are discovery channel etc which I don't have access to.

XXX

Happy New Year!

Thank you for reading.I Hope you all had a good and fun Christmas as I did! I Just want to wish you all a happy, healthy and productive 2014.May all our nightmares vanish and dreams come true. So what are your resolutions and/or plans for this year? I must confess I'm not very good at come up with resolution ideas. Thats not because I'm short of bad habits, I'm certainly not perfect. This may be my favourite time of year, but I'm not too good at planning ahead in the long term either. I mean, what am I going to do in the next 12 months? Part of me likes to take it as it comes and take advantage of any opportunities which come my way. Of course you all know that I will be doing a run this year for The Rutger Hauer Starfish Association. My absolute pleasure, anything to help. Now that we are into a new year, I will be stepping up my training, it will be non stop hard core running everyday. Most likely in the mornings before work, and more running means less swimming. Unfortunately there are some people in the world who didn't have a good christmas, and not much to plan ahead for this year, due to illness, or not being able to afford their healthcare. Primarily, I am thinking about the AIDS situation. Dear Starfish, have a webpage for me on their amazing official website. Here it is, http://www.rutgerhauer.org/rutgerhauer.org/sarahmarathons.php

It is easy to sponsor me, I take all currencies and if you want to help, every donation however small is greatly appreciated by me and Starfish. Thank you and do have a good 2014

Sarah xxx

P.S. Any questions, don't hesitate to ask and I'll do my best to answer <3 br="">