About Coffee, Backpages and Frontlines.

“Adventure in life is good; consistency in coffee even better.”
― Justina Chen, North of Beautiful

If I were to attempt to start thanking everyone who helped, participated or attended the Coffee Morning to launch the fundraising side of the 12 marathons in 12 months; two things would happen. I would forget people and this would be a very, very long blog post. I hope I thanked you all individually and publically for the above and will do so again when any of us meet. I have been blessed with a selective memory :) , I will remember who was there and did what they did and how we raised over €300 on raffle and coffee alone!

Thanks to you all it has bean (see what I did there) a steaming hot (stop me someone) success. The photo's taken by participants, Anna Hurkowska and Pat from Munster Images are testament to that. Lots of awareness was raised thanks to you all but also thanks to Mike O'Connor from Limerick city Community Radio (who have been there since day 1) and Anne Sheridan of the Limerick Leader. Much to my delight the challenge got the headline on the backpage of this weekend's city edition of the Limerick Leader.

Now the time has come to start tackling this challenge on 3 fronts and as I mentioned yesterday I can't do this all alone so I'm going to need your skills to help.

Front 1 I have covered, that's the running bit. The mathematically minded amongst you might have spotted that there was 14 races on my documents yesterday. There should have obviously been 12, I mean 15. That is to cover for injuries but also a challenge that if I stay injury free, I will go the extra 26.2 miles a couple of times. For the right price!!!

Although straight after a Marathon weekend this week's training schedule has been Monday 6.21 miles, Tuesday 6.21 miles, Wednesday 6.21 Miles, Thursday 4.67 Miles (Was supposed to be a rest day but couldn't after the launch). I hope to do 6.21 today, 9ish Saturday and around 13 or 14 Sunday.

Front 2 is my next event. Next week I am asking for permission from the Great Limerick Run to hold a Q&A event for aspirant, beginning and fun runners around GLR. Once I get that I hope to build an expert panel on an evening after work for a small cover charge that will go straight to the charity! I'll let you know very soon how what and when.

Front 3 is where I need most help right now. It has 2 aspects.
1- Anyone can run any race this year anywhere and get sponsored to run as part of the 12in12 campaign for Gorta Self Help Africa. I have loads of sponsorship cards ready for you all. If you or anyone you know is running a race this year and want to do it for a charity all they need to do is call, text or email me and I will take it from there. RUNNING MILES WITH SMILES FOR GORTA SELF HELP AFRICA!

2- For my races I have corporate sponsorship opportunities for €100, €250 and €500. The 3 promotions are:

1- €100 Mention on My Blog once a month as a sponsor with link to your Website or Social Media account.

2- €250 Mention once a week on my Blog as a Sponsor with link to your Website or Social Media account + 1 Article in the year on your business in my Blog and on my Social Media + Logo on arm of t-shirt from Marathon number 4 to Marathon 12 + other races I take part in during the year + Mention in Self Help Africa newsletter.

3- €500 Mention once a week on my Blog as a Sponsor with link to your Website or Social Media account + Article from your business on my Social Media and promoting your events once a month + Logo on front or back of t-shirt from Marathon number 4 to Marathon 12 + other races I take part in during the year + Mention in SHA newsletter as main sponsor + Pictures with Patrick + 1 x 2 hr Motivational talk by Patrick to your Business/Organisation.

With hat in mind I would like to ask you to start networking and if you could get me in front of people I will sell it to them!

Have a wonderful weekend all. I am off for a coffee at Harpers in the milk Market for Lunch today. In case you are looking for me! Have a great weekend!

Remember it's Miles with Smiles and Donations can be made at http://www.mycharity.ie/event/patrick_mercies_12marathonsin12monthsin2015

Let's all Run ..... to the George Boutique Hotel tomorrow! Change of speaker!

I'm glad the Coffee morning is on tomorrow. I can get back to my day job and to running after that :) All jokes aside it is great to see the good will of so many people. Limerick is lucky to have you all as citizens! And I mean that!

It will be a pleasure to welcome you all to the beautiful interior of the George Boutique Hotel at 10am tomorrow. Thank you so much to Jacinta Khan, who has been much more than a host. Jacinta has assisted with press, facilities, her many contacts and with a raffle prize. It is pillars of our community like Jacinta and Altaf that make it great to live in Limerick and it is people like them that make me passionate about spending local. Thanks Jacinta!

Coffee, there is supposed to be coffee right! There is, thanks to the ever kind hearted generous nature of Maria Harper from Harpers Café at the Limerick Milk Market. Maria has sponsored the coffee you will drink and I am very thankful to her for that.

Thanks also to all the good folk of Gorta Self Help Africa that will be there tomorrow. Thanks to the CEO Ray Jordan, thanks to the man that could move mountains Ronan Scully, thanks to the very hard working behind the scenes Ciara Doyle and thanks to our own Gaye Moore.

As well as Jacinta and Maria, I have received some other contributions from people in our City in the shape of raffle prizes. So far I have been promised or have the following:
1- One of Limerick's finest authors Roisin Meaney's 11th Novel is released tomorrow and I have secured a signed copy for a lucky winner. Thanks Roisin.
2- The Still House Bar in Thomas Street have kindly donated a raffle prize. Thanks to Kenneth Naughton. The Still House is in my opinion THE Football (I refuse to call it soccer) pub in Limerick and home to many Limerick FC fans! Our Super Blues (another passion of mine) are in action Saturday at Jackman Park at 6.330 pm. Why not go watch a game and then have an after game drink in the Still House!
3- Patricia Irwin from Ring O'Roses on Melrose Court beside the Milk Market is chipping in with a raffle prize. Pat is Limerick's finest florist for any occasion and I'm sure she would want me to remind you to book in time for Mothers Day on March 15th!!
4- Tony Reeves from Pronto Office Supplies has agreed to donate a prize. 90% of everything in Tony's catalogues is delivered next day. And I know that to be true Tony!!
5- Yvonne Clarke from Just Be Holistic Therapies at Glendale Lawn offers amongst other things Aromatherapy - Reflexology - Indian Head Massage - Hopi Ear Candling - Massage - Reiki - Shirodhara and has agreed to donate a prize for the raffle! Thanks Yvonne.
6- Paulette Egan from Sportsyoga.ie is also on the donation list. Paulette has a Yoga Studio in Clonlara just outside the city and also works with groups in the Strand Hotel. She will take your sports performance to the next level! Thanks Paulette for your contribution.
7- Martina Breen has very kindly given me a prize of a lovely sounding bottle of Hennessy. Thanks Martina :)
8- As if she hadn't done enough already Jacinta Khan is throwing in a raffle prize. Her generosity seems boundless. Thanks Jacinta.
9- Just had a text from The Man with the Buses to everywhere you want them to go. Tim Kelly from Kelly Travel has agreed to throw in tickets for his regular Dundrum bus. That's Dundrum Shopping Centre in Dublin and back to Limerick without the hassle of driving or parking!!!
10- Ah here I decided Forward 2 Success is offering a 2 hour personal coaching review to the mix.

Can I please ask you kindly to support the businesses and people that support Gorta Self Help Africa!!!

There could well be more prizes on the day so please come to the George Boutique Hotel tomorrow morning at 10am.

One of our guest speakers Keith Whyte was on to me yesterday. Due to personal circumstances I am aware off he can't make it tomorrow yet has made himself available for one of our next events, the first of which I will announce very soon and will be specifically aimed at runners and the Great Limerick Run.

See you tomorrow all and thank in advance!!!

Donations can be made online at http://www.mycharity.ie/event/patrick_mercies_12marathonsin12monthsin2015

Race report, Sporting Heroes of the weekend and THURSDAY coffee morning!!

I sit here at my desk on a Monday morning still in awe of some sporting performances this weekend. And I didn't have to sit in front of television screens reporting live on great victories for Ireland and Chelsea from the Aviva or Wembley, to see them.

All I had to do is go to the University of Limerick on both Saturday and Sunday to see some amazing sporting legends complete Back 2 Back Marathons!! I mean, I am trying to run 12 Marathons in 12 Months and these people did 2 in 2 days! I am officially in awe and as I am a curious learner I have asked several of them how they do it. I have gained some significant wisdom from these people and guess what?? I love a challenge so that's now on my bucket list for 2016 together with a first Ultra! I can't name them all but these people are my sporting heroes this weekend!

 Oh and I ran Marathon number 2 of my 12 Marathons in 12 months in 2015 with some of them on Saturday. On what was a relatively pleasant day for running. And on a scenic route by the Shannon and Canal between the University of Limerick Boat House and Corbally. 4 Laps of 6.5 Miles. Two and a half laps of utter bliss and Miles with Smiles just as training indicated it would be. Then, bang!!! First the left calf, then the right one. Cramps, from nowhere. Changing terrain from trail to tarmac to cobbles the culprit, maybe. Overtraining, maybe. Just purely what happens from time to time and it happened on a race day this time? Probably.

Anyway, I have a record to uphold. One that says I have never had a DNF in a Marathon (Did Not Finish). And I intend to defend that record with everything I can muster. And so I did. Slowly but always moving forward I completed the last 10 Miles. Number 2 in the bag, record upheld and on target for the 12 in 12! The recovery starts immediately as Tralee International Marathon is in 2 weeks!

I had to take 2 painkillers on Saturday to get to sleep and I don't take pills easily! It is part of the pleasures of long distance running :) On Sunday though it was time for me to give back. So many times at so many Marathon Club Ireland and other races I had thanked the volunteers for their help and assistance at food and drink stations.

So I got up early and went to man the food and drink station near the lap finish of Day 2 of the Back to Back Marathons. It gave me a different perspective as I felt privileged to be able to offer some small assistance to each passing runner. The 5.5 hours flew by.

So that was my sporting weekend with my sporting heroes, Marathon runners. A breed of people with iron clad wills and steely determination. No obstacle seems to faze them as they find their way through, over or under each. I feel immense gratitude to be able to be part of that scene as it reinforces those traits for every day life!!

Thursday is the Coffee Morning for my chosen charity Gorta Self Help Africa in the George Boutique Hotel from 10am to Noon! I am spending a lot of this week organising it and will Blog again tomorrow about it. In the mean time feel free to donate on http://www.mycharity.ie/event/patrick_mercies_12marathonsin12monthsin2015 and keep your diary free for Thursday morning!

Talk to you tomorrow and remember it's always Miles with Smiles!!!

If it's Friday, this must be ........

It's been one of those weeks where I caught up with the speed of light, passed it and left it behind. It dawned on me this afternoon that it was Friday and I have my 2nd Marathon in about 18 hours.

That's the other side of the challenge medal, time! I am self employed and trying to establish a business, running the 12 marathons, learning Spanish, writing a book, supposedly doing a theory exam on March 11th and engaging in another 3 projects I'm keeping under wraps for the moment. I am conscious of making time for all of these. Sometimes the week just flies by. Like this week.

Every minute of it was enjoyable, yet I had no time for most projects. And so Friday comes all of a sudden. It's 3.50pm now and I need to go in relaxed mode for the night in preparation of Marathon number 2 of the 12 in 12 months in 2015 for Gorta Self Help Africa.

Superb news is I get to meet all of my MCI (Marathon Club Ireland) buddies at the Marathon. They are the most positive bunch of people imaginable and it is a privilege running marathons with them! Hopefully I receive one of these medals again in 24 hours!

Monday I will tell you all about Marathon number 2, how it is only 2 weeks to number 3 and about the coffee morning next Thursday the 5th of March between 10am and noon in the George Boutique Hotel. Keep it in your diaries.

Running miles with Smiles!!! Any donations welcome at http://www.mycharity.ie/event/patrick_mercies_12marathonsin12monthsin2015

50 days, time warps and running interviews!

I was travelling on Friday last and didn't Blog! And now I have so much to say I shouldn't be wasting space typing intro's like these :)

I travelled to Dublin on Friday as I was attending a seminar at 8am on Saturday morning that was to last 10 hours and it only felt like 3 or 4 it was that good! If any of the people reading this Blog ever get a chance to attend an event with Gerry Duffy as the main speaker or one of his seminars; I have only 1 word for you, GO! Gerry is known for his 2 books on his sporting achievements; 'Who Dares, Runs' & 'Tick, Tock, Ten'. The first one is about him and Ken Whitelaw running 32 marathons in 32 consecutive days in 32 counties in Ireland. The second about winning a Deca Ironman, that is 10 Ironman distances in 10 consecutive days.

Nowadays Gerry is a motivational speaker and this was my 2nd time going to his DECA Goal Setting Seminar. I know everything Gerry told me on Saturday; yet his passion, focus and energy make me focus and strategise better. It's easier doing this with someone's help. We all need help and I use Gerry's seminars to help me focus for the year ahead.

This means I now have a clear vision and strategies for achievement and for the first time ever I actually believe I can achieve more than I thought possible. I just need to use my time better. So no more time for anything at all that is of no use to me achieving what I want to. Every minute counts!

All that was needed was someone's help. No matter who you are, you could probably do with some help. So who do you use? Personally I love helping my clients do the same.

Gerry is also an Ultra Runner, which leads me to the running side of this blog post. This was my running week:
Monday 6.21 Miles, Tuesday 7.2, Wednesday 6.21, Thursday 6.21, Friday 6.5, Saturday 0, Sunday 11.12. Weekly total: 43.45 miles. 2015 so far: 311.79 Miles! I am doing an average of 10-15 miles more a week than last year and am loving it. 99% of the time I am really looking forward to it.

Yet Friday was tough, I arrived in the Hotel in Dublin late afternoon and it was getting dark and I am not familiar with Santry. So I went to the Gym and used the treadmill. I hate treadmills!!!! The proof that I am determined to succeed lies in my WHY. It is bigger than any obstacle so far. And so it was Friday AND Sunday.

I stayed on the treadmill for just over an hour and knocked up 6.5 miles! Score! Yesterday Sunday I was being interviewed by Mike O'Connor of Limerick City Community Radio at 9am. They use the 99.9FM frequency and have a full schedule of programs Saturday and Sunday.

Mike has the 'My kind of Limerick People' program on Sunday morning and wanted to talk about the 12 Marathons in 12 months challenge and the Coffee morning in the George Boutique Hotel on Thursday the 5th of March between 10am & Noon.

I told Mike I would incorporate the interview in my Sunday run. I woke up Sunday morning at 6.30 am to the beautiful sound of rain belting against the windows. Regular readers know I looovveee rain for running. I was however conscious I would be sitting down in wet clothes for 30 minutes for the interview and that I had a marathon in 6 days! I was offered a lift and to go running after the interview. Up to a couple of months ago I would have taken the offer.

Now however I have a big huge WHY! So I layered up with one extra coating of t-shirt, tracksuit bottom and monkey hat and set off on the 4.25 miles to Southill where the station is based in Tait House. When I arrived the looks of bewilderment on the radio staff's faces made me smile. I'm doing it right, I thought.

I was able to dry down and removed the outer layer to stay dry for the interview. It went well enough even though I did forget some things but I learn from that, it was my first interview after all. Thanks to Mike and Limerick City Community Radio for the opportunity.

If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you always got. So to achieve you need to do things differently. Today Monday it is 50 days since I last had a drop of alcohol. Even though I was not a big drinker, the difference it makes to a body is huge. Better sleep, clearer focus, easier weight control, clarity of mind, physically capable of more etc...

Next on my list is my nutrition. I have a plan worked out for moving to Paleo based nutrition for performance from March 1st. I won't use substances, only real food. The plan is there, thanks Gerry Duffy as it is during his seminar it was formed.

On Friday I will give you details about the upcoming events and I will be 24 hours from my 2nd Marathon!!!!!!!!!!!!! As usual you can donate on http://www.mycharity.ie/event/patrick_mercies_12marathonsin12monthsin2015

Have a wonderful week!!!!!!

And we're off (again)!! Who is your money on?

After the shin injury started healing I managed to stop myself from running Friday evening and Saturday morning. To a lot of people I know, taking short breaks from sport is easy. To me it is not. I think that's because running is not just a sport for me, it's an integral part of my way of living now.

So what if I was laid off for a while with an injury? What would I do to keep this momentum I have built up, going? I thought about what other stuff I enjoy and now have a number of things planned in case of injury lay offs. They include rest & recovery strategies, swimming, weights, cycling etc... depending on the injury. I always do this with my clients too, removing the obstacles before they occur. That way if an obstacle appears there is no frustration and there is an action plan.

So that's another good thing that came from my injury on top of the event in the George Boutique Hotel on Thursday morning March 5th. I am creating a Facebook Event page on this today or tomorrow and will share it here on Friday as well as all of the packages that will be available that day. If you too want to meet a genuine world class running star keep your diary open for that Thursday morning March 5th.

On the running front I did 2 tests to check on the healing process; a 7.2 mile run Saturday evening and an 11.93 mile run on Sunday. Both were passed with flying colours and though they were intended as slow runs the Sunday one was sub 9 minute miles.

That means we are off again and normal running schedules can be resumed. My next and 2nd Marathon is in 12 days in Limerick at UL. It is another Marathon Club Ireland Marathon which means I get to see a lot of my running buddies back from all over the country. :)

My money is on me succeeding in these 12 Marathons in 12 Months this year. (With a bit of luck and gentle persuasion I might even be tempted to do .........) What about you, what is your money on??? Donations are welcome on http://www.mycharity.ie/event/patrick_mercies_12marathonsin12monthsin2015

Taking it on the shin and EVENT warning! Meeting a star for coffee!

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anaïs Nin

 

I love this quote. It describes for me the greater pain of staying in your comfort zone compared to the pains endured when you leap out of it. Another one I favour comes from that great Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami: 'Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional'.

 

I knew when I was running pain free for the last couple of weeks that this normally doesn't last forever. Yet I don't live in the past or future so when the pains came while sitting at my desk Wednesday they came unexpected. Stabbing pains in the shin. I had them before in my running career. Nothing major. So I laced up at night hoping to run it off. I kind of didn't. 59 mins 58 for a 10K. Ahem! At least I didn't faint :) That was a painful run.

 

I am on rest and stretching now, yesterday and today. I think tomorrow will be too early and am not sure about Sunday yet I will evaluate it as it goes. It's not a big deal really. Just an injury. It's not like I'm starved of food or water or shelter; like some of the people I'm doing this challenge for.

 

I always work with my clients on living in the Now. What is good to know from a personal perspective is that living in the Now works a treat. What can I do now that I can't train to move my challenge on. Well I got some NEWS!!

 

Wednesday the 5th of March from 10am to 12 noon I am holding a Coffee morning to Launch a series of events to support the 12 in 12 Challenge. This event will be hosted by the wonderful Jacinta & Altaf Khan in the gorgeous George Boutique Hotel in Shannon Street in Limerick. There will be beverages and food, some raffle prizes are being organised, some corporate sponsor packages will be unveiled and some packages for people to run their own race for the Charity and collect that way! It's not just about me running 12 marathons in 12 months in 2015, it's about you taking part and getting fit and collecting at the same time.

 

Together, we can achieve so much more!

 

We have as a guest speaker that day KEITH WHYTE, the Ennis man who recently WON the 100km ultra Marathon in Antarctica where temperatures dropped to -26C during the race. 

• He battled these temperatures of -26C to complete race in 9 hours and 26 minutes, breaking the course record. 
• During the run frostbite was setting in on his fingers
• He stopped smoking in 2007 and suffers from bone condition osteoporosis 

We are also privileged to have Ray Jordan, CEO of Gorta Self Help Africa attending and speaking. Ray has been working tirelessly in Ireland and Africa for a long time and not a lot of people know more about the situation on the ground than him.

 

I am also delighted to say that Ronan Scully will be there upon his return from another African trip. Ronan is an inspirational business development and fundraising specialist for the charity.

 

And I might say a couple of words myself (time me, for everyone's sake, time me please) :)

 

So there you go, I might be injured right now but that gives me time with the help of Gaye Moore, Ciara Tallon and Ciara Doyle (thanks ladies) to organise events like these.

 

I'll send you all more information in next week's blogs so you can share it with your friends. Also advance notice that I am planning a Q&A event in April for novice and intermediate runners ahead of the Great Limerick Run.

 

Keep the morning of the 5th of March FREE in your diary and keep your eyes and ears open for more news. Also you can donate on http://www.mycharity.ie/event/patrick_mercies_12marathonsin12monthsin2015