Run 4 Vision Fundraiser Movie Night - 14 May 2010

Take your friends and family for a night out and watch Aussie icons Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett star in Ridley Scott's Robin Hood. (http://www.robinhoodthemovie.com.au)

The Foundation needs our help to eliminate avoidable blindness. They have managed to reduce the cost of cataract surgery to as little as $25 in some developing countries, and so far, over one million people in the world can see today because of initiatives instigated by Professor Fred Hollows and thanks to your generous support.

Please pre-purchase your tickets. The movie will be just newly released, and there are only limited seats available for sale on the evening. The movie tickets are $25 per person and include a pre-movie drink at the Ritz Bar.

Tickets can be booked by transferring the money with your name and the number of tickets required using bank transfer to HSBC Bank Australia at BSB: 342-080 / Account: 126923-412 / Name: Markus Schar / Ref: Run 4 Vision
or simply go to www.run4vision.com and use your credit card to pay via PayPal

I'm looking forward to welcoming you, your family, friends and work colleagues to a fun night out and help The Fred Hollows Foundation.

Thank you for your generous and continuous support

Yes! New PB for 6ft Track

Finally - a very slow start a few years ago, a DNF in 2008 and a good race last year, finally last Saturday I had a great 6ft track race. Conditions were dry and with an overcast sky most of the morning, I was ready to start in wave 3 at 8.20am from the Explorer Tree. Trent, Mangos and Denis had to wait another 15 min to get on the way with wave 4.

On the way down those steps I caught up with Michael from New Zealand, who is preparing for the Marathon des Sables in 2 months time and he was delighted to have found a good source of information in me. We chatted along for the first 8 - 10 km and without realizing I ended up at the Cox River in less they 2 hours. The river was not too high but some runners still got caught out leaving their bumbags with iPod and phone around their waist.

Hmmm, Trent, try again to get an replacement iPod from Apple now.
The long hours of walking with the Wild Women the week earlier helped me to keep up the momentum getting up to MiniMini and Pulvio and I was surprised to find myself reaching the top of the race in only 3 1/2 hours. So suddenly I realized that I have more then 2 hours to finish under the aimed 6 hours. So I kept taking those energy gels and powered along finishing the last, steep 4 km in under 4min/km and crossing the finish in 5hrs34min - still slow compared to the winners but hey, at least I left the youngsters behind me!

Very happy and looking forward to the next challenge - the 50km in Canberra in May

Sydney Half Marathon

Signed up for the last training race before flying to South Africa.

The Sydney Half-Marathon on Sunday, 16 May is an excellent race to test final fitness.

In conjunction with the race I created a donation webpage supporting my case of helping The Fred Hollows Foundation - giving people their eye sight back!

Run4Vision - helping needlessly blind people see again

Thank you for your support.

Happy feet
Markus

Team Fred 1

What a great Coast Trek! After a long (my bus ride for the year) bus trip to Avalon on Friday evening I settled in at the Beach Backpackers for the night. A short and noisy one too. At 4.45 Penny from The Fred Hollows Foundation picked me up and we drove the last 10 km to the start at Palm Beach - already a busy place at 5am in the morning. Last preparation in the dark and me waiting for the rest of team Fred 1 - John Faulkner and Lachlan Harris, who showed up just before 6am for the start. We three made up the first group of Team Fred 1 and had to cover the first 50km of the 100km Coastrek from Palm Beach to Coogee Beach. Caitlin, Ying and Lisa from The Foundation were waiting for us in Balmoral to take over the 'baton' for the second 50km to the finish.
What a great morning it was - clear sky, great sun-rise over the ocean and beautiful scenery all along the coast to Manly. I have never walk or run (nor did I know about it) the coast track from Palm Beach. A narrow track snailing its way south along the cliff. Steep drop to the left and great real estate to the right. My two companions were a bit on the slow side and my legs got quite itchy walking at sub 5min/km, so I started to jog along and by 8.30 am I had a stop at Narrabeen Beach for breakfast and cafe waiting for them. Along we went together but soon my runner instinct got the better of me again and I headed off towards Manly where I had lunch. The sky got darker and the last thing I wanted is to run in the wet so I decided to head off towards the finish. Knowing that this is a team event I finished first the 50km less 500m in about 8 1/2 hours and then had to wait for John and Lachlan. I had a swim in the harbour, a hot shower and change at the Balmoral Pavilion and let pass 4 teams having a couple of drinks at the pavilion. 3 hours later finally they showed up and together we crossed the finish at the half way point. Being the first relay team the 3 girls were all excited and headed off straight away. Unfortunately they had to start and walk in heavy rain, which must not have been too much fun for them. 12 hours an a few minutes later they arrived at 4am in Coogee Beach and as far as I am aware team Fred 1 finished first as the relay team - great effort. Next year I like to be back with a runner team to enjoy the whole 100km. By the way - the organiser, Wild Women on Top did a fantastic job and all involved rose over 170'000 AU$ for The Fred Hollows Foundation - a great effort!
For me - it is recovering quickly now and getting ready for next Saturday's 6ft track ultra marathon - not as easy as yesterdays trail run, that's for sure. Fingers crossed the sun will be out again by next weekend
Happy feet
Markus

100 km along Sydney's coast

I am participating in a great team (Fred 1) at tomorrow’s 1st edition of Coastrek. My team will be running from Palm Beach to Balmoral tomorrow morning, where we hand over the baton to 3 girls from the Fred Hollows Foundation, who will finish up the 100km at Coogee Beach.

You can follow us on http://www.wildwomenontop.com/wild-walks-adventures/coastrek, look for the link for live updates half way down the page.

The ‘Wild Women on Top’ have created a great ‘race’ along Sydney’s coast line and generated enourmous good will in the process for The Fred Hollows Foundation. Close to 150’000 AU$ have been raised sofar in conjuction with this Coastrek!

You too can participate and help, please visit http://www.everydayhero.com.au/fred_team_1 and give generously. Thank you for your support

Happy feet