Raising funds for endometriosis research

So I did it! I got round, but not within my goal of 5 hours as wished. Indeed just 2 minutes slower than the last time I did it (this time 5 hours 22). My excuse is it was very hot, but I survived the heat and felt fine, so maybe I should have tried harder. Anyway I am a couple of years older than last time. And there’s always a next time!

There is no getting away from it, the London Marathon is a marvellous occasion. The support from the crowds is tremendous and there were so many people this year. I cannot imagine standing for 6 hours or more to cheer and encourage people you do not even know, but people do. I especially love the ones that hand out jelly babies too, a couple of those saved me on route!

Then there were the few people who commented about the charity I was running for. Yet my overwhelming impression is that we have a long way to go for endometriosis, when you see the level of support for other disease related charities, some affecting so few people. It’s not that I begrudge them ,but I do regret that somehow we never get the attention we should for endometriosis and that has to change!

On that note I had some good and moving comments to the video clip I posted last week and also the fund raising has now taken on a new, final, but encouraging lease of life. The site will remain open until 26 July for at least another month - so it is never too late if you want to donate towards endometriosis research: www.justgiving.com/dianawallisendowerf

Thank you everyone for your support!!

Diana Wallis

At last we have made the £2,000 mark with donations, so just another £18,000 to go in the fortnight remaining before the race: the last big push. Many thanks to all the individuals who have made donations, many I suspect endo sufferers, many whom I don’t know at all – a big thanks!!

So just two weeks. At least the Easter break has given me some time to slow down, to begin, what I understand in technical terms is the “taper” before the final race. I rather think my tapering off might have started too soon after my 20 mile effort. Anyway the week based at home has given me the chance to get in a number of short runs - more than normal. Shame the Easter weather in this part of Yorkshire has been so rotten.

My most interesting run was actually before I came home. I had a speaking engagement in Helsinki, sharing a platform with Swedish Commissioner Margot Wallström and Finnish President Halonen in a sort of question time format for women’s organisations and NGOs. It turned out to be great fun. I think there has to be something about an all woman panel of politicians, because even given our political differences, the event was somehow non-aggressive and as such I hope informative.

Anyway, with the speaking engagement over, the following morning I hit the streets. It was still quite cold up there and snow still hid in corners on the roadside. It was very impressive to run by the imposing steps of the Finnish Parliament building. Then on to the Finlandia Opera Hall by the still frozen lake. Then I ran round the lake, the very lake in the Michael Caine film, Billion Dollar Brain, where he walks across the ice to the old villa – a building which is still there. Anyway all much less threatening than in the film but still evocative. Then, finally back through the city centre. I don’t often run when away in places I don’t know so well, but this gave me encouragement to try it more often.

Back to Brussels tomorrow early, last chance to really try for some donations from my colleagues - be warned!

Diana Wallis

PLEASE SPONSOR DIANA IN THE LONDON MARATHON:
www.justgiving.com/dianawallisendowerf

So I have now managed to complete what will probably be my longest pre-marathon run, the East Hull 20 mile race last Sunday. Well, I did it, but no where near as well as I would have liked. It was a beautiful day and they have changed the course since I last did it so that it stays mainly on footpaths; some of it a former railway track. A good course, sunny but very, very windy at times, so what you might wonder was the problem? I tried to carry a large water bottle which was nearly freaking me out by 3 miles it seemed so heavy! Then with the heat I ended up with a top tied round my waist. None of this contributing to sensible (or indeed elegant) running. Anyway I now know what it feels like again to be on my feet for three and a half hours plus. I know that I kept to pace for  between half marathon and 15 miles distance so with a bit of mind over matter I should be able to achieve my goal of less than 5 hours.

So the training is on schedule, but the fundraising is not. I have mailed over five thousand people, I have had articles in local papers and a good local TV piece, but the results are disappointing. People I meet are aware that I am running the marathon so they have clearly read the stuff. Strange, I do not remember it being quite such a struggle when I ran a few years back for Amnesty International, so here I am feeling again that endometriosis is just a Cinderella cause that no ones wants to know about!

My father-in-law saved me a local newspaper piece from their Essex town about a young woman who had endometriosis. It concludes ‘Symptoms of endometriosis include pelvic pain, pain on intercourse, pain on passing a motion and problems conceiving.’ A pretty smiling girl stares out from the page carrying the article. This has nothing to do with the pain I knew as endometriosis, pain that had me rushing in the door at home strewing my clothes up the stairs to run and disappear in a hot bath: the only thing finally that was capable of beginning to give me any relief. Or nearly passing out at friends’ dinner parties or at work and ending up at some unknown casualty department. Or when the pain alternated with extreme cystitis that meant me locating the loo at every meeting, event, place or home I went to before I could feel remotely safe.

No, the words in that article do not convey what endometriosis is about. The headline did say it could affect 1 in 10 women but how to get people to take notice? This week after a very long day in the Parliament, just before participating in the final debate of the day commencing at 10.40 p.m., I returned late to my office to check my e-mail. I was feeling pretty tired but was immensely cheered by a sad but grateful email from an endometriosis sufferer, who yes had been at home through pain that day, but had found this blog and was pleased at what I was doing. So to any more of you out there, I am doing my best to get some attention!

Diana Wallis

PLEASE SPONSOR DIANA IN THE LONDON MARATHON:
www.justgiving.com/dianawallisendowerf

So two hard weeks but not, unfortunately, in terms of long runs. However, the good weather this weekend finally saw me make one of my longest weekend runs yet. Out early and over the Humber Bridge this time venturing along the beginning of the 100 miles Viking Way footpath that apparently goes all the way to Oakham; not sure I shall be going that far!

Next weekend comes the biggest test before the race itself: a 20 miles race in Hull. I did it the last time I ran the London marathon so this will tell me if my preparation is better. I know it will mean at least three hours of running and the last part is the worst.

These last two weeks have really shown how difficult it is to fit serious running into my lifestyle. The previous week was a long one in Brussels compounded by a trip to Slovenia over Thursday and Friday to join their Minister for Justice in a really excellent meeting with local judges about a report I authored last year in the Parliament. Then back for my national party conference, which was at least in Harrogate Yorkshire in the heart of the constituency I represent. Perhaps the highlight being supper with all my staff in Betty’s tea room - where else. Then I was immediately off to Strasbourg on the early Monday flight. Anyway I managed a quick scamper round the village first thing on Friday morning - thank goodness for the lighter mornings - before a round of meetings in Leeds.

So it goes on, but only just over a month now so these final weeks will be critical.

Diana Wallis

PLEASE SPONSOR DIANA IN THE LONDON MARATHON:
www.justgiving.com/dianawallisendowerf

So this it what we call a constituency week, which should mean time at home for work in the region. In my case I have to go back to Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday for a Parliamentary Forum of Parliamentarians from all over northern Europe and beyond, including Russia and Canada and, in principle, the USA. Something I have wanted to see happen for many years as I have a particular interest in the Arctic and safeguarding its ever more fragile environment. However the days before and after my trip give me a bit more time for short runs than normal and there’s my routine long one at the weekend.

We are now starting to publicise my run a bit more. One initial press release has gone out, which leads to a piece on Community Newswire. Then on Friday, when the Parliament organises a press lunch with regional journalists in Leeds, I find out that local TV has seen it and are interested in doing a piece with me. This is brilliant news.

However the point of the coverage is to get more donations, so that we can do something about Endo. I shall put in the twenty pounds given me as expenses by Hessle U3A, for whom I was a guest speaker the other week. They said I could have it for a charity of my choice. So thanks to them and that will take us just over the £1000 mark.

If you are reading this blog, please think of making a donation. Think of the many women in pain, of their families and indeed of the children they might like to have one day. It took a long time, (years) before I was prepared to talk publically about what I went through. That is the problem with Endo its not like other diseases you can’t see the visible effects - and who wants to talk about bad period pain or other women’s troubles? It is something many women feel they just have to get on with. They delay seeking treatment or when they do are often misunderstood or misdiagnosed. Whilst it is getting better, we need to do far more to understand the causes and to find a real cure. This is against a background where the number of women reporting the symptoms seems to be on the rise. This cannot go unchecked.

Odd that again it has been a week here where we have had yet another report on women’s health in the news telling us that even one drink a day is too much for us. Sometimes it seems as if Eve is forever to be punished! One day I want to open a newspaper or listen to the morning radio and hear some good news that there has been a break through on Endo research - please give generously. Thank you!

Diana Wallis

PLEASE SPONSOR DIANA IN THE LONDON MARATHON:
www.justgiving.com/dianawallisendowerf

Well, we had an interesting donation this week – from “Barack Obama” – or that’s what it said, with a message that just read ‘Hope’. Well, if it was Barack: Thanks!; but I wish to add that Barack Obama and national leaders accross the world are in a position to offer the estimated 100 million women with endometriosis a lot more than £20 and hope!  We need national governments to invest in research to discover the cause of endometriosis and find better treatments, so that these millions of women are not debilitated by endometriosis during the prime of their lives!

This is why I am running to raise funds for research: so the next generation is not going to suffer like I did!

My week started in Prague; a very snowy Prague. The Czechs currently have the six month rolling presidency of the EU. I was there to speak at a conference on E-justice, a subject on which I authored a report in the Parliament last year. It was a case of arrive on Monday, speech and press conference on Tuesday morning, then back to Brussels.

The Czechs followed me to Brussels or so it seemed where we had a mini-plenary session attended on Thursday by the Czech President Vaclav Klaus, a rather provocative anti-European, despite, the fact that both Houses of the Czech Parliament approved the Lisbon Treaty this week, it is still remains a guessing game as to whether he will give it his signature.

Anyway after the session on Thursday I head home by train. A journey that allows me to really get into the week’s papers, I see the disturbing discussion about breast screening. What is it with women’s health? On the one hand we have a young woman, Jade Goody, going through a very public death, which seems to have pushed up the numbers attending for cervical smears. Then on the other hand a group of medics tell us that breast screening is not good for us. For me, the additional contradiction that when you have ‘Endo’ you can be screaming with pain and no-one will admit you have anything or can diagnose you, then apparently with breast cancer you can be bouncing around feeling on top of the world and then suddenly find yourself at the receiving end of radical surgery. No wonder women are confused. As a personal compromise I opt to leave my own breast screening appointment until after the marathon and the European elections in June.

With the snow gone, I finally get a short sharp run in mild weather around the village on Friday. I am too tired for anything more and I am holding out for the prospect of a half marathon I have entered on Sunday.

Saturday is an early start for our regional party conference in Bradford. Always good to see so many old friends from across the region and I am reassured and proud of our party when we have a resolution on Palestine and Gaza in the afternoon which is proposed by a member from the Jewish community in Leeds and seconded by a member from the Muslim community in Bradford. That speaks volumes.

I go to bed on Saturday still wondering whether or not I will try to drive down to Sleaford for this half marathon. I am awake early as my body clock is still on Brussels time. The sun is shining but I chicken out and decide to stay at home.

I do my long run along the estuary. It is really mild: the Humber is like a mirror, shining and so still. Through the ‘riverside walk way’, which has been planted by locals over the years, the catkins (or lambs tails as my mum used to call them) are already out. On the Humber Bridge one footpath is closed so it is a case of there and back on the same side and I pass a whole herd of runners coming in the other direction; it must be a club. I am reassured that I like to run alone and go at my own speed even if it is slower. I am out for well over two hours. So I finally begin to make up for the last snowbound weeks.

Diana Wallis

PLEASE SPONSOR DIANA IN THE LONDON MARATHON:
www.justgiving.com/dianawallisendowerf

Sunday is spent travelling to Iceland, arriving late afternoon. We are gradually joined by the rest of our group comprised of a Slovenian, a Swede and a Bulgarian MEP - this is really Europe. Monday is comprised of meetings from 8 o’clock through to a dinner in the evening. We meet representatives of all political parties, business and trade unions and local authorities; even joining the protestors outside the central bank for a brief moment. They call it the “kitchen revolution” as they are banging pots and pans to secure the departure of Central Bank chief, and former Prime Minister, David Oddsson. He seems unwilling to get the message but it must surely be just a matter of time.

Iceland has always fascinated me. It is also the place where some important research into endometriosis has been taking place. As they have records of families back to the twelfth century settlement of the island, they have a controlled population through which to trace the disease for any evidence of an hereditary element. It is just possible; and this just reminds me why co-ordinated international research is so vital.

After a thought-provoking day in Iceland we leave very early for Oslo for another round of meetings before another early start back to Brussels. My impression from Iceland is of collective trauma, a people still in shock and in great need of a communal ‘cuddle’. I just hope they will have the courage to apply for European Union membership. Seen from my perspective it seems like the only long term option, but ultimately it must be their decision.

Back in Brussels for two days of committee meetings - more seals, combined with consumer rights! Back home to an even more snowy Yorkshire and it’s not possible to run on Friday or Saturday: not good. St.Valentine’s and I recall it is now 18 years to the week since my hysterectomy sort of cured my endometriosis. As I at last prepare for a short run on Sunday I realise I still use the same exercises I was given by the physiotherapist all that time ago, to warm up or down - well so something useful did come out of it. I complete a short fast run round the village with the hope that next week will allow me some rather more serious training.

Diana Wallis

PLEASE SPONSOR DIANA IN THE LONDON MARATHON:
www.justgiving.com/dianawallisendowerf

Well, I made my flight connection to Strasbourg. Although I was one of the few British MEPs to make it to Strasbourg for the Monday as the snow closed most airports in the south of England but our little Humberside ‘International” Airport got us off on time with no problems, despite the adverse weather.

The Strasbourg session allows me no time for running or indeed any moment to myself. Anyway I hate gyms so all my running is more or less confined to weekends which theoretically is not the best preparation for a marathon. The best I can do is a walk to the Parliament on the Monday as I arrive early.

The highlight of the weekend is a special session with the Palestinian leader Mohammed Abbas and, as a Vice President, I am chairing the votes either side of his speech. The chamber is fuller than normal for such a speech, then I am one of a few invited to a lunch with him. I visited the West Bank last year and the plight of the Palestinians made a huge impression on me, especially the so-called ‘wall’. I still cannot comprehend that we have allowed such a construction to take place when one sees the effect on people’s daily lives. It certainly goes against all basic European values; most fundamentally that of freedom of movement.

I return home late on Thursday evening, very tired, to a cold and snowy Yorkshire - not good conditions for running. Friday I manage a quick run around my village about 4 - 5 miles but felt too tired. Then Saturday I drive to the Humber Bridge and opt for a fast run over and back, again about 4 miles plus - it goes quite well. I don’t feel I’ve done enough this week, but the programme I’m sort of following says you are allowed some down time! I console myself with the fact that everything has gone well so far and as yet no injuries or colds!

Sunday I am off to Iceland, leading a fact finding mission for my political group to that sad but independent country that has had more of a credit crunch that most. Again, not much running in prospect, but who knows? It has always been one of my ambitions to run their special cross country race in the summer - more than a marathon but across incredible terrain and beautiful landscape called the Laugavegur Ultra Marathon. Maybe when I’m no longer an MEP and have more time to train properly…

Diana Wallis

PLEASE SPONSOR DIANA IN THE LONDON MARATHON:
www.justgiving.com/dianawallisendowerf

Well a good week for donations - we’re up to £450 and we haven’t really gone public yet. So a good start and a big thank you to all the donors to date.

So this is now serious. Not such a good week running wise. I had a break on Monday after the race on Sunday. Then Tuesday and Wednesday I was back and forth to Brussels by train with the inevitable early start and late return. Thursday was a full but enjoyable day of visits with various groups, businesses and organisations in Scarborough. It included a really good exchange with students at the 6th Form College - this is one part of my job I really enjoy. Then Friday I seemed to have a telephone stuck to my ear all day about one thing and another - just no escape. If I tell you the Lindsey Oil Refinery is in my constituency you may begin to understand.

Then at last on Saturday I was able to get out. I head down hill out of my village to the bank of the Humber estuary. It is cold,as there is a direct east wind blowing straight up the estuary but it is gloriously bright with sunshine. This is what I love about running; to be able to think about anything or nothing for a couple hours. Even though my mobile is in my pocket, it’s just a personal one for outgoing calls in case I get into some kind of trouble. I then head up away from the waterside and across the Humber Bridge; quite something to have this amazing structure as a regular feature of your run. It is also relatively flat and the surface is good, so sometimes I can go quite fast, but not in this east wind. The few people out on bikes look really precarious, indeed on the way back I almost manage to keep up with one guy on his bike who is having a real struggle, but eventually he escapes me. Then I head homeward along the road to finish with the really long steep hill to the house. That’s it! I been out for two and a half hours; not particularly fast but I feel much better. At least I know I am up for two and half hours running - now just have to be prepared for almost double that!

Sunday no chance to do any running. I have to go down to the Lindsey Refinery to do a TV interview. It is freezing cold but I also get the chance to talk to some of the union guys who are also being interviewed. They seem very genuine; there is no doubt that there in something that needs properly investigating about this wretched contract.

So that’s it. No more running this week and every chance of snow now, but then I’m off to Strasbourg early Monday morning for our parliamentary session week. The only running in prospect is from one terminal to another at Amsterdam to make my ultra short flight connection!

Diana Wallis

PLEASE SPONSOR DIANA IN THE LONDON MARATHON:
www.justgiving.com/dianawallisendowerf

So, this last week we finally confirmed that I would run the London Marathon 2009 for WERF. It was good to have the time to catch up with Lone Hummelshoj in London and plan our fundraising campaign. I even managed a short scamper round St. James’s Park before our meeting. Trying to fit in sufficient runs to train for a marathon is not easy when you are travelling as much as I am.

The week had begun with three days in Brussels, jammed packed with meetings which means running is impossible. The main topic this week is seals - if you want to know more see my website www.dianawallismep.org.uk

Then my day in London where the meeting with Lone was light relief between meetings on proposed consumer legislation and a speech to the Franco-British Lawyers Association. Friday was spent in Cambridge on a new initiative to do with the Arctic - another passion of mine. Finally, Friday night back home to Yorkshire.

On Saturday, just a short run round my village, as I have a race on Sunday. I try out a new fangled watch which tells me I have covered over 5 kilometres and used over 400 calories - that sounds good but not sure I trust it!

Sunday is my second race of 2009. The first was a 10k race I did on New Years’ Day. In that, I actually managed my own personal best (56mins and some seconds). Given that I am getting older, I am quite pleased with that. It also means that I don’t fall off the pace chart in Liz McColgan’s Marathon Manual. I am told this means I might complete the marathon in 4 hours (well if I could keep up the same pace!).

So today is a test as it is a 10 mile race just down the road from my home, starting by Skidby Mill. Somehow I don’t feel ready for it. I start far too fast. My new watch tells me I have completed the first mile in 8 minutes – that’s way too fast for me. I feel awful through miles 2, 3 and 4, and even think that maybe, for the first time ever, I will not make the finish, but now I know I can’t let WERF down! I mentally tell myself not to be so stupid as I regularly run much further than this. By 5 miles I am feeling much better and realise I am within my goal of coming within a 10 minute mile pace.

I did this race in 2006 before I ran the marathon that year so it is really important to me to better my performance from that day. I know the course ends uphill and is really hard. Still I’m feeling OK and yes I see the finish with the time showing less than 1 hour 40 mins. I make it in 1’ 38”. It might not be wonderful, but for me it is a whole 6 minutes faster than last time and I’m still within the McColgan pace chart - but now maybe nearer 4 hours 20 for the London Marathon. But then my aim is just to get within 5 hours, rather than the 5 hours 20 I ran in 2006. So I finsh the weekend on track.

Diana Wallis

PLEASE SPONSOR DIANA IN THE LONDON MARATHON:
www.justgiving.com/dianawallisendowerf