Duncan Woods

Thanks for kind thoughts and contribution Sarah. :)

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-08-31 19:52:35

Wow its amazing to see donations coming in already, thanks so much to all of you!

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-08-31 19:53:30

Hey Sarah, In my list of donations your's is showing. LBF seem to have 2 categories of donation online and offline. Your's is categorized as offline? The info I have on this says it can take more than 48hrs to be confirmed and that once this happens it will be added to my profile page. I'll keep an eye on it over the next couple of days and if nothing changes will ask Mal about it. Thanks so much for your support of me in this undertaking. Seeing the donations come in, knowing it is for such a great cause and knowing how proud Nayan would have been has given me my first positive feelings since the accident.

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-09-02 19:43:28

Hi April, thanks for your donation, Sarah posted a similar comment. Your donation is showing on my sponsorship summary page, but as it is considered an "off line" donation is awaiting confirmation by the LBF. Once confirmed it is my understanding that it will show on this page. Thanks again.

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-09-10 16:51:07

Thanks Sarah :) I've been surprised by how quickly i've gotten to my target. There is about $400 in offline donations not yet showing, yours included. I have asked Mal about these and he has contacted LBF. So should have some more info soon.

Training is going well for me, struggled a little with my long run this week, but it has been a bit of a hectic time here in chch so probably went into it a little tired. Had a good short run today, took close to 2 minutes of my 4km time!

Big thanks, again, to everyone!

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-09-11 17:32:30

Huge Thanks to you all as I have now reached my fundraising goal! With 2 months to go my training is in full swing. The last few weeks have been hard work but I'm hoping to be a in good shape come run day! I am hoping now to raise close to $2000 so please keep sending out links to this page. Take care all and thanks so much.

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-09-27 08:59:00

Thanks Laura, I'm training hard hoping to be ready in time!

Cheers Mark, thanks so much for sharing the link. It's really humbling to be so well supported.

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-10-02 22:38:41

Thanks again for your support Sarah. Training is going well at the moment. The next few weeks are critical as I try to push that little bit more to be ready in time. I met Mal last week, what an amazing and inspiring guy he is. It is a real honour to be able to support him.

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-10-11 22:07:22

Hi Darren. I was faking it for the camera :) my usual pace is much slower! thanks for your support, look forward to seeing you day 1.

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-10-27 19:16:33

@ Jane. Thanks so much for that. I've been thinking of you heaps lately. I hope you are doing okay. It's been a pretty tough year for us this one :(

@ Nicole. What a generous donation. Thank you so much.

@Justin. Thanks for your thoughts. I remember teaching you, you were a great guy in a wonderful class. I hope things are going well for you.

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-10-28 08:41:56

Hi Angela, Nayan was just perfect. Our lives are so empty without him. Thanks for your support.

Anonymous thanks :)

Lissa, you are another great example of the wonderful people I work with.

Richard, thanks for the encouragement. Emma says hi.

Clarissa, I think you are the biggest celebrity (so far :)) to support me. An incredibly humbling experience to be supported from someone so far removed from us.

Fraser and Anthea, you guys are awesome! I wont be seeing you tomorrow for dinner, I have man flu! Am gutted about this :( would love to catch up while you are in town though.

Thanks to you all who continue to stand in support of my family and me. It makes things so much more bearable.

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-11-04 23:37:36

Wow thanks Anonymous...I think I know who you are, very generous, thank you.

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-11-05 22:29:32

Thanks again to the anonymous donators!

Francois, thank you so much.

Pat and Tina, Emma has brought so many good people into my life, I have really appreciated your friendship over the years. Can't wait till we cross paths again next year. You are AWESOME....thanks :)

Sarah, your continued support is amazing thanks. Probably wasn't me you saw today, as I didn't run! must have been another good looking bloke ;) I had my final long training run yesterday and will just focus on freshening up over the next week or so.

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-11-18 21:38:10

Hi LaVerne thanks for taking the time to send your message. I'm looking forward to day 1 and the opportunity to meet the other runners. I expect to run fairly slowly and compete for last place, I'm sure I wont be waiting at the finish line for your brother!

Tamara thanks so much for your donation. You have been an amazing source of strength for us. Your care for Jacob and the growth he has had, from your tireless efforts, under such difficult times has been wonderful gift.

Val and Dave thank you. Your support and generosity to us have been much appreciated. I'm lucky to have had a lifetime in such an incredible family.

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-11-23 17:38:38

One Day to go!! feeling good. 8am start, hoping to be finished between 12:30 and 1

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-11-27 11:31:43

Hi folks,

Thank you for all the support over the last few Months. On Sunday I ran the Marathon. With the help of so Many my fundraising efforts have reached $4380! I have a week left to focus on a little more!



Through out this process I have journaled my progress, Yesterday I wrote my final reflection. For those who are interested, here it is.

Thanks so much,

Duncan.

28/11/10
I had a great day yesterday, I took it very easy and made sure that I ate well and kept myself hydrated. It was very hot in Wanaka and so I made every effort to keep my time in the sun to a minimum.

Having friends and family here was good, I was anxious to start with, fearing that the presence of others would lead me to stray in my final preparation. It was not the case at all. To feel supported and to have this belief around me actually honed my focus and had me feeling confident that I would get through.

Emma and I drove out to the start, Lake Hawea, My parents and a friend also came along. It was really intimidating to stand on the start line with a bunch of people who seemed supremely confident in their abilities. My fears of coming last were certainly peaking!

The marathon started right on 8am, and the pace seemed fast, I worked hard to run at my own pace and soon found I was trundling along with a group at the back of the pack. My emotions were steady I was feeling good and happy that I was running a sustainable pace.

After a few kilometres I found myself running with Mal, this was great It was nice to chat with him and was inspiring to think of what he is about to do over the next week. The scenery was beautiful there were smiles and laughter, it was good.

The first small concern I had was realising that my pace was fast, I was feeling good though so didn’t give it too much thought. I focused on the first checkpoint, I knew the second leg was shorter and that at the end of that I would be half-way there.

Running into the checkpoint was just amazing and uplifting. People were cheering and applauding my friends and family were there, Jacob even ran a little with me. I refilled quickly and set out for leg 2.

I continued to run with a group, including Mal, and initially felt good. However, at about the 15 to 16km point I started to struggle. My ankle and knee were all of sudden very painful, I stiffened up and my pace slowed. The group I was with ran away from me, and I found myself alone. I was lucky enough to be caught by a runner from Auckland, Andy. He seemed like a great guy and running alongside him I found the energy to push in to half way.

By this stage I was really noticing the heat, I later found that temperatures were as high as 31! Much hotter than anything I had ever run in before. On reflection this temperature and the fast pace were a bad combination and one which I would pay for late in the day.

Again the reception at the checkpoint was amazing, it provided such a boost and left me feeling energised as leg 3 began. I was running by myself now and did so really for the entire second half of the marathon. There were passing exchanges with others but no significant time running with them.

I enjoyed this section more than the second, I had taken some nurofen, which eased the pain and ran at a more sensible pace. I was still emotionally strong and determined. Knowing that I would run through Wanaka in this section was exciting, seeing people and closing in on the final section motivated me to keep going.

The final checkpoint arrived and I refilled my drink bottles for the final time. I knew this would be a hard final push and that there would be some hills. I completely underestimated how hard and how hilly this would be. I was only perhaps 1 km in when my body and mind began to shut down. I was experiencing intense cramp in my right leg, and the reasons for running were welling within me. I tapped the photo of Nayan constantly and tried to draw strength from him.

I became heightened to the fact that all my training over the past 4 months had been in his memory and that here I was on the brink of completion, that I was having doubts and that the journey with him was coming to a close. Tears welled up and overwhelmed me. I would force myself to regain composure and push on. This cycle continued again and again over the 2 and a quarter hours it took me to run this final section.

Eventually in the distance I recognised the finishing line, It seemed an eternity away and at this point I came close to giving up. I could rationalise that it was maybe only 4km away, but in my head it felt like 400. I was physically and emotionally at my limits. I had been running in 30 degree heat for 5 hours, I was coming to the end of my most personal and emotional journey. It was brutal.

Somehow, I persevered, I had to really there were not a lot of options other than to keep going. I would run until the cramp became to painful to continue. I would stop and stretch and run again. Each minute felt like an hour and each step sent waves of discomfort through me.

The distance slowly began to decrease, and after an eternity I found a sign that read 1.2km to the Glendu Bay Campground. The finish. It became the fist time in 2hours when some belief returned. I forced my self on and in the minutes that followed made my way to campground. The finish line was at the far end and just before coming into sight I was forced for one last time to deal with the cramp. I rounded the corner and saw it maybe 200 metres away. I was within about 20 when I was told I had to run another 500 around a set of cones before finishing. It was real blow, but with the elation of being so close I just kept going.

I turned and ran for home, took out my picture of Nayan and held him close as I ran the last few metres. Jacob again came to my side and ran the last few steps. Mal was there and met me as I finished, he wrapped me in an embrace. It was done, I had done it.

My family and friends gathered round, the emotions were raw. There was relief, satisfaction, pride and sadness. Relief that after 6 hours today, and 4 months of training it was over. Satisfaction to have achieved something that I thought beyond my capacity. Pride that I had found the strength and persistence to achieve and that I had fundraised for a great cause. So vey sad that my whole reason for doing this was taken at just 4 years of age. That his wonderful spirit is lost from the world and that my final journey with him has come to a close.

I miss holding him in my arms and looking in his eyes, I long to see his smile and hear his voice. I miss him so much.

I ran for Nayan.

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-11-29 23:59:28

Thanks Helen and Tom,
You have pushed me over 5000!!!! I know you know how important this has been to me and how hard things have been for us this year. You're support of Emma and I is so very much appreciated.

• Duncan Woods
• 2010-12-02 23:31:20