Here is this week’s update from race-walker Robert Hardy. Hardy will be providing us with regular updates of his progress and marathon training.

Here is what Hardy has to say:

“The training for my 5 hr, 15 min Ottawa Marathon is going well. Today (Sunday), I race walked 16 kilometres (80 laps) at the Tim Horton’s Dome, in Alexandria as part of my Marathon training.  The pace was very comfortable. The time was 1 hr, 52 min, 19 sec.  Excellent.  8-km/h is all I need for my 5 hr. 15 marathon.

I am again inviting folks to join me at the Tim Horton’s Dome, Alexandria on Wednesday, April 18  for my final 30-km time trial before the Ottawa Marathon. Start time 1 pm. Warm up and race walk lessons at 12.30. My best time so far was 3.25.35 on March 21. Come race walk with me as far as you want.

My race dates. April, 29th. Cornwall Run to End MS, Cornwall. 10-km. Target time is 1 hour. Best 2017 time  1 hr. 4 min, 8 sec.

May 27. Ottawa full, 42.2-km marathon. Target time is 5 hr,15 min., which is 48 minutes faster than 2017, which, in turn was 24 minutes, 22 seconds faster than 2016.  72 minutes faster in 2 years.

Tuesday April 24:

I finally chose to step out of the wardrobe and  tell my story.

A multi-media presentation produced in association with HUGO MOBILITY, La Plume Moderne and Jeff Poissant, not forgetting Maestro Robert William Hardy, The Walker runner.

Motivational, Musical Madness:

Venue: The North Glengarry, Main Street, Alexandria on Tuesday, April 24th at 7 pm. Tickets: $5.

What: Maestro Robert William, Bob Hardy, The Walker Runner.

This is my story of overcoming obstacles and achieving goals

My story begins with Leukaemia and a jiu-jitsu Black Belt, to racing an IV pole, to racing a bicycle 35,000-km in 8 years, to writing a symphonic music work, recording it, performing it and getting awarded for it, to taking a time out for a  total hip replacement, two blood clots, three surgeries, three months in hospital and a loss of  balance to Robert, Bob Hardy, The Walker Runner, completing two full marathons, nine half-marathons and three 10-km races with a cancerous tumor on my left kidney.  Why? Because I could and can and why? Because I’m crazy.

MAESTRO ROBERT WILLIAM “BOB” HARDY THE WALKER RUNNER. The official bio.

And in the beginning:

September 19, 1950: I was born in Nottingham, England  with clarinet in hand. . . I played lots of music and ran a lot. At the age of 18, I ran off to London, England to make my “fame and fortune” playing Rock Music on a tenor sax, which I swapped for my clarinet).

1969/71: I toured Europe five times with three bands and occasionally got paid. I returned to England one stone lighter and toured with Fernhill, (and others.

In 1972 I joined Screaming Lord Sutch at  the  Wembley Stadium  for the famous London Rock ‘n Roll Show.  See the movie, see me standing by the coffin. (with my tenor sax.) I also performed sword fights, axe fights, played Alice Cooper and played  dead. In 1974 I quit rock to play in bigger (dance) bands and wore clothes.

1977: I moved onto cruise ships, played tenor sax, clarinet, flute and performed the limbo, wearing a “Cardin” designer grass skirt and stopped wearing clothes.

During my tenure, I formed the infamous singing “nuns”; “Nun of this,  Nun of that and Nun of the other.”  HABITS supplied by CHANEL.  

In 1980 I moved to Canada, studied harmony, orchestration, jiu-jitsu , wrote arrangements of Tchaikovsky, Mozart  and Grieg, wrote my own Fifth Day Suite, performed the challenging “Knife and Fork Dance”,  competed in Jiu-Jitsu tournaments and was knocked out once only.

In February of 1996, I got sick but didn’t die. In April of 1997 I acquired my Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt (while I was sick) and bragged about it ever since.

In 2012 I got sick for the second time and didn’t die again.

So, before I get sick for the third time, and maybe die, I chose to step out of my wardrobe and tell my story.