My Egomanial Life: Press Clippings This Week
Some people seem to spend a lot of time & effort getting into the paper, purely so that they can say they were in the paper. It’s probably something to do with low self image, and a need for third-party approval. Or something like that.
I, of course, am well-balanced, and completely above that sort of nonsense*. Unless it’s for a good cause, in which case, bring it on. I actually had three good reasons for getting in the local papers this week:
- To raise the profile of my fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support - I want you to give your money to this excellent cause!
- It’s part of my job to raise the profile of local businesses
- With job cuts likely in our office (23% funding cut from central government), I could do with raising my profile with the people way up the ladder who’re going to be making the decisions on who stays and who goes. Hey - it’s for reasons of self-interest, but you can’t blame me, can you?
- *It helps with my low self image and need for third-party approval.
So the story about me getting my legs shaved with a cutthroat razor hit the local papers this week, picked up by The Journal, and apparently twice in The Evening Chronicle (slow news day?). From The Journal ’s web edition:
A sports-mad charity worker is taking on his biggest event later this month when he runs, cycles and swims for 16 hours in the Mediterranean heat.
Karl McCracken, 40, is taking part in an Ironman event in Nice in southern France in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.
Karl, who is Go Wansbeck’s business coach, must race against 2,500 competitors as they swim 2.4 miles in the sea, cycle 112 miles up a mountain and then run a full 26.6-mile marathon, all in less than 16 hours.
He has the backing of many businesses in Northumberland including Animal Tracks, the All in One Company, Nevin’s Northumberland and House of Hannah, which are all offering prizes in a competition to guess how quickly Karl will complete the three stages of the race.
Barber and hairdresser the Barbers 2 in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea is also helping out and as part of a publicity stunt to raise more money, Karl popped in to get his legs shaved.
Karl, from Whitley Bay, who has competed in 10 triathlons in the last five years, said: "Cyclists often have their legs shaved to help with aerodynamics and it will also be easier for me to put on sun cream, which I’ll definitely need competing in the heat of southern France!
"This is the hardest I have ever trained for anything and I’m really gratefully for the support I’ve received from businesses across Wansbeck who are encouraging me to complete this event and raise as much as possible for charity."
Karl’s family are flying out to France to cheer him on in the event and then he’ll be back to work just three days after he crosses the finish line.
Go Wansbeck programme manager, Martin Townshend, said: "It’s great to see the support that the local community is giving Karl as he gets ready to take part in the triathlon and the whole Go Wansbeck team wishes him lots of luck in the event."
Help Karl reach his fund target at www.justgiving.com/KarlOnSea
Not sure about some of these descriptions ("sports-mad charity worker "?!), or the fact that they’ve added 700yds to the marathon. But there’s no such thing as bad publicity, is there? Even if it involves scaring women, children and horses with pictures of my legs?
Anyway, help me justify this sort of thing - if you haven’t already done so, please make a donation to Macmillan Cancer Support. You can do this really easily via my www.justgiving.com/KarlOnSea page, also reachable by clicking this image:
Thank you.
That is one enormous toe you have there. Hope you raise lots of money for a great cause and have an amazing race.
You know what they say - big toes, big . . . .
shoes?