Taken from the Impartial Reporter, 24th April 2008.

Alan’s Marathon Bid

e-mail: rodney@rodneyedwards.co.uk

After suffering a heart attack in 2003; Fermanagh man, Alan Patterson has been determined to change his lifestyle ever since and will run his fourth Belfast Marathon next month.

Through years of binging on unhealthy foods and drinks; the electrician from Clabby used to weigh a whopping 19 stone; “The foods I used to eat were awful, and it shames me to say. I wouldn’t have any breakfast. I’d have two packets of crisps every day with my sandwiches, chocolate bars and no fruit at all. For dinner I would eat carry out food really late at night. It would be 10pm, maybe 11pm before I would get the food and I would also fry my own food to eat along with this. I’d be eating a mountain of fried food around midnight every night. Burgers, chips - at least 2 portions, sausages and fizzy drinks – around 2 litres of 7up a day.

Alan’s weight was getting so out of control that it started to affect his work; ““Before the heart attack when I was so big, I used to get stuck in trap doors and inside roof spaces. This is a central part of my job and it began to worry me. I found it hard to climb the ladders and even at home, mowing the lawn I was really out of breath. I began to realise that my lifestyle wasn’t good but I just couldn’t get motivated to make any change.” he says.

Even Alan’s devoted family, couldn’t convince him to admit he had a problem with his weight – he was adamant that he didn’t need to change his ways; “My family were always at me to lose weight, always. I never really worried about being 19 stone to be honest. I knew I was big but it never worried me. It would just go in one ear and out the other.” says Alan.

In July 2003, Alan dropped wife Laura and daughter Alanna off at Belfast airport as they were flying to Australia to visit a relative. Shortly after returning home on his own, Alan suffered a heart attack; “I was sad to see them away. That night, I started to get pain in my chest which moved down into my arms. It became more severe – tighter and sorer. I was becoming out of breath. My mother rang to see if there was any word from Laura on her journey and when speaking to me she realised there was something wrong with me straight away. She knew it was my heart. She told me not to worry, that everything would be alright. She immediately rang the ambulance and told me to try to get to the door to make sure it was unlocked. Mum rang my neighbours to come round who were quickly followed by my brother and the doctor. By this stage I was feeling panicked and dizzy and just very unwell. I had such bad chest pain, I thought I might die, I was on my own and wasn’t sure what was happening. I felt more at ease the ambulance was here and I was in hospital, I knew I was in safe hands then. In the hospital I got injections, set up on a heart monitor and was there for seven days having tests to assess the source.”

He was then sent to Belfast City Hospital were further tests were carried out and he had an operation for a stent to be fitted; “It was difficult making contact with Laura and Alanna as they were still in the air flying to Australia – I didn’t know whether to tell them or not as I really didn’t want to spoil their holiday. I decided to contact them three days later as it was better they knew I was OK.”

Alan’s heart attack was his wake up call, he realised it was a sign to change and through a massive amount of determination, he really has changed his life for the better; “I’ve lost 7.5 stone now and I find my work much easier. I was told to take up some exercise for the good of my health and mainly to lose weight. I began with some gentle walking, five miles a day for about a year. Then this turned into jogging and running the five miles. Gradually as time went on, Alan could feel himself becoming fitter and more able to run further; “My weight came down as a result of this. I also changed my eating habits dramatically. I cut out all the fatty foods I was eating before and replaced these with salads, fruit and veg. I wouldn’t eat late at night and started to eat breakfasts”.

On May 5th, Alan, who celebrated his 50th birthday in November, will run the Belfast Marathon; “In early 2005 I started to train for the marathon. Everyone I knew thought I was mad and couldn’t believe I was going to do it. I trained every day, building up my hours and miles running so I could achieve my goal. I completed my first marathon in 4.5 hours and was very pleased but my best time was 3.43. I have now got the marathon bug!” laughs Alan.

Alan is running in aide of the Chest, Heart and Stroke Association and is hoping to raise a lot of money for the charity; “It’s very personal to me. I get such a sense of achievement from crossing the finish line – all 26.2 miles. I’d be really grateful if anyone could help this charity and sponsor my running. My diet and lifestyle nearly killed me until I had that warning. Not everyone is so lucky to get that warning.”

Sponsor Alan by picking up a sponsor form at Vibe FM, Intec Centre, East Bridge Street, Enniskillen or call 028 66 343 944 for more details.

Watch and listen to the best bits from my Breakfast Show on one handy player…

Taken from the Impartial Reporter, 24th April 2008.

Rodney Edwards
e-mail: rodney@rodneyedwards.co.uk

We’re always being told that the world is about to end, yet, it never does. We’re constantly being asked to use less plastic bags, drive electric cars and ensure our apple cores and bean tins are separated from the green and blue bin – all in “our bit” to save the planet from being boiled and the polar bears from sinking. And don’t forget how we must “cut back” on the spraying of deodorant or polish before the sun, according to those in the know; falls out of the sky.

Yet somehow, surrounded by a haze of Lynx Africa and Mr Muscle, we’re still here. And the government, hippies and Bono are still pondering on how to save the world from this so-called “meltdown”. Now the World Meteorological Organisation has waded in to calm the whole thing down a bit, by admitting; that the world will actually cool down a bit this year. The news will certainly throw scientists into a spin after scaremongering the public about global warming for many, many years. But let’s face it; the threat of the end of time will always be gravely inflated and we will constantly be reminded that we’re all going to die. If not from global warming, then from Bird Flu or just from watching too much reality TV.

Furthermore, hoards and hoards of nauseating so-called celebrities will continue to jump onboard the latest “save the world” band wagon – and for many of the fame-seekers, they’ll do it in the hope, that it’ll make them look good and sell whatever it is they’re plugging. After the much publicised Live Earth (the cheap-imitation of Live Aid and Live eight) one very famous rock band front man is quoted as saying; “I don’t know much about the cause but it did wonders for our album sales”. I rest my case.

It only gets more and more ridiculous when the whole “saving” process goes local and rural places like Fermanagh are asked do their bit. How a small area such as this county can single-handily prevent the world from going bang is anyone’s guess. But fair play, they do try. Although, I’ve yet to see a local farmer, barefoot, peddling a battery powered tractor and cutting the silage with a pair of hedge clippers. And I wait, with baited breath, for the day that Fermanagh councillors rollerblade into work, wearing a solar powered helmet and munching on a piece of organic rhubarb for breakfast.

Here’s a mad idea. How about we individuals focus on the matters in hand, instead of worrying about something that might never happen - serious issues that should be addressed are the issues that affect us right now. World poverty, the war in Iraq and around the globe, terrorism, racism, sectarianism, bullying, corruption, debt, eating disorders and terminal illnesses- and that list is just of the top of my head. There are far more serious problems with society to consider. Think about that the next time you worry about what bin to put your yogurt pot in or whether or not your potato skin sandals go with your daffodil-encrusted sunhat.

Rodney Edwards presents the Bigger Breakfast Show 7-11am, Mon-Fri on Vibe FM 105.3FM.

The Breakfast Show on Vibe FM has now got a YouTube channel; http://www.youtube.com/biggerbreakfastshow

It’s like a podcast, but it’s called a ‘rodcast’ … see what I did there?
Here is a bit of general chit chat and “wacky banter” from this week;

Taken from the Impartial Reporter, 3rd April 2008.

Rodney Edwards

e-mail: rodney@rodneyedwards.co.uk

Everyday hoards of media outlets descend on social networking sites or video sharing sites to bump up their coverage of a particular news story or issue. Be it local or national newspapers, magazines, radio or TV stations or various websites – they all have one thing in mind, and that’s bringing its punters closer to the big story.

This particular practice has been widely condemned as ‘lazy journalism’ or indeed, praised as ‘embracing web 2.0 interfaces’ by the Theodore and Abigail’s of management meetings. Websites like YouTube, Bebo, MySpace and Facebook have become an essential journalistic tool for story fodder. Videos, photographs and blogs are now setting the editorial agenda. I’ve written many stories for various British tabloids and broadsheets that have been sourced using the internet following the commands of a barking editor – it’s a practice that has become well acknowledged in the media.

Pick up any paper today and I guarantee you’ll find yet another story based on an internet indignity by a celeb, a footballer or a group of asbo teenagers in Liverpool. Flick on the News at Ten with Trev, and the chances are, he’ll run a story that uses a user-generated video clip to back it up. Regionally, more and more news organisations are feasting on social-networking sites, such as MySpace or Bebo profiles to illustrate a story and maintain their ‘local angle’ remit. Profiles that feature a local that has died or the misdemeanours of another are all used, with the focus heavily on that particular person’s biography or “friend’s comments”. It’s all bizarre and in some respect; infringing on an individual’s privacy; - especially when it concerns a bereavement. I don’t really believe presenting the profile of someone who has died or the messages of condolences as a “story” is beneficial to anyone; in fact, it shows when a story really isn’t a story. But that’s the nature of the beast and how we consumers have started to expect our news – up-close and personal. The internet will continue to alter the delivery of news to the consumer whether you agree with it or not.

Keeping on the subject of local content online, a quick search for ‘Fermanagh’ on video sharing site YouTube.com finds you … absolute tosh. In fact, Fermanagh has such a dreadful “online” presence that the only videos you’ll find worthy of a mention are of a drunk dressed up as Batman, a mini being reversed into a trolley shelter at Asda and a hairy fella vomiting into a shoe. It’s somewhat reassuring that Vibe FM, the new Enniskillen radio station will be launching an online TV service for purely local content soon then. In addition to soon-to-be-launched Fermanagh TV which will also cover local news, entertainment, music and sport much like Vibe. Quality and informative local programmes for local people by local people.

Well, it was only a matter of time before some level-headed folk got their finger out and brought Fermanagh up to speed with the rest of the world. Much hilarity is to be had, of course, at those folk in suits, the individuals that have never been too bothered about taking an interest in the media business – and now, those “old dinosaurs” have all been proved wrong. The change in technology and the introduction of these new media platforms is upon us, as the county’s media business gears up for a thriving future. In fact, it could easily be Fermanagh’s saving grace – pumping a bit of life back into the county. A window of opportunity has been opened, a chance for literally, everyone (of all ages, young and old) to get out and embrace changing times and contribute their talent. We’ve been lurking around in the dark ages for far too long and it’s about time that people, especially those in power (and outside the county), realised, that Fermanagh isn’t all about its lakes, farming or according to the internet; inebriated Goths being sick.

Rodney Edwards presents the Bigger Breakfast Show 7-10am, Mon-Fri on Vibe FM 105.3FM.