Alive, sore and aching but finished

Sorry about the delay to those waiting for the post match report! its coming, I've just been in recovery. Its a busy week, I'm changing job, moving house and recovering from the run at the same time, but will be writing something more concrete soon!

The Last Post

For those spotting en route / watching on TV, I'm going to be wearing this !!

Blue baseball hat, sunnies, a red, white, yellow and blue vest with blue shorts. To Janeywifes consternation that I'll be picked out as a pervert by the TV cameras, the front of the shirt says "CUMMER!" and the back says "nic.C."

Link to viewing spots around the course here http://www.london-marathon.co.uk/site/spectators/

Its official that its going to be a hot one, Sundays temperatures are forecast to range between 18 and 23 degrees Celsius / 64-73 Fahrenheit. Dang!

A trip to Excel (Docklands registration) last night yielded my running number and timing chip, as well as a pair of red laces to wear so Flora donate a pound for every runner wearing them.

I went for a gentle amble around the park midweek and although I'm feeling strong, resisted the temptation to unleash the legs and pick up the pace, instead held out a nice gentle pace just to keep the legs warm and fresh.

I'll post next on Monday. From here on in its keeping off legs as much as possible, and eating enough pasta to become Italian.

NC

...news just in...₤2000 HIT!!!!!.....tea-dancing-reaction...

HITTING ₤2000 DONE!!

I've just done a little private dance in the lounge. A dance by a man in pyjamas with tea in hand checking email, newsfeeds, blog, etc and I dscovered a donation to take me squarely onto target. With Bullseye fundraising accuracy!!

I don't even care that I've slopped my tea on the carpet. Celebratory dances are spontaneous in this household and if the carpet is a casualty of hitting two thousand pounds, then so be it!!

Although its listed as anonymous on the donation page, a little bird told me that Dad and Carole have topped off the quiznight fundrasier and ploughed me onto target with a very generous ₤126!!

So far I've avoided banging on about fundraising on the blog, its been a journey shared focusing on the miles not the money but this is a post I've been looking forwards to making.

Hitting ₤2k underlines two important facts. 1. Now I have to get round the course, if it requires belly crawling over the line, then it is now so. 2. This has been made possible by YOU.

Friends, friends of friends, colleagues (friends as soon as I'm out of the door 26th April!) and of course family and family friends, this is a reflection of your hard work and readiness to dig deep.

I'd like to thank everyone who has donated. I'm honoured, but more importantly, you as readers, supporters and donors have helped save future children's lives and fund raised in memory of my childhood friend.

I thank you. NC. April 14th 2007.

Men in tights QUIZNIGHT!

7 teams, 50 people, 90 questions, 3 hours, 2 tie-breakers, 1 winner and ₤255 raised!

Reporting from Central London

Cafe Koha in St Martins Court was the scene of Thursday nights fundraising fracas which was nearly labelled as rowdy by the organisers office, with a close run affair resulting in team 'Beauties and the Beast' whisking the inaugural Men-in-tights-Quiznight-Winners title away from the bookies favourites, team 'Pretty Shity Gang Bang'

There has been notable preparation in the run up to the quiznight. A joint statement from the offices of the UK Quiznight Organisational Body and the Government Fisheries Department said "over the last week we have had unique demand for fish based products and it has become obvious that the level of cerebral preparation by all teams for this test of mental dexterity has been unparalleled". Captain Birdseye was unavailable for comment.

With questions created to bring balance to the multinational flavour of English, American, Scot, Australian, Norwegian, French, Welsh, South Africans and Zimbabwean team members, there was only one contentious question throughout the evening, requiring a mind bendingly tough call on whether salt beef and corned beef are products of the same curing process. Although inconsequential to the outcome, the organisers office upheld the decision that whilst having separate names, the process to create each shares many major similarities.

With a late charge by Team 'Sangie' and their correct answer to the bonus question, teams 'Beauties and the Beast' and 'Pretty Shitty Gang Bang' went to a double tie breaker after both correctly answering the length of a mouse gestation period. Ultimately, 'Beauties and the Beast' were only two years out with their 1963 answer to the year Barbie Dolls received flexible leg joints, a tie breaker question kindly supplied by Ken. This was sufficient for clear yet hard won victory.

On 62.75 - 'Beauties and the Beast' - Informa Telecoms
On 61.25 - 'Pretty Shitty Gang Bang' - Heds United

On 53.5 - Wooden spoon went to Team 'Donut' - No nepotism in the Cumisky Household.

The evening closed with a rallying fundraising effort courtesy of the finishing raffle where the key sponsor, Mrs Mellisa Willock won her own sponsors prize only to honourably put it back in the draw. Final winners were as follows;

Main raffle prize, a two night weekend break courtesy of the Hilton Group - Briony Pollard
Champagne Raffle prize courtesy of Mrs Janeywife Cumisky - Iona Martin

Monday 9th April - 17 Miles - closer, but still no cigar

I need another 6 weeks. I reckon if this were the case I'd be near Marathon distance at a constant run, yet, after yesterdays performance I'm still nervous about making the distance without a spectacular implosion around mile 20. The marathon is in 12 days time and certain lower parts of me keep puckering nervously.

I'm running out of under-performance excuses. After another well planned long run yesterday with every preperation in the book adhered to, (10hrs sleep a night for the last 4 nights, low fat hi-carb diet and keeping off my feet as much as possible the day before), things still resulted in a blistered run (note blistered, not blistering - there's a mighty difference!) which ground to a halt at 17 miles.

On the upside I felt stronger throughout and regulated my pace better to ensure more miles at reduced speed, however by mile 16 I was telling my legs that pain was good and that deep down I was OK. The talking started on Clapham common at mile 13 (the freaking half way marker!) and this isn't a good indication of things to come.

My only sanctuary now is that the 8/9 miles I've still yet to add onto the 17/18 mile runs to date (and notably the hardest miles) will be helped along by the tide of runners I'll be with, as well as the psychological difference the day makes. By this I mean roads with no traffic, the suffering of fellow runners, the mileage markers, not having to carry my own water and of course, the knowledge that I'll never have to run 26.6 miles again after the end of this race.

Sunday April 1st - 15.5 miles like death warmed up

I meant to go out for a 20 mile run, to break through the wall and to understand what it feels like to be able to complete 20 miles in 3 hours, and feel good at the end of it.

Little chance. As soon as I started out I felt rough. Some days I feel light footed to start off, Sunday I felt as if I were wearing concrete trainers.

I spent yesterday hobbling around the office like an old man afflicted with a particularly bad dose of Rickets. I felt worse yesterday than I've ever felt before, probably because I forgot to swallow two nurofen before work, however I'm convinced that the pain management policy shouldn't have to extend through to the next day.

I'm pinning the blame fairly on jet lag. My bodies still reacquainting itself with London time and UK weather. Its a poor excuse and whilst I'm hiding behind it, I know that I've still got to overcome 20miles and feel good. I've plotted another run on Monday 9th (Easter Monday) with a small run in between and a leg refreshing swim to mix it up.

I've also started placing Google ads on the blog to start making some money in case I have to pay out for a wheel chair post marathon. Please support this by clicking through on a couple. It may cripple me but I am definitely doing this. Easter Monday is being prepared for with plenty of sleep, eating well, no booze and leg massages and stretching a plenty.

By hook or by crook I'm cracking 20miles and feeling good. Time is running out.

Monday 26th March - 70 mins around Seaworld Car Park Orlando

Orlando is HOT! Dang! I bought my water bottle and ran for 75 mins and even in the sun with my top off (concur not the nicest vision of under exposed whiteness) to help keep cool I still ran more like a tap than a marathon runner. I hope and pray that summer arrives in the UK post April 22nd and that at the expense of marathon supporters, the runners can benefit from a nice wet, grey day keeping temperatures down.

Gav (Informa Colleague) is also out here at CTIA and preparing for the marathon with his 3 hr training run co-inciding with the trip - he graciously invited me along but for a raft of good reasons I had to decline.

Why - Primarily, when I run I love to run alone. Its hard enough monitoring breathing without trying / feeling obliged to make conversation. (Sorry Gav -I'm not saying you're boring, I'm just a running introvert!)

Secondly, when I do one of my long runs I need to mentally mark significant milestones, 5 miles / 10 miles / 13miles / 18 miles. The only way I can do this is to run a route I know and one which I've mapped out using a fantastic mapping/mileage application based around google maps.

Thirdly - I need to know where I can pick up water en-route. I didn't bring my isotonic drinks powder (have you ever tried coming through customers with 3 table spoons of white powder in a freezer bag?) or my post run protein drinks, and finally, I need a day off to go and run 3 hours / 20 miles. Its not just the 3 hours on your feet, its the writing off a whole day to prepare before hand and then recover post.

There, that's my raft of excuses. I'm also buy riding roller-coasters, dining out with colleagues and pressing flesh with the telecoms industry. Next big run is April the 1st - fools day for some but 20 miles and no fooling around for me.

Thursday 22nd March - 1 hour around the park

Day off - YAY!

Flying to Orlando tomorrow so have taken time out to get million and one admin bits under way. Moving house as well as moving other things certainly taking time and effort which can't be done whilst at work. Plus I needed a new pair of shoes and some shirts pre-CTIA (Orlando trip - business, not pleasure - well, not too much pleasure!)

Really enjoyed a good run around the park, lengthening it out to take me to an hour - felt strong, especially in comparison to where I was when I last ran, (Sundays meeting with the wall) so I guess that a positive outcome of the hard work was increased strength.

Have read up on the wall and established that I didn't sufficiently carb load pre-run. Have eaten anything and everything since unless its been nailed down. Janeywife pointed out that carb loading doesn't necessarily include fat loading - guess she meant the whole grain loaf and pot of taramasalata that disappeared from the fridge over the last couple of days (well Monday pm and Tuesdays am.) as well as 4 pots of creme caramel in same 24hr period.

Will take trainers to Orlando but its looking like 28-30degrees in the shade (sob, sob, wail) so I won't be heading out for much more than an hour. Have promised myself to revisit and run through the wall upon my return to London April 1st.

Note to self - pasta/rice/potatoes good. Pork Pies, troblerone, taramasalata, creme caramels BAD.

Sunday 18th March - Discovering the wall - 20 miles - 3hrs 15mins

I'd always wondered exactly what hitting the wall meant and today I found out in spectacular style.

I had planned well and was looking forwards to a sunny yet windy Sunday afternoon run, and in glorious spring conditions, that's exactly what I got. All went well including reaching the 10mile marker on time at 88 mins, (9 minute-ish miles) before setting off for the final 10 miles, which would hopefully be completed in the same style and time.

All went well for the next 30 mins, at two hours I'd completed 13 miles, still keeping 9min 15 seconds a mile, however, then the wheels started to come off.

Unfortunately from hour 2 to hour 3 my pace dropped to 12 minute miles instead of 9 minute miles. I think over miles 14-16 I didn't feel the slow down much but it definitely happened after I'd checked my split times vs. location later. This slowdown wasn't exactly critical, as long as I'm moving its OK but it certainly doesn't bode well for chasing down Bisons time!

His time of 3hrs 56mins and 41 seconds looks a million miles away when your legs lump up which is exactly what happened at mile 18.

I turned onto the Mall feeling OKish - I'd run a slight incline (truly minor) off horseguards parade and then as the sky clouded over (dramatic but again true!) and with my blood sugar hitting nil, my glycogen stores long gone and no more carb gels to swallow, I ran out of steam, it was if I'd been tagged by a tranquiliser gun.

Mentally my head was screaming to run on but my legs were made of lead, and irrespective of any want/need/desire, I couldn't conjure any additional height out of my knees.

Over the space of a couple of meters my run deteriorated into little more than a light pensioner style amble, an ungainly hobble clad in lycra. I defined the 'all the gear and no idea' type yet didn't care a jot.

Marathon running this was most definitely not. Running per-se this most certainly wasn't either.

The sunny, breezy day turned almost as rapidly as I hit the wall and within 30 seconds I had hail, wind and no company on the mall, with legs that were running in treacle. I was plodding along, with head down into the storm, being pounded by hail.

Although it didn't look like I was going backwards, it definitely felt like it.

I know what my Dad means when he says 'that's character building!' - I still loathe that phrase and in some perverse personal hellish way I was glad that I was out there alone in the hail, not having anyone else witness my implosion, or stand there shouting at me to come on.

This personal hell wasn't for sharing and I definitely didn't want to some fresh legged bystander trying to empathise, let alone think that their high spirited cheering was going to spur me on.

Call me a marathon humbug but its my pain and I'm the only one who can do anything about it. Period. I'm thinking about disguising my run on the day in order to enjoy the anonymity whilst relishing the 100% ownership of my gut wrenching sickness that the last couple of miles of anything physically demanding brings.

Ultimately I didn't stop. Running in treacle, feeling like I'm going backwards to go forwards, fighting through the hail all added up to a feeling of pride to have cracked 3 hours. I'm also proud that I stayed on my legs for 20 miles but want to improve the last hour - I'm bloody well going to have to improve to come within a sniff of Bisons 3hrs 56:41.

His time is still motivation, however its the wall I've got to crack first. Even if this means chucking up my ring over the next 5 weeks before marathon day then so be it. I'm in the USA next week but in 2 weeks time I'm going for it again, this time with more pre-run sleep, more carb-loading the 3 days prior, more en-route carb gels and come hail or high water I'm going to funking clear the wall.

Tuesday March 13th 1hr run with hill session

Good run around Regents Park fringe before returning to Primrose Hill to build upon last weeks hill session. Once warm clipped aroud the park, felt good, pace suprisingly good. Racing makes me work harded, being pushed along by fellow racers is great for stamina work and I think I'm already seeing dividends.

Hill session not too bad either. Ran 4 x 3min shuttles and tried to increase pace on each one, with a recovery light jog back down the hill each time. Not alone, quite a few runners on Primrose Hill doing the same. Out for 60 minutes - long run planned for Sunday and may try and squeeze a park lap in tonight.

Sunday 11th March - Six weeks to go - 10K race

10K race - Completed in 46mins 47 seconds. Results link here ;

http://jand.co.uk/Results2007/Wimbledon10k_Mar.htm

See 205th for me, 12th for Swifty (living up to his name and greyhound on crystal Meth impression), 81st for Neal, 248th for Bison and 267th for Mrs Iona Neal who came nowhere near kicking Bison's arse. (E&O - addendum Friday 16th March - my blog stated I came 105th when it should have stated 205th - thanks to Bison for politely pointing out my charlatan grandiosity)

Ran round Wimbledon for 10k race including a lap of the common, with a long climb and fast descent.

Arrived early and warmed up, had an early breakfast after leaving Janeywife in bed (admittedly it was Sunday morning and I was out by 7.15am!). Hit the spaghetti house last night and loaded up on carbs. Not sure if it properly served its purpose as still woke up feeling somewhat heavy!

Felt OK before starting, but once started I struggled hard all the way around. Warm and sunny race conditions not ideal, much prefer cold/wet, no watering stops placed around the course so not as refreshing a race as could have been.

Ran a respectable time (46:47) but still 3 minutes slower than the last flat 10K race I ran in 2000. Faster than the Jan Epsom 10k but that was cross country.

Normally I'm just starting to warm up at 46 minutes into a run.

Its one thing training for a 4 hour race, its an entirely different story training for a comparative 10K sprint. If I'm going to run 10K races then I need to drop a stone, or 3.

Currently I'm built for comfort, not speed, more St.Bernard and less whippet.

Weds 7th March - Hill session 60mins

Trotted out to Regents Park to make my way up to Primrose for a hill session after a long period apart!

Absence does not make the heart fonder here. Toughed out 3 climbs - somewhat pathetic but have promised myself another visit next week - 3 climbs equals 12 mins pure hill. Felt ok, just ok, nothing too special though. I know that the hill sessions help with strength building and I'm going to need all the strength I can get.

Clipped along nicely home and slept like a dog. No more runs so I've got good fresh legs for the 10K race Sunday.

Sunday 3rd March - 16.5 miles

I'm back!

16.5 miles in 2hrs 25 mins.

No pain other than sore knees Monday am. but good strength at the end of the run.

Bought myself protein drink mix for post runs, energy gels for consumption during runs and isotonic mix for pre and during runs. Started taking Glucosamine Sulphate for my joints and although this may be partialy psychosomatic, I'm confident all helps in some way, shape or form.

Sunday 11th is a 10k race but next Sunday 18th I'm looking to hit my 20 mile 3 hr mark. Bring it on.

Thursday 1st March - Gentle Jog followed by violently Bruising Sports Massage

Little thursday run around the park, 40 mins of gradual pace, low impact, low pain, nice. Then 60mins of teeth gritting agony.

When asked by Jane 'What would I like for Xmas'? I suggested a massage (half tongue in cheek!!), so on Xmas day when I received an hours massage I had only myself to blame.

It turned out to be slightly more massage than I had bargained for (and I'm not talking about a massage with a happy ending for you perv's that are asking that question to yourselves..)

Never have I been so rough housed by a masseuse. I can't remember her name such was the broad nature of her accent but I established that she was definitely Eastern European (probably called Helga to help paint the picture for you), had been trained in many types of massage but specialised and most likely had deep tissue pain based massage as her favourite.

Maybe Helga liked young (well, young and 33 yr young) blond boys, maybe Helga liked to demonstrate her immense physical strength, whatever it was, Helga took a shine to my naked little body lying nervously under the towel on the massage bed, and proceeded to knead me like I was a cross between a ragdoll and bread dough asking for, or in knead of some tough love.

Janeywife hadn't held back either - my massage was booked in at a Men only spa tucked away in a mews behind Berkley Square, called Gentleman's Tonic.
The spa is a subterranean oak paneled juxtaposition, a throwback to colonial days of wet shaves and hot towels, whilst still equipped with all the necessities for the average metro sexual man, specifically barbers chairs meets back, crack and sack waxing and of course, the massage benches.

Little gave away the forthcoming torture I was about to endure. It wasn't as if the door locked, the walls were padded or the bench had manacles, however in hindsight maybe the way Helga cracked all her knuckles before starting could have indicated the duress to come.

Within moments of me stripping butt naked and draping a towel over myself the pain arrived. Initially all went well, lots of lubricating cream, slathered on like some Greek wrestling preparation, and gently rubbed in.
Then, out of the blue Helga replaced man sized sausage fingers with a man sized elbow and a little more than half of her somewhat substantial weight.
Not that Helga was fat, or squat, more like tall and stacked, like a cross between a polish bull tosser and a former eastern block bulldozer.
Its rare that I'm made to involuntarily shout in pain, or groan like a man shot repeatedly, however Helga knew how to orchestrate a symphony consisting of little else than grunts, groans with a yelping percussion section.

Helga's elbows pinned me to the bench and proceeded to tear any shred of tension (alleged tension - I felt fine before entering!) out of my back. I haven't shrugged my shoulders since as it makes my eyes well up with tears. I'm not sure I'll ever shrug again.

I said I was running in the marathon and would like some attention paid to my legs, however my massage agenda didn't match Helga's, instead she tried her damnedest to cripple my back and through some perverted logic, try and sell me into returning on a weekly basis to ensure that the tensions she'd erased (ripped out of me) would be relieved for good if I took her advice.

I'd have hoarsely laughed at this suggestion but through a combination of fear and a desperate need to be able to walk out of the spa, I thought it better to grunt my agreement in between salvos of elbow blows.

I did make it out of the door, however, I had as much enjoyment as I would have if I'd have been slamming my fingers in the drawer.

There is one easy resolution to avoid future oversights like this, don't flippantly answer wives questions about Xmas wishes unless you expect to get what you asked for.

Therefore, by default, I asked for the pain Helga inflicted last Thursday, and only have myself to pin the blame upon.

Sunday 25th - 56 days til Marathon - 90mins 3 Parks run.

Janeywife and I have done nothing all weekend apart from eat well, take it easy, go bowling and go to the cinema. I've been feeling better daily and whilst I've still a mouth ulcer, i'm no longer suffering from the constant aching that punctured last weeks training plans. Ran for 90mins around the 3 parks and feel a lot better.

The somewhat scary truth that the marathon is 8 weeks today continues to dawn and I'm hoping that between now and Aprill 22nd I can maintain the healthy knife edge balance between exercising/eating/training and recovery.

It sounds cliched but Bison bought it up - so I'm compelled to use it!! - but apparently I'm a finely tuned machine - I guess he means I have to use supergrade instead of regular gas, keep my spark plugs clean and run regular diagnostics!

I agree - for the next 57 nights I've got to enusure early to bed, regular knee raises to combat sore patellas, plenty of greens with carbs and limited business trips. Apart from a trip to Orlando for CTIA Telecoms show March 22nd (competitor event not one of mine so reduced in demands) I'm training in the UK.

Have a 10k race March 11th, my 3hr / 21mile run Sunday 18th March around Richmond Park and then a 16mile race April 1st in Kingston.

March is going to be a busy, yet hopefully injury and sickness free month as I head towards April 22nd.

Tuesday 20th March - 40 mins around Hyde Park

Felt tired and lethargic, hoped a run would help but on the contrary - felt rough all the way around and have ached throughout. Slept poorly and whilst not ill enough to miss work, wish I'd been able to spend day in bed, take asprin and recover.

Woke weds morning with ulcer in mouth. I thought I'd cleared the run down period post barcelona but clearly not. Canning running until feel better.

70 min 3 park run - 18th Feb - 61 days till Marathon

With running Guru's Athers and Bison b4 cross country 10K race

Have been decidedly off running for a couple of days. Have spent the weekend sleeping and am only just starting to feel better. The last 2 weeks of trips to Barcelona and Amsterdam, combined with day-to-day juggling of business out of the office in addition to entertaining clients has left me feeling as if I'm running on empty, topping up the tank with food and alcohol instead of rest and exercise.

Managed to get a solid 12 hrs sleep last night and for the first time felt strong enough to get back into trainers and head out for an hour minimum. Its incredible how quickly suppleness can disappear over a week, being replaced by lethargy which perpetuates in a reduced desire to go running. I've definitely been tripped up by having my schedule played around with, however the good news is that now through until the end of March I've no business trips scheduled. I'm looking forwards to climbing back onto a structured regimen of sleep, work, exercise, diet and recovery.

Today I ran for an hour and felt good throughout - I think much of this reflective of good strong legs combined with plenty of rest over the weekend as well as eating like a hungry horse.

Looking forwards to building towards the 3hour run next weekend / following weeks long run. Have a race to look forwards to on March 11th - 10K road race, will be interested to see how my current 43min PB fares.

Come home and stretched like its going out of fashion.

Barcelona refresher 14th Feb - 65 days till Marathon

Managed to avoid the corporate entertaining cycle for a night whilst at the 3 GSM World Congress event in Barcelona in order to get out and have a gentle potter with Gavin. I knew that this week it would be a tough job finding time to squeeze in a run - every night is spent partying with clients/colleagues, walking all day and finishing late, with demanding days back-to-back.

Ran for 40 mins up to the Nou Camp Barcelona FC stadium and back to the hotel. Not really serving too much of a purpose other than sweating out the previous nights alcohol but did manage to keep legs reminded of who's boss.

40 mins weekly potter with Janewife 11th Feb - 68 days till Marathon

Nice sunny and lesuirely potter around the park with janeywife. Am practicing lunge running, (self created term) where my strides are over eggagerated and demand far more strength to push around the park. I think its some sort of stamina building excercise.

Nice and sunny weather and although Janeywife demands I speak/talk all the way round to entertain her managed to convince her that I needed my lung capacity to run, rather than natter. This running is serious business......

Half marathon Thursday 8th Feb - 135 mins - 71 days till Marathon

Went out for reverse leg of the normal 12 miles, added another 20 mins and potentially 2/3 miles. Ran well for 135 mins with no twinge and good pace throughout. Crashed once home though, legs shaking and poor nights sleep after rehydrating too much.

The first hour is proving to be the toughest at the moment, once I'm past the 60 minute mark I'm feeling warm and ready to push on knowing that I've potentially a 1/4 of the total running time already behind me. Applying this theory to the 2 hour point is also massively assuring, the glass being most definitely half full at the 2 hr stage, not half empty.

Sunday run with Janeywife - 40 mins - 75 days till Marathon

Pottered very gently around the park after not too much suffering post Thursday's 13miler. Janeywife ran with me - as leaving left the sun came out, for the start of Febuary we had a stunning 40 min amble in sunglasses. Hardly broke into a sweat yet came back and stretched out Thursday's aches. All good and triple AAA running. Nice.

Half Marathon - Feb1st - 115 mins - 78 days to marathon

I knew what was coming Thursday p.m. after spending the week looking forwads to pushing towards the 2 hour mark.
Mental preparation involved knowing what I was going to wear, where my route was to take me, and how to judge he temperature whilst walking back from work - (cloudy/overcast and still being mild, versus a clear and windy sky which would be pretty chilly).
A two hour run wold take a large chunk out of my evening so I'd also planned time to be home in order to get back at a respectable hour.

As with the best of plans, unfortunately Thursday work went on for 90 minutes longer than expected, throwing a spanner shaped curve ball into my nicely plotted evening.

Janeywife was out with work girls so not having to worry about missing the evening together helped work around the 90 min delay. Left home at 8pm instead of 6.30pm slathered up and with a full waterbottle strapped around my waist. This has become a mandatory for each long run as the water at hand throughout is not only an essential for hydration, but also good practice at taking on board liquid whilst running.

Did my regular long run route but tacked on a leisurely one mile detour down to Waterloo bridge and then back up the south bank, and a loop of Battersea Park, taking me back up Kings Road instead of straight onto Sloane Square, back around Hyde Park and home.

Felt good for the duration - I'm not going to kid anyone, especially myself - I'm still concerned about my knees as they were quite sore upon return, with the last mile requiring an 'ignore the pain' label throughout. I think they solely swell, and aren't damaged, irrespective,I'm hoping that the regular strengthening exercises combats future problems.

However, sore or not, 115 mins is a good climb from 95mins - I'm pleased with my progression. I'm looking to add another 20mins on next Thursday - taking me over two hours and beyond the half way distance mark. I'm a little concerned that the 13 mile run took me 1hr 55 mins - I'd like to shave 10mins off this to ensure a sub 4hr marathon. I'm hoping that as I increase the miles my half marathon time will improve too.

Home for a shower, stretch and soup before falling into bed and asleep before head hit pillow.

Hungry Run - Jan 30 - 55 mins - 80 days to marathon

Must have missed a meal somewhere over the last three days as I've been starving, not a good thing when you need to go for a run. However, set out last night and through a combination of 3 days rest, 50% loss of the Xmas spare tyre and an overwhelming desire to get home and eat carbs, I as good as sprinted around my normal hour course.

Felt great, waethers turned mild again so no multi-layered running. Noticably large number of runners out and about....must be combo of good weather and marathon training.

Next run thurs and hoping to tough out 105+ mins.

Easy Run - Jan 27 - 40 mins - 83 days to marathon

Pottered around Hyde Park in a nice slow lap - quite sore from Thursday night still and think I'll now take 3 days off to recover. Next decent run will be Tuesday pm.

Still astounded at how the pledges and donations continue to come in. Nearing £1500 over the weekend - its fricking brilliant.

Slept and ate well all weekend in the name of recovery. Visibly loosing the xmas spare tyre, all good. Weather looks warmer / milder next week so looking forwards to capitalising on this.

£1227.90 - Rocking Fundraisers

I'm in awe of my friends, my colleagues and family. I've only been fundraising for a week and I'm honoured to be not only on track for my £2000 target but equally overwhelmed with the genorosity everyone who has given/pledged has shown. You're all wonderful.

Planning a pub quiz before the end of Jan to keep fundraising.

Lycra Clad Brass Monkey - Jan 25 - 95 mins - 85 days to marathon

BRRrrr.

If I wasn't Marathon training then there is no way I'd have been out running last night.
By the time I arrived home after work the thermometer on the balcony already said 2 degrees - under.

It felt colder. Much colder. Cold enough to freeze my pants off plus their contents.
The only way forwards was to dig out my old cycling lycra one-piece body suit, wear it under my running tights and gently lob the 2007 fashion guide out of the window.

Looking cool was definitely lower down the list than actually being cold.

Hat, gloves, no scarf but lots of Lycra. All in black.
I felt as if I was in some sort of body stocking, some sort of running black sausage, shrink wrapped in elasticated lycra. I looked like a burglar on my way to gate crash a fetish party.

Fortunately being neither master criminal nor deviant I had other plans. I had a round trip taking me to Battersea Power station via Trafalgar Square and the London Eye to complete.

Janeywifes reaction upon my return, outright laughter, confirmed my suspicions - Vogue would have turned me away for being an insult to chic. In fact, I think Runners Weekly probably would have turned me away too.

Not that I cared. Not a single jot. I completed 11 miles in 95mins. I was warm throughout and on a cold night felt good all the way round. My confidence over distance is growing, Janeywife is convinced my audacity is growing in equal measure but when I'm running I'm not out to look good. Just feel it.

Confidence is high and I'm enjoying my runs, regardless of the weather. I'm making mental notes towards the end of a 11 miler that this distance is only nearing the half way mark. I know I've still a long way to go, but I'm now feeling like I've already come a long way too.

On the rack! Jan 23rd - 40 mins gentle run - 87 days to marathon

I warmed down and stretched after Sundays race, but clearly insufficiently! I thought I'd done enough but I don't think a Swedish masseuse could have done more for me - I'd have liked to found out but didn't come across one.

Monday a.m. felt like my leg tendons and ligaments, as well as the all associated leg muscles had contracted an inch and then been yanked back taught. Repeatedly.

Took the legs out for a little refresher to keep them briefed on who's boss without causing full scale revolt. Nice gentle trot. Nothing more. Nothing less. Worked a treat - after 20min's everything from the thigh down was unraveling nicely and feeling substanitally looser. Once home did some floor exercises (more stretching) though just realised that this sounds like I'm turning into a ballerina. Works though.

Janeywife has bought me some sports massage sessions for Xmas. I think its time to cash one in. Gentleman's tonic here I come.

10 KM RACE! Jan 21st - 89 days to marathon

Wet. Windy. Muddy. Hilly. 598 fellow racers.

Raced the Epsom Oddballs 10k with Neal and Jon Bison. Neal ran like a rabbit on crack, disappearing up the field, picking off runners like a sniper in Nikes. Bison and I found our pace, added an extra 10% effort and toughed it out.

There's one thing a race does - it demands that you run, not plod round in your comfort zone.

I know the reason I like running on my own whilst training, because I can up or down my pace as comfort demands. However, in a race you don't want to be beaten by veteran runners, overweight housewives, or kids so the rules change. Firstly, you do anything to run a proud race. That usually involves assessing your limits on the start line and then, along with the rule book, tossing both out of the window as the starter pulls the trigger on his start pistol.

The Epsom 10K is a classic guts out, up and down combination of muddy single track wood trail, wind swept horse racing track, mixed with heart wrenching climbs and uneven, tricky under foot descents. In essence it's the quintessential cross country. The one that has the finish line sadistically placed half way up a finishing hill climb, the type that makes you barf as you cross the tape if you run it hard enough.

I ran a proud race, starting fast but not too quick and picking off the runners I wanted to beat, gulping air like a horse to hold my own throughout, finishing with just enough steam in the tank to close out with a sprint. All to reach that euphoric feeling of completion 50mins after starting, a comparitively slow 10K time (personal best around 43mins on flat raod) but respectable for a cross country. Placed 195th out of 598.

I wasn't sick on the finish line, but did feel ready to. I ran hard enough to avoid busting/straining/tearing/ripping anything, but with enough grit to really feel that this will add to my training when it comes to strength building. Clean, healthy fun with a little pinch of Sunday morning masochism.

Neal 41mins 59 secs - placed 35th. Myself 50mins 03 secs - placed 195. Jon Bison 52mins 20 secs - placed 243rd

Next race Wimbledon 10K Sunday March 11th

Battle of the Somme - Jan 17th 33 mins - 94 days to marathon

Wet and windy. Gentle trot around Hyde Park to keep legs fresh. reminds me of Jon Steel's (LoveBison) Somme/Marathon Analogy.

Bison loves this analogy. The start point to the London Marathon is on Blackheath. When it rains on Marathon day it looks like the battle of the Somme has taken place, albeit sponsorsed by Ron Hill, Adidas, Reebok et al.

Why the Battle of the Somme - ?? - well the '000s of poor souls lying on the ground (stretching - not dead...!!) in bin bags (apparently the ever useful, multi-pupose garbage sack is a disposable life saver to help with keeping warm prior to the start) in a light drizzle, making grunting noises and slathering themselves in Vaseline has parallels with a dayglo WW1 battle ground.

I'm sure the Somme and its associated WW1 horrors were a million miles from the start of the Marathon, but I like the imagery it provokes and possible attaches, both mental and real.

Marginally scared. You bet.

Buy Shares in Petroleum jelly - Jan 15th 83 mins - 96 days to marathon

A leg stretcher. Plodded for nearly an hour and a half.

Invest in Petroleum - thats my advice!! The amount of Petroleum based vaseline I'm getting through is remarkable. Every crack (sorry, but true) and crevice and then the most important areas, nipples! Although the twins will never ever serve any practical purpse (unless I become a twisted sadist fetishist!!) these are the two other areas of my body (other than my legs) which get the VIP pre-run treatment.

Stop reading now if you don't want a nasty fact.

When I supported Bison's 06 Marathon effort there were wave after wave of runners pass, and the ones that stood out in the continuous drizzle were the ones with long red streaks running down there shirts starting, yep, at thier nipples.

There is one significant truism here for marathon runners. Look after your nipples and your nipples will look after you.

10k race on Sunday with the running gurus Bison and Neal. I'm in good shape. Well, good enough shape to plod around a 10k hilly and no doubt water soaked Epsom cross country course.

Nasty Day-Glo and Lycra - Jan 13th 75 mins - 98 days to marathon

Ahhhh daylight running rocks. Being able to see where I'm going, not having to worry about pot holes in the dark, not having to run looking like an 80's throwback bedecked in dayglo. Still, I'm confident that there is more bad taste in running than anywhere else. Anyone who crosses over from regular gym wear to skimpy shorts, lyrca, (figure hugging and often packet gripping lycra), wifebeater vests, dayglo accessories, has to have some strange devotion to getting into shape. Only then does running wear start to look like the shoe fits and even then, its still a pretty nasty shoe.

Maybe running at night isn't too bad as it saves exposing the general public to the wardrobe of sins trotting around central London.

Spare Tyre (s) - Jan 11th 60 mins - 100 days to marathon

Returned to Primrose Hill for another Hill session. Took the long way around Regents Park to warm up the cheeky boys. The Hill was quite refreshing and I've noticed a marked increase in people out training. Maybe they've all got spare tyres that they hold in at the moment but hope that through upping the ante the tyres will go

God knows I am.

BIG trouble with horse dung - Jan 9th 40 mins - 102 days to marathon

Leg refresher. Keep reminding them who's boss but doing it nicely, preferably without making them go on strike. The knee love-in continues but not at the expense of the calfs, thighs, glutes, t-bands and parts of my legs that I only discover when I go online to check if I'm missing out any exercises.

No troubles so far. Apart from walking half of the park mud and probably a good amount of horse dung into the flat. That went down like a lead balloon. Still I'd rather leave tonto's droppings in the hall and be hollered at rather than have my knees hollering at me.

Vetran Pace - Jan 7th 50 mins - 104 days to marathon

Went up to Primrose hill to try out a hill session and was plesantly suprised at the amount of stamina. It wasn't easy but not as hard as i expected after a run around across Regents Park and the 5 reps up the hill. Trotted back and was overtaken by three other runners, two of whom were old enough to be my parents.

I admit that my running is definitely at a senior verging on veteran pace. I'm just ahead of my time.

Weather incredibly mild. Sweated like a horse. felt like I'd been ridden like one and put away wet. The tyre will go!

Jan 5th Gentle 40 mins - 106 days to marathon

Another steady paced build to remind my legs what running is. I think they're remembering but I'm not in any rush to force them into submission by trying to hurtle around Hyde Park. Another 40 mins down into Knightsbridge, home, stretch and strech and strech to make sure my knees keep in good shape.

Jan 3rd Gentle 40 mins re-test - 108 days to marathon

My knee, specifically my left knee exploded on Dec 21st. There was therefore only one thing for it and that was to rest over Xmas. Rest and eat. And eat, and eat and eat....

After a final blow out on New Years eve I climbed on the scales and slowly felt my jaw drop as the needle rapidly swung clockwise towards 13, 14 and then finally coming to rest on 15 stone.

Apart from eating there has been one other Xmas preoccupation - knee repair. I've spent two weeks working through a succession of knee exercises and I'm confident that todays run, altough minor is the first step back towards the marathon.

40 mins around the park. I felt every step ripple through the xmas waist tyre but the good news was no knee pain. I'm now planning to run every other night but at my pace, I'm no fast runner but I do have the stamina for a marathon, now its case of building it and focusing on duration not speed around the course.