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Just a brief note to explain how I find myself running the London Marathon and raising money for the Duchenne Family Support Group. 

I have been meaning to enter the marathon for a number of years but, as with so many of my plans, I have never quite got round to doing it.  This year was no exception until the intervention of an instructorat the gym I use. 

The gym instructor had often heard me saying that I would like to run a marathon so, when another member of the gym said to her that she had a charity place but couldn't use it because she was injured, it was mentioned to me.  I checked out the charity and it seemed like a really good cause, check out the website for yourself at www.dfsg.org.uk.  I then, in what might turn out to be a moment of madness, said I would do it.  A phone call and a form later and I was in.   

It was only then that the enormity of it all dawned on me.  Most people train for 6 months for this type of event.  Me, I have 9 weeks, 4 days!  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not unfit.  I go to the gym fairly regularly, cycle quite a bit and I do some running.  But running a marathon is different.  I haven't even done a half marathon!

So what are my targets?  The first has to be making it to the start line and of course the second has to be to reach the finish line.  Now, for those of you who know me, you will know that I am not really that competitive.  Just getting round at all will be enough, the time doesn't matter.  However, if I were to consider times I would say that anything under 5 hours would be good; under 4 1/2 hours would be great; under 4 hours would be fantastic and anything under 3 1/2 hours would be a miracle. 

I will let everyone know how the training is going.  I have started well.  Day 1 (7 February) A 1 hour treadmill run covering just over 12.5km.  Not a bad start.  Day 2 sees me doing another treadmill run.  This time I do 7km but at a faster pace.  I was trying to run at level 2 i.e. I could still hold a conversation but the pace was more than the easy pace of the day before.  Day 3 I take as a rest day and go for a 3 mile walk instead, plus too much beer and wine and my wife's bithday party.  Day 4, first run with a hangover (only a minor one).  7 miles along the river bank.  The day was perfect for running; sunny, no wind and about 10 degrees.  Let's hope the good weather lasts.

The week beginning 11 February was another week of running in the gym.  The mornings are dark and very cold.  Running outside just seems so unappealing at 6:30 in the morning.  I did a one hour run twice during the week plus a few smaller runs. 

On Saturday I did a run of just over 13 miles which is 1/2 marathon distance.  1 hour 49 minutes and I wasn't too tired.  Not bad after a week and a half of training.  Maybe I was carrying more fitness than I thought and it appears I might not be quite so far behind on the my training.  We'll see how it goes.  Psychologically I now feel as though I can do it and there is a chance I might beat the 4 hour mark. 

In the last 3 weeks I have managed 7, 8 mile runs, a 15 mile run and an 18 mile run.  The training is going OK but the blisters are quite bad.  I should make the sart line which is the first goal.  I then have to make sure I reach my second goal of finishing.