So, this seemed like a good idea when my brother Ali mentioned it to me back in August last year.  Trouble was, my mind was a little distracted by my imminent wedding, so I didn't really give the proposition the gravitas it deserved.  I'd always wanted to run a marathon in an abstract 'something you should do in life' kind of way, but I have an excellent record of having found excuses not to.

Sadly, the excuses ran out, so training started in early January, and I remain determined to run a respectable time (hopefully breaking the 4 hour mark).

Ali and I will be running in memory of Betty, our great aunt, who sadly died of motor neurone disease a few years ago.  During the final stages of her illness, Betty received some wonderful care at the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice in Farnham, which her husband Peter (who was also her incredible, dedicated and selfless full-time carer) found to be a tremendous support.

The hospice only has about 16% of its running costs (of over £10,000 per day) met by the NHS, and has to rely hugely on charitable donations.  I fear our contribution may seem like a drop in the ocean, but every little helps; if Ali and I both reach our targets, we could fund the entire operation for nearly half a day, or contribute the daily cost of caring for more than 40 terminally-ill people and their families.  So, please donate what you can to help them continue their amazing work, bringing comfort and dignity at the natural end of people's lives.

Please also look at my brother's page at www.justgiving.co.uk/Alistair-Wilkinson.

If you're remotely interested in my training updates, or basically want to know how much pain I am suffering, or to how much calorific duress I am subject, please come back and visit my page at regular intervals.  I will endeavour to post weekly updates to thank generous philanthropes and give you a flavour of my exertional melancholy.

 

Saturday 22nd May: T minus 1 day

Right.  This is it!  Off to the airport in about 10 minutes.  Scared.  Wish me luck!

Weeks 11 - 20: 14th March - Now!

1 week to go...

Thank you so much Peter; you're awesome, and part of the reason I'm even doing this!  Thank you too Keith; it's really kind of you to donate as well as Susie.

Well well well.  My sincere apologies for not keeping up to date!  I'm afraid things have been pretty hectic for the last couple of months, what with Ali's upcoming wedding and everything.  Training has been sporadic, but I have at least managed to keep up with the long runs.  The toenail count is up to four - three times from the same damn toe.  And I've been struggling with anterior tibialis tendonitis since my last long run 10 days ago, but the good news is that today it seems to finally have started to settle.  Which is just as well really, as as I write this, the marathon is only 5 days away.

There is still the matter of the unpronouncable volcano, which may yet ruin our travel plans, but there's not much we can do but keep our fingers crossed.

A sub-four hour time looks an outside possibility, but I promise to do my best, and when the mental and physical going gets tough, I shall just try to remember why we're doing this.

A heartfelt thanks to those that have donated, or even just taken the time to read my ramblings - you're all lovely!

I'll let you know how I get on...

 

Week 10: 7th - 13th March

10 weeks to go...

Not much to report this week I'm afraid.  We arrived back in England last Saturday, but I went straight into a run of 12 hour night shifts, which doesn't lend itself to motivation for running.  Basically I've been lazy.  However, I shall use it as an opportunity to achieve physical refreshment ready to resume next week.  Today is the exact midpoint of my training schedule; work to be done...

Week 9: 28th February - 6th March

11 weeks to go...

Thank you so much John and Sarah; look forward very much to seeing you both soon!

Thank you Laura, I really appreciate that from someone who works in the same madness!

From Franz Josef, we travelled to the Abel Tasman national park for a 3 day kayaking trip along the coast.  Simply staggeringly beautiful with an incredible array of wildlife, the most surprising example of which was a 6ft stingray, which glided nonchalantly beneath our kayak for about 10 minutes.  Plenty of seals, penguins and cormorants; a very close encounter with a freshwater eel and an owl, and several glow worm caves.  Amazing stuff.  I managed a run on the second night from the campsite and along the tramping path.  You've guessed it - extremely hilly.

We travelled back to Christchurch over the next couple of days, stopping in Marlborough, and specifically the Cloudy Bay vineyards, to sample of few of the pleasures on offer at the cellar door...

Sadly though, and too soon, it was time to end my special overseas training camp and return to the UK.  I had hoped that the cold weather may have passed, but it turns out that was a ridiculous thing to think.  

 

Week 8: 21st - 27th February

12 weeks to go...

Thanks Carol and Andy for your kind words.  You really don't need to thank us though (I'm sure I speak for Ali too!), as it's truly a privilege to be able to help like this, in memory of your mum, and to give something back to the hospice that hopefully made things easier for you and of course Peter.

Terry, you're a gentleman, and thank you.  Yet another marathon veteran (see Henry and Rhys below) who's been there, done that, knows the pain!

Kim, thank you so much!  I have a sneaking suspicion that you might have meant to donate to Ali's page, but I suppose you could always donate twice!  I hope all the help I'm sure you're giving Pip and Ali for the wedding planning is going smoothly, and I look forward to seeing you on June 4th if not before.

This week we travelled to Milford Sound, then to Queenstown, where, as well as managing a run, I persuaded Jacqui to let me go 'special training' by jet boating through the Shotover conyons, and bungy jumping 134m from the Nevis highwire.  From there to Wanaka (managed another run), then to the Franz Josef glacier, halfway up the West Coast, where we went on an all day glacier trek which was amazing.

 

Week 7: 14th - 20th February

13 weeks to go...

Thank you Ben; extremely kind, though for a while there I thought you may have forgotten!  Shall we say double or nothing next time we play golf?!

So this week started, literally, on an aeroplane.  Valentine's day was no more than 3 hours old when we crossed the International Date Line and all of a sudden it was Monday 15th.  Genius, I couldn't have arranged that any better.  We finally arrived in Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand, and I managed a run round the bloody big park and botanical gardens to stretch the legs.

Next day we drove to Mount Cook, which you can see in the photograph on this page (as well as some of the others).  Learned how easy it is to underestimate distance in a dry glacier meltwater river bed, and how difficult it is to run in one.

From here we next travelled to Dunedin and the Otago penninsula, which was jaw-droppingly beautiful, and we were moved by the majesty of the royal albatrosses as they soared effortlessly in the breeze at the only mainland nesting site near human habitation in the world.  I managed a short run in Dunedin, but my goodness it's a hilly place.  I'm giving thought to writing to the tourist board to encourage them to remarket New Zealand to make this more clear.  I even managed a brief sprint up the steepist street in the world.

From Dunedin we made our way along the beautiful coastline of the Catlins, and took the boat over to Stewart Island, where we had 2 days of blissful relaxation (apart from a very steep up and down run - there is a theme emerging) to celebrate Jacqui's birthday.  Also we ate the best and freshest blue cod in the world.  Ever. 

 

Week 6: 7th - 13th February

14 weeks to go...

Was a bit naughty this week and didn't go on any runs, mainly because I was on nights all week, and when I finished on Friday, I was busy sorting out all sorts of stuff for Jacqs' and my trip to New Zealand.  We drove up to Heathrow on Saturday for the long journey out via Los Angeles.

 

Week 5: 31st January - 6th February

15 weeks to go...

James, you're a gentleman, thank you very much!

Random knee ache on Monday, so went for a bike ride instead of a run.  Forgot that cycling uses completely different muscles than running, overdid it a bit and my hamstrings seized up for a couple of days.  Bugger...

Managed 5 and a bit miles on Thursday, 3 and a bit miles on Friday, then ran a half marathon on Saturday.  Sadly, my preparation involved too many glasses of wine on Friday evening, and only 4 cups of tea with no food for breakfast. Also didn't take any water at all on the run, so I probably shouldn't have been surprised when the wheels came off for the last 3 miles.  Was going absolutely fine for 10 miles, then nearly died.  Managed 1:46:30, which in the circumstances I should be pleased with.  Nevertheless, if I'm to run twice that far, it's going to require a little more attention to nutrition and hydration from here on in...

Week 4: 24th - 30th January

16 weeks to go...

Thank you Mike; as I said with Howard below, it's great to have some consultant support (same caveats apply!). You've shown the way for Gary, Simon and Peter...

Ade and Sarah; cheers guys!  I write this on the eve of your Tough Guy challenge, which is an insane cross country event with ridiculous obstacles, in freezing conditions.  I sincerely wish you good luck with that tomorrow!  Anyone else reading this interested in that, go to www.justgiving.co.uk/Murtys-do-ToughGuy.

4 runs this week; 11 miles, 4 and a bit miles, 3 and a bit miles, 5 miles.  23 and a half miles total (average speed 12.3 km/hr; 3596 calories).  So still less than race distance in a week, and starting to appreciate just what a bloody long way it is!  Also starting to succumb to the dreaded boredom, and struggling to motivate myself for 'a quick 4 miles,' demonstrating ably my non-existant self control!

So, my first month's training is over, with a grand total of 70.24 miles and an expenditure of 10,760 calories.  Still fortunately free of injury (apart from the blisters, and pretty achy knees for a day or 2 after the long runs), long may that continue...

 

Week 3: 17th - 23rd January

17 weeks to go...

Thank you very much Howard; always nice to have the support of the consultant body.  I look forward to regaling you with my tales of woe, just so long as I don't hear in reply, "Well, of course, in my day we were on call 36 hours a day for 3 days in every 2, and it was a 40 mile run from the doctors' mess to Casualty via the nurses' accommodation."  Only joking, of course!  Now, if you could just nudge John, Justin, Louisa and Bruce (etc.) in the direction of this page...

Alison, thank you so much.  It'd be nice to think that I might be overtaking people, but realistically, the only warning I'll need to give to anyone in front of me is if they're about to get vomit on the back of their legs!

Chris, thank you too. At least this is a relatively civilised road race and not that mental thing that you seem to enjoy doing cross-country in the middle of winter -  rather you than me indeed! Look forward to catching up soon.

Starting to feel much more comfortable with this running malarkey.  Managed to get some juicy blisters after the long run this week, so decided to treat myself to some properly fitted new shoes.  Went to a running shop and was helped by a middle-aged scrawny bloke with a very dodgy moustache and huge adenoids, so I figured I must be talking to an expert, even though he had the bare-faced audacity to tell me I had flat arches, and then recommended the new version of the shoe I already had (which had caused the blisters).  My new shoes (second recommendation) are now filthy after a very ill-judged run in the New Forest on the way home after nights, so I think I'll stick to tarmac until it's a bit drier.

4 runs; 2 and a half miles, 9 miles, 5 and a bit miles, 3 and a bit miles.  A shade over 20 miles in total (average speed 11.6 km/hr; 3066 calories).  Ran for the first time with Ali, when we met up at our uncle's house on Sunday.  It was his first run and the bu**er was able to spring along at a ferocious pace, all the while maintaining conversation, whilst I was mainly just nodding and grunting next to him!  Hmm, work to do...

 

Week 2: 10th - 16th January

18 weeks to go...

Well, well, well; the donations are starting to come in...

Thanks Mum and Richard for being the first (and most generous - hurrah for the unconditional love of a mother)!

Thank you Henry as well.  Although I had set myself a four hour target, I'm starting to think that your time is really rather impressive.  In fact it's my new mark.  I only hope that I don't lose as many toenails as you did afterwards!

Thank you too Susie, though sadly I don't think there's a snowflake in hell's chance that either Ali or Chris won't finish.  I've got my work cut out just making sure that my share stays in my pot!

Rhys, that's also extremely kind, and I'm now feeling guilty for sponsoring you for none of the several marathons you've already run - you'll have to let me know when you're next due to run one and I'll repay the favour.  Sorry too that I'm going to miss out on the Old Boys match; perhaps we may lose by fewer goals this time, unless I can persuade the Big H to come along in my absence!

Only managed 3 runs this week (though I did on Tuesday run further than I've ever run in my life in one go); 4 and a bit miles, 7 miles, 3 and a bit miles.  14.36 miles total (average speed 11.2 km/hr; 2,197 calories).  Still not much more than half race distance (although my new wife and personal trainer Jacqui accompanying me on her bicycle is a welcome novelty).  Time to step it up once my legs stop hurting, and the snow and ice stop making me fall all over the place, threatening to break my ankles!

 

Week 1: 3rd - 9th January

19 weeks to go...

Please indulge my catharsis.  Sadly in my line of work I see death quite frequently, and often in the middle of the night, when a terminally-ill patient, who is clearly about to die, spends the last few minutes or hours of their life firstly in the back of an ambulance, and then in a busy, bright, noisy and unfamiliar emergency department.  This usually happens because relatives or carers understandably panic when they see their loved-one in distress and call 999.  I try my best to comfort the patient and console the family, but it makes me sad and angry that some people die like this, rather than in peace and with dignity at home.

Death is always sad and sometimes miserable.  It is at some point inevitable, but often unexpected.  Palliative care is the multi-disciplinary speciality devoted to making the process of expected death as gentle as possible, catering for the various physical, psychological and spiritual needs of patients and their families, when the curative treatment of a medical condition is no longer possible.  This is what the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice does.

Now, this is not the place to start bemoaning the inequalities of healthcare economics, or the dismantling of out-of-hours care provision, but it makes me so happy that Betty and her husband Peter were able to enjoy the expertise of the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice.

Sorry to be all morbid about things, but the odds are better than even that, at some point, one of your friends or family will benefit from the help of a hospice.  Most wouldn't exist without charitable donations, so please give what you can to help the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice help 100 people every day.

On a lighter note, the training started this week.  I'm a rubbish runner.  Rubbish.  And I haven't done any regular exercise for about 6 months.  And I've put on half a stone since my wedding in September.  So things started slowly.  4 runs; 2 miles, 2 miles, 3 and a bit miles, 5 miles.  12.32 miles total, less than half race distance in a week (average speed 11.0 km/hr; 1,901 calories).  So at this rate, I'll still be finishing the marathon when Ali gets married (sorry dude).  Bo**ocks to a rigid training schedule, as my work pattern won't allow it.  I'll have to do what I can, when I can.  But fingers crossed, it will get better...