Update: I did it, I completed the Barcelona marathon in 3hours 52 minutes, and I loved (almost) every minute of the whole experience.

It wasn't without a lot of pain and hard work, but the route, the sunshine, the people and the atmosphere combined to crate an experience I will never forget.

I stood at the start line very unsure as to what my leg would feel like when I started to run.. and how far I might get.  The downside of this was that it meant I would have to take it a bit easier than I had planned.  The upside was that I was grateful for every step and every kilometer I completed - and I think that meant the positive outweighed the negative.

The highlights of the run were passing the Sagrada Familia bathed in glorious sunshine, high fiving children along the route, the wonderful volunteers keeping us supplied with drink and wet sponges, getting to the finish line, lying down and taking my shoes off straight after finishing.... and Jackie jumping on me to congratulate me afterwards.

I would love to do it all again

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Thanks to everyone who has or is going to donate - it really is very much appreciated by ICZN and by me.

Its a strange old world where adversity increases your resolve, but that's how I ended up planning to run a marathon this year. I've always done plenty of sports and enjoyed running, but a year ago on my birthday I was in screaming pain from a herniated disc in my lower spine - so I vowed to run a marathon if I could ever run again. Luck, support from a great team of sports friends and some hard work on my part means that now, a year later, I'm looking forward to running my first full marathon in sunny Barcelona. Its not easy - I'm out pounding the pavement after work in the gloom and rain - but I'm doing up to 20km at a run and sticking, reasonably, to my rigorous training and living regimen. Its also pretty daunting – part of the challenge is keeping my doubts at bay. I've got my thighs iced now, to keep the muscles from complaining too loudly, and planning my run for tomorrow.

The setting will be beautiful and I intend to try to enjoy the sights as I romp or stagger round. Training has confirmed, if confirmation was needed, that 26.2 miles is a long long way to run and so, as a further incentive to keep on training and to finish I am running in support of ITZN (The International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature - http://iczn.org/). Their work plays a vital role in biodiversity studies, conservation and medical and veterinary research by generating and disseminating information on the correct use of the scientific names of animals. Sign up here to show your support for my crazy effort and for the ICZN!