The Reason:

I used to cycle to work through the Docklands when I lived in Deptford. I know for a fact that, in these times of austerity and slashed government funding, your support will be of great benefit to the people of these communities.

http://www.docklandsettlements.org.uk/video.php

Please give what you can afford.

The Training:

1/3/11

Six weeks to go now, and I am up to 16 miles, which I'm happy with. Lovely to see people pitching in now with not just money but support as well. One friend at work has offered her GPS watch, so I'm looking forward to that.

Took to the snow last week at Fremington Edge in the Yorkshire Dales with my brother. Very tough running, but a real buzz as well - until we realised that we had encircled the very top of the hill and arrived back at the place at which we had started. Not part of the plan, but didn't matter in the end. Good times.

Morning runs with the clear, cold starts at the moment are an absolute pleasure. Sun creeping up, moon lingering in the sky and no need for the well used head torch.

6/3/11

How the mood changes. From feeling like I was cooking on gas, I am now burdened by worries about my ability to run 26 miles and my ability to raise a grand.

I wasn't able to fit my long run in this weekend, should have done another 16 miles to get the body ready for the 20 mile runs in the last few weeks before the big day, but just couldn't get out. So this week has seen the grand total of 15 miles, the last 3 of which I have just done tonight so I can justify the intake of a piece of my wife's lovely carrot cake. A bit of a fright during the run. Cruising through the village when I happen across someone skulking in the Post Office doorway like a shady character from a Dickens novel. Needless to say, I chose the next immediate 2 mins to do a bit of Fartlek. Not nearly enough miles this week though. I will have to make up for it next week - target will be 34.

 

19/3/2011

 

It has been a hard few weeks, but to explain why I’d have to go back to 1984. In the school playground of Meanwood C of E, Leeds, one Autumn afternoon, Timothy Dellar bet me that I could not karate kick a the old Victorian wall. With Mr Miagi fresh in my mind, I went for it and duly smashed my left knee into those crumbling stones. Since that day, aged 7, my knee has never been right.

 

So, every few months, when I have been jogging regularly, the familiar pang of pain creeps up on that jaded knee and the routine that I have done so well to establish is forced to collapse. Such a pain greeted me a couple of weeks ago.

 

At first I tried to ignore it, and carried on my regular six mile runs in the working week, but it just got worse. Last week, I ran only once, ignoring the long run that I had been so wanting to do. Then this week, having tried many forms of frozen foods in the absence of any proper cold compress, I ventured back out. Two 6-mile runs were trotted out without too much pain, and today I just had to go for it.

 

So, at 5am I embraced the chilly morning and chugged my way through 18.5 hilly miles. The knee is sore, though I did enjoy the peculiar pleasures of an immediate ice-cold bath upon my return and I am happy to get at least one long run in before the big day. The plan now is to go 3-6-6-20 this week before tapering off with some quicker 10 and 13 milers, but everything will depend on this knee and my ability to evoke the spirit of Daniel LaRusso.