Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. If you are thinking about sponsoring me, please also give the estimate of the time you think I'll do the marathon in. There's £50 for the person with the closest guess to the actual time I run in.

I'm currently training to run my first marathon - the Loch Ness Marathon on 4th October 2009 along with a friend from work. Myton Hospice is the charity I thought I'd try to raise a few pounds for as they are just across the road from where I live in Warwick. While walking the dog, I often see people visiting their relatives at Myton Hospice which can be quite emotional. The cancer hospice is currently trying to raise funds for a new building for terminally ill patients.

Well I thought I would follow in Dan's footsteps and write a bit of a blog of my training progress... So here goes...

I've been running for 13 years but  I've always been either to chubby or too injured to run a marathon before. 

I have a training programme for the next 11 weeks I'm hoping to follow - based on training 3 times a week  - 1x long run a week to put the miles in my legs, 1x short/medium run to boost my tempo to increase my running speed, and 1x intensive interval session to improve my lactic threshold (not really sure what this is about but apparently will help me to get through the last few miles of the marathon without hitting the wall)...

Before I get to the blog though, here are some golden rules on what works and what doesn't:

 

WORKS:

-The book mindstore by jack black... needs to be read well before you start training and dont dismiss the hippy-stuff visualisation... it gets you out of some dark places.

-Energy gels (I think these are the new coca cola... in 100 years they will realise that there is some class a grade drug in these bad boys.  If I start snorting them then this theory will sadly be proved)

-Vaseline for moving body parts and surgical tape for nipples (do not go above 13 miles without them).

-Carb loading the night before you run (although when the carbs consist of 10 pints of beer then this regretably moves down to the doesnt work section)

DOESN'T WORK:

- Running 5/6 times a week...well, it does work, but not for me.  Most marathons schedules are based on this but I just dont get time so I am following the runners world 3 times a week schedule

-'Putting your kit in the freezer before you run to keep you cool when running on a hot day' - I havent tried this but I dont need to because it is a load of complete gibberish.  Some bloke with a boyband haircut whose been running for 12 weeks posted it on the runners world website and they published it in their magazine!?!  Enough said. It's a bit like me ranting on about what the english cricket team should be (which I do) and the England Cricket Board publishing my thoughts in their programme notes (which clearly they don't because I havent got the first idea what I'm talking about). 

-Interval training in the morning... you will just get injured.

 

Right now back to the blog:

Thurs 16th July - Wedgnock 10km run tonight. Need to be running further than this, so I ran to the race from home, did the 10km and then ran home - 13 miles in all. Don't think I'll do this for the next Wedgnock race in Aug as it twisted my calf muscles, stopping and starting again when I had to queue up at the start line.

 

Tues 21st July  - Read in Runner's World about the benefits of Interval training so gave it a go and did 5 x 1200metres this afternoon. It's really tiring. Makes legs burn. But what a sense of well-being afterwards (!) not.

 

Thurs 23rd July - Out for a 5 mile run tonight. Am going to need to increase my distances before too long.

 

Sat 25th July - Nice dry summer's day today so went out for a 15mile run along the canal towpaths. This is the furthest I have run. Did my first half marathon on 26th April this year (Stratford Half Marathon) so managed to top that distance today.

 

Wed 29th July - Why didn't anyone tell me about the hidden running injuries you get when doing this much training?! It was pouring when I went out on my long run today - so after 17 miles my clothes had chafed! Bleeding nipples! And chafing in 'other' places. Let's just say, I have had to apply some vaseline to certain body areas!

 

Sun 2nd Aug - Had to check my birth certificate today as I'm sure I'm only 31 but feel about 50. Getting old. Did an 8mile run after yesterday's cricket was rained off completely at Edgbaston. Rather suspect it'd have been considerably shorter if we'd got a whole day's drinking in at the ground. Thinking of giving up the alcohol completely now until the big day. Getting a bit behind with the training schedule I had planned. The chafing is still bad. Need to invest in some proper running shorts! And there is another running injury no one talks about... sorry people, but someone has to reveal this ... piles!

 

Tues 4th Aug - 3 x intervals of 1600metres. Not a bad afternoon's running.

 

Thurs 6th Aug - 10 miles after work. Suzanne says I've lost too much weight with all this running. Can't be a bad thing. I remember the days of eating a whole family sized block of cadbury's for dessert, washed down with a bottle of red.

 

Sun 9th Aug - Marathon is 8 weeks today! Someone at work told me that after you get to 20miles, the next 6 miles is like running a whole second marathon again. This is not good. Not sure I'm going to be able to do this afterall. Thanks Harvey. Anyway - went out for an 18 mile run to try and get my mojo back. Think it worked. Bring it on!

 

Tues 11th Aug - Had to get some intervals in tonight - 12 x 400metres. Intervals are just mean, but great for getting the heart rate up if you haven't got long to do the training.

 

Thurs 13th Aug - should have been doing the 10km Wedgnock Races Run tonight but really need to get a longer run in, so went out for a 13 mile run on my own instead. Nice route out to Hatton on the canal path and home. Ended up eating dinner at nearly 930pm though. Need to sort out the training schedule a bit better.

 

Have discovered Carbohydrate Gel. How good is this stuff! 90gms of carbs and 10min later it's like a second wind!

 

Sun 16th Aug - Little 3 miler as I was feeling the alcohol from yesterday's 20/20 cricket final at Edgbaston. Plus we didn't get home from it until nearly 2am.

 

Mon 17th Aug - 12 x 400m intervals. Painful and horrible. But gave me an enormous sense of well-being afterwards!

 

Wed 19th Aug - 8 x 800m intervals.  Still horrible. Still painful.

 

Thursday 21st August - Off work today and out for a long run - 15 miles - pockets filled with carb gels - sunny sky tinged with the expectation of the first day of the 5th Ashes test. Through Offchurch, country lanes to Cubbington, back through Leamington, around Wedgenock and home through Warwick. Nice run. Refuelled afterwards in the Zetland Arms with Darren, cricket on Sky Sports and about 5 pints of Kronenbourg and Carling, followed by a Thai curry and another pint with Suzanne.

 

Sunday 24th August - Interval training. Beautiful sunny morning. Up and down Myton Road - 12 x 400 metres. Legs aching. Home to a great family barbeque and the Ashes have come home! Intervals are the worst bit of training (that's me being polite by the way so this blog isn't censored).

 

Wed 26th August - a wet and windy summer's day! Needed to get a long run in  so set out at 930am with a bumbag full of carb gels and a 22 miles route pre-planned and measured on MapMyRun.com. Ran along the canal tow paths out towards Hatton, through Knowle towards Solihull and back again. Pretty cold and grey. Had taped up my key body parts but still ended up with a bleeding nipple again! Very sore legs after re-roofing my shed yesterday and lots of allotment digging. Feel pumped as it's the first time I've actually thought I will be able to run the full 26 miles in 5 weeks time! This is the furthest I've run. My legs are feeling it now!

 

Fri 28th August - 4 x 1600 or 4 x 6 mins of pure misery, how can something that takes so much less time bring so much more pain?  Dan (the guy Im running)  with is looking for ipod tune advice, for what it is worth my top 3 aussie and UK tunes to train to are:

Australian:

- Holy Grail by hunters and collectors

- I got you by splint enz

- Waiting for the sun (or anything on the odessey number 5 album)  by powderfinger

UK:

- All these things by the killers

- Your song by the enemy

- Step out by oasis

.. if you havent heard the aussie ones get yourself onto the msn music store well worth the 75p each.  In terms of hunters and collectors, get 'throw your arms around me' aswell - pearl jam covered it but nowhere near as well as the orginal.

 

Sat  5th Sept...Suzanne and I have been camping in Somerset for a few days and got to my mum's in Devon on 5th Sept to go to the Muse homecoming concert in Teignmouth.  Before that though I did a 5 miler and felt great - the few days off has refreshed my motivation and the high quality carbs in scones and ice cream have undoubtedly helped my recovery.  It's also great to just go on an exploring run in an area you don't know.  I found a hill which I ran up and down twice, which is good because most of my runs are pretty flat and there is a 2 mile uphill section between 17 and 19 miles in the marathon.

Sun 6th Sept...  I am on day 2 of 3 consecutive days training as I need to catch up on the runs I missed in Somerset.  Intervals today (12 x 400m) but I had to guess the distance based on time as I couldn't get onto map my run to check the exact distance.  Map my run is a great website for all levels of running to work out new running routes so that you aren't doing the same ones over and over and to confirm the distances you have run.

 

Mon 7th Sept.  Back in Warwick and back on the canal paths for a 15 miler.  Great views, great weather, no kids with out of control Staffordshire bull terriers (forgot to mention that at the time but the desire to kick the dogs into the water was overwhelming).  In fact the only downside was getting back home only to realise that I hadn't turned the hot water back on - d'oh!

 

Tue 8th Sept - 3 days training have taken their toll and my legs are like jelly.  I can't imagine how the people who are on the 5 day a week schedule feel.

 

Wed 9th Sept.  6 x 1200m I'm finally getting into these intervals.

 

Thur 10 + Fri 11th.... Late home from work both days so I have missed the 5 mile run I needed to do.  The only option is to bring my 20 mile run forward to Saturday to give me an extra day to fit in 3 runs next week.  I was speaking to Kev at work about running today as I knew he had done the London marathon in about 2004.  He was telling me about his tale of woe - namely that he had been unable to run more than 10 miles in training, the large crowds meant that it took him 20 minutes to do the first two miles and that he hit the wall at 17 so he had to endure 9 miles of utter misery.  It is hard to feel sorry for a guy who looks like he chiselled out of stone but I really was gutted for him.  "So what time did you finish in?" I asked (ready with a sympathetic reply along the lines of 'well that's not to bad considering')  "3 hrs 15" he said without a hint of arrogance or irony... this guy must be some kind of machine.  Dan and I relayed this story to Kenny at work who helpfully pointed out that Nell McAndrew also ran a marathon in 3'15" and we concluded that the only explaination for Kev's amazing performance is if he was in fact behind Nell Mcandrew for the whole of his race.  So the only question remaining is which has the greater impact on performance - carb gels or following Nell McAndrew around? I can't be certain but my suggestions would be that if you get the opportunity, do both (but not in a way that gets you arrested for harassment).

 

PS Thanks Tony for the 'anonymous' donation! I think the website was playing up. Email me your estimate of what time you think I'll run in bro.

13th Sept - The last top distance training run (22 miles) and I came in at 2 hr 55 min for a really hilly course so I'm happy with that.  I am trying to get as many hills under my belt as possible as there is a 2 mile hill after 17 miles in the actual marathon.  If I can get over that without walking then I know I will make it but it is a big IF.  The run was almost an unmitigated success but for the nipple chaffing.  If got so bad that I had to run the last 4 miles topless which was not a pleasant sight for the numerous people I ran past on the canal.  It just goes to show that perception is everything - in my head I looked like Matt Damon - in their eyes it was clearly closer to a short Peter Crouch. On the subject of Crouch,... in an interview he was asked 'what do you you think you would be if you weren't a professional footballer?" to which he replied "a virgin".... genius!  Meanwhile Wayne Rooney was asked the same question and said that he has always liked animals so he would have been a vet.  Hmmm... I think the response "on bail" is probably closer to the mark.

15th sept - There is nothing nice about 7 x 800m in the dark when you get caught short and have to run home half way through........I'm glad I chose an autumn marathon so that I could do most of the training in the light nights.   I would be reluctant to do a spring marathon as the running in the dark means you can't see the dips and obstacles on the road and the risk of injury must be much higher.

 

17th Sept - 5 miles, nice and easy, really enjoyed it, can't wait for Scotland.

 

20th Sept - 15 miles and more chaffing.  I always forget as least one body part and I always pay the price.  Apart from that I am feeling in real good shape.  I've eased of the gels so that they have the maximum impact on the big day.  Apart from the cold sweats, pitted eyes, hot chocolate with four sugars and desire to steal meat from the supermarket to fund a score I am coping with cold turkey pretty well.

 

22nd Sept - After a full days work I had to go back in and work a 17 hour shift so it is fair to say I am not exactly feeling tip top.  But, I did manage to do the intervals ... only 3 x 1600 as the tapering off begins this week. 

 

24th Sept - 8 miles - It takes a real man to admit he loves another one but I am proud to say "Dan is my man"  He has solved the chaffing issues ... replace surgical tape with extra strong plasters and do not tuck your t-shirt in.  The only mystery that remains is why did I ever think it was a good idea to tuck my t-shirt in?  I must have looked like the bloke in the Mr Sheen adverts with shorts almost up to my armpits.  Good job I wasn't wearing my thick rimmed glasses or the kids I passed on the canal could have justifiably stopped me, stolen my lunch money and given me a dead leg.

 

25th No running but the marathon pack has come through the post and the closing quote from the event organiser is "remember - vaseline is a runners best friend... buy in bulk and apply liberally" not bad but I think a better advert would read "vaseline - cheaper than piles cream". 

26th sept - Here's a sentence I never thought I would use "yeah, just popping out for a quick 10 miles." Finished in 1 hr 15 so I am in with a fighting chance of running somewhere between 3'30 and 3'45 unless Nell McAndrew appears in front of me.

29th Sept - Into the final week now and time for the first of two light runs in the run up to Sunday.  This was the last run in England and it felt good.  I thought this was going to be the most enjoyable week for training as you run very little and eat as much as you can or 'carb load' if you want to sound like a pompous twit.  However, much as I like the eating I have become a nervous wreck worrying about whether or not I am losing fitness.  Somehow I have put on half a stone in the last fortnight and I am thinking thats a lot of extra baggage to be carrying around for 26 miles.  At times like this it is worth relying on the immortal words of my mate .northie... if you ever start feeling sorry for yourself, thinking that the world is against you and begin worrying about things you would normally shrug off then just stand up, look in the mirror and ask yourself the question.... 'why am I being such a fxxxxxx girls blouse?'.

 

1st Oct - SCOTLAND Final run and hurt a lot... I twisted my leg walking the dog this morning and thought I would try and run it off, which in hindsight was stupid.  But, at least I know I can run on it anyway.  All in all I think going back home and saying that i didnt run the marathon because my leg was 'a bit sore' would make me feel even more stupid than the time I waited in A&E for hours only to be told that my perceived broken arm was nothing more than a 'slight sprain'. 

 

4th Oct - I DID IT.... 3 hours 12 minutes ..... a good 15 minutes quicker than I ever thought possible and a good 15 times harder than I every imagined it could be.  The slight slopes that the internet suggested were steep hills and as I stood at the bottom of a 2 mile incline at 17 miles it looked so big I was expecting to see snow at the top of it.  At that point I was flying and even beginning to harbour dreams of breaking the 3hr mark.  I convinced myself that I would get through these 2 hard miles and then really push the last 7 when disaster struck... my legs began cramping.  Cramping was possibly the only injury I hadn't suffered in any training run, even at 22 miles, so this caught me completely off guard.  It is fair to say that as I took every step I thought it would be the last I'd be ab;e to manage and it didn't ease off once.  I cannot begin to describe the pain or the dark place I was in, but I do know that three things kept me going - carb gels, the techniques from Jack Black's Mindstore Book and sheer determination.  If I am really honest up until this point in my life I didn't think I had enough mental toughness to do a marathon. It seemed to me that when the going got tough the tough would get lost and I'd have a sit down.  I thought I was a typical English sportsman, likeable because I was happy to go out there, try my heart out and lose time and time again.  But this race and the training has taught me a lot about myself. It was only when I pushed myself beyond my limits that I found out who I was.  I am somebody who usually plays down their achievements for fear of appearing arrogant, choosing instead to make light of them with a joke but there are no jokes today, I am really proud of myself.

However, the memory that will stick with me always is not the pain of running or the jubilation of crossing the line.  The defining moment for me was hearing Suzanne screaming for me on the final hill towards the end and running round to hug me in her arms as I reached her after the finish line.  I will never forget the euphoria that surrounded us as we held each other and the overriding cetainty that I am the luckiest man alive.

So all that reamins is to thank all of you for all of the support that you have given me and the Myton Hospice... I'm off to sink a few beers and watch the x-factor!