My chosen charity, Tomorrow's People, is a specialist employment charity which helps long-term unemployed people out of unemployment and welfare dependency and into jobs. It is also the partner charity of my employer, Alexander Mann Solutions, who will be matching my funding raising up to £1000, so what you donate will be doubled. For those who are tax payers, the charity can also claim gift-aid. So you see, it is like a Ponzi scheme really, although the only benefit I get is being able to eat 3 boxes of mint matchmakers a week without getting fat. This is what I believe they call a win-win.

If you dig deep and donate, I'd be enormously grateful. You'll see I've put my money where my mouth is by finding all the quarters from down the back of my sofa to start the ball rolling. For those who have trouble sleeping at night, I'll also be updating my training blog here.

November 2009

I receive an email saying I have won the AMS Tomorrow’s People place to run the London Marathon. Gulp. I’ve been nursing an ankle injury for a while. Time to get it sorted. Visit a podiatrist who explains I’m not dying, and if I behave myself, do my exercises and pay lots of money for a pair of custom orthotics I’ll be back running in a couple of weeks. Oh yes, health is quick in the , but very expensive… I confirm that I’ll take up the marathon place and begin training by going to Vegas.

December 2009

After a few weeks of physio and a lot of time on a machine that makes my toes curl, I do my first walk/run (10 mins – woohoo!). Luckily I’m in (skydiving) where no-one does any exercise at all, so they think I’m an Olympic athlete… My second walk/run is in where they are much more judgemental... The orthotics arrive. As do the New York Xmas parties… I go home for Christmas, which this year is at one of the Landmark Trust apartments at , randomly.

 

January 2010

Most marathon training schedules run for 16 weeks, and assume you can already run 6 miles. You build up quickly from 18-20 miles per week to 38-40, before tapering off (drastically cutting down your training) 3 weeks before the big day. Well. These schedules are just guides, aren’t they…;-)

Week 1 of 16 (w/c 4 Jan)

I join a gym (with its own DJ, of course) and the walk/runs continue.

Week 2 of 16 (w/c 11 Jan)

Travel to then then for Credit Suisse - manage 10 miles in total for the week, including 2 continuous miles – hurrah! Return to .

Week 3 of 16 (w/c 18 Jan)

Back to for the AMS conference. Weekly total: 14 miles, including 6 miles with my brother (also running the marathon but way ahead).

Week 4 of 16 (w/c 25 Jan)

In for more jumping but the clouds are too low - running campaign benefits. Weekly total: 20 miles.

Week 5 of 16 (w/c 1 Feb)

Long run of 8 miles at minus 8 degrees, followed by 4 hours snoozing on the sofa, the Super Bowl and the Puppy Bowl (look it up on Youtube…). Weekly total: 21.5 miles.

Week 6 of 16 (w/c 8 Feb)

Really picking up now, including a 10miler. I should way beyond this, but there is time to catch up. Weekly total: 24.5 miles.

Week 7 of 16 (w/c 15 Feb)

The week started well with 3 runs back to back, including speed and hill runs, although on the iciest week of the year with my running track covered in snow, this meant finding some Rocky style alternatives (no chickens). However the ankle injury returns with a vengeance 1 mile into a 7mile run. What did I do? Of course I carried on, like a fool.  Weekly total: 20 miles. Fat ankles: 1.

Week 8 of 16 (w/c 22 Feb)

Hmm. Feeling very sorry for myself. 4 trips to the gym for cross training (cycling -  which just isn’t the same). Weekly total: 0 miles.

Week 9 of 16 (w/c 1 March)

I find a new physio who I think is great. This week involves more cycling, some ultrasound, standing on a very hard ball, and picking up marbles. Acupuncture next (I’ll try anything to get better). 7 jumps (obviously it isn’t that sore). Weekly total: 0 miles.

Week 10 of 16 (w/c 8 March)

1mile, then 2, then 3, 4, 4 and 4 (most in the pouring rain…). I’m back! Feeling very tentative, and stiff, but no ankle pain. Weekly total: 18 miles.

Week 11 of 16 (w/c 15 March)

Feeling confident and manage a 10 miler (my brother is at 19). I make it, but struggle to do 3 miles a few days later. A day off to start the skydiving season, and do my 401^st jump. Missed out on a place in the NYC half marathon, so ran 15.5miles in the opposite direction so I could watch part of the race.  Weekly total: 35.5 miles.

Week 12 of 16 (w/c 22 March)

Hmm. Ankle starts to throb again. This is so frustrating. More acupuncture, which helps, but I have to return after 1.5 miles as it is sore. Wait a few days and manage some slow runs followed by a whopper 18.33 on Sunday – some limping and more whimpering, but I did it! Paula Radcliffe no doubt is shaking in her boots. Weekly total: 28 miles.

Week 13 of 16 (w/c 29 March)

Nice start to the week with a fast 7.6miles. However I prove later in the week that pizza, beer and wine is not very good pre-run nutrition and I struggle to do 2.5 miles. But this week it is all about the big one – despite my I-pod wire breaking at mile 1, I manage 21 miles. Oh yes. I'm now broken but delighted. Bring on the taper… Weekly total: 31 miles.

Thanks to Luke (£100) and Mum & Dad (£200) for the offline donation. oxo.

Week 14 of 16 (w/c 5 April)

Ran 2 days after the 21 miler and pulled a groin muscle. At this rate I’m going to tackle this race in 3 or 4 stages, with a nice rest, or holiday in between each one. More acupuncture. Which, given the location of the injury, was awkward! Weekly total: a pathetic 12 miles.

Week 15 of 16 (w/c 12 April)

Started the week with the run I should have done last week: 13 miles in 1hr 57 - very chuffed. For once I was totally hydrated before the run – makes such a difference. Followed by a few race pace runs and a lot of fretting about this stupid volcano… Weekly total: 27 miles (a little high).

Week 16 of 16 (w/c 19 April)

19 April - Argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just as Heathrow announces it is opening, my flight is cancelled. I’m gutted. My Mojo is completely gone.

20 April - Start thinking about whether I would run the distance around instead… Who would hand out all the water? What about the toilets…? I desperately search flights to , , - basically anywhere I can travel overland from. I even try to get on the Credit Suisse 18-seater plane than has been chartered to get employees home…

21 April – 0450 hours – a friend who is a travel agent spots and holds a flight. I’m very happy to be woken up to this news. We are back in the room – travelling on 22 April! Time to pack….

24 Apr - Continuous fretting about minor twinges keeps me busy. As does writing my name on my vest. Think I might have carbo loaded a bit too much - people are wondering whether they should offer me their seat on the tube. 

My number is 48649 - you can track me by buying a satellite or texting 'RUN' to 83040 (poss UK only) or via Facebook, should you have not much on...