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Unbelievable as it seems, I will be attempting to run the Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday October 18th 2009. Training has been going fairly well but unfortunately various injuries (not surprising really) have put paid to my hopes of beating the 3 hour mark! (Hahahahaha). Seriously though, a genuine target for me would be to beat 5 hours. I started my training on a cold January night this year, snow and ice on the pavements and not having even run a mile since my school days (25 years ago!). I have gradually added to this and on Friday 28th Aug managed 13 miles in just under 2 hours 20 mins. With a bit of luck and a lot of effort, I'm hoping to beat my target.

The reason for attempting this feat is twofold. Over the last few years I have been happy to go along, have some beers (quite a few sometimes, sorry Al) and cheer my friends and family on who (foolishly in my opinion) had decided to run 26 miles, not always for charity either. I had been asked many times if I was going to have a go but my answer was always the same... "no way, do you think I'm nuts?".  Well last November, about 20 of my mates and their other halves battled their way round the New York City Marathon, raising thousands of pounds for Great Ormond Street. Once again I was a happy spectator although something inside me had clicked. I'd also watched the London Marathon in April last year for about the 5th time. Anyway, back at the ranch (the pub we met all the runners in after the race) I boldly declared that I was going to do it next year (this year). There was lots of back slapping and encouragement from everyone but I'm sure most people thought it must have been the beer talking (I was slightly over refreshed once again). However, when I woke up the next day, I was still determined to have a crack and I stated that once I've said I'll do it, I'm a gonna do it! I decided to try Amsterdam as it's a lot closer and cheaper for people to come over and cheer us on. Oh yeah, it's also a lot flatter! So here I am today, just a few weeks away.

So, apart from wanting to do one instead of watch, the other reason for doing it is to raise some money for charity instead of taking the easy option of coughing up. My just giving account tells the story of £1600 donated over the years and £0 raised. My chosen charity is the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. There is a good reason for this. 16 years ago, my lovely wife Alison's sister Hazel finally succumbed to CF after many years of suffering. I never got to meet her unfortunately but knowing her mum and her sister so well, I'm sure she was another fantastic person.

So troops, please dig deep and sponsor this once in a lifetime event for me. I won't be back next year asking for more money because I don't intend to do another Marathon EVER. I suppose you never know though.

Cheers all,

Nicky Boy (FN).

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