The London Marathon

Yesterday, I completed the London Marathon. I'm just going to leave that sentence hanging there for a moment as it's something I never thought I'd say.

The day started with a 5:30 alarm call after just a couple of hours sleep - over-excitement (or nerves) saw to that, but I managed to haul myself onto a train from my uncle's base in Surrey and make it to the start area in good time. The first thing that was clear was that one of the weather forecasts was right and all the others were wrong - the one that said it would start sunny and stay sunny all day! Thankfully one of my fello rhino runners had sunscreen, and I loaded myself up with my carb gels in the belt, and had everything I needed to get started, despite being described by a fellow runner as looking like a suicide bomber ...

Lining up at the start was quite an experience - I was right at the back with many of the more comic outfits - the fourteen foot nurse, the rhinos in full kit and the Spana donkeys to name a few. The most elaborate and difficult costumes drew standing ovations from the crowds as they funnelled in to the back. And once we were of ... well, nothing. Several minutes of slow walking to the front - the familiar sight they show on TV every year of the crowd funnelling to the park gates with openings in the brick wall, this year was no different, except it had me in it.

I crossed the start line at 10:08 so made the mental note to take 23 minutes off split times each time I saw a clock, and cursing myself for not crossing with more of a round number to calculate! Running again with fellow rhino runner Becki who kept me company at Silverstone, I was pleased that the first mile or two was unlike my usual long runs, inasmuch as I didn't have the usual discomfort or worrying about pace/stitch, I seemed to settle in just fine. I knew I was slow but obviously didn't care at this point.

Right from the start, crowds cheer you on, and there wasn't a single "Come on, Neil" for the full 26 miles that didn't sound genuine, or make me smile, even if later on it would seem like a grimace! Or more general shouts of "Save the Rhino" were just as well appreciated. Kids lined up on the kerbs, holding out hands for a high-five (or more accurately a low-five) - the highlight was a very cute little black kid who let out an "Ehhh" just after I tapped his palm that sounded more like the Fonz than a little London 6 year old!

Always there were landmarks to look out for, with apologies in advance for geographical inaccuracies ... Obviously first of all was every mile-marker and 5-km marker, but more specific ones inclueded the joining with the green/blue starts at 3 miles (a little anti-climax since most runners had passed - the blue start takes much less time than 23 minutes to funnel out to the start as I found out today rewatching the coverage).

Cutty Sark was at six miles, where still high on the buzz of the occasion I made a complete idiot of myself. Seeing Matt Baker, former Blue Peter presenter and now part of BBC Sport, at roadside with a microphone scanning for potential interviewees, I shouted something along the lines of "Ooh, famous person who used to be on Blue Peter" at him as I went past. His fixed smile was a picture, and if there were security marshalls there I would probably have been carted off! Any other time I would never have said that, or would have been horribly embarrassed, but somehow this time it didn't really matter.

Further landmarks included meeting other people - Becki's father was expected somewhere between 7 and 8 miles to hand out jellybeans, check. My family were cheering at the first time in Bermondsey, either between 10 and 11 or 11 and 12 miles (was only my memory which meant I couldn't remember, not my family's indecision), and so that gave me a focus for those two miles. Crowds throughout were amazing, something which I will probably repeat, but they particularly picked up round here, and true enough I saw my parents, aunt and wife in the crowd, finding time to run to the side of the road and plant a big kiss on my rather embarrassed wife and disappointed mother (sorry, only time for one!)

Other constants were the other runners, particularly those easy to spot. Throughout, a batman runner continually overtook me, with great cheers from the crowds. He would then fall back as he continually ran faster than me but then walked. But every time you were near a popular costume the crowds would be that much louder. At ten miles, a case of deja-vu as the six-man sausage dog from Hearing Dogs split between Becki and myself and overtook us. Why deja-vu? They did exactly that at Silverstone and can be seen in my photos on the finish line!

Soon after this was the biggest cheer of the day, up at the twelve mile marker, the crowds were cheering manically. Peter and Katie, aka Jordan and the bloke from I'm a Celebrity, judging by the crowd's banners, definitely the most popular competitors of the day, were running. I resisted the temptation to do a Matt Baker, and subtly ran on past them. It felt odd being a bit smug at overtaking Jordan and Peter but it was definitely one to remember.

Twelve and a bit miles and the landmark of Tower Bridge. At this point Becki mentioned to me that at thirteen miles she would have to walk for a bit. We'd agreed that if one of us had to walk then the other would carry on, as we don't want to hold each other up, so as we continued past Tower Bridge and the halfway stage, Becki and I parted. My spirits were high but aspirations realistic, I knew there was always a chance I would be walking sooner or later and she would catch up. Despite my enjoyment of the race and the highs from the occasion, there was no escaping the fact that the day was hot.

I think from about 14 to 16 miles the race got difficult. As the route winded away from the crowds through some of the smaller back streets, it was difficult to pick your way through the crowd of runners. Quite a few people were walking by now. I thought I was relatively strong, but was having to do quite a bit of weaving from left to right to get past walkers, cursing them inwardly as I did so. But I was becoming more drained myself, and as I emerged from the tunnel between 15 and 16 miles and reached the 16 mile marker, I started to walk, becoming one of the workers that I was previously cursing.

I tried not to beat myself up about it. My first goal was to run the whole way, but I always knew 26 miles was a long way that might need me to walk some of it - let's face it, I'm an unfit 36 year old doing my first exercise. While the roads and running were difficult I told myself I'd be in with a better chance of running the latter stages if I walked here. A lot of the runners were at this point. I've blogged before about how difficult I find it to start running again once I start to walk, so I did try a stint of running soon afterwards, but only for half a mile or so.

At 19 miles I saw my family again, and also our best friends who had made the journey up to London to watch. On seeing them I broke into a run (it seems I might have got away with it!) and was spurred on for another short stint. I did feel quite low at this point - I had no aches, strains or injuries, just the feeling that 26.2 miles was a bit beyond me. The flippant part of me was wondering how I'd write up my blog, should I change it to "Walking for Rhinos"? At one point I was overtaken by a man with an ironing board on his back. He then stopped ahead of me at a particularly eager gallery, put said ironing board on the floor, set it up and proceded to to some ironing ... Extreme Ironing I believe!

But the crowds by this point had changed. Through 17-18 miles or so they were small, and didn't offer so much encouragement apart from sympathy to those of us walking. But at 20 miles and beyond, they were so vocal, however difficult we were finding it. I'd determined to run the last 5 milesand as I passed the 21 mile mark, a quick calculation told me that if I could do 12 minute miles for the last 5 miles, I could still land a time better than 5:40, which would not be too bad at all for a first marathon of a non-exerciser on a very hot day.

Now as I started to run again I felt like an absolute superhero. The crowds spotted me as the runner among a sea of walkers, and I heard my name shouted again and again. They loved me! Or in my mind, they did. I was going to finish strong, and was feeling better about myself, and the day. Yes, I walked one more time as we approached the final underpass (between miles 23 and 24 I think). I chatted to a Superman who was worried he'd hit some Kryptonite (a pre-preapared gag I'm sure) but was desperate to finish well. Other guys too chatted as we walked and all gave each other great encouragement. One woman as we emerged from the tunnel told me off for being distracted by belly dancers on the pavement by the Thames (which I was), but when I tried to encourage her to run with me for the final couple of miles she didn't have the strength. I hope she finished OK. I had also been a bit disenhartened by a dismemberd Spongebob and concerned-looking Squidward at the entrance to the underpass, but hoped they were just answering a call of nature and nothing more.

The last couple of miles were lovely, just as you imagine while watching. As I ran, I picked my way through the stragglers who were walking (yes, I was a fraud because I'd already done my walking), and took the cheers of the crowd. The crowds were huge here, and I fully admit few were cheering at me, but at the emerging Spongebob Squarepants and friend from the tunnel, but I didn't mind that, as I was able to steal a bit of their crowd love to lift me for the last couple of miles. I passed my Superman friend again who really had ground to a halt, so close to the end. I tried to encourage him and I hope he finished, but I had my own battle to win now. Big Ben, Birdcage Walk, Horseguards parade, all safely negotiated, and I crossed the line with the clock saying 6:02 (which was of course readjusted down 23 minutes to 5:39).

I found myself thinking that I hoped my family had made it to the last mile to cheer me on, as the crowds here were phenomenal. I looked occasionally but had head down in an effort to make it to the end. It turned out they were there after all at the 800yard mark, but I didn't see them. But I'd been delighted to see them twice during the day.

I wish I'd run more and not walked, but my first goal was to run the whole thing, and if I couldn't do that, my secondary goal was to finish, enjoy the day, and complete with walking if I had to. My secondray goal was therefore achieved. Maybe my first goal will be achieved next year? That remains to be seen! I felt down, like I'd failed somewhat while I was walking at 16 miles, but my spirits were so much higher on finishing and I do still really feel proud of what I'd done. So much so that several hours of today, Monday morning, had been spent replying to good luck and congratulatory messages. I do feel like I really have done something quite amazing this weekend.

Goodbye Bicester, Hello London

Last night I ran my last run before the marathon. Half an hour steady - I don't even remember it, other than the fact I don't have any routes that take exactly half an hour, so I just ran 15 minutes round the ring road, turned round and ran back again. To my mild delight, it took exactly 15 minutes to run back as well, perhaps I'm finally getting the knack of pacing myself ...

Of course all my thoughts were consumed with London on Sunday. I've even banished Shania Twain from being the annoying song that pops into my head when running, this time it was the BBC's London Marathon theme tune resounding in my mind as I trundled the Bicester streets for the last time.

I might run again after the marathon, I might not - I have no idea what is going to happen in my life from Monday onwards. I still don't enjoy these runs, but I am enjoying the encouragement, the cameraderie, and the fact that so many people are following my efforts with genuine enthusiasm and respect for what I've done. I am weighed down with tips and advice from fellow runners, all of it very much appreciated. I am exactly the type of person who needs them - everything is brand new to me.

I do feel like a fish out of water - even going to a sports shop in Leamington Spa yesterday to pick up 8 more carb gels, I just don't feel like I belong in a sports shop, and look lost once I open the door. The assistant apologised that they were running low, that so many people were running the Stratford half marathon this weekend. I tried to feel smug when I replied "Actually, I'm running London" but I don't know if that feeling is there yet.

This afternoon I'm getting on the train to London to go to the Expo event, chiefly to pick up my number and chip for my shoe. There will be thousands of runners and dozens of running-related stalls. I'm really hoping to feel part of it, rather than out of place - and hoping that this is when it will hit home what I'm going to do.

In my mind I'm still the fat kid who finished 96th out of 96 in compulsory cross-country at school 24 years ago. On Sunday we'll say goodbye to that kid for good.*


It's been eight and half months in training. Eight and a half months ago I had a training plan that involved running for two minutes on and two minutes off. I couldn't run for two minutes, so I started at one. Those one minute sessions on the treadmill killed me more than a lazy seven mile run twice round the block does now. So even if Sunday ends in disappointment my journey has been incredible, though I say so myself.



108 blog posts, which have been at roughly one post per run, suggest that I have done over a hundred training runs, not to mention one half-marathon for this. The temptation to add up my total number of runs, miles and minutes is there, but maybe another time. Easier just to think I now have just 26.2 miles, 5 and a bit hours, and one run to go. Somebody is looking down on me, as I have had nothing more than a bit of mild tendonitis and sore nipples to show for it - no blisters, strains, twists, aches, tears or injuries at all. Perhaps it's the fact that I have looked after my body for 36 years by not subjecting it to any exercise? Up to me now to take advantage of that luck, get myself to the start line, and then tell you all about my triumph on Monday!

To all of you that have been reading - thank you!
Neil

*(OK, he'll be replaced by a stocky middle-aged guy finishing 40000th out of 40000 and a bit, but let's not spoil my moment and worry about that!)

Five days to go - thoughts on the journey so far

Let's start with today's run first. Threshold running - my last one, and I'm glad not to have to do that again. When I say that, I am implying I have no intention of running after the London Marathon ... well, that may or may not be true, but the simple fact is that most of my training, indeed my recent life, has been mapped up to April 26th 2009 and not beyond!

A warm-up run, followed by five two minute stints with one minute rests was my mission, and it was just about completed. The stints were all over the place as I'm a rubbish judge of time and it was too dark to see my watch (this run took place from 9pm - 9:30pm) but I was at least able to approximate my mission, and the threshold run was done.

As with many fellow runners, my mind is now on Sunday pretty much all of the time. I started the week quite down and apprehensive - the marathon seems so daunting, and I find it hard to see myself as a "runner". But there is a good community of support among all of us runners who twitter, blog and otherwise interact online, all with different backgrounds, stories and challenges - the majority are genuinely optimistic and excited and it's starting to rub off on me. Or at least I think it is ...

For a start, there is a certain tune for inspiration - http://tinyurl.com/dj2rt3

And the idea, from those who know, that it will be the most amazing day - the crowds really will lift us, the atmosphere really will be incredible, and the accomplishment really will be the best thing we've ever done.

And finally, a huge thank you - a fantastic 24 hours or so of fundraising has seen me smash through my £1000 target for Save the Rhino. It's a huge weight off my mind and a real incentive to focus solely on the big day now. Though the fundraising must continue, and I urge anyone still yet to sponsor me who would like to to go to my justgiving page at http://www.justgiving.com/neilrichards1

My most recent and generous sponsors have followed this blog from the start, encouraged me since the days I could barely run, and described me as an inspiration. That backing has really given me the final belief I need to complete the course on Sunday before. I've never been described as an inspiration before, and if I have been, it's more likely to have been of an academic nature. If I've ever been an inspiration in a competitive way, it's likely to have involved no more physical exertion than shuffling pieces around a chessboard. To be an inspiration for a physical feat - well, that's a first for me and something I'm proud of. I suspect, and hope, that I fall into the category of "If I can do it, anyone can do it". And, I can.

One more week

A one hour run today at relaxed steady pace. The more I taper the more sluggish I feel and the more I think too much about next week's marathon.

Today was a hot sunny day so I set off at five o'clock - even at 5pm it felt hot and a bit uncomfortable - to be honest for two or three miles I really didn't enjoy this run. I was never going to pull up and walk, but I really still don't feel like a runner, more like an ordinary guy who is unnaturally trying to run.

But the last couple of miles were in the shade and they were fine. Just as I was expecting to struggle on and blog how much I didn't enjoy it, it all felt a little easier. It turns out that I covered about 5.3 miles and I actually completed it in about 57 minutes. At a smidgen quicker than eleven minute mile pace I've gone a little faster than I could have done, so am quite happy with that.

I have to remember that the first mile or two is always tricky - though next week at the marathon I doubt I will even notice. In the meantime I am stashing up on vitamin C and hay fever medication and hoping to get through the week in one piece ...

Eight days to go

Training continues - long runs are shorter but intermediate sessions continue. Thursday (which I forgot to blog about ...) was scheduled to be one hour, but a long day and heavy rain meant I postponed my run to late night on the treadmill on a small incline.

Everything still feels fine, even though I can't imagine where the twenty-six miles is going to come from. I ran for what seems like the longest 40 minutes of my life, and called it a day there - the paranoia and difficult motivation (and lateness in the day) meant that was more than enough.

And on to today - threshold runs of 5 minutes repeated 4 times, successfully negotiated. These days there's less to talk about in the runs themselves and more about my thoughts on the marathon itself. But I'll keep it short and simple - I'm terrified and just want to get on with it now!

Back to the hills

... or, more accurately, the Launton railway bridge. The tapering may be in full swing but the hills, threshold and pace training continues. Today, twelve repetitions of the same hill I ran up and down ten times on Friday. Twenty-two repetetions of the same hill within just a few days, exciting stuff!

Not the most dramatic of runs to post about - my only battle was with the now constant stream of pasta, having planned to run when I got home I polished off some pasta at work at 5pm, and then on changing my plans back home, it was pasta for tea at 6:30. So I battled stitch, and apathy, as I ran on into the dark up and down the same stupid hill ...

But mission accomplished. Motivation is a little difficult as the marathon looms so close, and my only focus is on getting first to the start line in one piece and then over the finish line a few hours later. As I finished my sixth repetition, I really did wonder what the point of another six was, in the grand scheme of things. But training schedules are devised for a reason and I owe it to myself to put myself through mental challenges as well as physical ones, so I continued to go through all twelve scintillating repetitions.

I am lucky to have made it so far unscathed, as the most supportive of friends in the online community are facing their own injuries and challenges, some insurmountable, whereas I, the complete novice, am so far heading for that start line to schedule. Just eleven days now ...

Grumpy

Today was a further two hour run in the morning - testing my stamina somewhat after a long run yesterday late afternoon. At the weekend I realised I only had one pair of proper running shorts - not a problem through the winter as I had often run in a tracksuit, but it seemed worth buying some proper professional ones. So I had my brand new lightweight shorts with blue flash to match my blue Save the Rhino shirt I'll way on the day ... and kitted myself with my bat-utility belt to hold my energy gels.

Luckily I seemed to be over my back problems - I'd had a bit of an upset stomach overnight but nothing worth calling the Doc about, and I'd had the foresight to take my hayfever medication to stop me feeling too sneezy, so off I went.

I was feeling sleepy from waking up at 7:30 in preparation, and within a few steps realised it wasn't yet shorts weather. Added to that my new shorts were riding right up and seemed a lot shorter than I would like - I was a bit too bashful for all that. Also there were no pockets, no good for carrying handkerchief, gels or anything else. The first of my gels went flying out of my belt on to the floor within seconds.

Not a great start, and I turned round and ran back home again, being delayed by a well-meaning chatty neighbour. I ditched the new shorts, ditched the belt, opted instead for a tracksuit where I could easily transport my gels. It does leave the question of what to do on the day though ...

Feeling a bit fed up and dopey about my false start, I set off again. My plan was to run for an hour, turn round and run back again. I needed to run at easier than marathon pace, but my marathon pace is so slow it's hard to do that! At least I wanted to hit even pace for the first half and second half.

Worst of all, a shocker of a tune stuck in my head - the last thing I heard was the theme tune to "Homes under the Hammer" as I set off. I only know a couple of seconds worth of the "tune" but it went round and round in my head for a good 3-4 miles. I tried to think positive thoughts, banish it from my mind, but it was overtaken by an old foe. Shania Twain was back, with *that* song, back in my head. And she stayed there. I didn't have the will to fight her back ...

After an hour, I hit a recognisable junction, turned round and came home. The sun came out for the second half, and it was difficult, but I had to remind myself I had run seven miles last night and was out again now the next morning. 62 minutes home which is pretty even pace, especially as a good 30 seconds or so were spent waiting to cross the Buckingham Road.

Despite my initial grumpy mood, ultimately I'm happy that this latest (and last) long run is now done. It turns out I ran 10.3 miles today, which is at or a little slower than marathon pace, as planned. It still seems like the 26.2 miles I have to do two weeks from now will dwarf all my efforts up to now in comparison ...

Back on the road

One thing I didn't mention in my Friday blog entry was what happened next ... while cleaning the bath later that morning I hurt my back! Not agony, but enough pain that I couldn't physically stand up straight. This happened to me once before, a year or two ago, and took a week or so (if not more) before everything was back OK again.

This weekend's plan, originally for Saturday and Sunday, was to run two consecutive 2 hour runs. Straight away this was postponed to Sunday and Monday, but all depended on my back.

Saturday it was still giving me a little bit of trouble, but come Sunday (Easter Sunday) all seemed just about OK. I stocked up on painkillers morning and afternoon just in case, and after checking in with my trainer, decided on a 75 minute run today instead, hoping my back would hold and not relapse into pain.

I decided on two of the 3.5 mile laps round the ring road and Launton road, planning to total 7 miles. As it happens, there were no repercussions on my back at all, and the run passed without incident. I tried to keep to even pace, but ended up doing the laps in 38 and 40 minutes respectively, so doing the full run in approximate 11 minute mile pace. The only thing I had to fight was apathy, as I really felt like stopping after the first lap, but there was no physical reason for me to do that.

But the second lap felt easier than the first and this hurdle was successfully negotiated. As we start the taper, I notice a lot of fellow London runners are getting to the similar stage, nursing niggles and really now just waiting for the main day. And indeed, just two weeks from now, it will all be over. Gulp!

Hills and etiquette

Today started off a nice day after a brisk shower, so, like worms and snails, I and most of the joggers in Bicester were all tempted out once the rain stopped. I've never yet figured out the etiquette of how or whether to greet follow runners. I seem to have come up with a theory:

Women running with men - if I greet them with a cheerful "good morning", there will always be a cheerful response from the woman and a blank from the man. I don't know why, but this is always true. Try it!

Men running on their own - the man will always either greet you in an exaggerated fashion, a loud "good morning" emphasising that they are not at all out of breath. Or they will look so far down their nose at me as they go past at a comparative sprint, that it's not worth their effort to even talk to me.

Women on their own - a tricky one. In short, I always do the wrong thing. If I greet them, I will always be ignored, the women are there to run, not to chat or attract attention. My greetings then just look like a sweaty lecherous attempt to chat them up. If I ignore women runners, they will always say hello to me, and I feel bad for my unapproachability ...

Women in groups - they always ignore me too, safety in numbers I guess when they have company already!

Enough etiquette observations, my run this morning was fine - a ten minute warm-up followed by ten reps of the hill, hard running up and easy jogging down. Mission once again accomplished, though I was particularly sweaty when I finished so obviously worked hard.

100th post

Well, at pretty much one blog post per training run, that's a lot of training!

Actually as I write on Thursday, this blog is to cover yesterday's run. And tonight's run ... well I'm going to do that tomorrow morning. As will be evident from my write-up, and the fact I'm postponing tonight's run too, I'm very busy and mentally exhausted this week; the joys of working, studying, commuting and training all at once. A shame post number 100 can't be a bit more triumphant, but I'll save the triumph for two and a bit weeks time ...

Anyway yesterday's mission was to run 30 minutes, then do 5 threshhold runs (4 minutes on, 2 mintes rest), with a 15 minute run home. I got my assigned run in, but I did cut a few corners. My initial run was about 24 minutes, my threshhold runs were about 3.5 minutes, and there were four of them, and then my jog home was a 2 minute walk!

Tapering I might be, but there's a lot of running to get through this long weekend ...

The Tapir

The tapir* is a large mammal with five separate subspecies, including Brazilian and Malayan. They have a long fleshy proboscis, not unlike an elephant in that regard, with four toes on the front feet and three on the hind feet.

Like rhinoceroses, they are therefore odd-toed ungulates: browsing and grazing mammals. Fossil records suggest that tapirs and rhinoceroses share a common ancestor, and they are therefore the closest modern relations to the rhinoceros, both being from the family Ceratomorpha.

And so it is with delight that, three weeks to marathon day, it is officially time for the tapir:

*Not to be confused with the "taper" which is the time, three weeks before marathon day, where training and distances start to east, tailing off for the big day. With that in mind, I ran 15 minutes today, at very easy pace. Luckily, no aches, pains, sorenesses, except the nipples(!), or grievances at all following Sunday's run. Bring it on!

(thanks to the Tapir Specialist Group http://www.tapirs.org/ for photos)

Longest run

Today was the day of the longest pre-marathon training run. My mission, run for 3 and a half hours. To cut a long story short, that's what I did, the actual distance run was bang on 17.5 miles. After so much time running this morning, time reflecting as the miles passed, you'd think I'd have lots to say. Plenty happened that I thought I would put on the blog entry tonight, but now it seems a distant memory.

One thing I do know is I went newly kitted with various accessories thanks to a Saturday afternoon jaunt to the running shop. I had a giant 1 litre water bottle, eight sachets of energy gels, some kind of bat utility belt to hold aforementioned gels, and some brand new poncey running socks, all new.

The energy gels are supposed to give me a boost of energy (obviously) and be taken every 25 minutes or so. Long running is all about mental challenges too and turning negatives into positives. So as I ran round the ring road my first sachet fell onto the ground behind me. The positive - I was 25 minutes into my run, perfect timing even if I did have to stop abruptly in my tracks! Struggled a little with the gels, fairly vile things but just about palatable, and though I did keep taking them all the way through I don't know if more ended up on my hands and face as all did seem very sticky by the end.

I won't bore you with every mile and every village - the summary would just be that I tried to run steady even pace and really felt that I was struggling a litte. Today was hard work from the start. I feel so slow, and though I don't try to, I feel I can't speed up. So it just starts slow, and goes slower. My pace and final marathon time isn't really important to me, except that if I run for 5hrs 30 instead of 5hrs, the thought of running an extra half an hour fills me with dread! Today I ran 3.5 hours and couldn't have managed another step, it would be nice to think I at least ran 70% of the way but 17.5 out of 26.2 miles suggests otherwise.

I'll miss out the bit about the religious parade with 25 religious nutters, a crucifix and a morris dancer. I'll miss out being nearly run off the road by a tractor, and I'll miss out the bit about being convinced I'd seen a dead horse. None of them fascinating stories, but the only three incidents of note.

Back to the positives - the longest run I have ever done by some distance, successfully negotiated. Body nursed back in one piece, no aches and pains apart from the inevitable stiffness, unless you count an incredibly sore and bloodied left nipple. I guess we all suffer for our art! Another positive is that I am over 80% of my fundraising total which is the best incentive there is. A big thank you to those who are reading who have also contributed. If you haven't, and are thinking about it, wanting to motivate me to go the full distance, allow me a weary plug ... http://www.justgiving.com/neilrichards1

Last training before Sunday's long run

Excuse the expression but I think I've just done a Fartlek. Today's mission was to warm up jog for 10 minutes, then run at pace (approx 80% maximum heart rate, i.e. hard but not flat out) for 4 minutes, then recover for 2 - repeating for 4 repetitions.

This was hard work - apologies to anyone who saw me pegging up and down the cycle path on the Bicester ring road wondering what on earth was going well. But, thinking about it, it was the fastest I have run in possibly 20 years or more, at least for a sustained period of as little as four minutes.

But I more or less stuck to my brief. I think the stretch I had marked out for this was actually about three and a half minutes, so I tried to compensate by resting for just one and half. But it got tough - after the third leg I allowed myself the full two minutes rest, and the fourth rep took closer to four minutes as I didn't maintain the pace of the first three.

But mission more or less accomplished - when I have done my long run on Sunday I will have done five sessions this week, my busiest week ever. I'm working for this, and so far feeling good. The fundraising is going well but still has a bit to go (http://www.justgiving.com/neilrichards1) but every donation makes me feel good too.

Three and a half hours on Sunday ... !

What really happened ...

OK so people have noticed that my last post was on April 1st before 12 noon. Make up your own minds! But read between the lines and see my optimism is back - I'm enjoying running and training at the moment, if that's the right word, and I think that running in the light at 6pm is helping that feeling.

So my brief today was to do some hill running, so I chose the incline up to the railway bridge going into Launton, just a minute or two from my home.

My brief was:
- Find a hill that takes about 1 min to ascend.
- Warm up by jogging to it for ten mins.
- On each rep of the hill run at a strong pace (not sprinting) turn straight round and jog slowly to the bottom then run straight back up.
- Do 6 reps

And here's what I actually did ...
- Found a hill that takes about 1 min to ascend.
- Warmed up by jogging to it for ten mins (five minutes along the cycle track and back)
- On each rep of the hill ran at a strong pace (not sprinting) turned straight round and jogged slowly to the bottom then ran straight back up.
- Did 6 reps or possibly 7 as I lost count at one point

It feels great that I am in good enough shape to do this kind of thing - it seemed daunting, even the ten minute warm up was tricky but it did seem to loosen up the legs which were aching still at the start.

And then as I faced the hill I thought there was no way I could run hard up six times without stopping. But I kind of forget, I'm a runner now. I can do 15 miles or almost 3 hours, the hill should have no fear in an exercise that's only going to take 20 minutes or so. And indeed it didn't. I can't deny I'm looking forward to a night off running tomorrow, but all is going well this week. Especially considering I ran a cheeky marathon this morning ;-)

April 1st - first full marathon

Feeling pretty confident about my training recently so I decided to take a day off and go for as long a run as possible. Running round the villages is one thing but I wanted to get more empathy with the distance I'm going to have to run on the day. Checking my local route maps I realised I could get to the outskirts of Banbury in half marathon distance, so the germ of a thought hit me, could I do a practice marathon for the big day?

I was up at the crack of dawn and before I had a chance to talk myself out of it I was breakfasted and kitted up, complete with water and energy gels. My route would take me the full length of the B4100 through Aynho to Adderbury, and back, crossing the country boundary twice. I made my mind up that if it was too much at the halfway stage I would continue through Adderbury to Banbury proper, curtailing the run at about 16 miles, and take the train back to Bicester.

I actually began the run at 6am, so as to complete in the morning, and avoid the rush hour traffic around the A43 junction at the busiest time. It seems I made the right choice as those first 5 miles or so were run in almost complete silence. No trouble from my aching legs, I felt good about my choice. Briefly into Northamptonshire, I had crossed my first ever county boundary while running, though at some unmarked point the road becomes Oxfordshire again.

I have to say the whole run up to Adderbury felt really good - no annoying songs in my head either which is always a bonus! I reached my turnaround point at pretty much bang on two hours, a lot faster than Silverstone, and decided at that point that I would have enough left in the tank to turn round and come home for the full marathon distance. I was well into my stash of energy gels at this point but they seemed to be doing the trick and I still had plenty left (and more to the point, no ill effects!)

I thought coming home would be a killer, but in reality it was more downhill than up (the outward leg had clearly been slightly uphill but I hadn't really noticed it). I slowed down somewhat, which was inevitable, but wanted to avoid the much bigger slowdown I had suffered on Sunday. The best thing about this was that when I really started to get tired at about mile 24, I knew I was just running home, to a triumphant blog and a bath that could last afternoon. Final time was an amazing (for me) 4 hrs 35 minutes, pretty much bang on ten minute mile pace.

I made it home, checked my route, and in fact I have done 26.8 milles this morning, my first full marathon. I'm buzzing now - April 1st, can you believe it? ;-)