Quiz answers

(1) Blankety Blank - 23nd Feb Nipple

(2) Sierra Oscar Sierra - 25th Feb Rocky IV


So it's on with the NipGuards for the long runs now. Highly recommended, they come in packs of 10 pairs (sorry Scaramanger) and if anyone wants to try them out, let me know!

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A dog ate my trainers!

Okay, so the 21½mi run didn't go quite as planned. So which of the following best describes what happened?

(a) A dog ate my trainers;

(b) I was abducted by aliens. They were going to demand a large ransom, but I told them a few jokes and they released me immediately;

(c) I arrived at the tube station to find it was shut. When I eventually got to Hyde Park, the toilets were locked. Uncomfortably, I set off on my run and availed myself of some more accessible facilities after about 4 miles. Sadly, my tense running style over those first few miles took its toll and I ground to a halt after about 17 miles.

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The Wall

After three short runs totalling 17 miles, I'm finishing the week off tomorrow with a 21½mi run.

Now there's only so far you can go before the glycogen stores in your muscles run out. Then the body tries to burn fat and this doesn't work so well. This change happens somewhere around the 18 mile mark. Pain follows and it's called 'hitting the wall'.

The way to avoid the wall is to take on extra energy just before and during the long runs. Lucozade Sport is provided roughly every five miles of the marathon and it's a good idea to practice drinking it on training runs. Jelly beans are another good suggestion, but in training for 2002 I found that I couldn't eat them and breathe at the same time. Not good! It's really important to do any experimenting in training rather than on race day.

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Ask Uncle Chris - February postbag

Another full bag this month, and I must say a big thank you to all the support I have received in the wake of the Ofblog report (Strike One - 2nd Feb). As usual, here are some of the highlights:

Q Your second child is due only a few days after the race. What happens if the baby arrives early? Will you run? If not, will we get our sponsorship money back?
A Well, Tiger and I discussed this at great length (Tiger Woods that is, not my wife, although obviously I discussed it with her too) and as a result Tiger has decided to miss the Open if it clashes with the birth of his child. Likewise, I will not run the marathon if it clashes with the birth of our child, and all sponsorship money will be refunded by me (not Breakthrough).

Q Can we have a photo on the blog of your feet please?
A Definitely not!! My feet are a little off colour and out of shape at the moment, no longer the prettiest things in the world! But rest assured, life doesn't grind to a halt every time I break a nail!

Q Uncle Chris, how much weight have you lost since you started training?
A Hahaha! I've actually GAINED 2.3kg (5 pounds in old money), but I'm still lighter than when I ran in 2002.

Q How much does it cost to enter the marathon?
A If you get a place through the ballot, it costs about £30, but if you enter with a 'Golden Bond' charity place, it costs the charity about £300.

On top of that, if you follow a fairly light to moderate training schedule like mine, then you'll end up running about 500 miles over 16 weeks. This works out at an average of two extra days of food per week and one pair of trainers - roughly £200.

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