Not quite as planned!

With my emergency training schedule complete, I was all set for a run of around 3hrs 20mins, which would have been a little bit quicker than 2002.

But on Friday, I felt like I was getting ill. By Saturday night my arms and legs were aching and I was shivering. It was a painful choice, but I decided that if I didn't feel any better in the morning I wasn't going to run. Running a marathon isn't easy, running a temperature isn't easy. Running them both is stupid!

On Sunday morning I did feel a bit better and decided that I was going to get to the finish, no matter how long it took. I left home to get to the start 45mins before the race began. Unfortunately there were heavy delays due to a broken down train. Eventually we were turfed off our train leaving us with a 2mile walk to the start. Well, the marathon just isn't long enough on it's own!

Arriving late at the start, we had to join the back of the queue behind the slowest of the slow. I did try and weave my way through but it was impossible to run with any speed or rhythm - not much fun really. This proved to be no bad thing though as I was feeling pretty ropey by about 23miles (I think the paracetamol had worn off) and I decided that, although my legs were still working, given the heat and my state of health, I would run/walk the rest, eventually crossing the line just inside 4hrs 15mins.

So it wasn't much fun as a run, but then that's not why I did it.

And finally, a big thank you to everyone who supported me in various ways.

Sponsor me at www.bmycharity.com/runformum

Pride comes before a fall

I completed the formalities of registration yesterday, collecting my race number and 'ChampionChip' as well as getting my name printed on my running vest. This should generate some extra support from the crowd, as long as the second 'O' doesn't fall off.

The ChampionChip will record my exact time, i.e. the time it takes from when I cross the start line (probably a few minutes after the first athletes) to when I cross the finish line. You attach it to your one of your shoes and as you run over mats on the ground your presence is felt. Of course, for those who are really interested in their time it is important to work out which shoe is likely to cross the finish line first.

At the registration centre they have a big exhibition - lots of stalls where you can buy sports stuff, sample the latest energy bar and so on. Fuller's had a stall and they were giving away London Pride (?!). Also you can go and listen to coaches giving advice and answering really interesting questions from the audience, like "should I double knot my laces?"

The exhibition is open to the public, so go on, what's stopping you?

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Seeing red!

I completed my last training run of any significance on Saturday. A leisurely 20km at marathon pace (hopefully) wearing my race gear - a dress rehearsal limits the chance of discovering irritant seams on the day.

Now my race number is 34764, and this means that I get to use the Red Start. And everyone knows the route from the Red Start is longer. I'll check eBay for some Green Start race numbers.

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Imperial nonsense

It's fairly common to sponsor a marathon runner £26.20 - everyone knows that a marathon is 26.2 miles long. WRONG! Marathon distance is 26 miles and 385 yards, and that's almost 26.22 miles. This must be costing charities millions of pounds each year.

And everyone knows that a mile is 1.6 kilometres. WRONG! A mile is almost 1.61 kilometres.

So what?

Well, all of this imperial nonsense means that the marathon is about 275 metres longer than I thought it was. Of course it's too late to put in the extra training required, so I'm off for an extra creme egg.

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As sure as eggs is eggs

Well, we're halfway through the cricket and England have managed to throw away a good position against Australia again. So I did a Google search to see if any miracles have ever taken place on Easter Sunday. It wasn't a very successful search but I did find one.

The Gospel of Mark records how the man crucified by the Romans actually was seen alive again a few days later. Now that is definitely worth investigating.

Short talk: Why Did Jesus Rise Again?

Good Friday

The headlines have been made this week by brutality from Roman authorities directed towards English football fans.

The Gospel of Mark records an incident nearly 2,000 years ago when an innocent man was beaten and killed by the Romans. A good teacher? So why did they kill him? And why was Jesus willing to die?

Short talk: Why Did Jesus Die?

Eat like a horse, look like a horse?

Following my lack of training in March, I'm now over a week into my emergency schedule. The last time a long run is recommended is three weeks before the marathon, so yesterday I ignored this advice and ran 21½ miles. Actually, it went pretty well, indeed much better than my 22½ mile run two weeks earlier when I seized up after the run and was unable to reach my feet to remove my trainers.


Some have asked whether or not I will be running in fancy dress. Well, obviously not - wearing an athlete's outift will be sufficiently incongruous.

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Don't forget your laces!

It's official!

Last week I received my registration form along with the race programme. Not only is the programme full of helpful information such as where the start is, but attached to the front was a pair of shoelaces.

There is a map of the course, with water stations, Lucozade Sport stations and pubs clearly marked.

And there is the advice that by now, all the hard work should be complete and it's time to wind down for the race. Hmmm! Well, after a couple of failures, I did complete a long run/walk a couple of weeks ago (22½mi) and I'm going to try to squeeze another one in on Thursday morning, and then I promise to cool off and rest the legs.

Sponsor me at www.bmycharity.com/runformum