Happy New Year – it really is time for a good update I think. New year's eve is something of a special day in Weymouth. It is traditional for everyone to go to town (literally) in fancy dress. A friend / colleague / supporter has constantly been espousing the view that the only way to run a marathon on behalf of a charity is to do it in fancy dress. So I decide to try it out – below I present “marathon fairy”! You may recall that I recently was compelled to visit my Lithuanian Tooth Fairy, and consequently was prescribed a course of antibiotics, which resulting in my being able to attend a planned blood donor sessions. So I was was offered the chance to attend an alternative session on new year's eve (of all days) and having donated very nearly an armful was warned of the consequences of consuming alcohol over the next 24 hours. Hence the severe pixellation.

I suppose I shouldn't really joke about something like Seasonal Affective Disorder, but running really has taken a bit of a back seat these last couple of weeks. What with the weather, the dark evenings and Christmas, it all seems to be a bit of an effort. And when I did get out on new year's day, I had to stop and rest. But thinking about it I wondered if it really was such a good idea to go out so soon after losing an armful of blood.

Then last Sunday morning, I was all set to do a few miles. As I went downstairs in the morning I was struck by what a good view I was afforded of next door's back garden. Funny (I though), I am sure I don't normally see so much of it. It really did take some time for it to dawn on me that a significant part of my fence had now relocated in next door's garden. I resisted the temptation to ignore it and instead set about retrieving the offending fence panels and securing the rest of the fence. These are now lashed to my younger daughter's trampoline (this has not been bounced upon for years, and is now mostly used as a good place for a nap by the local cat population). And by the time these emergency repairs were completed, it was absolutely chucking it down again. Another Sunday morning run sacrificed.

But at least now, having returned to work, I feel like I am getting back into a bit of a routine and have had a couple of decent runs this week. But on the other hand there is the prospect of having to work some long hours in the next few weeks. All in all I am starting to question whether a four hour marathon remains a realistic aim. Meanwhile fund-raising has also gone rather quiet with (so far) a disappointing response to the appeal that went out on all my Christmas cards. But I remain on course to exceed my pledge to CLIC Sargent – it's just a question of by how much and how much time I spend on it.

Keep smiling. Please take the time to have a look at the web-site, keithsmarathondream.co.uk or my latest YouTube offering, Hallelujah.

 

Keith