5:57:03! Finisher # 9858

15 Apr 2008, 8:10 a.m.

The preparations were all completed, in true Charley style, with military precision. My kit was all laid out in the hotel room, complete with freebies from the Expo, and all there was left to do was have another bowl of pasta. The Expo was amazin...

The Last Post

11 Apr 2008, 9:12 p.m.

No - not the music they play for dead soldiers - the last one before The Big One Its Friday night - the first Friday night in about 12 years that I haven't been accompanied by at least one glass of wine... Feel strangely euphoric, a b...

I am a paranoid niggle monkey

6 Apr 2008, 7:50 p.m.

Loved that! Thank you x Well the niggle is well and truly there. But not the end of the world as, oddly, it doesn't seem to be a problem at all when I'm running - its just after! Had a great 4 miles with Jo today - managed...

Nearly there now............

5 Apr 2008, 9:37 a.m.

I apologise for having not blogged for a couple of weeks. Life just seems to have overtaken me, and I'm back working evenings... time just passes!! I did a lovely 8-miler last weekend - took all the advice to half my last long run, an...

Falling over in a puddle does...

24 Mar 2008, 1:09 p.m.

So - another long run with my running buddy - first run since the Silverstone half due to a nasty cold ("Typical" - thought I - "a month to go and I'm struck down by the runners equivalent of manflu") so decided to take it easy and be nice to my ...

Silverstone Half - finisher #...

10 Mar 2008, 8:40 a.m.

I did it! According to my watch 2:44:50 for the half. What a half - halfway round I caught myself thinking "Oh my god - I'll never do the marathon!". But I managed to finish without resorting to walking and I even managed to pick up speed on the finish...

Nearly a "half"

2 Mar 2008, 5:46 p.m.

Funny couple of weeks. Have found myself deliberately avoiding coming online - mostly because I knew I'd be confronted by that pesky countdown timer. And because I started to have doubts about whether I could, or even if I wanted to, do the Marat...

I'm the Daddy

15 Feb 2008, 7:19 p.m.

OK - so its only 3.5 miles. Not exactly marathon stuff. But for a freezing Friday night when the peer pressure to stay in the warm, drink Chablis and play Wii was starting to sway my resolve, I managed to knock a further 2 mins off my best time f...

running in the dark is scary

12 Feb 2008, 7:36 p.m.

I saw a man running the other day wearing a head torch - I looked and wondered what that was all about.... but now I know. My lovely 50 minute route (during the day) turns into a kerazy obstacle course in the dark - not very nice. Chi...

Its been a funny week......

10 Feb 2008, 2:07 p.m.

So after the buzzy 7-miler I did last Sunday, I went away on a business trip to Birmingham....... running in a city is muchly different to plodding along in my rural idyll, as I found out on Monday and Tuesday - the first time in my training sche...

Heavyweight Champion of the W...

3 Feb 2008, 11:14 a.m.

Love the long runs - furthest I've ever run today - just over 7 miles. Felt no more difficult than my early 5ks, this time last year. Just goes to show, put some cool tunes on ipod, have faith in the training plan and you get there in the end! ...

Ramblings

28 Jan 2008, 12:15 p.m.

So another long run under my belt. Going OK. Had the weekend in London and visited the Marathon shop - had a bit of a chat in there with a man about gels and have bought a couple to try in weeks to come. Had the weekend off running - but did a lo...

Pasta = fasta legs

22 Jan 2008, 7:33 p.m.

I felt really strong today and did my fastest time for a while - 5.6k in 38 mins - managed to knock a whole 3 mins off time from last week. Happy, happy me.   Interesting thing - I had a chat with a neighbour (who's a keen cyclist and...

Nuns drink sparkling water

20 Jan 2008, 12:28 p.m.

Well I did a 10k today (think it was a bit further but no way of knowing as the pesky map doofer is not working AGAIN ) but felt OK - not perfect, but OK. And I am now going to enjoy the rest of my Sunday (maybe even braving a nice glass of red l...

Starting to increase the dist...

17 Jan 2008, 7:54 p.m.

Heavy heavy heavy at work at the moment - to be honest, would have rather curled up with a cup of tea and the remote control tonight - but decided to slowly start increasing the distance - haven't looked at my training plan yet as I wanted to get...

Wet wet wet (or "I'm not doin...

15 Jan 2008, 8:04 p.m.

Rubbish. First real run in filthy rain and mud. Grotty, hated running in wet shoes... to begin with! Then I got used to it and it was OK. Well, it was bearable - felt like a REALLY dedicated runner, and think that was what made it OK. And that I ...

Its really happening...... Re...

12 Jan 2008, 6:36 p.m.

OK so its hit today - I thought I'd lost my place as I'd been hanging back on sending off the charity forms in, due to the pesky foot injury - then saw that the closing date for receipt of forms was 21st Dec..... Kept very quiet but today got con...

"Its a long way"........

11 Jan 2008, 5:05 p.m.

So glad to be back running - ran again last night and will do a 10k tomorrow - but have to say I'm starting to get the willies a bit about the marathon. Figure that is OK, though - better than just turning up a la Jade Goody and then bottling out...

Back in the saddle

8 Jan 2008, 7:39 p.m.

Fell on ice a month ago - went to A&E after a colleague thought I had broken my foot (nightmare - all I kept saying to the medics was "I've got a place in London in April - will I be OK?") but turns out I "just" sprained my ligament across th...

Why am I more nervous about a...

9 Dec 2007, 10:08 p.m.

So I have just registered for the Silverstone half marathon in March - perfect timing in terms of training for the big one, and will be accompanied by a happy Bloke (who is an out-and-out petrolhead so will enjoy the track). Trouble is, I feel re...

Angelic? Moi??

5 Dec 2007, 9:29 p.m.

Right then - shattered today as worked late last  night (the pre-Christmas rush is well and truly kicking in) and was really cosy and warm when I got home - didn't really fancy going out, but made myself as I don't want to break the training plan just ...

Christmas meal with no cream?!

2 Dec 2007, 8:36 p.m.

So - got up early, first "recovery run" - in the rain, but felt great  as I had stretched carefully after run yesterday so really enjoyed loosening muscles up. First family Christmas meal today - perilous in terms of calories normally...

first run in the training plan

1 Dec 2007, 11:08 a.m.

Thank you all for your comments - spent an hour or so last night drawing up a little calendar with a training plan on it - was a little panicky about how close April is, but then thought that I can only do my best. And I can always have a go anot...

GOT A PLACE!!!

30 Nov 2007, 2:32 p.m.

With guilty look on my face I come crawling back. After "twangy leg", I then got a back problem, then been on holiday (think Disney counts as endurance training) and back now, with resolve to go for it as have a place for London 08. So no entries...