Issue 363 - This'll Be Me Next Year

Hi,

I hope everything is ok where you are.

Yesteday was the 26th running of the London Marathon.

Today sees the 'official' launch of my own project to run the 2007 race.
Early on the 22nd April next year I will be on the start line, all trained up and ready to go.
Notice that I don't say 'hope to be', or 'aim to be', but 'WILL be'.
Barring injury or things outside my control, I will be there, and the journey starts today.

It was a shame that for yesterday's race both the men's and women's world record holders had to pull out just a few days before, but the race was still excellent to observe.
The women's race was won by Deena Kastor from the US, and she set a personal best time.

She is only the 8th woman to run under 2 hours 20 minutes, and it was the 4th best ever.
In fact, the first 5 women home all set personal bests, but it was illustrated best by Kastor.
Since she was the leader, the cameras focused on her, and it was noted how many times she looked at her watch.
In the last 400 metres she must have glanced at it every other step.
What a great example of goal achievement!
She didnt get there by wishing or hoping, but by planning and good old fashioned hard work.
Right up until the achievement of her goal she was checking to see that all was going according to plan.

It's lessons like that which are precisely the reason why it's such a good project for me.

When I was putting the idea together, I investigated online, and it seems that a total novice, and an unfit one to boot, can train for a marathon in 6 months.
That seems surprising to me, but I see it said often enough to believe it.
I suppose that means that I can sit around for the next 6 months and do nothing.

I won't though.
I intend to use the next 6 months to build up as much basic fitness and endurance as I can, which will make the next 6 month stint that much easier.

Today I was planning to walk a mile, to check my equipment, see how long it took me , etc, but my friend called me to say he was off to the gym and did I want to go along.
He told me to remember to bring my sick bag 'just in case.'

Very funny, but in fact when I was married many years ago, British Airways had written to me, saying that someone had sent them a picture of my wife, and 'would it be ok if they used it on their sick bags?', so I still have quite a few left.
(little joke there).

So, we went to the gym, and I set off on the treadmill at a very sedate pace.
Er, well walking actually.
I was determined not to have any vomit incidents, to go at my own pace.

I gradually found I was able to increase the pace, and although it took me an astonishing 16 minutes to do 1 mile, the fact that I had started at a slow walking pace, and finished at a run, with no heaving, felt good to me.

We then had a dip in the pool, but I must have done a couple of lengths too many, because on the journey home, I soon started getting that familiar, but unwelcome feeling in my stomach, and we had to stop.
Rather appropriately we ended up by some recycling containers, and I certainly did some recycling I can tell you.

I'm hoping as I go along with my training, the nausea thing will stop, but I guess me finding out will be part of the 'fun'.

I've got a lot of my gear already - cheap stopwatch, cheap set of scales.
I know I will have to pay for proper running shoes, that can't be helped.

Weight-wise as I kick off the project, I am around 12 stone, that's 168 pounds, and I reckon a good 20 pounds of that is around my waist.
I won't be sad to see that go, and am preparing for the girls to come flocking...

If any of you have run, or know someone who has run a marathon, let me know, I'd love to hear your stories.
I recently mentioned Sandra Sims, who runs a website about fundraising, and it turns out she has done a walking marathon in Alaska.
Very impressive, and you can read about it here:
http://stepbystepfundraising.com/anchorage-alaska-marathon/


Ok, wish me luck on the project, and if you havn't done so already, go and peek at the site, which also has a 50% paying affiliate program:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com


'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon