Inspiration

Had to add the video at the bottom of this page as I've been seriously slacking in the marathon training in preference of the Purple Book. Back to it tomorrow. It does prove though how strong the human spirit can be, set yourself a challenge, let nothing stand in your way and don't stop until you accomplish it. One challenge down, the other still remains - Run the marathon. Game on :)

Rossifer x

Progress - One step forward, zero back

Yesterday, signs that the body is starting to the listen to the mind "No excuses, we're doing this". For the first time I think ever, I managed to jog 3 miles, in a row, non stop. To the health conscious out there this is but nothing, a drop in the ocean but to me it was a big deal and hopefully the start of better things. The thing that really got me was that it felt, well easy. I was planning to do 'the mile' and be done with it for one evening but upon reaching home thought "hmmm, reckon I could do a bit more tonight". In fact the only thing stopping me was the thought of a good cuppa and the fact I'd been listening to the same song for 10 consecutive times which also gave me an indication of how long I'd been running. A 2 and a half minute song x 10 equalled 25 minutes and though this proved I'd been going pretty damn slowly, it meant I'd jogged 25 minutes non-stop and hardly flinched whilst doing it! Good times :)

Ironically enough, that said song has just popped whilst I'm typing this bit. For all you joggers out there looking for a track to get you started, Family Affair by Mary J Blige has turned out to be just the job. 'Rest day' today as the training book says, fingers crossed it's upwards again tomorrow when I lace up the magic shoes again and slip on the 1000 mile socks.

Rossifer x

And so it begins

Aren't they pretty, fresh out the box from the peeps at Sweatshop in town. Word is it's best to have 2 identical pairs and no surprise in the fact they didn't have a second pair in stock; I was chuffed the guy helping me pick didn't flinch when I told him I'd be needing size 13s.

The fitting was delightful scientific in its content. Socks and shoes off, trouser legs up. I was half expecting the bloke to ask me to cough next. After crouching a couple of times, standing on one leg then walking and jogging barefoot up and down the shop he gave me the verdict and came out with the shoes. Apparently I picked the cheapest pair out of the 3 as the best, sure hope he wasn't working on commission. So I got me shoes, funky top with 'wicking' fabric and Nuun tablets complete with 'electrolytes' (they love their terminology in the jogging world). And was on me way. Back home I got kitted up and for the first time felt like I knew what I was doing. I tried out all the gear by running 'The Mile' (more on that later) and everything felt... right. My body then rewarded me the day after with a cold. Methinks the mind is ready but the body sure as hell isn't...

The Mile - Half a mile to the second speed camera from my house and half a mile back. Whilst half heartedly training last year for the Reading Half I'd memorised the short route. It starts with a gentle bend going right, contains 2 mini junctions where there's usually no cars coming. There's one speed camera about half way but you're cheating yourself if you think it's the marker and worried if you're contemplating walking at that point. You get to the second speed camera and you're thinking, yep, not too bad this. Go just past it and do a turn around the black bin as it's easier than turning sharply. Suddenly, that first speed camera seems further away. You're running up a slight incline but can't remember the benefits from coming down it. That gentle bend, how long was it again? You can see the shops, then your car and then, the driveway and it's all over. Then it hits you, if I've got any hope of pulling this off, 'the mile' will soon have to be a distant memory as I'll be venturing far and wide to clock up the miles.

Rossifer x

A dark cloud - with a silver lining

The news release was that the results of the public ballot for the marathon would be released at the start of October and they weren't kidding. On the mat in the porch on the morning of the 1st October was the pack. I'd read previously that if you donated your race money no matter what the result then you'd receive a sports jacket as a form of 'commiserations.' The outer packaging wasn't giving much away but the texture sure was. I was secretly hoping there would be a t-shirt saying congratulations but kind of knew what would be greeting me upon opening the pack. True enough I was greeted with the a front page covered in disappointed faces which said it all. The magazine came as a dual knife in that it commiserated me in my disappointment in not getting in and offered me a collection of alternative races in which I could enter. Or I could always raise £1500 and get a guaranteed place with my chosen charity. Funnily enough neither of these options came as much comfort. My mind is set on London and my heart is fixed on running it in 2011 and I will settle for nothing less. As for the amount of money that would need to be raised, I would never put that pressure on both myself and everyone else to raise such an amount.

That's where the silver lining comes, in two parts. The jacket that came with the pack was really nice as commiseration gifts come and in a way this has made me even more determined that it's all going to happen. I lay down two challenges today, one to my body and mind to get me over the line in London on the 17th April 2011 and the other to anyone else trying to stop me.

Rossifer x

200 days and counting

Today sees a landmark date in the fact there are only 200 days to go until the big 26 on the big Sunday. It's a grim reminder that very soon I'm actually going to have to start walking the walk and jogging the jog and not just preaching about how grim it's all going to be. This week or next should see a delivery that will kick start training in one way or another, the 'success' or 'failure' pack. Apparently the success pack will be happy and smiley complete with tips on what to do next whereas the other will be more along the lines of "there there, better luck next time, feel free to try one of these other hellish races". You do however get a rather nice jacket if you don't get in so I'll be looking good no matter what the result. I'd swap the jacket for the smiley pack any day so fingers crossed for good times when the pack hits the porch floor.

Rossifer x

The Challenge

Arguably one of the most obvious entries into the Purple book and yet easily the most daunting so far. Sky diving is as easy as remembering not to bring an anvil with you on the journey down, finding a bridge is easy if you have any idea how to use a map and compass and even a half marathon is doable in jeans and trainers by a exercisaphobe with 2 weeks of training but the marathon demands more than this. Whereas every skydiver you talk to will tell you a sky dive changes their life, every marathon runner will tell you the marathon will dominate it. As the so far unspecified 'early October' date of the ballot draws ever near I'm starting to wander what I've let myself in for. People are recommending special shoes in 2 pairs so I can alternate them, special socks so I can hope to walk after each training session, rub downs (actually that doesn't sound so bad), ice baths after heavy training (that sure as hell does!) and even GPS watch things to track my progress so I can create graphs and the like. I've started by buying a 'how to run the marathon' book and DVD. Despite doing races before I'm playing it safe on the training as I reckon I'm pretty much back to square one i.e. anything more than a swift run up the stairs and I'm out of it. Because of that, I calculated how much time I'd need between the start of my training and the race itself on SUNDAY 17TH APRIL 2011. I write it in bold as it'll soon be imprinted in my mind like it's been chiselled in stone. After calculating this time my training needs to start... in October! This poses a problem on many fronts, here are some examples: -

1. I hate jogging anything more than 100 metres to catch a bus

2. I despise all exercise that doesn't involve laying up a basketball or doing moves with chinese names

3. I love my bed

4. I love my futon

5. Just in case there was any doubt, it wasn't added for comic relief - I HATE jogging.

So Therein lies the problem. I will have to spend half of my year, at some point during most of the days, jogging. To fuel my body accordingly I will have to cut my chocolate intake and start consuming more items called fruit and vegetables. I will more than likely lose the ability to walk for most of this time whilst convincing an already highly generous group of people to sponsor this attempt at madness after the epic effort shown before. My dad has decided to skip a year before giving the big 26 a go himself, instead wishing to give the Reading half marathon another shot first. This great feat of 13.1 miles will now be nothing more than part of my training plan. Come April I will snigger and beg for such slight acreage as I tackle the big one. Whereas the Reading Half Marathon was done purely for Al the Legend and only partially for my own gratification, this one's for me. I will move oceans to raise huge sums for my most amazing of uncles, who to this day continues to defy his lot, but the main reason I'm doing this is to prove to myself that I can do it. To train, work for and conquer the king of races will be by far the biggest test I've had yet. There's no blagging this one, turning up in jeans with a lucozade bottle and 2 weeks training isn't going to cut it this time. I've got 6 months to get my 6' 6", vastly under weight frame in a state ready to make it from Greenwich Park to The Mall without it killing me. Come Sunday 17th April 2011, I'll be ready.

Early October will see whether I'm officially in or out. Regardless of the result, by hook or by crook, mid April of next year will see me cross the line with my medal and goodie bag with freebie shower gel and multigrain bar.

Rossifer x