The Beginning - 207 days to Marathon

I still can't believe it. I'm actually running!

I received a letter from Shelter on 4 September, which opened with the sentence: "Congratulations, you're running the Flora London Marathon 2007!" I can't remember the last time I was so excited (or so terrified at what I might have got myself info). This is big.

I suppose I should say how I ended up here. Around a year and a half ago, I decided that my lifestyle was unhealthy. I sit at a desk all day, eat too much bad food and drink too much beer. Given that none of that is likely to change in the near future, I decided I should take up some form of regular exercise.

I started playing squash with my friend Andrew and he suggested that we started running together as well. Now, let's be clear. I hated the idea of running. I couldn't make it to the end of the road, let alone the end of a marathon. But over the course of last summer, we built up our fitness from around 3 miles to 13 miles, culminating in the Windsor Half Marathon in September, which we completed in 2 hours 4 mins.

This year, while training for the Windsor Half '06, I struck me that if I was ever going to try the full distance, it should be now. I am young(ish), commitment free, have the whole of London at my doorstep, and have gotten the running bug like I would never have believed 18 months ago. So I applied.

I am yet to hear from the ballot for an official marathon place, but I also applied through Shelter for a charity place. My spot on the start line is guaranteed, but I have to raise £1500! That is a lot of money. Like the marathon, on some days I think I will cruise home to my target (my friends will all sponsor me a tenner right?) and on others, I see myself stalling somewhere about two thirds of the way along, behind the pace and out of resources to draw upon. It remains to be seen which of these possibility (if either) might become reality....

So here I am, looking ahead to 22 April 2007. And what am I thinking about this week?

1. Money. Getting started. How can Imaximisee the money that people give me? What ideas have I actually got for fundraising? I've set up a JustGiving page (which I will link this page to/from) and hopefully that will help

2. Training. I need to sit down and work out how I am going to do this. It's complicated. Ialmostt need one of those Project Management charts with milestones (no pun intended) and key points that I have to hit by certain dates. I will draw up a plan in the next two weeks. I'd better also find out what the fuck Fartlek training actually is....

3. Fitness. I'm just recovering from the latest bout oftonsillitiss (which has made me miss the Windsor Half no less) so I need to get back out there. Before I got ill, I ran 11 miles in 1hr30. I think that's faster than Marathon pace, but I was really pleased with the effort I put in over the summer. Maintaining that momentum will be crucial.

4. Sticking with it. I'm about to start a new job, I've got a new housemate moving in next month and winter is on it's way. I'm going to have to be really disciplined to keep up my training.

So that's where I am at the moment. Sorry this has been such a long posting - they will be much shorter updates in future, but I'll try to write something every week.

Wish me luck. I think I may need it!