Completing the
London Marathon and raising lots of money for charity has got to be
my priority. Getting a good time, however, is also highly important
to me. In an ideal world, I'd love to be coming in sub-three hours,
but I am a realist: this will be my first Marathon, and anything
around the four hour mark would be a phenomenal achievement in my
books.
I recently read
about the training regime of a relative who has considerable
experience when it comes to long-distance running. In the build up,
he used to do two long runs a week (over 20 miles), as well as a
couple of shorter distance ones to build up his speed. This was an
area I wanted to focus on.
In comparison to a
marathon, 2.5 miles isn't much. But with very little running under my
belt in recent months, I was keen to see how fast I could run this.
Already somewhat fatigued from playing 90 minutes of football earlier
in the afternoon, I set out with my cousin (who works as a personal
trainer). We got round in 22 minutes, which isn't bad considering how
long it has been, although over the next couple of months, I could
really do with getting that closer to the 15 minute mark.
The main benefit
I'll get from this run is fitness. Every little helps. Equally,
keeping a fast pace is hard work, and it will help me with the mental
aspect of running – to keep going, give everything I have got and
push myself through the pain barrier, no matter what. As an old
football coach of mine once said: 'never leave anything out there.'
Despite all this,
endurance will be the key on marathon day. That's got to be the next
aim. Within the next week or so, I anticipate giving a 6-10 mile
circuit a go. It doesn't have to be quick, and I may not even bother
taking a stopwatch with me, but if I can get round without walking at
any point, it will be a great platform to build on.
Away from the
training, the search for a charity goes on. I know this is my most
realistic chance of getting a place in the London Marathon, so I'm
continuing to sound out potential charities who will welcome me on
board.
Last week, I
registered my interest with the RNIB, on the basis that it is a cause
close to my heart, due to my dad's registered blindness. In my
previous post, I spoke about his condition, Retinitis Pigmentosa, and
you'll probably not be surprised to hear that there is a dedicated
charity aimed specifically at sufferers of the condition.
I sounded them out
a few years back, but was put off by the amount of money I would be
required to raise – over £2,000. However, with almost a year to
raise it, I'm confident I could raise such a fee. I have written to
the British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society (BRPS), regarding running
for them in the London Marathon. We'll hopefully find out where I
stand with that soon.
Finally, I'll
probably give a mention to the ballot. It opens this Monday, and if
it increases my chances of getting into the Marathon, it's worth
entering. I'm pessimistic about my chances, but I'll give it a go
nonetheless.
Wish me luck!