Nick's marathon diary

Back on track

2012-01-26T08:01:00.000-08:00

After a slow start to 2012, I finally managed to drag myself to the Leeds Athletics Club at South Leeds with the aim of kick starting my training for the events ahead.

Finding out that my 37 minute 10k PB made me the slowest in the group didn't help with the confidence but after a track session of 15x 200m sprints with 200m recovery, I could see why. Definitely some serious athletes but managed to not disgrace myself and completed the sets - it could only get easier, I thought.

This turned out to not be the case as Tuesday's session consisted of 6x 600m sprints with 100m recovery then 300m sprint with 400m recovery which was even more brutal. It didn't help that the legs were heavy after 1 and a half laps of Otley Chevin with Matt H on Sunday plus Monday night football for Team Savvy (going back in goal from now on) but felt good when it was over.

A few more weeks of hard work should hopefully knock some time of the upcoming 10k races - if it doesn't kill me first!

20 in 12 - The Long List

2011-12-15T03:21:00.000-08:00

To raise money for the MS Soicety in 2012, I have decided to attempt to complete 20 events in 12 months across running, cycling, swimming and triathlon. To sponsor me, please visit http://www.justgiving.com/20-12

Events confirmed so far are the Haworth Hobble (32 mile fell race) in March, the Lakeland 50 mile Ultramarathon in July and the Berlin Marathon in September (with the aim of a sub 2.55 personal best). The rest of the events will be made up from the following:

February:
Dewsbury 10km, 5th February

Huddersfield 10k, 26th Feb

March:

The Major at Bramham, 3rd March
Howarth Hobble (32 Miles), 10th March

Harewood House 10k, 18th March

Coniston 14, 31st March

April:
Guiseley Gallop 10k, 8th April
Hell on't Hills Duathlon, 15th April or Wakefield 10k
Yorkshire 3 Peaks Race, 28th April

May:
Leeds Half Marathon, 13th May
Kirklees 10k, 26th May

June:
Wharfedale Off Road Marathon, 2nd June
Scissett Triathlon, 10th June
Leeds 10km, 19th June

July:
Lakeland Trail Marathon, 1st July
Jane Tomlinson 10km, Leeds, 8th July
Lakeland 50 Mile Race, 28th July

August:
Jane Tomlinson 10km, York
Macclesfield Triathlon, 12th August

September:
Leeds Triathlon - 9th September
Berlin Marathon, 30th September, (with MS Society)

October:
Richmond Castle 10km, 14th October

November:
Hellvelyn Trail Race, 3rd November
Abbey Dash

December:
Chevin Chase - 26th December

The road to Dublin

2010-10-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

Having missed out on the Yorkshireman due to Jamie's illness and my own heavy cold, I needed a third challenge to complete my 'Up Hill Task' trio of events that I set out to achieve in April with the aim of raising over £1,000 for the MS Society: http://http//www.justgiving.com/uphilltask

I was lucky to gain a place in the Dublin marathon through adidas and kindly supported by my company, Savvy Marketing, I fly out on Sunday

to meet up with the guys from adidas with the intention of avoiding the Guiness and getting an early night ahead of Monday's 9am race start!

The aim, as I have been foolishly telling people is to run it in under 3 hours which, although I think is a possibility, I might not quite have the miles under my belt to last the pace. My longest run in the build up was 20 miles (though my broken Garmin thought it was nearer 35!) which I managed in 2hrs 45 mins but the extra 6 miles might take their toll. I suppose we will find out on Monday...

Pedal Power

2010-08-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post for a couple of reasons. Following the Leeds Half Marathon I started a new job at the Savvy Sport marketing agency in Leeds and one of my first assignments was to help support ASDA's Pedal Power Team with their Land's End to John O'Groats charity cycling event to raise money for the breast cancer charity 'Tickled Pink'.

After driving our support vehicles down on the Sunday, we arrived at Land's End and awaited the arrival of the main group of riders including the ASDA Chairman Andy Bond.

My role within the support team was to provide support to Jim and Elwyn who were attempting the 1,000 mile journey on a tandem and after the first day it became clear that they would struggle to keep up with the main group so Jim decided we would need to set off earlier in the day to cover the required distance.

So from day 2 onwards we were on the road for half 5 and after surving the hills of Cornwall, and settling on a routine of beans and toast with two eggs and coffee at a local caf for breakfast followed by soup and a roll for lunch, Jim and Elwyn began to find their rythmn.

After surviving the traffic of Bristol city centre and geed on by the changing cast of daily supplier riders, everything was going well - until we arrived at Jim's House in Rotherham for breakfast on the Saturday morning and noticed a crack in the tandem's rear seatpost.

After some frantic phone calls and internet searches, we found out the bike they had been riding for 6 days solid was actually a 'lady-back' tandem and therefore not suited to the weight of two male riders. A few more calls later and one of Jim's suppliers had managed to locate a new and improved tandem from a shop in Ilkley so the plan was to carry on steadily from Rotherham until the new tandem could be picked up and delivered en route.

The 'lady back' finally gave way on the ride into Wakefield, so she was given her last rights and thrown in the back of the van as we made our way for a pit stop at my mum and dad's house for Wilson's famous pork pies before picking up Daisy Mark 2 in Knaresbrough and heading up the old A1 to Darlington.

Despite gear problems in Rothbury the next day, Jim and Elwyn completed a 120 mile ride to Kelso on their new improved machine before taking a detour via the coastal route to St. Andrews for fish & chips, arriving in Dundee in time for big weights session in the hotel gym.

Despite the gear problems persisting on the ride to Huntly, with only two days to go and the finish line in site, Jim and the team decided that not only would they ride the 132 miles to the final hotel in Helmsdale, but they would also attempt the huge double climb that was scheduled in for the final day.

Having set off at half 5 on the dot and acommpanied by Dan and Darren from Anglo-beef suppliers, Jim and Elwyn rode the 60 miles to Inverness before breakfast and then had one more stop before completing the mammoth 132 miles to the Bridge Hotel in Helmsdale. And despite Jim suffering a re-occurance of an old knee injury and both riders exhausted from fatigue, they ploughed on and up the first climb then down below sea level before climbing again to the final summit, clocking in a whopping 145 mile day in the process.

That left a 40 mile cruise with the rest of the riders into John O'Groats on the final day to complete their amazing 1,000 mile trip, helping to raise more than £2.2 million for Tickled Pink on the way.

It was a great experience to be a part of and has persuaded me to order my own road bike through the cycle to work scheme. The only downside of being on the road for the best part of two weeks was that the marathon training suffered and the weight went up considerably.

After two weeks of hard training though, I am back in reasonable shape but will have to try and maintain it during a week's holiday in Kalkan, Turkey, as the Yorkshireman is now only 3 weeks away! I have also signed up for the Dublin Marathon in October with the help of adidas so have extended my fundraising page to include a fourth event: http://www.justgiving.com/uphilltask

A quick half to celebrate

2010-05-14T03:16:00.000-07:00

The timing of last Sunday's Leeds Half Marathon was far from perfect. Just two weeks after the 3 Peaks, the day after what would turn out to be Leeds United's promotion party and with the remnants of a stinking cold still in the system, the early omens weren't good.

Thankfully, it was a bright sunny day and when I met up with Jamie and Evo at the start line, the hangover had just about gone and I felt in reasonably good shape. We managed to work our way forward, starting about 30 seconds behind the top runners, setting off at a pretty decent pace.

Me and Jamie ran together for the first 5km before I pulled away slightly on the first big hill up Stonegate Road. My tactic was to up the pace on the hills and I overtook quite a few runners before reaching the 7km mark in 29 minutes. After a quick bit of mental arithmetic I worked out that if I could maintain the same pace, I was on for a time of 1 hr 27 mins - 3 minutes under my initial target.

I was feeling quite good at this point but the plan was to try and maintain the same pace for the next 7km before increasing the pace for the final third of the race. I accelerated again on the hill up to the Lawnswood roundabout, gaining a few places before going down the other side and through on to Kirkstall Road.

Having ran the course before, I knew it was all downhill to the finish and felt like I had plenty in reserve so I upped the pace and focused on getting a quick a time as possible. Kirkstall Road soon disappeared and when I heard the crowds on the Headrow, I kicked again and went for the line. The last 100 metres were horrible but as I crossed the line in 1 hour 22 minutes and 58 seconds, I was overjoyed.

I later got an automated text from the organisers saying my official time was 1 hour 22 minutes and 30 seconds and I finished 43rd overall - far better than I had anticipated. Jamie also ran a great time of 1 hour 29 minutes and with Evo's 1 hour 32 minutes, it was a successful day for the boys from Cross Gates!

Having surprised myself with such a good time without the best of preparations, I have started thinking about taking things more seriously and maybe joining a running club with the aim of a top 10 finish next year (around the 1:15 mark) but there's the Yorkshireman pairs to win before then...

The 3 Peaks

2010-04-25T00:03:00.000-07:00

A glorious sunny day in the Yorkshire Dales was the setting for the first stage of my 'Up hill task' as me, Gav and 1,000 fell runners gathered to take on Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough - the 3 Peaks of Yorkshire.

Having been unable to recce the course due to bad weather and a dodgy knee, I didn't fully appreciate what I would be attempting but the long, rocky climb up to Pen-y-ghent made me realise that a few laps of Temple Newsam and Otley Chevin would in no way prepare me for what was to come.

After scrambling to the summit, it was straight back down again at break-neck pace until the path leveled out on to a fairly flat stage along to the next peak at Whernside. The first descent had taken it's toll on my knee and I had to apply the first blob of ibuprofen gel to numb the pain but at least I could now find some rhythm.

I made up some time and was happy to see my support team with refreshments at the spectacular Ribblehead viaduct and was feeling good until I saw what was next - the long, steep climb up the side of Whernside.

Walking gave way to climbing and by the time I scrambled to the top, I felt emotional and exhausted. The view though was absolutely stunning and almost worth the pain as I set off down the rocky path and along to Ingleborough.

Again I made up time on the flatter section between the peaks and was determined to get a decent time but on the final climb up I became really dehydrated and then started getting stomach cramps and feeling disorientated as I started the descent.

The last couple of miles felt longer than the whole of the race as I struggled to get to the finish. However, once the line was in sight and I heard the crowd cheer I mustered a sprint finish and was really pleased with my time of just under 4 hours and ten minutes.

The pleasure was soon replaced with pain as my stomach cramped up and I was sick from trying to drink too much water too quickly. After a brief sit down in the medical tent, I decided it was time to go home and was soon fast asleep in the back of the car as my Dad drove us home. It wasn't until I had a sandwich and some salty crisps at Booth's on the way back that I finally came round and started to feel human again.

I was then disappointed at feeling so ill at the finish as I didn't really get to enjoy it and missed sharing it with Gav and his family who had also come to watch. I also realised that I had taken it lightly and assumed my high fitness level would get me through which I suppose it did but at a greater cost than I anticipated.

Now a couple of days have passed and my stomach and legs have recovered, I am pleased overall and would consider giving it another go with a more focused training plan and better refueling plan.

I am also looking forward to the Leeds Half Marathon and the Yorkshireman which I know will be a lot less painful!

I must say another big thank you to everyone who has sponsored me so far at www.justgiving.com/uphilltask - I really appreciate it!

Checkpoint	Time of Day	Elapsed
Registration	09:16:59	-----
Pen-y-ghent	10:40:16	00:40:16
Ribblehead	11:44:12	01:44:12
Whernside	12:21:20	02:21:20
Hill Inn	12:46:43	02:46:43
Ingleborough	13:23:17	03:23:17
Finish	14:09:58	04:09:58

1 week to go

2010-04-18T04:01:00.000-07:00

With one week to go until the 3 Peaks and still no recce of the course, me and Gav decided we'd better go and have a look this weekend. That was until my knee went running down a hill at Temple Newsam on Wednesday night, throwing a spanner in the works.

I feared for the worst on Thursday as it was painful and swollen and definitely not fit to run on. With some dodgy dance moves at the Drum awards on Thursday night, and a day of rest on Friday, I decided it wasn't a good idea to take on the 3 Peaks and risk making it worse so me and Jamie did a steady half-marathon on the road instead.

It was a glorious day (tops off!) and although I could feel the knee, I got through it and it feels fine today so I am much more confident it will be ready for Saturday's race.

The plan is to take it steady this week and taper down the training, just doing the odd short run before the big day. I also need to source a whistle and compass as apparently these are pre-rquisites for entry so I don't want to get disqualified before I even set off.

I also had a madcap idea of running the London marathon the next day but have found it is impossible to secure a place at such short notice, unless you run as someone else or sneak on the course with a dodgy number (so if anyone knows anyone who is looking to give up their place - let me know!)

Please check back next week for lots of 3 Peaks pictures and don't forget to sponsor me at www.justgiving.com/uphilltask and help raise money for MS research.

Chevin chase

2010-04-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

With less than three weeks to go until the first stage of 'The Up Hill Task', the plan was to go up and recce the 3 Peaks over Easter to give myself an idea of what I'd gotten myself into.

Unfortunatley, with the early morning weather on Bank Holiday Monday being attrocious, I decided that three laps of Otley Chevin would be a safer option so went and clocked 20 miles in a respectable 2 hours 45 minutes, including time to take a few snaps (see right).

It does leave the question of when to get the recce in as, with Ben visiting at the weekend and a wedding on Saturday, there isn't much space or time in the calendar. It looks like I might just have to turn up on the day and give it a go!

Many thanks to everyone who sponsored me this week, the total is now nearly £300 which is fantastic.

Tempsey toil

2010-03-29T05:39:00.000-07:00

With less than four weeks to go until the Three Peaks, me and Gav thought it was about time to put some serious training in.

Following a couple of laps of Otley Chevin last Sunday and a wet 10 miler to Garforth on Wednesday (see after picture - right), we planned a new circuit around Temple Newsam with plenty of hills to test the legs and stamina. 16 miles later, we were both pretty knackered (I needed an hour's kip in the afternoon to recover) but by the end of it we felt like we were on the right track (and only 7 miles short of 3 Peaks distance).

We also clocked the first half-marathon in 1 hour 45 minutes which, if we could keep the same pace in the Yorkshireman, would see us in the top 2 going on last year's results.

A big thank you to everyone who has sponsored me so far, we are already on over £120 plus gift aid in the first week!

Up Hill Task

2010-03-22T10:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post (nearly a year in fact!), so I thought it was about time I updated everyone on my next challenge.

On the 24th April, I will be running The Three Peaks Race, which traverses the famous Yorkshire Dales Mountains of Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside covering 24 miles including heights of 2,500 feet above sea level.

Then, on 9^th May I will attempt to run the Leeds Half marathon in under 90 minutes before taking on the Full Yorkshireman fell marathon on 12^th September with the aim of breaking into the top 5 pairs.

The reason I’m doing all this is to raise money for research into the causes and potential treatments for MS my sufferers. My brother Ben was diagnosed with MS nearly seven years ago now and has shown great strength and courage in dealing with the variety of unpredictable and debilitating symptoms that affect MS sufferers on a daily basis.

If you would like to make a donation, please visit: www.justgiving.com/uphilltask or see me for a sponsrship form.

I will be updating my blog regularly with training info pictures and the results of the races, so please pop back from time-to-time.

A BIG thank you!

2009-05-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to sign off my 2009 marathon blog by saying a big thank you to everyone who helped and supported me along the way. That includes everyone who very generously sponsored me and helped to raise a grand total of £2,442 for the Leeds MS Society (the figure will be nearer £3,000 when all the Gift Aid is added on top).

I also want to say a thank you to Catherine and Brian in particular for putting us up for the weekend and treating us to a lovely thai meal on the Friday night and the MS Team on the day who organised the runner's reception and much-appreciated massage (see picture).

But the biggest thank you goes to Mum, Dad and Ben for supporting me every step of the way - I couldn't have done it without you!

P.S. I am already entered in the ballot for next year's race and will be trying to crack 3 hours if I get in (though I'm going to have a few months' rest first!)

Thanks again
Nick x

Week 16 - the perfect day

2009-04-26T23:09:00.000-07:00

After 16 weeks and over 500 training miles, the big day finally arrived and it didn't disappoint. In fact, it exceeded all my expectations and I'm not exaggerating when I say it was probably the greatest experience of my life so far. To run 26 miles around the historic capital in glorious sunshine with 35,000 fellow runners and millions of Londoners shouting encouragement and cheering your name is something I will never forget. As one runner said to me after the finish, "it's like playing at Wembley stadium", which just about summed it up.

I started to get an idea of the sheer scale of the event and how well organised it is when we went to register at the Excel Arena on Friday afternoon. The rows of registration points resembled airport check-in desks where I was quickly processed and received my race number (41,388) and micro-chip timing device to attach to my trainers. We then went into the main hall which had stalls of every running gear manufacturer and sports nutrition company I'd ever heard of (and quite a few I hadn't).

After I'd had a good look round and filled up on free energy bar samples, I stocked up on carb gels and purchased a belt to carry them during the race which would prove to be a wise investment. On the way out I received a goody bag whose contents can only be described as random (can of London Pride, jar of cranberry sauce, lip balm!?) and was highly amused when my Dad managed to blag one and the attendant wished him good luck on Sunday to which he replied, "Thank you. I'll need it!"

We then drove down to my Mum's cousin's in Tunbridge Wells who had kindly offered to put us up for the weekend and even kinder, treated us to a gorgeous meal at their local Thai restaurant. Having read that I needed to eat an extra 100g of carbs per 10kg of body weight (about 800g for me) in the two days preceding the marathon to increase the amount of energy stored in the muscles (the process is called carb-loading), I ate as much rice and noodles as possible.

On Saturday morning I went for my last training jog before arranging to meet my old Uni house mate Toddy who had managed to wangle two free tickets for the Premier League clash between Fulham and Stoke. The weather was glorious again and although the quality of the game and home support was pretty underwhelming (not that I'm a bitter Leeds fan or anything) it was an enjoyable experience and nice to catch up with an old friend. I then went back to base to load up on pasta and get an early night before the big race.

After much deliberation over the train timetable, we decided that the 6.50 am train from High Broom (the local station) to London Bridge was the safest option for getting me to the start line in plenty of time which meant a 5.30 am start to get ready and eat my porridge and crumpets. The ticket machine at the station was out-of-order which was a stroke of luck as I got chatting to another runner on the train who said that they let runners travel free on the day of the race. The train gradually filled up with more and more runners until we reached London Bridge where I changed for Greenwich and followed the precession up to Greenwich Park to the red start area.

The weather was already glorious and I was regretting not packing any sun cream as I milled around the waiting area, enjoying my last energy bar and free Lucozade whilst soaking up the atmosphere. At 9.10 we we're directed to our start pens and luckily I was in number four which was quite near the front (there were nine pens in total with runners as far as the horizon as you looked down the hill) and at 9.30 we were ushered forward in preparation for the 9.45 start.

We got away really smoothly and I passed under the start clock about two minutes after the official start but set my watch and distance monitor to get an accurate measurement. After a bit of traffic at the start I settled into my target rhythm of five minute per km and for the first ten or twelve miles I just enjoyed the carnival atmosphere and the crowds of people who cheered and shouted support from the pavement.

With music systems pumping out from every pub, people hanging out of windows or stood on rooftops to get the best vantage point, every community came out to show their support and enjoy the day. From brass bands to steel bands playing, kids high-fiving runners and giving out sweets along the pavement and smiling spectators reading the name on your vest and shouting encouragement, it was a truly amazing experience that I will never forget.

I felt pretty comfortable during the middle of the race and kept stocking up on carbs with a gel every half an hour plus Lucozade and water from the frequent drink stations as we crossed Tower Bridge for the first time, again lined with thousands of cheering spectators. I was now on the look out for my Mum and Dad who were going to try and catch me at around mile 15 and 19 at Canary Wharf. I kept the pace going but was starting to think I had missed them when I came round the corner for the exit of Canary Wharf and there they were at the MS Society cheering point all going crazy. It gave me a massive boost and I was quite emotional but pulled myself together and began to focus on the final part of the race.

My legs were getting pretty heavy at this point but my energy levels were good so I thought the quicker you can run these last seven miles, the sooner you will be at the finish line and the better your time will be. Again, the support from the crowd was amazing so I gritted my teeth and pushed as hard as I could. These were the painful miles I had trained for and I was determined not to pull up and register as fast a time as possible. With three miles to go I could see I was under my 3:30 target so I kept pushing and after what felt like an eternity, I turned the final corner into the Mall and saw the clock at 3:19 so I accelerated for the line.

After handing in my time-chip and receiving my medal I felt shattered and disorientated. I made my way to the meeting area and someone from the MS Society team kindly walked me down to MS Society runners reception which was in a grand building overlooking the park. I had a much-welcome massage and met up with my Mum and Dad who had really enjoyed the race and sat down for a much needed drink and sandwich. We then walked (or hobbled) across London with the marathon still in full swing to get the train to Dartford and collect the car for the journey back to Leeds.

We got back about 9 and I enjoyed a pizza and glass of wine whilst looking on the London Marathon website for my official time of 3:17.43 which I am really please with for my first marathon. They also have your split times and pace graph on their which showed that I ran the first half in 1:40 and the second in 1:37, only a minute slower than my half-marathon time from last September. I suppose the next target will be getting to the three hour mark but I need a good rest before then!

There are so many people I need to thank I will publish a separate post later in the week along with a final fund-raising total when hopefully my legs will have recovered too!

20th - 26th April
Mon: Rest

Tues: AM: gym 1 hrs

Wed: AM: gym 1.5 hrs (6 km steady)

Thurs: AM: gym 1.5 hrs (6 km steady)

Fri: Rest

Sat: 20 minutes steady warm up (4 km)

Sun: Marathon Day! 3 hours 17 minutes and 48 seconds (42 km)

Weekly total: 58 km - final total: 855 km

Week 15 - tapering down

2009-04-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

Less than a week to go now until the big race and a big thank you to Nozza, Gav and Smig for sponsoring me this week. I'm just £300 short of the £2,000 target now with all the money raised going to the support the Leeds branch of the MS Society.

There are over 1,000 people diagnosed as having MS in the Leeds area who are supported by The Leeds Branch of the MS Society. The branch has about 150 members and runs a support telephone-line, a weekly self–help group and a monthly social, as well as a quarterly newsletter. They also provide a library of up-to-date information about all aspects of MS from dealing with specific health problems such as fatigue to advice about claiming benefits.

The branch has gone through problems recently with a lack of volunteers and funds. The money raised from the Marathon will enable them to provide grants to local people with MS for items such as wheelchairs, scooters and other essential equipment. They will be able to help with the cost of respite care, car adaptations and Motability deposits. Many of those who have MS are on low incomes due to their disability and are in need of financial help. Any money not given out in grants will be used to help research or to provide specialist MS nurses.

Running-wise, I have been tapering down this week in anticipation of the big day on Sunday, getting in plenty of rest and staying injury free. I will be setting off down to London on Friday to register at the Excel Arena before planning the best way to get to the start line on race day. Now all the training is out of the way and the sponsorship is nearly raised I am starting to look forward to it.

13th - 19th April
Mon: PM: 2 hrs off road (21 km)

Tues: AM: gym 1 hrs

Wed: AM: gym 1.5 hrs (6 km sprints) PM: Football training

Thurs: AM: 30 mins steady (6 km) PM: 30 mins steady (6 km)

Fri: AM: 1 hr gym

Sat: Football

Sun: AM: 50 mins steady (10 km)

Weekly total: 49 km - training total: 797 km

Week 14 - the final count down

2009-04-13T10:22:00.000-07:00

A momentous week began with an enjoyable run with Gav and Jamie who recounted some highly amusing travelling stories, mostly about being caught short in various embarrassing locations which I'm sure Jamie will be able to add to when he gets back from trekking across India. Then on Tuesday I did a quick 10 km in preparation for Wednesday Cup Final at Garforth Town.

East Leeds FC tried to psyche us out before the game with a load of drum 'n' bass music and it seemed to have worked when they took the lead through an early penalty. We came firing back though and battered them for the rest of the half, going in 4-1 at half-time and with my name finally on the scoresheet. The second half was a bit tense when they pulled a goal back but two quick strikes put the score at 6-2 and the game was over. We gave away two sloppy goals in the final minutes but the cup was ours.

We returned triumphant to Cross Gates Club for a disco and Indian buffet kindly proved by Zak the goalkeeper and then into town where the celebrations continued long into the night (for more pics and info visit www.crossgateswmc.com ). That meant Thursday and Friday where pretty much written off but an 18 miler on Saturday and 14 miles round the woods with Gav at Temple Newsam today (Bank Holiday Monday) meant it was a pretty good Easter training wise. Just two weeks to go now...

6th - 12th April
Mon: AM: gym 1 hr PM: 1 hr 30 mins steady (18 km)

Tues: AM: gym 1.5 hrs PM : 45 mins fast (10 km)

Wed: AM: gym 1.5 hrs PM: Cup Final

Thurs: Write off!

Fri: AM: 30 mins steady (6 km)

Sat: 2 hrs 30 mins steady (29 km)

Sun: PM: gym 1.5 hrs

Weekly total: 63 km - training total: 748 km

Week 13 - end in sight

2009-04-05T11:14:00.000-07:00

Only three weeks to go now until the big day and I'm starting to really look forward to it. I received another pack from the MS Society explaining about the facilities on race day and a funky orange sweatband (see picture).

Training wise, the only problem has been a niggling knee injury which I picked up at football training last week and can be quite painful when I'm running. This meant I needed an extra days' rest on Tuesday and couldn't do as much as I would have liked later in the week, though I did enjoy legging it round the woods at Temple Newsam on Friday which is more enjoyable than just pounding the roads for miles on end.

I also fell off the wagon on Saturday night as my mate Jamie was back from travelling for a couple of nights and all the boys were out so I couldn't resist. My running mate Gav was on top form telling everyone his marathon stories. My favourite one was when he had a really bad hangover before the Leeds marathon and it took him four and a half hours. He had to have a sit down for twenty minutes after 18 miles and a chat with the St John's ambulance crew. This is from a man who has a personal best of 3 hrs and 5 minutes so I definitely won't be drinking anywhere near race day!

30th March - 5th April
Mon: Rest

Tues: Rest

Wed: AM: gym 1.5 hrs PM: Football training

Thurs: AM: gym 1.5 hrs PM: 50 mins steady (10 km)

Fri: AM: gym 1 hr PM: 1 hr 15 mins off road (13 km)

Sat: Football

Sun: 50 mins steady (10 km)

Weekly total: 33 km - training total: 685 km

Week 12 - back on the road

2009-03-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

Just four weeks to go now and only £500 left to raise before the £2,000 target is reached. A big thank you to Bill, Jack and Bella and Caroline and Nic at work who all sponsored me this week.

Training-wise it started badly as I was still full of cold on Monday and Tuesday and had football training on Wednesday but I made up for it on Thursday and Friday before doing my longest run yet on Sunday.

It was a glorious day in sunny Leeds so I packed up my essentials (see picture) and headed off round the ring road. It took a little over 3 hours with a few refreshment and toilet breaks so it was quite a good pace on a hilly course. It was also my penultimate long run before the marathon itself so I feel like the finish line is now in sight and I'm confident that I can handle the distance.

23rd - 29th March
Mon: Rest (ill)

Tues: Rest (ill)

Wed: AM: gym 1.5 hrs PM: Football training

Thurs: AM: gym 1.5 hrs PM: 50 mins steady (10 km)

Fri: AM: gym 1.5 hrs including interval training (10 km) PM: 50 mins steady (10 km)

Sat: Football

Sun: 3 hrs steady (35 km)

Weekly total: 65 km - training total: 652 km

Week 11 - got your number

2009-03-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

My pre-marathon pack arrived this week with a magazine explaining the logistics of 40,000 people running 26 and a bit miles at the same time round a notoriously busy capital city and it all seems a bit daunting. First you have to register in the week before the marathon at the Excel Arena with proof of who you are before collecting your race number and your 'Champion Chip' timing system which you attach to your trainers to get an accurate final race time. I have been allocated number 41,388 which means I start in the red area in Greenwich Park (the pros start in blue and there is also a green one), with the 3 routes converging after about 3 miles.

It is going to be an early start as the race gets underway at 9.45 am and you obviously need to eat a few hours before and get to the start in plenty of time. Plus we are staying in St. Albans so will have to work out how to get there on the day and meeting up with family and friends afterwards is also a potential nightmare (you can hardly run with your mobile and there won't be a signal at the finish anyway) but I'm sure with enough planning it will be fine.

Running wise, I have not had a great week as I started coming down with a cold mid-week so wasn't well enough to do my long run on the Sunday which was really frustrating but hopefully I will get rid of it soon and be able to step up my training again next week to compensate. I also need to raise another £700 which is a bit of a worry so I'm going to have to start pestering people who haven't sponsored me yet (sorry in advance!)

16th - 22nd March
Mon: Rest

Tues: AM: gym 1 hr PM: 1 hr 50 mins steady (20 km)

Wed: AM: gym 1 hr

Thurs: AM: gym 1 hr + 30 mins interval training (7 km)

Fri: AM: 30 mins steady (7 km)

Sat: Football

Sun: Rest

Weekly total: 34 km - training total: 587 km

Week 10 - staying the course

2009-03-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

I have been busy again this week, running my own charity bookies at work to raise over 100 quid for Comic Relief and get everyone excited about the Cheltenham Festival (one of our clients is a leading bookmaker so it is classed as important research!) The most successful punter over the 4-day festival won a bottle of champagne and the coveted TBH Top Cheltenham Tipster trophy (see picture - it's a thing of rare beauty).

Running wise, it was pretty hard work, especially Sunday's 20-miler with a dodgy stomach (my apologies to Tesco on Roundhay Road and the Streets of Leeds pub). Thanks to Smig for donating his camel pack to me over the weekend, I found it to be easier to carry than the bottle belt (will put a picture up next week). I also managed to stay away from the booze (apart from a solitary glass of wine on Saturday night) despite another disappointing defeat at football but we will hopefully bounce back next week.

9th - 15th March

Mon: PM: 1.5 hrs gym

Tues: AM: 50 mins steady (10 km)

Wed: PM: gym 1 hr

Thurs: AM: gym 1 hr PM: 70 mins varied pace (13.5 km)

Fri: AM: 50 mins steady (9.5 km)

Sat: Football

Sun: 2 hrs 50 mins (32 km)

Weekly total: 65 km - training total: 553 km

Week 9 - taking on the elements

2009-03-08T11:22:00.000-07:00

Firstly, a big thank you to everyone who sponsored me this week including my cousins Melanie and Steven, Aunty Cath, Anna Hughes, Dave Hamilton and most of the Crossgates Working Men's Club football team.

Following on from last week's post, we won the semi-final 1-0 (it would have been 2-0 but for my goal being wrongly disallowed for a push and the heroics of their goalkeeper who plucked one out of the top corner). Unfortunately, the exertion and post-match celebration had a negative effect on my running schedule as I could barely move on Sunday (for both reasons!) so I moved the long run to Monday night instead. I then did a steady 10 km in the rain on Tuesday night with Evo and a quick 10 km at race pace on Wednesday before what turned out to be an eventful weekend.

On Friday I left my car at a colleague's house and had my last beer before the marathon (that's the plan anyway!) so had a steady 9 km jog at half 6 on Saturday morning to retrieve it. I then played in another semi-final for Crossgates but this time we lost 3-2 despite outplaying the opposition for most of the game. I was also disappointed to be brought off on the hour but it meant I could save my legs for Sunday's long run.

I needed all the energy I got from my new pre-race meal of porridge followed by honey on toast (with gorgeous home-made bread) and a banana for a gruelling 18 miler in the rain and sleet with Gav (see post-run picture) that was a real mental and physical test.

Next week promises more of the same so I just hope the weather improves along with my will power...

2nd - 8th March

Mon: (did Sunday's run!)

Tues: AM: gym 1 hr PM 55 mins steady (10 km)

Wed: AM: gym 1 hr PM: 45 mins quick (10 km)

Thurs: Rest

Fri: Rest

Sat: AM: 9 km PM: Football (semi-final)

Sun: 2 hrs 20 mins (28 km)

Weekly total: 57 km - training total: 488 km

Week 8 - a loaf and a half

2009-02-27T23:31:00.000-08:00

I am now at the half way point in both my marathon training and fundraising and everything is just about on track, having clocked up 270 training miles already (just another 270 to go!) and nearly £1,000 in sponsorship.

A big thank you to Ste, Will, Eliot and Emily who all sponsored me this week after I set up a facebook group to drum up support. I've also got a poster and collection tin in the gym at fitness first so hopefully that will help raise funds too.

Ben has been back in Leeds this week after his operation and is on the road to recovery so that is positive. I popped round to visit on Tuesday which also happened to be pancake day (yum!) and Friday night for a Sunday roast, squeezing in a few 10k's and a couple of gym sessions during the week to burn it all off.

Today I'm playing in a cup semi-final for Crossgates WMC before running a half-marathon at race pace tomorrow so I was more than grateful for the homemade loaf of bread my dad made for me last night to keep me going (see pic)!

23rd Feb - 1st Mar

Mon: Rest

Tues: AM: 55 mins steady (10 km)

Wed: AM: gym 1 hr PM: 45 mins quick (10 km)

Thurs: AM: gym 1 hr

Fri: AM: 60 mins steady (12 km)

Sat: Football (semi-final)

Sun: half marathon at race pace (21 km)

Weekly total: 53 km - training total: 431 km

Week 7 - let's off road!

2009-02-22T11:21:00.000-08:00

I had a bit of a slow start this week, doing a couple of 20 minute treadmill sessions with 3 minute sprint intervals but not getting out on to the road until Thursday. I made up for it though with 10 hill sprint intervals in an hour session followed by a quick 10 km on Friday night. On Saturday we finally had a game of football after three weeks off because of the weather and managed to grind out a 2-1 win against a title rival on a windy, boggy pitch.

My legs felt really heavy today and I was half-tempted to have a day off but Gav text to say he was off for a run around Temple Newsam so I joined for a ten mile run round the woods which was muddy but good fun. I might have to invest in some proper fell running trainers for next time though! Next week I am going to have a break from the gym (well maybe the odd session) and concentrate on the running but with a couple more rest days.

16th - 22nd Feb
Mon: AM gym 1 hr

Tues: AM: gym 45 mins - PM: gym 1.5 hrs (5 km intervals)

Wed: AM: gym 1.5 hrs (5 km intervals)

Thurs: PM: 60 mins hill sprints x10 (10 km)

Fri: AM: gym 1.5 hrs (5 km intervals) PM: 45 mins fast (10 km)

Sat: Football

Sun: 16 km off road

Weekly total: 46 km - training total: 378 km

Week 6 - get well soon

2009-02-15T10:45:00.000-08:00

This week started badly with confirmation that Ben had broken his hip which required an operation on Monday morning. He has now started physio on it to regain the movement and should be able to leave hospital in about a week so he can come back to Leeds and recuperate. I have been speaking to him daily and he is in good spirits and looking forward to coming home when he is fit enough to be discharged.

Running wise it has been quiet a steady week. Not as much distance as the week before but more quality in the form of interval training and speed work. Football was also called off again because of the weather so I could get the long run out of the way on Saturday (a steady 14 miles) which I did with my mate Gav who loves running so much he plans to run a three peaks race the day before the London Marathon (yes, he is completely insane). This week I will be doing more hill work and hopefully getting a game of footie in before a race pace half-marathon on Sunday.

9th - 15th Feb

Mon: PM: Rest

Tues: AM: gym 45 mins - PM: 40 mins intervals (5 x 3 mins fast - 9 km)

Wed: AM: gym 1 hrs PM: 1 hr steady (12 km)

Thurs: AM: gym 1.5 hrs

Fri: AM: gym 1.5 hrs (5 km) PM: 45 mins fast (10 km)

Sat: 1 hrs 55 mins steady (22 km)

Sun: Rest

Weekly total: 48 km - training total: 332 km

Week 5 - bad news, bad weather

2009-02-08T11:11:00.000-08:00

We had some really bad news today as we found out that Ben is in hospital in Dundee with a suspected broken leg after falling on Saturday afternoon so we're just waiting to find out if he is OK and when we can bring him down to Leeds to recover.

This week's training plan had to be revised due to the large amounts of snow that brought most of the country to a standstill. I waited until Tuesday night before braving the conditions but quickly realised it wasn't too bad running in the snow. It also meant that football was off again on Saturday so I did my long run early - running to Bramham and back for my first 18 miler! This time I had a couple of drink stops and felt pretty good throughout. Due to my training plan constantly changing, I am now going to update it at the end of the week rather than at the beginning.

2nd - 8th Feb

Mon: PM: 1.5 hrs gym

Tues: AM: gym 1 hr - PM: 60 mins steady (12 km)

Wed: Rest

Thurs: AM: gym 1.5 hrs PM: 60 mins steady (12 km)

Fri: AM: 50 mins steady (10 km)

Sat: 2 hrs 20 mins steady (29 km)

Sun: 60 mins steady (10 km)

Weekly total: 73 km - training total: 284 km

Week 5 - back in the groove

2009-02-01T11:31:00.000-08:00

I had a really good week this week having recovered from last week's cold, running 75 km from Sunday to Friday including a hill sprint session which was hard work but enjoyable at the same time. Football was cancelled on Saturday so that gave me a much needed rest day but the Sunday run wasn't great - trying to run at race pace in the wind and snow flurries with heavy legs - I now know while they call them 'the hard miles'!

Week 4 - playing catch up

2009-01-25T08:14:00.000-08:00

Week 3 was a bit of a nightmare as I was full of cold so only managed one evening run on Wednesday and that wasn't really a good idea. I did make up for it on Sunday though with a 25 km run in 2 hrs 10 mins which is the longest I have run for and wasn't bad with a hangover! I also did as much running as possible at football on Saturday on a pitch that resembled a farmer's field, scoring a dramatic late equaliser in a 4-4 draw.

This week I will be trying to catch up a bit on the mileage, as well as doing some speed and hill work. I also want to thank my Auntie Julia for her kind donation - the total is now up to £736 so we are getting nearer to the magic £2k!

26th - 31st Jan

Mon: AM: 1 hr gym PM: 60 mins steady (12 km)

Tues AM: 1 hr gym PM: 20 min warm up run + 10x hill sprints + 15 min warm down run (12 km)

Wed: AM: 1.5 hrs gym

Thurs: AM: 1.5 hrs gym (inc 4 km sprints) PM: 70 mins steady (14 km)

Fri: AM: 55 mins steady (11 km)

Sat: Rest

Sun: 90 mins at race pace (20 km)

Weekly total: 69 km - training total: 211 km

Week 3 - more running!

2009-01-18T10:27:00.000-08:00

Firstly, a big thank you to Uncle Malcolm and Auntie Freda and Uncle Philip and Auntie Joan for sponsoring me this weekend - the total is now up to £650 which is fantastic!

I have had a good week training wise - rested on Monday so did the gym before work and the running after on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday which was pretty tiring, followed by a rest day on Friday before the weekend. I played football on Saturday for Cross Gates WMC and scored 5 in an 11-1 victory (yes, the opposition wasn't up to much!) so my legs where quite sore on Sunday but still managed a steady 18 km with Gav my new running buddy. Next week is more than the same but with a couple of morning sessions and building up to an even longer Sunday run:

19th - 25th Jan

Mon: ILL

Tues: ILL

Wed: AM: 1.5 hrs gym PM: 50 mins steady (10 km)

Thurs: AM 1.5 hrs gym

Fri: AM 1.5 hrs gym

Sat: Football

Sun: 130 mins steady (25 km)

Weekly total: 35 km - training total: 143 km

Week 2 - Mid-week quality

2009-01-11T10:24:00.000-08:00

I'm glad week 1 is out of the way and football was cancelled on Saturday meaning I could have a much needed rest day. I ran about 35 miles in total and felt pretty comfortable for the most part - especially in my new trainers and rather fetching tights (see picture) which kept me warm and visible in the evening frost!

Week 2 is similar distance wise but introduces some interval training to work on speed:

Week 2: 12th - 18th January
Mon: Rest
Tues: AM: 1.5 hrs gym PM: 60 mins steady (12 km)
Wed: AM: 1.5 hrs gym PM: 3 x 10 mins fast with 3 mins recovery intervals
Thurs: AM: 1 hr gym PM: 60 mins steady (12 km)
Fri: Rest
Saturday: Football
Sunday: 90 mins steady (18 km)

Weekly total: 54 km - training total: 108 km

Week 1 - Getting started

2009-01-04T10:07:00.000-08:00

Hi again and a happy New Year to everyone. It is now time to start my 16 week training plan which has been adapted to accommodate the gym and Saturday football for Cross Gates Working Men's Club FC www.crossgateswmc.com

During the week I will be doing all my running before work so will be in for some early starts (though as a self-confessed gym-addict I'm quite used to it by now) and the distance and intensity will obviously increase week-by-week so the first week doesn't look too daunting:

5th - 11th Jan

Mon: 45 mins steady run (12 km) + 1.5 hrs gym

Tues: 1.5 hrs gym

Wed: 60 minutes varied pace (12 km)

Thurs: rest

Fri: 60 mins steady run (12 km) + 1 hr gym

Sat: 90 minutes steady run (18 km)

Sun: Rest

Total: 54 km

To sponsor me, visit http://www.justgiving.com/nick 09 and check back next week to see what's in store for week 2...

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

And a big thank you to everyone who has sponsored me so far including Spud, Jamie, Eve, Jabbar & Barbara, Mike Short, Barry Williamson, Carol & Bob Kirkby, Gill & Helmut Faulhaber, Catherine Ball, Liz & Saul Salter, Jean & Peter and Roger & Sarah. The 2008 total is now a healthy £320!

Just a quick training update - between all the fine food and wine over the festive period (and the Leeds game with Ben on Boxing Day) I managed to squeeze in a couple of 20 km runs (or half-marathons). The first one was a personal best time of 1 hr and 33 minutes and the second one nearly killed me so I am feeling both confident and scared ahead of my 16 week training programme which starts on the 5th January (more details to follow).

New trainers and running tights are now on order to get me through the winter months and I will be updating my blog every week from here on in. To see how the sponsorship is going or to make a donation visit: www.justgiving.com/nick09

Have a happy New Year and check back soon!

The long road ahead...

2008-11-25T04:48:00.000-08:00

Hello there,

This is the first post on my blog that I will be updating regularly with my progress towards running the Flora 2009 London Marathon on 26th April 2009 (exactly 5 months away!).

Having run the Leeds Half Marathon in the summer in the time of 1 hour 36 minutes without any specific training and a bit of a hangover, I have convinced myself that doubling the distance shouldn't be too much of a problem with the right preparation and abstinence!

I will be following a 16 week training programme that begins on the 5th January (details to follow) and will keep you up-to-date with the highs and lows with lots of pictures (if you're interested) on this very blog so keep popping back.

The reason I am doing all this is to raise money for the Leeds Branch of the MS Society and to raise awareness of this disease and how it affects the lives of around 85,000 people in the UK including my brother, Ben.

For more information on the MS Society and MS, visit http://www.mssociety.org.uk/ and if you would like to sponsor me, please visit www.justgiving.com/nick09 or drop me an email at nickr9000@yahoo.co.uk

More details to follow soon...