Done and Dusted

So, on Sunday I ran the Real Berlin Marathon. You may have seen on the news that Haile Gebrselassie broke the world record, so while I was technically competing in the same race, I'm not sure it was the thought of me chasing that pushed young Haile over the line!

I went round in 5.43.27, I could talk you through the race, but instead I'll keep it simple. I began nervous as hell, was feeling good at the halfway point, then my right knee started giving me all sorts of trouble and the rest of the race became a real struggle.

The second half was a mix of highs and lows, the highs perhaps being the cheerleaders around mile 17, and the lows being pretty much everything else!

At this point I should really say thanks to a few people. First of all the guys who texted and called to wish me luck, there's too many to mention but thanks to each of you, it meant a lot. Same to those who have sponsored me, knowing so many people had given money to the cause kept me going at some serious low points!

Special mention to my boys Kirt, Hog and G-Man for believing I could do it, probably more than I did! A massive thanks has to also go to Jules, my running partner. What a compadre, couldn't have done it without your constant jabbering and shouts of "I am the Yeti!"

The biggest thanks must however go to my sister Helen. What a performance. Firstly I wouldn't have entered without her, then I wouldn't have got to the startline, and I almost certainly wouldn't have made it if I hadn't been able to take comfort in the fact that she was suffering just as much!

We were a sorry sight at the end, as the picture shows, but the 24 hours afterwards has amused me no end as we grunted our way back from Germany!

I also cracked open a beer for the first time in a month on Sunday night, and I can tell you now it was enjoyable! Whether or not I'll sign up for another of these I don't know, but at least now I know it's not an impossibility.

As far as Everest goes, there's been loads of news recently. I sat down on Thursday with Kirt and Charlie to debate the Team Hillary captain and eventually all decided that Glen Lowis was the man for the job. Congrats to him, I have no doubt he'll rise to the task.

The website has also gone live, check out http://www.theeveresttest.com/ for all the best bits there.

I'm pretty knackered now, and my mind and body is shutting down, so farewell. I'm now going to have to come up with something else to write about on this blog!

The time is nigh

Hi folks,

This is likely to be my last post before the marathon. How do I feel? Nervous as hell that's how.

Last weekend I went to Dubai on a work jolly, which was great but hardly ideal preparation! I didn't manage to get a run in which was disappointing, but not crucial I don't think. I ran for an hour last night and will go again tomorrow morning, then it's sit back, eat pasta and wait for Sunday.

Helen and I started up our fundraising page last week and seem to be going along quite well so far, as I write we are barely £2 away from the £600 mark, a decent start.

I also recently finished reading 'Every Second Counts' by Lance Armstrong. Now, this guy needs no introduction, he's a proper legend. I can't remember if I said, but I was lucky enough to have him as a guest speaker at a recent company do in Hawaii and he was really inspiring. More than that though, he has given me my slogan - "Pain is temporary, quitting is permanent." There shall be no quitting on my watch!

Work for Everest is coming along well, although I'm gutted to be missing the big meeting this weekend where the captains will be named. Fortunately I'm in the loop with that and will be speaking with Kirt and Charlie on Thursday about who will lead Team Hillary. There's so many decent candidates that it won't be an easy choice, but I guess the good thing about this is that no choice will be the wrong one.

One negative was that I had to send out a nasty email today chasing people for payment, that sucked but needed to be done. Did kind of make me feel like an asshole though.

Anyway, wish me luck and I'll let you know how I got on...if I survive!

Knackered

My oh my, it has certainly been quite a week. I am sitting on my sofa with my feet up watching the football knowing that the last eight days has brought a number of firsts for me.

On Saturday last I got up at 8 am, ran 9 miles then went and played cricket. Admittedly, I hardly lasted very long with the bat, but I did get through a three over spell, comfortably my longest since school!

I then sat in the pub with the boys and did not sink a single beer, then went home to a dinner party, where I also avoided booze. It has now been two weeks since my last beer, and that certainly seems a long time ago. I won't lie, I'm hanging for one, but fortunately I have the Carling I-pint to amuse myself(ask me if you've not seen it - comfortably my favourite toy!).

On the Sunday I had another early start, running the Gyro 10k, in full cricket gear. Have a look at Glens blog to the right for a write up of that.

A fairly uneventful week followed, and then today arrived, and I was up at seven and proceeded to run 16 miles, which, as it turns out, is a bloody long way. I am aching all over, and it took me a pretty long time, but the good news that I finished and my knees and feet are not completely shredded.

It does have to be said however, that the thought of adding another 10 miles onto what I just ran, scares the bejesus out of me. Sadly, that is what I am going to have to do in just two weeks. I had my first meeting with "The Wall" today and I fear it is something I will become fairly well acquainted with in two weeks time.

So, next weekend I have to go to Dubai and again avoid the booze in tricky circumstances as well as trying to get a run in. It's 40 degrees out there at the moment, so that could be fun!!

Until next time!