Occasionally, just occasionally, everything falls into place for the long distance runner.
You feel like you are floating rather than running, carried by the warm breath of a choir of angels. The ground itself is as soft to the touch as the finest Axminster, and every step provides you with renewed energy.
Mind, heart and body work in perfect harmony as you effortless consume mile after mile, free of fatigue or weariness.
Unfortunately I have never had that experience.
Having my blog at Onefatman08 made complete sense when I ran last year’s marathon.
Apart from being a weak bingo joke, I was fat and it was 08.
But many have suggested that as it is now 09 I should update the title, even though as they have kindly pointed out I am still fat.
I think they are missing the point. This blog has nothing to do with accuracy; witness the fact that elsewhere I describe myself as a ‘runner’. Hah!
Four weeks to go and currently I am approximately 24 miles behind schedule!
But apart from my age, weight, lack of preparation, and all round jellyness there is no reason why I can’t run 26 miles come April 26th.
The marathon itself is one of the most enjoyable experiences you can have, the training is one of the worst, and I guess that is why I have put it off for months.
Running a couple of miles doesn’t take too long, and the boredom levels are easily overcome but a marathon (for me at least) involves four and a half hours of constant and painful running.
You might imagine that you could use all that time creatively, to invent time travel or a cure for the common cold, but in fact the only thought that goes through your brain is ‘when will I be home’.
Trying to run the marathon after just six weeks is sheer folly and I deserve all the pain I get but please please make it worthwhile. Click on the text under my ‘Sponsor me’ button and make a big donation to the RNIB.
The blob is back! I will definitely be heaving my carcass over the starting line of the 2009 London Marathon, but whether it makes the finishing line this time is a moot point.
In post race euphoria in 2008 I put my name forward for this year’s event – and then forgot about it for nearly a year, which sometimes took some determination.
Then last Tuesday for reasons that still aren’t clear to me, I put on my trainers and hit the road again.
Given that this provides me with less than six weeks to get fit enough to complete the 26 mile course, I think I have set myself a ridiculous challenge, and one that no-one of sane mind or medical expertise would condone.
But I’m now back into the full training regime and already, tying my trainer laces only leaves me slightly short of breath.
Confidence is high in my household – my wife is confident I won’t get further than five miles – and my kids are confident I will hop on a tube.
They’re probably both right.
