Sorry about the delay in completing this blog but things have been very busy, a result of putting everything off all winter to allow training time.

The day was great, and yes I did complete the course in a time of 4:28:45 about what I had expected.
The crowds were fantastic and carry you through the last 6 miles.

Whoever organises the Flora London Marathon should be given the job of sorting out terminal 5. As far as I could tell it went without a hitch.

Great event Great day.

If you feel in the least bit motivated, do it, you'll be well rewarded.

Thanks to everyone who sponsored me and all those who supported me throughout my training.

What about next year!!!!!!!!!!!!! we will see

Street collection.
What a great day, A very big thank you to everyone involved, family, friends and the great general public!!!!
The day dawned with flurries of snow and a very chilly wind. My heart sank, no one would be out and about on a day like this, but within an hour the sun was out and the world looked a much better place.
The collection took place in the centre of Bridport, Bucky-Doo square, the girls from The Wessex Autistic Society turned up to help, and soon we had a table and display up and we were busy coersing people to part with their money.
The town was soon buzzing with people, next to us were St John's Ambulance who were also trying to raise funds, I even won a prize on their tombola.
What was really nice was the number of people who came up to me and wished me good luck and thanked me for what I was doing and had been following my progress in the press.
I had my photo taken with the Mayor and the local Bobby, I belive these may appear in the TWAS news letter.
Again the press were on hand to capture the event and great fun was had by all.
It's very sobering when at least 10 people, while giving me money, told me they had a family member or very close friend who suffered with Autism.
One of the benifits of my fund raising has been to raise the awareness of Adult Autisum in my area.
Our permit expired at 14.00hrs so we called it a day.
That afternoon we counted over £540.00 all thanks to everyone for their generosity.
Sunday afternoon I jogged a gentle 12ks just to keep the legs fresh, I have checked the hotel booking and all was well with that, so now maybe one more gentle jog perhaps on Wednesday and that will be that.

Today, Thursday 4th April, marks 9 days to go.
The hard training is now over, no more long runs until the day, yes you did hear a sigh of relief, its now a matter of keeping the legs mobile and watching what I eat, for the last week I will not eat red meat, for no other reason than, in the past a hearty steak seemed to make me feel lethargic the next day,
I'll also for go the odd glass of wine, just think of the after party when I'll make up for it.
Fund raising is going ok'ish, I have reached half my target, I think I may end up with £2000.00 thats £1000.00 short, as I've said before, it's easier to train than raise the money.
The support remains high, lots of people wishing me well, still a sizeable number saying I'm mad.
I have now worked out the fundamentals of the new watch/heart monitor, thank goodness they have an online tutorial, I should have asked the kids, they know everything!!!!
This coming weekend Wessex Autistic have booked a street collection in the centre of Bridport if your about let yourself be known as a blog reader, I'd love to hear from you.

Whooops
Sorry about the time between entries, but I thought I had posted the last entry, only to find it in draft-form and not posted!
As the title says: 'the clock is ticking' and as I write this it's 18 days and 18 hours to go.
Am I on track with my training? I thought I was, having done the "long run" a couple of weeks ago. It was a 20 miler and I was feeling quite smug as I sat back and rested on my laurels. The only problem was that a week later I did a 12 miler and was totally stuffed. If it had been the London Marathon I would have battled to finish.
I felt awful, my legs where lead and I just felt dreadful.
I gave myself a couple of days off. Then I had a light and steady run of 10 miles and all was well, thank goodness.
It may sound as if I'm getting neurotic, and I suspect I maybe, but that is how it gets.
I phoned my old training partners in South Africa,a husband and wife team. They 'retired' at the same time as me, and I asked for their advice re my training schedule. They never gave me any advise at all - apart from abuse. It became a "do you remember when ?" session, not entirely helpful but great fun.
I have revised my marathon finishing time. Iin reality I would like to finish in four hours. My best marathon was three hours, four minutes, 20 years ago, but a lot will depend on the day and the crowd of other runners.
Here@s hoping! Just a thought: if I finish in under four hours, thirty minutes, I will have qualified for this year's South African Comrades' Marathon! Now there's a scarey thought!!!!
As I sit here, I can tell you I have reached one thousand pounds in sponsorship, which is a third of my goal, but I do have pledges for more and I still have almost three weeks to go. This will include a street collection on the 5th April in my local town centre. I still have my fingers crossed!!!
One more thing, my daughter has set me up on Facebook, and I believe you can donate from there. I am not sure how but that's kids for you.
I wonder if I need to get an A-Z of London for my sightseeing jog!!!!!!

I have to thank our local radio station, Wessex FM, for their fantastic plug about the run. It was a recorded interview and went out in three formats, and thanks to some clever editing, I didn't sound like a total prat.
I have great respect for people who can give a clear and concise interview with out to many ummmms and arrrrrrsss.
But like most people who hear themselves on air I didn't recognise the voice as mine !!!! It was recorded over a phone-line, but I still think it sounded a bit strange. I was hardly a candidate to read the news.
I had a brilliant run last weekend in warm sunshine. It was through one of the prettiest vales in Dorset, from Burton Bradstock through Litton Cheney, Long Bredy, Little Bredy, Hardy's Monument and Winterbourne Abbas up to the Roman Road and home to Compton Valence. Although it was just 15 miles, it was like a spring day with birds singing, people out working in their gardens, all in all it was beautiful!
I was happy and knackered at the end.
I have finally eventually bought a new watch; a Polar RS200 with a heart monitor. All I have to do is work out how it operates, that should pass an hour or two!
I bought it on-line, having failed to get one locally. I picked the watch from a website, then phoned them to check the details etc. In passing, I mentioned that it was offered by another company for less, but their site was not as comprehensive. Without hesitation the gentleman offered to match the price. Result! I would still have preferred to buy local, but I suppose that's life.
...............

It's now the last week in February and it's one month and thirteen days to go, before the off.
It's a bit like a suspense movie with the clock just ticking towards the climax. Well maybe that's a bit dramatic, but I'm now very aware of the days left. I cannot afford to pick up another injury at this stage. So it's still a case of finding the balance with training, doing enough to ensure I can complete the run with a degree of comfort and not putting too much strain on the body.

It is, however, time to say a few thank yous for the support I'm receiving: the media have been fantastic, the press have all run the story and with genuine interest. Most have been in contact to make sure that they have the details correct and to wish me good luck.
Wessex FM have interviewed me with a view to putting my plight on air. A man called Mike was great and helped me through it, my only request was not to make me sound like a real prat.

I have sent out over 60 begging letters to various local companies asking for sponsorship. I hope I get responses as I'm still a long way from my goal of £3000. I will say it's easier to train than to raise money.

The surrounding area is flooded with posters, so there is not much more I can do regarding awareness.

I must comment on one newspaper article that got the metric conversion wrong and gave my weight as 25 stone, that caused a few laughs not to mention a couple of rude phone calls.

For the first time last night the first half of my evening run was in daylight, so spring is on the way. Mind you, as the sun disappeared it got very cold, so nothing has changed there.

Continued

One of the problems the Physio picked up whilst trying to sort out my groin was that due to my not having run for many years, my Hamstrings had shortened. "Not uncommon", she said, "for someone of your age and considering the lack of exercise over the last few years".
So not only is my groin a problem, but if I don't do the exercises she has given me, as sure as "eggs are eggs", she assured me, "you'll be injured within 6 weeks".
I now have to treat myself, by rubbing my own groin and performing strange and painful exercises, not at the same time I'm glad to say. Mind you, they must be working because I appear to be on the mend.

Not one week, as she said, but two weeks after my disastrous race I ventured out on the road for a very gentle jog of about a mile, just to see if all was settling down, and I'm glad to report there were no real problems.
As a result, I donned the thermals on Monday evening and jogged 5ks, at 3ks I felt the legs start to complain and by the five I realised how much fitness you lose sitting on you arse watching TV, but the big plus was no groin pain.

Wednesday evenings training run was back to my normal route around Bridport, about 11ks and flat. What made this so different was that my Daughter (eldest) vollentered to join me for part of it. The last time I saw her run was as a teenager running Hash (Hash House Harriers, not drugs) in Durban, SA. Now, two children and a mayor knee op later, she was waiting halfway round my route and raring to go. This was great for both of us. I ran at her pace, a gentle jog so helping my recovery, and not putting too much strain on her. I had anticipated her running about 2ks, but in fact we ran to our local harbour from the town, about 3ks where we took a breather and she was supposed to wait for her husband to pick her up, but she was feeling good enough to start running back. Mind you, I think she was pleased when he did show up. I was very proud of her. I must give her a call and see if she has sore legs - better still I'll wait till tomorrow when they will be at their worst.

I'm a bit disappointed by the number of cheques I've received, but I suppose it's early days yet. It looks as if I will have to send out far more begging letters.

I have agreed to do a promotion for the Ladies section of our local Golf club, who's charity is also Wessex Autistic. They are proposing that I run around the golf course, all fairways and greens to tees and they will try to guess how long I will take. So more on that when its been formalised.

Until then its ever onward and upward..............

This is more of the continuing saga of my preparations for the London Marathon.

To enable you to become gripped by this ever continuing soap-opera you may have to read the previous entries, or not as the case may be !!!
I have progressed reasonably well during January trying not to do too much too soon, as they say, but I had the urge to try and increase my speed - this is to enable me to finish before the bloke in the diving suit!!
I started with sessions in the gym, pounding mindlessly on the treadmill. I have to say this is a boring way of training, but at least it's warm, and you can watch other people suffering. It looked like a major influx of people determined to uphold their New Year's resolutions: by the start of February most appear to have decided flab wasn't that bad after all!!
Now we come to my first real set back: so grab a coffee and tissues......
I had entered my first road race, a half marathon in Sherbourne. On the weekend prior to the race I had a run from Weymouth to home, about 10 miles, no real problem. It was even mild with sunshine. About a mile from home I felt a pain in my groin area. That became proggresively worse. So it was a case of easing off and jogging home.
Now, as all sportsmen and woman know, rest is a good healer. So out with a packet of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel clamped firmly but carefully in my groin... This, of course, raised many a chuckle and comment from the family. I also applied some gel that made parts become numb, much care was taken applying this!!
No running for the next week and by the Friday all seemed well and the pain had gone.
Sunday saw me with lots, about 400, other souls eagerly awaiting the off. It was cold and windy, but what the heck, it is winter in the UK!!!
It should be noted that there appears to be two types of runner: the ones who warms up first, jogging round the field in skimpy shorts and vests, then stretching and doing all manner of strange contortions and then theres the others (like me!), who sit in their cars near the start with the engines running, to ensure the heater is nice and warm, who, on seeing everyone line up for the off, make a mad dash for the start, timing it to arrive as the mob set off.
I was in the latter group - surprise-surprise!!.
5 Miles in and ouch!!! the pain was back, bu.....r or even stronger words. I limped to a pick- up point and a lift back to the car park and home. No finishing time, no free t-shirt just a pain in the crutch!!
Was this the end? The family were very supportive, friends saying helpful things like, "it's your age catching up" and other reassuring comments.
Monday and a visit to the vet (country doctor), "you need a sports physio", the mans is a genious, 10 years of training to tell me that. The NHS will take a month for an appointment. The afternoon saw me in Weymouth having my groin inspected by a young woman and paying for it privately. Ten minutes later and me with gritted teeth, she declares "it's ok, you'll be running next Monday", Blast another excuse to quit has gone.
So today I'm resting under physio's orders.
My local free paper came out today with a nice article about my running the Marathon and my attempts to raise money for the Wessex Autistic Society.

To be continued.........

Now we have new shoes and the training is going ok; no real distance but it's early January and I've still gotto get rid of the Xmas overindulgence. London Marathon now 3 months away.
Time to dig out the watch, yes I still have it somewhere, up into the attic & rummage through old cases and there it is, stone flat not a glimmer of life, put it on and the strap is broken, off to the local jeweller.
"Haven't seen one like this for years", this seems to be a common thread with my running kit. In went a new battery and lo and behold, it lit up, but no strap, online that night and the problem was solved. Or so I thought.

Next day saw me out on the road. I now have a measured route which will act as my time trial run, 5 km. Off I go like a bat out of hell, after three km the area was suffering from oxygen loss as I sucked in every bit I could find. Bushs and trees vibrated as I sped past, eyes bulging, I flashed past the 5km marker, well a gate post actually. I hit the stop button, waited for the eyes to focus, ahhhhhhh the watch must be running slow, 6mins a km. This from someone, who, without too much effort, could run under 4 mins a Km.
Then it dawned on me, the watch was fine, it was just me, knackered and dejected I trotted home.
Lesson learned, do not wear a watch until you are at least half fit.

I now have confirmation that my place in the London Marathon had been registered - I even have a number!!!
As I had made this commitment, and was, no doubt, going to go through hell trying to get fit, I needed more motivation, and as most people who run London do it for charity, I decided that was a good motivator.
Through business I had got to know a local charity called The Wessex Autistic Society, based in our area. Knowing them well, I phoned and offered to try and raise funds for them. A meeting was arranged with the correct people, who know all about PR, etc and that was it, photo session arranged and the wheels were in motion.

At this point friends and family, well meaning as they are, started to suggest I get a medical check up to ensure I was not going to drop dead.
Good Idea! So I phoned the local village doctor for an appointment.
I have great faith in them despite the fact that their practice is very near to hunt stables full of horses and hounds, perhaps they 'double up as vets' was my only reservation, and that because, if your a horse has a problem they shot it.
"Have you started training yet" he enquired, "Yes" I said, "What is the longest distance you've run so far in one go?" "Nine miles" was my reply, " Excellent, well if you had a heart problem you would have known by now". The rest of the medical followed much the same lines. A week later and after the results of some blood test, I was passed fit.
So now I can't pull out on medical grounds.

It was now mid January, bloody freezing, a couple of training runs in zero or below has prompted me to join a gym in a nearby town. The thought behind this is to enable me to train in inclement weather, which at the moment, is most of the time. Remember all my previous running was done in sub tropical climes, just shoes and shorts with the occasional T Shirt for decency. Now I look more like the Michelin Man.
I still can't fathom it out, I ran one evening - the temperature was zero, so I wore leggings ( verging on the feminine ) a t-shirt, light fleece and reflective running jacket,not to mention gloves and a woolly hat, 2 km and I'm steaming, a word with those in the know and it's on the internet and buy the proper kit, breathable shirts and mid layers, so now I have all the gear. Who said running was a cheap sport?

The other invaluable piece of kit has to be an MP3 player. It deadens the mind, I'm not going to tell you what my play list consists of, but it varies with music that is loud and thumping - just right for those long painful hills. The only drawback to an MP3 player is not being able to hear the car that will run me over in the narrow lanes of Dorset.

It was time to take stock of my fitness, and see where I was at, as they say.
So a couple of Saturdays ago I got my very patient and supportive wife to drop me off in a place called Broadwindsor in the heart of West Dorset, amidst some of the most beautiful countryside in England, a full 25 km from home. Now if any of you have been to Dorset you will know it's not flat! One bloody hill after another, and there were plenty on this run. Beaminster is first then up and over the downs, very narrow lanes and some great views, not that I saw too much of them, the old head was down for much of the way, but I did it. Perhaps the time could be better and I was pretty tired come the end, but after less than six weeks training it's not bad.

I have received an e-mail from Maiden Newton Runners, they are having their Xmas do in February, I'm beginning to like this club.

I've decided to enter my first competitive race after many years, a half marathon in Sherborne. This should give me an idea of what time to expect in London.
to be continued...........

We got to the bit about my running shoes falling to bits, so off we went to buy a new pair. Big change from when I bought my last pair, at least 15 years ago but I'd guess a couple of years more than that, in those days you tried them on if you could walk they were considered fine.
Now I walk into a fancy specialist running shop over 40 miles from home, to be greeted by a very young assistant in a track suit who gave the impression that I should rather have gone to Saga for my shoes, she insisted I get on a treadmill so she could view my running style, I asked as a joke, not to switch it on too fast, she took me seriously.
"Have you been on one before" she asked, this was all a bit disconcerting, "yes" I replied, "If you need to, press the stop button" this was either sarcasm or health & safety gone mad. On I climbed and managed not to make an idiot of myself, as I got off she seemed distracted, not helped by a persistent chewing of gum, "I'm not sure" she said. she wandered off in the direction of the till leaving me somewhat stranded, should I follow, leave, or look at the posters on the wall, I chose the latter, I was soon the figure in the picture striding effortlessly over a finishing line to a blaze of camera's.
"hello" back to reality, I spun round to see a bright smiling face grinning from ear to ear, someone obviously used to dealing with people over 20 and someone who could see my rising frustration.
"I was watching you on the treadmill, what you need is......" that was it, all I needed was someone who cared, 10 minutes later I had shoes and a good luck wish as I left.

Back in the days of "when we" and "when I" I ran for a very large SA running club, and anyone arriving at the club with new shoes had to face a torrent of abuse not to mention everyone trying to make them dirty, I've even known people run round their garden in an attempt to make them look used rather than face the start line of a time trial in spotless shoes. I rather miss that, so rather unceremoniously I donned the new shoes and trotted off for a "quick", well, more a leisurely trip round the block, only now I'm trying not to get them dirty I must have looked a sight jumping over the puddles and running round the muddy patches, how times have changed.

To be continued .........