26 Days To Go

Sunday was by far the hardest run done so far. I dont know if it had anything to do with cycling all the way from Pluto to the Sun and back again - stopping for a beer not long after Mars. Ok 13 miles done on the bike up and down an old railway line in York towing a very lazy 5 year old who didnt want to help in any way what so ever. Not the best preparation for a 22 mile run.

I will run in any weather as was evident on Monday evening after doing 4 miles in the lashing rain but I absolutely hate the wind. Did 13 miles ok on Sunday then turned for home and the next 6 were in to a force 10 gale that reduced my mins per mile from just over 8 to at one point 11.5. It was murder. The hardest ever. By the time I had done 19 I had no energy left and was wrecked and had to stop I couldnt physically do anymore.

6 miles done this morning which felt ok but the legs are getting very tired now, so I have decided, sanctioned by the wife, to go for a massage tomorrow evening to see if that will work. First time ever I have gone for a massage!!!!!

www.justgiving.com/davidmcnamara2010

31 Days to Go

1 Month to go - oh my god. My number came through so you all need to keep an eye out for No. 43377 he'll be the one doubled up on the Mall at the end.

Was far too knackered to go out yesterday so an extra hour in bed was greatly appreciated. 9 miles done this morning in the pouring rain certainly wasnt appreciated.

Only a handful of long runs left which I have to admit I am so pleased about. Aiming for that bit quicker than last year has proved to be a tough old task.

wii fit BMI - 25.49 - still overweight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

www.justgiving.com/davidmcnamara2010

33 Days To Go

20 miles done on Sunday and it the fastest I have ever covered that distance and the first time I have managed under 8:30mins per mile, albeit by 1 sec per mile but I did it so am absolutely made up.

Needless to say I felt like death when I had finished and was just soooo ill. That was the worst I have felt after just doing a run in a long time. I managed to get some fluid on board but couldnt eat for about 4 hours. I felt sick and my legs were just mashed. Walked my little lad to the shop, 1/2 mile away and had to stop and sit on the fence as I just couldnt go any further.

No run on Monday as I was at head office first thing, it wouldnt have really mattered where I was, the was never ever going to be a run on Monday.

9 miles done today, including 3 x 2mile fast runs. That was hard and I didnt meet every target but wasnt a million miles away so really happy with that. I felt good though after and have recovered from Sundays hell.

This is the most annoying thing about Sunday:-

wii fit BMI - 25.01 - still technically obese, by 0.01, that fly that flew into my mouth earlier on must have caused it. A total a 6lbs lost during Sundays run.

9 slow miles planned for tomorrow - in shorts as well, as the mighty tights have been assigned to the draw and may be very lucky to survive the summer without being binned.

Just watched a programme about prem babies on Ch4 and it brought a whole host of memories back. It has given me a boost and a bit of a reminder why I am putting myself through this. Which may suprise a few who thought I did it for the fun of it.

Get your hands in your pocket and give me some money.

www.justgiving.com/davidmcnamara2010

37 Days To Go

No run today which was great, until I took the lad swimming and seem to have stretched a muscle whilst sat in the jacuzzi - how bloody crap is that.

5 tomorrow, 20 on sunday so hopefully the legs will be ok.

www.justgiving.com/davidmcnamara2010

38 Days To Go

This has been a hard week, come Sunday it will have been the longest week with over 50 miles done.

Tuesday was an 8 mile run with 6 miles 'Fartlek', basically run as fast as you can for as long as you can or something like that. Decided to do lampost to lampost, first 1 run 1 jog then 2 run 1 jog then 3 run 1 jog. That was hard. I had also read somewhere that running backwards is a good workout so not wanting to look anymore stupid than I already did in tight lycra in what was now bright daylight I waited until I got to the resevoir and did a 1 mile lap in 100 yard bursts backwards then forwards and basically shite that gives the thighs a bloody good test.

A 'slow' 7 miles done yesterday which was totally uninspiring and was as mentioned previously, and is the same quite often, was just about putting some miles in.

A hard run today 8 miles 'fast' should have been longer but didnt have the time, but the 8 was hard enough. Didnt quite meet my scheduled target time but happy enough with it.

I am so looking forward to a long lie in tomorrow until 6.00am at the very least, wow.

My new NDCS vest turned up this week so in answer to your question Swav NO there wont be any fancy dress worn this year.

wii fit BMI - 25.69 - Still overweight - such a fat lard arse.

www.justgiving.com/davidmcnamara2010

41 Days To Go

It is getting bloody tough now, the miles are starting to pile up and it feels like I dont have any time to rest and recover.

My legs are feeling heavy a lot of the time and I have been so demotivated over the last week. With the runs getting longer during the week means getting up earlier in the morning and 4 week day mornings getting up at 4.45am to run 10 miles is not very easy at all. 6.00am on a Sunday is a good lie in.

Upto 20 miles now on a weekend, a couple more 20's a 22 and then a gradual drop to the big day, I am a lot more confident than last year that I should be able to complete it, the long runs dont quite feel as hard as previous. Though I did get a bit of a muscle twinge on Saturday, did my long run on Saturday evening due to Mothers Day on Sunday - she loves me but I dont think I would have got away with a 3hr run on Sunday.

Evening running is not for me, I think the change in time took its toll a bit. I had to pull up after 14miles and was knackered. It also didnt help that a) I only had enough change on me to buy 2 milky ways from the shop for an additional energy boost. b) The police had shut my route which meant I would have had to run an extra 4 miles unless the frightened woman hadnt give me a lift. It aint my fault she kind of didnt know her way around the police road block. My mum always told me not to get in cars with strangers and she was bloody strange but she saved me 4 miles and didnt mind the sweaty smell I kindly gave off whilst sat in the passengers seat.

wii fit BMI - 25.60

www.justgiving.com/davidmcnamara2010

45 Days To Go

How the hell can 9 miles on thursday morning be tougher than 20 on a sunday. Well it was and today was crap. I had zero energy and probably less motivation. It was just rubbish. No matter what I did I couldnt get going and after 3 miles I just wanted to stop.

Strange as this may sound I enjoy the long runs but now hate the midweek training and the sooner it can end the better.

Did however see a couple of other runners for the first time in weeks.

Also my wii fit BMI isnt going anywhere as well - 25.61 - crap

www.justgiving.com/davidmcnamara2010

47 Days To Go

20 miles done on Sunday, it was tough but completed within a couple of minutes of my scheduled time, so i am absolutely made up with that. It was also done about 10mins faster than when I did the same distance last year.

I feel a load better this year than I ever did last year running that sort of distance, I think the challenge of training for a faster time is starting to pay off.

I made sure I didnt take any wrong turns this week and that I had planned exactly where I was going. My only mistake was leaving the biggest hill in the world, well thats what it felt like anyway, until the last mile, just what I needed after running 19 miles.

I couldnt get out of bed on Monday to do the scheduled 4 miles, my legs ached like crazy by that time and I just had to stay in bed.

Did however manage to get out of bed today and did 3 x 2 miles fast. That was tough and I am feeling it a bit now. 9 miles planned for tomorrow.

wii Fit BMI - 25.49 - it is getting a bit lower, I think I will stay 'overweight' throughout the whole of this training.

1st Song on Ipod - wiped it clean trying to make it work properly so got no idea.

No of runners seen - saw just the 6 on Sunday a fairly quiet day.

Please see "58 days to go" post - I have put a video on showing how absolutely brilliant my big lad is at saying his alphabet. This sums up why I am doing all of this as not too many weeks ago he couldn't say any of it and now he is flying. So proud dad as many of us are I am the proudest after seeing him try his alphabet.

www.justgiving.com/davidmcnamara2010

52 Days To Go

The miles are coming thick and fast now, Sunday WAS a planned 18miles and for the planned 18 miles it was ok, i felt good achieved my goal time within 20 secs over the full length, its just unfortunate that i found myself on the wrong side of the canal unable, unless i swam, to get across and ended up 9 miles away from home with only 4 miles scheduled left to run. Up until that point it was a really good run and made me feel quite good about eventually being able to complete the marathon

But as i said after the 18 I felt good, after the additional 5 walk/run I felt horrendous, it was cold, I had an headache like I have never felt before. I was knackered, my muscles had started to ache and I have never wanted to get in the house as quick in my life.

I learnt a few lessons after that run:

1 Plan a bit better, at least know where you are going, due to following the canal I eventually had no idea where I was and it was the first time I have ever got lost running.

2 If you are unsure of the full length dont do any additional miles at the start. Thinking I had an idea of how long it was I did a couple of miles around the village first then the main run. If I hadnt bothered I wouldnt have had 5 miles extra to do.

3 Keep running. I was knackeredafter the 18 and stopped for a breather. I just couldnt get started again and it took me well over an hour to get home, if I hadnt stopped I would have been home in half the time.

Shed loads of runners out, about 15 in total throughout, it got a bit crazy at one point with 7 of us all heading up the same street.

A long soak in the bath eventually warmed me up.

wii fit BMI - 25.41 - the lowest for a long time

www.justgiving.com/davidmcnamara2010