The plan for John and I for this years Marathon was to try and stay ahead of other runners carrying buckets so we tried to get in to a starting pen further forward than usual as it usually takes about 15 minutes to cross the start line on the Blue start. Unfortunately the marshals were doing their job and each time we tried to ‘push in’ we were sent to the back! So, off we went caught up in the usual crush. Continue reading →

This year I will be running the Virgin London Marathon with Superman (John Wallace) and Robbie Wilson (Robin the Hood).

If anyone would like to sponsor us, my just giving.com site is still running (see link).

We will all be carrying buckets and hoping to collect £1500 minimum.

Also, if anyone can spare time to come to London to help empty our buckets please contact me.

It was nice to have a weekend away with Gil and stay with my cousin Peter who lives in Oakham, very close to the start of the Rutland Water Marathon, an event that neither of us had run before.

After doing a bit of sightseeing around the old market town of Oakham we had a nice pub lunch then set off for Peters house where we had our evening meal and a good nights sleep. Continue reading →

Me and Kaja

One of my favourite cities is Liverpool and I have waited a long time for a Marathon to take place there having run the Liverpool Half in 1996. Finally, earlier this year it was announced that indeed there was to be a Marathon this year. I reckon I was one of the first people to enter. Even though the entry fee was £46 I decided that this opportunity would be too good to miss. Continue reading →

This was the fifth in a series of charity trail Marathons along the towpath of the Lea Valley. I have taken part in every one but, sadly in 2009 I failed to finish due to getting lost and running out of time. This year the route was changed so, instead of a point to point including a loop around the Lea Valley Country Park, we ran an out and back along the towpath. Continue reading →

They said ‘only a half, that’ll be easy for you’. Wrong! It was not easy at all, it’s a long time since I did a half so I wasn’t sure how it would go but it was an enjoyable experience. The reason I decided to do this one was because I did my very first half Marathon in Cheltenham in 1985 in around 2-08. Didn’t think I would get near that again and, once I started walking, I knew it was going to be slow. Crossed the line in 2-35-10 tired but happy. Bearing in  mind I had a Marathon the following week it was a useful training run. Met a few chums from my days in Gloucester so that was nice too.

Well, that’s another Marathon done and dusted and what a great time we had. The weather was perfect and Superman (John) Robin the Hood (Robbie) and I were in good spirits. Continue reading →

Gil and I both ran this event recently, it was actually my first official track Marathon. Obviously having run Barry 40 three times and fourteen 24 hour track races I am used to going around in circles but it has been a while since my last track race so I really enjoyed it. The weather was perfect and I was pleased with my 5-40-54 finishing time. Legs were fine the next day so I am really looking forward now to the No Finish Line 8 day race in Monaco starting on the 20th of November. My target is 250 miles so that’s just over 50km a day. Managed it for 6 days last year so I hope the extra 2 days won’t be a problem.

Just had a great weekend with Gil in Leicester. Managed to visit my cousin Peter (81 years old) who has been an athletics official most of his life and now lives in Oakham, Rutland. Also had a look around Rutland Water for the first time. From there, went on to stay with friends Geoff and Elizabeth Oliver, about 30 mins away where we stayed the night.
Sunday morning we drove to Leicester for the Marathon, Geoff was only running the half and was running home (10 miles) afterwards.
After a dull start weather soon brightened up and it became a lovely day. Although not planning to run with my good chum Elaine Oddie, at about 6 miles we found ourselves along side each other so decided to complete the race together. We had plenty to chat about so it was nice to have company as otherwise we would have both been on our own until the end. We walked a lot in the second half so crossed the line in good ‘nick’ in 6hrs 12 mins. At the finish there was a little party as one of the 100 Marathon Club ‘wannabees’ had just run his 100th Marathon and a nice group of club members had waited for us to finish. We weren’t last as another club member came in just behind us followed by 4 more ‘stragglers’. Jouney home was a nightmare with the traffic but we made it back safely.

Next one for me is a track Marathon at Milton Keynes on the 6th of November, a first for me although I have organised several.

This is all part of my preparation for the No Finish Line event in Monaco on the 20th of November. This will be my main fundraising event for this year so I have set up a Justgiving.com page (see the link). I am hoping to do 250 miles in the 8 days.