Rosedawn Ramblings

The London Marathon... An iconic sporting event broadcast all over the world. Something I've watched but now would take part in for the first time, my second marathon. My first one in Manchester couldn't have gone much better... perfect conditions, a negative split, amazing support. That's a lot to live up to. Setting out for the start... thanks to Potters Trotters Liz for my send off If this were any other race, I would probably write about my disappointing result, my goal of 4 hours disintegrating in a few moments just after half way, the first race where I've had to walk for long periods because I just couldn't run anymore. I might write about what went wrong in great detail - probably a combination of the sunburn, heat, residual tiredness and problems with hydration and refuelling - and ponder on why running 9 minute miles felt so tough almost from mile 1. I could show you graphs of my km split times getting slower and slower. But this wasn't any

"One day we will beat cancer. The more research we do, the sooner that day will come." My Dad died in 2012, just the day before Bradley Wiggins rode to victory in the Tour de France and a week before London 2012 began. He would definitely have enjoyed Bradley Wiggins' victory ride up the Champs-Élysées - in my head I still hear Wiggins' name pronounced in a French accent as it was in the news reports my mum, my sister and I would hear in the taxi taking us up to the hospital each day. There were loads of things about London 2012 that my Dad would have hated... drug cheats being allowed to compete, politicians jumping on the bandwagon of success, empty seats being saved for the corporate sponsors. But loads of things he would have loved too, especially the "leftie overtones" of Danny Boyle's opening ceremony. I'm not sure what he'd of thought of archery taking over the home of cricket, especially people dancing along to YMCA in the Long Room.

Week 1 of my training programme for the London Marathon began on the 23rd December 2014. After 15 weeks of running covering almost 500 miles over 62 different training runs, there are just three short runs and a few days left until race day. The Countdown Clock  is definitely into its final dramatic moments. There is even a countdown clock on the London Marathon website ... as I write, there are 4 days, 22 hours, 44 minutes and 3 seconds until the official mass start at 10am on Sunday 13th April. How long now? Round 1 (Letters): XENPVQRES The NERVES are beginning to gather, not just for me but my support crew too. Mr T is anxiously planning how to get from mile 9 to mile 15 then mile 25 without missing me on the route. I'm anxiously contemplating what I'm going to wear, how many gels I should carry, what time I should leave the hotel, what I should have for breakfast and many other issues I have already resolved... my kit is packed, my breakfast plans are already sort