"It's the Final Countdown"

Hi

First I just want to thank everyone who has sponsored me so far, it is a great help and I have got close to doubling my target thanks to your generosity and support. And for those that haven't, here is a reminder and a link to my page

www.justgiving.com/mrdoylesmarathon

So, Sunday, the big day !!!

I am aiming for approx 3 hours 30 mins, see the attached to give you an idea of where I will be at which mile, it is a rough idea of course but at least you might see me!

http://static.london-marathon.co.uk/uploads/marathon-centre/VLM_11_Spec_Guide.pdf

If you do plan on being on the course then would be great if you could give me an idea of where you are heading and at what mile that way I can also look out for you and have more chance of seeing a familiar face which is a hell of a boost. So the more I see the better.

I am running for the Breast Cancer Campaign and will be wearing a pink running vest with the signature white jigsaw piece on it, I will also have my name printed front and back of the shirt so make sure you give me a big shout wen I whizz past you!

As I cross the finish line, it takes about 20 mins to be processed and find people, the charity has organised a post marathon party at Walkers of Whitehall this will start at 1pm

  http://www.mspubs.co.uk/index.php/walkers.html

It is literally just off of Trafalgar Square so very close to Charing Cross.

So if I don't see you during the race, hopefully I will catch you at the pub after the race.

If my pace holds out, I hope to be greeted by one of you with a nice cold pint shortly after 1:30 !!!!

Thanks again

Richard

The Start Line is in sight ...........

16 days and counting .................................

Welcome back blog fans, I know there is literally thousands of you that have been wondering where I have been, well you will be pleased to know I have been out pounding the streets training hard.

Significant updates since we last spoke, Sunday 29th April saw me complete a 23 mile run and not only that, in a very respectable 3 hours 15 mins !!!

So big run out of the way it is now all about shorter fast runs, I have mixed them up a bit varying the distances and speeds and also a few "Primrose Hill" runs in there for good measure.

Will be purchasing some race socks this week and hopefully they will be in tune with the "well fast" trainers and help get to the all important 3 hours 30 time on the 17th April.

I have ordered my iron on letter for my vest so when you come down to cheer me on, if you can't pick me out as being the bloke in the pink vest , I will now have Mr Doyle on the front and back. Feel free to start a chant and get the whole crowd going. Go up to people and ask, "Has Mr Doyle been through yet?", "Have you seen that Mr Doyle fella?" Stir up some publicity and then if Mrs Doyle is with you, get the iPad out and browse to

www.justgiving.com/mrdoylesmarathon

and get them to stick a few quid in the fund. I should now take the opportunity to thank everyone that has sponsored me so far, I know some of the more technically challenged of you (Tim and Rich Perkins) are having trouble with the "website" also known as their wallets !!!! But please persevere and donate what you can to this very worthy cause.

I promise a few more updates before the big race day including details of the post-marathon soiree

Until next time

Richard


Total Training Miles: 227 miles

Going the distance ..........

Welcome back blog fans, it has been a little longer than usual since my last update, but I promise things will get more frequest as we enter the last five weeks of training before the big day on the 17th April.

Five weeks / 34 days  / 816 hours / 48,960 mins however you look at it, not far away now!

Training stepped up over the last week or so culminating in a 17 mile run yesterday, time was not exactly what I was after, in fact 10 mins slower than my ideal target but still 2 hours 24 mins for 17 miles is not bad at all and at that pace is still a 3 hours 42 min marathon so given the adrenelin boost  and "crowd" time I think I am on track for my target time.

This is the route I took

Another addition to my training was the pruchase of a new pair of running shoes, took the old ones into the London Marathon Store and was fittend for a nice new pair of Saucony Progrid 3

The man told me they would help me run "well fast innit" so I was pretty pleased with those.

So really it is all about stying injury free for the remaining few weeks, training distance goes one stage further this weekend where I plan on a 22 miler !

Until next time stay fit and when you are resting with your feet up thinking about how crazy I am to be doing this, please fire up the laptop, have a read of my blog and then dive off to my justgiving page and perhaps donate a few quid to a worthy cause.


http://www.justgiving.com/mrdoylesmarathon

Thanks

Richard

Total Training Miles: 165 miles