"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

Me Run you long time

So, under 7 weeks now and reality bites, can I actually do this for a second time.

Answer........... yes I can, I am confident in the distance I am little sketchy still on the time side of things but I think I will gain and extra 20 secs a mile just from the crowd if last time is anything to go.

Even so, training continues despite a bit of a scare from a slight strain and ache in my left calf, I am keeping an eye on it at the moment and my runs are not as intense, with any luck it is nothing serious and just my legs gasping for air !!!

The strain cut short my planned 17 mile run to a mere 12.5 miles and included a period of walking as at 9 miles it just did not feel right, so a little walk a bit of loosening and a run again followed by a bit more walking and a final run in saw me finish the distance in 1hr 54 mins now given I estimate there was approx 15 mins of walking in that I am very pleased with the overall pace.

So I decided a two day rest on Monday an Tuesday and a 5 miler planned for today to see how the leg holds up.

Update to follow later in the week ..........


Rich

PS Congrats to Kenny S who finished his first Half Marathon on Sunday, Well done mate !!


Total Training Miles: 125.7 miles

I feel the need, the need for speed

I know it has been some time since my last post, and for no other reason than there was little to report.

You can certainly tell the London Marathon is coming up, as there are a lot of people out and about at the moment..

In fact thanks to the last few weekends being very busy and work demands meaning it was tricky to fit in a lunchtime run, I only have 4 sessions to report on since my last post.





I can however report that they are of the very speedy nature, in fact I passed a someone earlier and glanced to see he looked like this!





 
The pace is certainly good and is settling down as I increase the distances whilst trying to keep up the same sort of speed. Planning a 14-15 miler over the weekend with the possibility of a run to work in the next fortnight which is approx 17 miles


15th Feb 7.5 miles 60 mins
21st Feb 7.5 miles 57 mins
22nd Feb 5 miles 37 mins

Running club members are dwindling slightly but I am looking to get a recruitment drive going again just for moral support if anything.

Just another gentle reminder of sponsorship too if you can spare a few pennies then please donate through the following site

http://www.justgiving.com/mrdoylesmarathon

I promise a few more regular updates from here on in with only just under 8 weeks to go will be looking for your continued support

Rich

Total Training Miles: 103.2 miles

The Progression is an obsession .........

A few updates since the last post, Friday saw a shorter 4 mile run but again at a descent pace.

The weekend was spent talking to builders and then off to Oxfordshire for a visit for dinner.

So we arrived at a new week and time to step up the distances, last night I went out with the intention of a 7 mile run and aiming for a finish time of around 54 mins. I came back and checked the clock, was disappointed to see it had taken me 64 mins, I put it down to the wind and the inclines. I checked my distance today using www.mapmyrun.com and found that I had in fact run 8.4 miles and so the average pace was 7min 45 sec per mile which is exactly where I need to be.

Now feeling a lot happier I went out today for a 5 mile run, not quite as quick but the legs were heavy but still a respectable 40 mins.

Tomorrow sees a day off of the running and some time in the gym for stretching and working out a few other muscles before the big two lap run on Thursday lunchtime. Two laps of Regents Park bringing a total distance of approx 7.5 miles.

I will be reminding people a bit more frequently about the possibility of sponsoring me for the Marathon, watch this space ............

Oh and the charity I am running for are going to issue a press release to the local papers and include a picture of me in my stunning pink charity t-shirt, I will make sure it is posted here first!

Richard

Total Training Miles: 83.2 miles

Pacemakers at the ready

Today was all about pace, a consistent one at that. Instead of burning off at 100mph a steady pace was adopted for the Outer Ring Route of 5 miles in 38min 30sec giving an average speed of 7min30s per mile or a finishing time of approx 3 hours 16 mins!!

Sadly I am long way off keeping that pace up for more than 6 miles let alone 26 !!

New member of the club today, Albert joined us so the groups is growing even if they are not all turning up on the same day !!

Talk of a two lap route next week, better make sure the training levels are kept high in the mean time.

Total Training Miles: 65.8 miles

It's Snow Joke ........ !!

OK I know it has been getting colder, but having left the office for a run at 1pm it started SNOWING !!!!

Admittedly this did not last long but all the same, I had shorts on and not my long running trousers (Mrs Doyle's Favourites). So off for a 5 miler taking in Primrose Hill, a good session today. Completed in just under 40 mins which is really good considering the gradient changes.

Have worked out I need to manage my rest days a little better, 3 days running and 4 days rest does not make for happy legs! So I may have a light gym session tomorrow and have a rest day Saturday with a long run Sunday.

Look out for the update on Monday

Total training Miles: 60.8 miles

It's Life Gym but not as we know it

Plans for a solo Zoo run were shelved today and instead a session in the gym was done.

Managed a god mix of treadmill, bike work, few weights and stretches and a stint on the rowing machine.

No real miles to add to the training log, but a useful session training other muscles.

Tomorrow is back on the run

And we are back..............

Update from last week, Hill run (5m) on Wednesday, Zoo run (5m) on Thursday.

The weekend saw a 6mile walk in the form of 1.5 rounds of golf !

Today was a shortened Regents Park run, 4.5 miles lead out at the pace of Gulzar, excellent result in that he did not stop at all. Good motivational talking from Mark and myself saw him push on through.

Straight in the gym for a 3km high pace bike ride to finish off. A bit of a recruitment drive in the last couple of days could see another 3 guys joining us from next week!

Tomorrow's plan is a solo fast pace Zoo run

Total training Miles: 55.8 miles

Jack & Jill ran up the hill ..............

Well, Mr Doyle, Gulzar, Mark and a new member of the Imagination running club, Julian did. Not sure if Jack or Jill were even out running today!

Today's route took in some of Regents Park then off to the top of Primrose Hill, a total distance of 5 miles with a elevation difference of approx 100ft so good hill training thrown in.

A degree of success saw Gulzar make it to the top of the hill without stopping, the other two were off like Mrs Doyle to an Orla Kiely sale !! I left Gulzar with a mile and a half remaining and ran in on my own.

More running tomorrow, this time past the zoo to say hello to the wildlife again

Training Miles to date : 41.3 miles

Now we are regular ..............

Lunchtime run of 4.8 miles completed today. Lap of Regents Park, passed London Zoo and waved at the giraffes!!


Took the boss (Mark) and a colleague (Gulzar) out too, lost the Gulzar after a mile and he ended up going a different route, Mark and I carried on, he is a bit of a runner so had to keep the speed up all the way mind you!!


Not a bad pace though, about 8 min/mile which if I could carry that on for another 21.4 miles that would bring me in at 3 hours 28 mins !!!! Yikes, at the end of the run today the thought of another 21 miles was probably the last thing on my mind!

On returning to the office and passing the restaurant, must admit was really tempted by the chips, but I was strong and in any case am off to ZiZi's tonight so will treat myself to a nice pizza!!

Garage Clearance tomorrow and kitchen shopping Sunday so will try and squeeze another run in at some point over the weekend.

Training Miles to date:     36.3 miles

Another Shameless Plug for Sponsorship

As you may or may not know I am running the Marathon following a successful ballot application which means I can not only choose which charity to run for but I am not bound by a certain amount I need to raise.

Therefore can I ask that you spare some change and follow my link to my justgiving page

www.justgiving.com/mrdoylesmarathon

Thanks

Getting there ............

A couple of updates for you all, last Wednesday saw a 3mile run at luncthime then a 4.5 mile run on Thursday night. Rest Day Friday, garage clear out Saturday so treated that as an upper body work out!! Sunday was spent mentally training myself by listening to my nephew ask continuous questions for 7 hours and point out that the number 7 bus normally goes here and that the trains that run from Liverpool Street to Romford normally have a pink interior! So if I am honest my mind wasn't really up for running after that !

Monday saw a fresh start to the week and a post work run of 4.5 miles again, pretty fast one too as i chased to other runners down as I cam to the end of my route. It did however take me a good ten minutes to recover in the kitchen whilst trying to have a conversation with Mrs Doyle!

Another lunchtime run today saw me take in a good chunk of Regents Park and a 4 mile session.

Rest Day tomorrow then back on for Thursday

Adios


Training totals to add
Wednesday 5th - 3 miles
Thursday 6th - 4.5 miles
Monday 10th - 4.5 miles
Tuesday 11th - 4 miles

Total training miles since New Years Eve - 31.5 miles

On the Road Again

Well I am back and am pleased to report that the running shoes are out of the cupboard too !!

After a lengthy lay off due to Mother Nature and her scattering of snow, an icy follow up and too many mince pies and mulled wine over the festive period, I am back in training mode once more.

New Year's Eve - 6.5 miles
Sunday 2nd Jan - 4.5 miles
Tuesday 4th Jan - 4.5 miles

Legs are feeling it and they also seem like it is all coming back to them, going to have a lunchtime run out today too.