COMPLAIN COMPLAIN...

Cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough Cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough Cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough Cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough cough.

I have been coughing and complaining alot for about a week now. Much to the annoyance of those close to me. In fact all I have done is talk about how bad my chest is and how much my leg hurts and how this race is really " touch and go " now for me.

I am really excited though and the cough is starting to pass. We leave for Lake Garda @ 6am tomorrow and pretty soon it will all be over.

I have thought about nothing else since March and I have been amazed at how disciplined I can be when i put my mind to it.

So here's hoping that it goes well. I have done everything I can and I am gonna smash up Lake Garda on Sunday.

The money you have all been donating to brake has proved that you are all incredible, gentle, caring people and I love you all. Brake is a brilliant charity and they told me to tell you that they think you are very cool indeed.

I will let you know how i get on.

Cough.

Baz x

Flopsy

My training has been injury free for the last 6 months. Typically, less than two weeks before the race I am having pains in my right leg. Everytime I bend down to pick something up or walk down the stairs I get a shooting pain. It feels like I am being stabbed and I am starting to feel that sinking feeling. Again..

I remember the last time I had this " sinking " feeling. It was 1993 in Fairwater, Cardiff and I was sitting in a circle in my drama class. I was 12 years old and was enjoying being in high school. I was fascinated by a girl called Lee Anne Butlin who happened to be sat opposite me in aforementioned circle in my drama class.

I don't know why I wore boxer shorts on that day. But, as I sat crossed legged on the floor in Fairwater in 1993 I felt a strange sinking feeling as I realised that both my left and right testicle had " flopped " out to say hello, much to the amusement of the 26 children who were all pointing and laughing at me and them. From that day on all the girls in school called me flopsy.

No wonder I was a virgin until I was 20.

I have that sinking feeling again now, almost 17 years later. I am scared that there is something wrong with my leg and that I'm not going to be able to do the race.

I went to the doctor today and he said I needed to rest and not do any running for a while.

The race is next week.

Flopsy X

The schedule

They say that to succeed at running a marathon you need to be prepared. I have heard horror stories of people who don't put the miles in before the race and don't even manage to complete half of it.

To not prepare you would have to be a nugget and I'm not a nugget. A muppet for sure, but definitely not a nugget.

The schedule has been difficult. It has at times been joyful and fun and other times completely soul destroying/bad and nasty. It has been my everything since April and I love it.

Give or take a few miles here it is...

week number	week commencing	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Total
1	4/5/09	3	4	Rest	3	Rest	3	3	13
2	4/12/09	7	Rest	3	5	2	Rest	0	17
3	4/19/09	7	Rest	0	7	5	0	3	24
4	4/26/09	0	Rest	3	6	4	Rest	4	26
5	5/3/09	4	Rest	3	Rest	4	Rest	4	15
6	5/10/09	8	Rest	3	6	5	Rest	4	28
7	5/17/09	9	Rest	5	6	6	Rest	4	30
8	5/24/09	9	Rest	3	7	6	Rest	5	32
9	5/31/09	10	Rest	6	8	6	Rest	4	34
10	6/7/09	12	Rest	6	8	6	Rest	4	36
11	6/14/09	6	Rest	4	Rest	4	Rest	4	18
12	6/21/09	14	Rest	6	8	6	Rest	4	38
13	6/28/09	16	Rest	6	8	6	Rest	5	41
14	7/5/09	17	Rest	6	8	6	Rest	5	43
15	7/12/09	6	Rest	5	Rest	5	Rest	4	20
16	7/19/09	20	Rest	5	7	6	Rest	4	42
17	7/26/09	14	Rest	6	8	6	Rest	4	38
18	8/2/09	7	Rest	5	Rest	6	Rest	4	22
19	8/9/09	12	Rest	5	7	6	Rest	4	43
20	8/16/09	14	Rest	6	8	6	Rest	4	38
21	8/23/09	20	Rest	6	7	rest	rest	3	36
22	8/30/09	10	Rest	5	7	6	Rest	5	32
23	9/6/09	16	Rest	5	7	10	Rest	3	36
24	9/13/09	10	Rest	7	Rest	5	Rest	4	30
25	9/20/09	10	Rest	6	Rest	4	Rest	1-2 Opt.	20-22
26	9/27/09	26.2	Rest	Rest	Rest	Rest	Rest	Rest	Marathon
									Week