Thanks

I have to say that I am very impressed with everyone's generosity with sponsoring me. You're a lovely bunch of people aren't you?! I am well over 600 quid now. I will repay you by running around the Lake without stopping!

When someone sponsors me I get a little ping on my phone, which means I have an email. I say to Deb.. " someone has sponsored me. " and I open up the link on the message which takes me to the justgiving site. I had 3 pings within the space of 10 minutes this evening, which is a record.

It's all going quite well actually. The training I mean.. Did 36 miles last week up and down the Taff. As of this week things are starting to slow down now. All the big miles are done and it is just a case of maintaining my fitness.

Might give the Taff a wide berth post Sep 27. I like it but I am sick of it.

I thought ( very briefly ) about doing the race in costume. But I had visions of me collapsed at the side of the lake dressed up as Hitler and decided against it.

Gute Nacht

Baz

Nak-an

Things been going splendidly on the old running front. Since becoming a monk I seem to have much more energy and it feels splendid. I'm actually think of changing my name to Na- Kan. This fella was a monk y'see and described by many as a " selfless, humanitarian who spent his whole life giving help to others. " It certainly has a certain ring to it. I might start including it in the " about me " section on my CV which I am actively flaunting and promoting these days.

Did a total of 39 miles last week with not too much difficulty. Getting a bit bored of just running up and down the Taff mind. A monk can only tolerate the Taff for so long but too late to change it now (the route, not the taff).

I'm currently building a new site which is called www.whybaz.com which is very exciting. Will let you know when it is live.

I managed to get food poisoning from a cake on Sunday. It was from the Llanishen Starbucks and i have never been so ill in my life. I'm gonna sue 'em.

Not really. I hate the " compo culture " in this country and would quite frankly rather choke on my own running shoe.

Hwyl

Geraint x

FANTASTIC

Did 8 miles tonight in the rain and wind and enjoyed every second of it. 3,300 seconds in fact. Do the Math.. I am quick! Deb will back me up on that.

I think I wrote yesterday about turning a corner. Well, It turns out that around the corner the street was named after me! I love corners me and I love going for a run and not stopping, swearing, crying (!) and feeling like a criminal.

I am inspired now. I feel like I can do anything I put my mind to. I will go to sleep tonight and go through in my head what needs to be done.

For maximum results i have learnt that diet is a key part of marathon success. Here's what i am eating lots of.

Whole grain bread

Whole grain rice

Whole grain cereals

Yogurts

Fish

Chicken

Pulses

Lots of fruit

Raw vegetables

Steamed vegetables

Also, not a drop of booze will pass my lips until after the race. I think it is safe to say that i do enjoy a beer but i think a teetotal month can only be a good thing and i will be glad i did it whilst 20 miles into the race.

And on that note I bid you good night friends.

Hwyl

BJ X

One month to go

It is getting near to hammer time now! Less than one month to go and I'm starting to get very excited. It has been a brilliant experience training and I am definitely a better person for it.

I am teetotal now as of last weekend and plan to live like a monk until after the race.

Got loads and loads of training to do now over the next few weeks. Will keep you posted.

Hwyl

20 miles (part2)

About 10 miles into today's run i saw a reflection of myself and thought, " what am I doing! " The last few weeks have been difficult and at the exact point in time I felt like I wanted to stop, turn back and just do what normal people do on a Sunday.

I've been nervous about today's 20 miles all week 'cos I knew if i didn't do it then it was unlikely that the actual marathon was gonna go that well. So put on my silly camelback (stores water and makes you look like buzz lightyear) and gave Deb and Noah a kiss and embarked on 20 long, miserable, miles.

The route was from my house in Canton, through to Sophia Gardens and then the Taff trail down to Cardiff barrage and then back on the Taff trail up to Castell Coch and back to Sophia Gardens again. I did it but found it much more difficult than the previous 20 I did. To be honest I'm getting a bit sick of the training and my legs are starting to hurt alot.

But I DID IT and feeling glad that I completed it. Cardiff City are on the box now beating Bristol City 3-0! All i need now is for England to win the ashes and it could turn out to be a good weekend.

Didn't go and watch u2 last night. I'd rather cook myself in the oven.

Going... going... gone.

Baz

Hitting a brick wall

Hello

Last few weeks have been a real struggle. I just have not been able to get back into it since I did the 20 miles. It is so frustrating and i am starting to dread Sep 27 now.

I think the problem is that i have not been well, which means I have been unable to train which has completely thrown me. For me to do this now I have to be 100% focused on it. Not that I haven't been, but i do enjoy a a few beers if you know what i mean.

I'm applying for jobs jobs jobs all day and things have been a tad stressful so maybe that's the reason why. Either way, I gotta get on this now.

I have cancelled all social events. Not going to the green man festival and not meeting anyone for a drink until i get back in October.

I'm swimming every morning now so hopefully that will boost energy levels.

I'm doing 20 again on Sunday so that will be the test for me. If I can do 20 again then I can do the 26.2. I couldn't give a shit about the time anymore. I just need to finish it.

arggggggghhhhhhhhh

Rhaid mynd nawr

hwyl

Geraint H JOHN

back into it

Hello. Apologies for the lack of communication. This is mainly a blog about my Marathon training and i haven't really done any running because I have been Ill and socialising.

I went to London to stay with my friend Huw who's picture you can see above. We ( I ) had a smashing time going to watch lots of bands although i suspect the novelty of being in London without any responsibilities for the night made it more of a big deal to me than to him. One band were from Sunderland and apparently the next big thing and another were managed by my good friend James who i have been promising to send Cd's to for the past month. He was in the band Small Victories and Boobytrap released all of his stuff. Cd's in the post James!

We also had a surprise party my friend Carwyn's birthday last week which actually resulted in me being Ill and not running for another week. Carwyn is in the band Colorama and is a very talented geezer. He has the goods and you should click on his name to hear his music. It was important for us to celebrate his birthday in style as he has has an awful time of it lately as one of his band and best mate, David Fletcher died two days after they played Glastonbury.

It major catch up time for me now. I did 9 miles earlier today and felt like a big fat loser.

I'm back on it now though.

Football season has started also which makes me happy. Went to the new stadium and it is definitely going to take some getting used to.

Listen gotta go to sort this pork out.

Hwyl

BB