February 2011

[marathondan]

Dan -- long time no speak/reply.

Ah Swiss Andi, welcome back! Marvellous news posted elsewhere that you have successfully bagged some trail action, and now have 13.1 miles in your sights. I will look forward eagerly to your posts.

As regards my marathon, indeed I don't yet know what a pain it will be to run in that costume. I seem to have successfully recreated the "first marathon" / "I don't know if I can do this" fear factor, which for some perverse reason I seem to crave. Of course failure is relative; at worst I will be able to walk the course and stagger over the line, rain-streaked with pink emulsion and costume snapped in the wind, but to acquit myself as a proper runner is going to take a lot of effort.

I'm also just coming to terms with the fact that I'm really going to look like a prize tw@t, and if I'm serious about fundraising I really need to go the whole hog, get myself into the local press, etc. If marathons are about facing up to your fears and pushing through them, that's as much of a challenge for me as the run itself.