My first marathon post

"You are doing what? " 

This is the most common reaction I have had when telling friends and family about my marathon place. Not, as I had thought - "Wow, that's amazing...".  It's the shock and slight horror I can see in their eyes.  I'm not sure if that's because they know I'm way too short/unfit/busy to do it, or because running the London marathon, no matter who you are and how fit you are, is quite an insane thing to do.

I have wanted to run the London marathon, since my one of my school friends ran it whilst at university.  Her most humiliating moment was being over taken by a one legged granny in a tutu on a roller skate.  She could take the running bananas and the rhinos, but it was the roller skater that did it.  She did finish... just.

I only want to do the marathon once, so I have decided I'm going to do it well... well for me anyway, as these things are all relative.  But, I'm doing it for Back Up mostly, and my family - my children have watched practically every other family member run it and I want them to cheer their mummy on from the sidelines too.

So, I have officially started my training!  Gulp.  I have run 2 x 3 milers this week.  I get up at 6am, throw some kit on and jog.  I can just about get up a big hill beside the tennis courts, and I'm pretty happy to get home - I cannot bare to think about doing 26.2 miles. Quite frankly I'm terrified.

So I think about what others go through, how lucky I am and it gives me the strength to pound the pavement a little longer without stopping.  I want to raise awareness of Back Up's work, the difference we make and the horrendous impact spinal cord injury can have on the person and their family and friends too.  I want to raise lots of cash to help, and so I'll keep a little record of my training and touch on some amazing stories along the way to make this a truly memorable marathon... because I'm only doing it ONCE!