Tights and jelly beans are for men

It is 6 months to the day until will will congregate on a dual carriageway near the Town Moor in Newcastle, probably in drizzle, waiting to 'go over the top'.  We will wait in pens dependent on how fast or slowly we think we can get round.  We will then set off leaving a trail of nipples and toe nails along the 13.1 mile route.

I have just seen an advert for the Medoc Marathon in France.  The picture shows a bloke holding a glass of red wine, on a hot sunny day, and wearing a viking outfit, sunglasses and running shoes.

That seems more Team_Atkoesque, maybe next year.

I have been tied up in all sorts of stuff in the last month....but... I did manage to get up to doing 5K in a little over 30 minutes..., last month.  since then I haven't run.  You might pick up on my concern here.  This little 5K milestone was a big deal for me.  I used to be fit, in my youthier youth and I was getting to the point where I was just about remembering what it felt like.  In the last month I have continued to loose weight, but I really need to get the running shoes on and get cracking, I am quite literally running out of time.  Research however tells me I just need 12 weeks to get up to race distance.  I can't have Rus beating me - after all he is hanging in tatters and could fall apart at any moment.

My aim is to run the whole way.  My ultimate aim is to do it in under two hours.  I want to enjoy the race and I don't want to be in bed that night in bits.  Yeah right, we are booked into my local italian for a beer and pasta fest!  Now the days are getting longer it becomes a little easier to fit the training in.

My biggest concern is what to wear.  It seems from reading magazines that tights are the way to go, wickable and breathable, lightweight and damn pricey.  Also, it seems that there are a number of drinks to drink before during and after the race.  Thanks lucozade for the post race drink tip, but I'm sticking with the tried and tested Atko approach of Peroni.  If I need a little pick-me-up, the caffeine in a Rum and Coke will do just fine, but carry on with the research.

To mentally get through the 2 odd hours that it will take me to get to South Shields I am told, again from the magazine, that counting to 100 and then treating myself to a couple of Jelly Beans will get me through.  

Nothing to worry about then.