And now, the end is near…….

Yes, there is now only 12 days to go until race day! It has really come round fast. I remember back in November drawing up my training plan and thinking that a 10km run was the culmination of a week’s work, where as now it is just another medium length jog.

So, I am now into “taper mode”, which means I am cutting down the weekly mileage and starting to control my diet (ha!) so that I am ready for race day. In fact this has already started, with this weekend being the first I have not done at least a half marathon in the last seven.  However, I did do one last Monday and last week was in fact my longest to date, clocking up 47.8km (that’s just under 30 miles).

Since I last blogged in the middle of last week I have managed to get in a 5km, a 15km and a 6.5km, which is not too bad, especially considering I have been training with another cold, making it feel like I am running with a lung full of gravel. In fact apart from the last run I still felt pretty good and I am already looking forward to winding the training down as I prepare for race day.

It kinda feels like I ma coming up to a big exam and am at the point where no matter how much more I try and revise, none of it is going to stick, so I might as well relax and feel in good shape for the exam itself. So this week I am doing a 10km, 5km and 10km, before going for a 16km on Sunday.

After that I need to reduce my carb intake until Thursday and then start loading like there is no tomorrow, eating handfuls of dried pasta every waking second. OK, maybe that is a slight exaggeration but it seriously will be pasta and rice time, with a bit of protein sprinkled on top. I also need to do a few runs to keep up any fitness I happen to have built up, but also avoid any injuries.

Although training is drawing to a close, my fundraising is not! In case this slipped by any of you, I am running to raise money for the Willow Foundation (http://www.willowfoundation.org.uk/Home), which provides special days for seriously ill young adults. It is a great charity, so if you have enjoyed reading this blog please make a contribution here: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/runningfatbloke and help me reach my target! Thanks.