www.justgiving.com/simonpeevers

Here we go then, the real hard part has begun, and I have started the long climb up the fundraising mountain.

I have set up my Just Giving website page which you can see a mini version of on the right of this page and click through to it, or just click here.

For those who have not used it before, it is a great way of making a donation as you can do it online and instantly. It doesn't go into my account, but straight to the charity concerned, in this case the British Heart Foundation, Wessex Heartbeat and the Bristol Heart Institute.

It's a really easy website to remember as well: www.justgiving.com/simonpeevers

I look forward to seeing you on there.

Race pack for Bristol Half Marathon has arrived today.
Must mean I am actually going to do it then.
Will remember to wear my electronic chip this time and hopefully get a medal this time.

Now for the hard work

Pic caption: Asics Gel Nimbus. They should just call them Asics Carling.


I've just come down from the ceiling after a week of being over-excited about getting a place in the London Marathon, and it's not unlike waking up on New Year's Day and wondering where a part of your life went, apart from down the toilet.
The marathon hangover is kicking in. The inescapable reality of the situation has arrived, and he doesn't appear to be carrying a party-pack of beers.
Jubilant euphoria was much more fun, he had a whole keg of happiness and no dull friends like eight months of training, running in the rain, pain and general struggle.
So I started my regime with a week of resting up, no point rushing into these things, there is after all, eight whole months. I'll bet the Kenyans don't even dust of their tracksuits until about a month before the race.
I have done a lot of walking this week though, around Clifton sniffing out leads like a proper newshound to find content for Clifton People. Maybe one day I will be good enough to get a job as a proper journalist on a real newspaper...
...anyway, Clifton is bigger than you think, on foot, so I reckon that's got to count for something.
Walking down Whiteladies Road I did think of going into the running shop Moti to look at buying some new running shoes, but I can't help feeling you probably need to run for your county at least before you can go in there.
I'm sure it's not that bad really and I expect they will be very lovely and helpful when I finally get enough money together to buy some new running shoes.
I may have to put off buying a house, a new car, or anything more than a loaf of bread for a while, but I know it will be worth getting a new pair of running shoes.
I've had the same pair of Asics Gel Nimbus trainers, which does sound a bit like a hair product, for the past few years. Admittedly a bit like me they haven't been in full time employment for that whole time, but they are a bit tired now, again, a bit like me perhaps.
They have been brilliant though, the best trainers I have ever had, and I have had a few different pairs down the years. Seriously, if anybody reading this works for Asics and can get me a discount I will gladly sell my soul to the company, they are so amazingly brilliant.
That's the thing about running shoes though, it's quite an individual thing, what works for some people doesn't work for others. One man's Asics may be another man's wooden clogs.
It is a bit expensive, I expect I'll have to shell out more than £100 on my new pair, but it's really worth it not only because of the obvious comfort and support, but the right running shoes will also go a long way to preventing injuries. Problems with knees, hips and all sorts of long term damage can be caused if you don't have the right running shoes.
It's common sense really, you wouldn't go hill walking in flip flops, for example, would you? Everybody in Clifton seems to wear flip flops, everywhere. There's a bit of a uniform for blokes, a polo shirt preferably with some kind of pattern on it, a pair of combat shorts, stupid hair and flip flops. I'm not saying I don't conform, obviously I do, but I'm scared to wear flip flops out the house, I think somebody will tread on my feet or the road in front of me may suddenly turn into hot coals and I'll perish in the furnace. But mainly I don't wear them because on the whole it's just not suitable footwear for outdoors is it? By the way I am 34 going on Victorian these days.
So the general plan is to do a long run this weekend, but not go mad because I do have the half marathon in about ten days, although there is no sign of a race pack as yet, does anybody have theirs?
Then I go on holiday, where the only running I intend to do is with my finger along the edge of a bottle opener.
All of which means I should be hitting the ground running into marathon training at some point towards the end of September, just as the temperature drops, the nights draw in and it rains even more.
I can't wait. I do mean that though, I really can't wait.

Clifton People

Hi all,

A bit of self-promotion here but what the heck, my blog my rules.

This is for anybody who lives in Clifton, Whiteladies Road, Park Street, Hotwells, The Downs or Ashton Court.

I have just taken on the job of community publisher for a great new FREE social media site called Clifton People, and I want YOU to be one of my people. A bit like Barrymore, without all the controversy.

If you have a business you can register if FREE in the directory, and whatever you do you can talk about it on the site or form your own group so that other people can keep up with what's happening.

The idea is to build up a network of people living and/or working in the area who post on the site regularly to create a hub of news, information and anything else you like, as long as it's not illegal or offensive.

Whether you have a salsa dancing group, a softball team, a pub quiz, looking for ideas for business or just want to spout off about whatever is on your mind, Clifton People is the site for you. (I know I've missed my calling in advertising.)

As I said it's free to join and at the moment if you sign up with a photo you will be entered into a prize draw to win a bottle of champagne, so tell a couple of friends as well.

It would be great to see you around the site,

Simon.

Strangely addicted to the Sainsbury's rip off version of Special K with red berries, called Balance, in a nice soft green box, to make you feel like nothing but God's clean air is passing through your digestive system.
Hmmm.

Today's weigh in

Good news, I've lost a whole pound since my last weigh in.
I realise that doesn't sound like a lot, but my last official Weight Watchers weigh in was about three weeks ago and in the intervening period I have been creeping back up to 16 st 2lbs, and even 16st 4lbs at one point.
So to tip the scales at 15st 13.5lbs, is a good thing. That's over 28 pounds now.

The countdown begins

According to the official 2010 London Virgin Marathon website counter, it is precisely 8 months, 23 hours, 53 mins and 12 seconds until the starting gun is fired on April 25.
Holy crap.
So I do declare August 24 2009 as Day 1 of preparation for the big day.
And I just realised I am a marathon virgin, entering the Virgin Marathon. Badoom.
I only hope my training develops more than my sense of humour.
I have been as giddy as a schoolgirl, as somebody said recently, for the past few days after getting my place for the marathon next year.
It feels like I've just stepped into a whole new world where talk is of the marathon, the full nine yards (or 26 miles), the big one.
I have run several half marathons down the years and had various levels of success.
The one constant thing is that when you tell people you are training they say, 'oh you're running the marathon aren't you?' and you have to politely explain that it is in fact a half marathon, and all of a sudden it doesn't sound quite so impressive.
'I'm sorry', I often think, 'I realise it's not really that much of an effort to run 13 piddly miles, but can I have some sponsorship anyway', and then the tenner you were hoping for becomes a fiver.
But now, things will be different, now I can say yes, that's right, I'm doing a marathon, a full, grown up, proper job 26 mile gruelling slow death of a run. And then they'll look at me, probably laugh and say 'you don't look like you could run a bath'.
The weight loss is even more crucial now to be able to complete the marathon. The key to long distance running is to be as light as possible. You wouldn't want to carry 112 bags of sugar while running 26 miles would you? So far I'm 24 down, just 88 to go and I'll be floating round that London town like a will o'the wisp.