Marathon Day! Wow, I get up at 05:45 (after a surprisingly good sleep!) and can't believe that today is finally here!

I had a shower, then applied vaseline to everything that might rub - rather gross, but essential. So too was my nipple tape, weird, it made me look like some kind of fetishist! Then came the factor 30 sweat resistant sun lotion, plasters and 'safe' undies. Then, finally, the moment came, I put on my t-shirt with number attached, hunched up my Linford Christie style lycra shorts (that my partner hates) pulled on my fresh socks and finally laced up my special red laces. These were sent out in the marathon pack, wearing your Red Laces on marathon day meant that FLORA donated £1 to WellChild and HּEּAּRּT UK for every pair that cross the finishing line.

I felt like a spaceman, training for a mission that was finally here. I woke up my partner, then we set off to the train station, eerily quiet we walked up the stairs to see two other people in their red laced trainers holding their marathon kit bag. We exchanged a kind of acknowledging smirk, as though we we in some kind of underground mafia. We knew where we were going and what we were going to put ourselves through. There was an underlying but unspoken respect for each other.

The train pulled up surprisingly busy, populated with yet more runners. Unfortunately, the inconsiderate sods at National Rail decided to have engineering works so we had to get a bus for part of our journey, (I mean come on, out of all the days in the year, why today!?). Nevertheless, we arrived at Ealing Broadway, then had two tube journeys and one more National Rail journey from Southwark (where my boss met us) to Maze Hill. As the journey progressed, more and more runners appeared, it was such a weird but exiting feeling being surrounded by other people who had chosen to partake in such a monumental challenge.

Finally, we arrived at Maze Hill and followed the crowds up to the Red Start. We paused at the top of the hill before the start to stretch out and lube up some more. I have some explicit photos of my boss 'preparing himself' for the marathon with vaseline and I'm willing to take bribes, cash, the lot if anyone wants to see them. Add your comments below, they may get published! Thanks to Nige for taking them too ;).

A quick pee stop then we joined the start and I put my wig on. We were off! It took about 8 minutes to get to the start line after then gun, much better than I expected. Dazza and I stayed together for the first four or five miles then we lost each other. The race was amazing, what an atmosphere. The supporters lined the entire course, it was overwhelming, little kids lined the roadside waiting for you to give them 'five' as you ran past. In the mid to latter stages people, old and young, held out hands full or jelly babies, banana chunks all sorts of energy bearing treats. It was such a rewarding experience knowing that members of the public went out of their way to support everyone.

After mile 14 my knees were very sore, so I necked a couple of Neurofen to help the pain, I've no idea if it worked or not but it made me feel better!  The heat was intense, although I think the wig helped because it kept the sun off my face and neck. I had four energy gels during the race along with copious amounts of water and Lucozade. After mile 18 I began to see lots of people throwing up at the roadside and others being stretched off by the St Johns ambulance. Scary, but an eye opener - this was not going to be a walk in the park for anyone. I counted down the miles, 22, 23, 24, 'Christ!' I thought...'I'm going to bloody do it!'. Determined, but in pain, I fought through the walkers and pukers and managed it over the finish line at 4:39:01. Fantastic! I really wanted to do it in less than 5 hours so I was over the moon.

What an amazing experience, it really was, I would recommend it to anyone who has given it some thought. I have to say a big thanks to my sports therapist at TP Therapy in south London. Without their help I don't think I would have made it half way round. They gave me some good therapy and aids so I could continue my own therapy at home. It was painful, but very successful. My ITB didn't play up one bit.

I have not reached my target for sponsorship yet, so if anyone feels like supporting Asthma UK, please visit www.justgiving.com/tracysutton I am very grateful that Asthma UK gave me the opportunity to take part in the marathon, Francine has been a great events organiser!

Reader - Sarah Milne
Reader - Matthew Rodgers
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So here we are then!  Hours to go before the start of the marathon rather than months or weeks!

Everyone keeps on asking if I'm nervous and I'm truly not at all.  I just want to get it all out of the way so I can have a pint and stop having to run.  I just want that medal.

As ever Capital 95.8's coverage of the marathon will be all-encompassing.  We've taken over about 5 sites across the route, including  our Routemaster on Blackheath, the massive Saab City garage on The Highway and we'll have our plane 2000 ft above the city.  But in a masterstroke of planning, Capital's finishing line reporter will be the gorgeous Sam Mann.  If the sight of Sam doesn't spurs the lads on, in the final slogs of the run I don't know what will!

The predicted temperatures for Sunday are something of a worry though.  Having spent months training in the snow and cold of January and February, hot sunny conditions are going to be a shock to the system.  If I'd been thinking clearly I would have gotten Capital to give me a couple of weeks "hot weather training" in say Egypt or somewhere.  I can't believe how stupid I've been.

A strange metamorphosis has occurred in my head over the past few days in terms of my thoughts on the race.  Initially I agreed to do it to get the press girl from Capital off my back, then it turned into something that might be "quite cool to do", but now (without trying to sound all emotional like) it feels like a bit of an honour to be doing it.

It's such a big event and it's great to be part of that.  But despite leaving it until Thursday I've also managed to raise a load of cash for Capital's charity Help a London Child.  I've got about £3000 at the time of writing this which is both brilliant and slightly daunting because there's a weight of expectation there now!  The money couldn't be going to a better cause and if you want to add to the total click here www.justgiving.com/paddyleftittoolate

See you on the other side! (hopefully!)

£800 in the justgiving bank, ONLY another £700 to go...lord give me strength, I've got 26.2 miles to run on Sunday, the last thing I want to worry about is the potential of me having to sell my body or its parts on the internet to raise my minimum gold bond target!

I wonder if I would have raised more money if I'd put a topless photo of myself on the fundraising page... maybe next time I'll photoshop my face onto a picture of Jordan.

God, the 'tapering' section of the training is the best part! I'm love having to cut my training down by a third each week for the final three weeks! Mind you, I've noticed that tapering the training also means tapering the Magners consumption. My favourite hot, Sunday afternoon custom of a cool crisp pint of Magners over ice is going to have to be curbed post marathon. It was great when I was doing the hardcore training before my injury, I could neck as much cider as I liked AND be trim! I suppose its good carbs too...hmm...beer...

So, off the sauce for the final two weeks to get myself on track, stretch, stretch, stretch, physio, water, phew, I can't wait until this time next week, I'll be able to get my life back. I can go out and party again, see my friends who I've had to cut out of my life due to bad influences, ('Oh, come one, come out for a few beers') no sacrifice of my Saturdays.

Do you know what I'm going do weekend after next? I'm going to sit on my arse ALL DAY. I'm going to watch crap TV, drink beer and live again!  
It's funny, for the last few months people at work have not been anywhere near as interested or involved in the marathon as me, but now, they're all talking about it and asking me about it and my nerves are taking a right battering. Don't ask, please - will you see me on TV? Yes probably horizontal in the back of a St Johns ambulance. What time do you have in mind? None. Just getting over the line will be an achievement for me.

My boss has also been plagued recently with ITB syndrome, the same injury as me. We've had to swallow our pride somewhat and settle for a successful finish when we'd have loved to have run it in sub 4 hours. So he suggested that we jog around together - 'of course, I'd love to' was my initial reaction, then I started thinking about how it could go wrong... picture these possible scenarios, I have done many times:

1. I throw up on, or near him
2. I do a 'Paula' I don't think I'd live it down if he saw my bright white arse squatting at a kerbside if the queues for the loo's were too long
3. I crap myself
4. I fall over my own two feet and take him out too
5. I actually make it to the finish alive, but then cry my eyes out with emotion as I cross the line
6. I pass out

If any of the above happen, I don't think I could possibly show my face in work again. There's also the crafty side that if I didn't finish it, how would he know? 'Oh yeah, well, I cruised around and did it in 3 hours 40' - how would he know I didn't? Some of the scenarios above may seem far fetched but I've heard horror stories of them all happening.

p.s. you might find it funny to spell check the word 'carbs'...

Reader - Sarah Milne
Reader - Matthew Rodgers
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Today I registered for the marathon. 

In a brilliant piece of marketing the people behind the marathon make you go to Excel in Docklands to sign stuff they could quite easily send you.  The DLR on the way down there was full of hundreds of emaciated people wearing skin-tight clothing who'd probably done one too many marathons already. 

You're then encouraged to look around a exhibition where promo people - who are probably called Luke or Sophie and who who are covered in fake tan and hair gel - try and sell you stuff you don't want.

Amongst the unwanted things I was offered was information on the holiday destination of Malta, the University of Middlesex and beer (really? who at an event aimed at people who are running the marathon is going to want a beer?  I mean we probably all want a beer, but when I've finally managed to go 2 days without alcohol, the last thing that's going to make me fall off the wagon, isn't going to be half a plastic sample tube full of warm ale).

I was also offered all kinds of info on other marathons that I could try.  I politely told them that one was enough for me!

As part of my registration  I was given my running number, suddenly this all feels very real and very close.  There were signs about the road closures on the way into work this morning. 

I'm off to dig into my 5th bowl of pasta today.

The week of the FLM. It feels kind of strange. I have a really bad case of what Hal Higdon calls "taper madness".

He describes it as nervous energy due to the reduction in exercise. My goodness, I have that in spades. I am driving Paul nuts! I am worrying about every little thing and blowing things way out of proportion. I am even getting anxiety dreams.

Yesterday, I dreamt that I got to the expo and waited in the queue to register to find I did not have my documents! All the freebies were things like books about Thomas the Tank Engine runs a marathon!!! Doesn't take a genius does it!

I ran 8 miles on Monday. It was a great run, nice and strong. The problem is, I am itching to get out there and get rid of all this nervous energy. I have learned to deal with my stress by running it off, and now, I am nervous about the marathon itself and hoping that nothing wil go wrong like line infections and partners that keep breaking themselves and I really need to get out there and run - aaaah!! Hopefully, all this will build up in such a way that I can run and run on Sunday.

I am finding this week almost like being pregnant. My brain is totally obsessed with the FLM, in the same way it is on the pregnancy and baby. I am trying to do work etc but it is there at the back of my mind. Another similarity is all the advice and marathon stories people are sharing with me - just like in your first pregnancy! Instead of everyone waiting with baited breath to see if it is a boy and a girl, they are waiting to see my finishing time (or if I make it round at all!). More similarities are the obsession with what I am eating, avoiding alcohol and too much caffeine and that feeling of butterflies in the stomach.

I am not alone either, the Fetch threads and other blog postings are also peppered with people's marathon obsessed behaviour, dreams and lack of concentration on other things. Our community nurse came to take some blood tests from Wills. She is also doing the FLM and we spent ages wishing each other well and describing our attire to each other, completely forgetting that we have a important and emotive meeting planned on Thursday to discuss William's end of life care (just to have a plan in place - not because we fear it will be needed in the near future!!!, I'm sure this will feature very strongly in my various blogs later in the week). Both of us said our brains have gone to mush - yes, it is so much like a pregnancy!!!

Reader - James Roper
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Today I feel about as bad as I have so far during this marathon training.  I feel like I've got the flu without actually being ill.  My limbs are aching, my head's spinning, my calves are throbbing, by ankles are swollen and my left big toe is in 2 pieces.

I did the Great Ireland run on Sunday, (which is the poncy name for the Dublin 10K).  This was booked up months ago before I knew anything about the possibility of doing the marathon but in retrospect it may not have been a wise idea.

It taught me an important lesson though.. that it's easy to get swept along by other runners.  About half way through I realised that I was running way too fast and had to slow the pace down.  I finished in 47 minutes which wasn't too bad.  Although I was beaten by a bloke who looked to be about 90 who was dressed as a Viking with stars and stripes spandex leggings, (I think they were an optional extra at the costume hire place). 

The medal was a nice addition to my collection, although not as nice as in previous years.. 2005 was a medal highlight for me!  This year's green ribbon smacked of cut backs and I'm not sure what metal it's made from, but it has the weight of painted aluminium which no athlete is going to appreciate.  You want something weighty, with a sturdy ribbon after a punishing race like that.  Hopefully the Marathon will provide that.

More damaging to my preparations was the 3 days of drinking before the run.  When in Rome... n'all that.  I also had a Full Irish breakfast beforehand, which following the theme of this blog is very similar to a Full English.  This one though actually does have a difference.. with the addition of white pudding.