I have been in total denial about the reality of the half-marathon but had a sharp wake up call last week when I went to an open evening information event.

I looked at a map of the route for the first time. Horrified was my first reaction and then curious  my second.

How on earth am I going to get round 13 miles of Ealing when I am unfit, overweight and still can't run for a bus?

It's described as a compact, single lap, traffic free course that takes in the best of Central, North & West Ealing.

Take a look at here - but please don't get put off. It's a rather nice route.

The good news is I didn't immediately say NO WAY.  That's positive isn't it?

I am desperately looking for positives as I could quite easily take an early shower as they say.

But I'm not going to, I will do it, but much as I would love to jog confidently around the whole stretch I realise that is just too much of a leap of the imagination.

I shall run/walk it and no doubt will probably be still going when the real runners have long since gone home - but my prize in being realistic means I will get round - which is ultimately what I want to do.

However I really need to get training. Properly.

There are so many things that just seem to happen to push it way down on the list of things to do, like work, kids, life you know - but I must find the time and do it more regularly.

The one run I had this week was very hard. I did about 30 minutes round Lammas Park but felt really heavy and very, very slow. Looking at the proper runners the thing they all have in common is they are slim.

I need to lose weight - carrying an extra couple of stone is not helping one bit. But I hate diets. So please help me! Send me any good ideas of how I can lose some weight (but please do not mention the D word).

I had thought that by increasing my exercise I would automatically start to slim down - but I obviously can't be doing enough.

Not to worry - although it's getting ever closer there is still time. I guess I am just very impatient.

The Ealing Eagles have a beginners 'get round the course' training schedule which I shall try and adapt to suit myself.

And my mantra for each and every run now:

I will get round.

I will get round.

I will get round.

 

Until next week!

Annemarie Flanagan
editor@ealingtoday.co.uk

5th July 2012