Frequently Asked Questions

Christmas and New Year, the time for catching up with family and friends you’ve not seen for a while.

The days of “haven’t you grown!” are long gone. Comments relating to “looking well” with age and health in mind are of course many years ahead of me.

Work-based small talk inevitably comes near the top of the, what shall we talk about next list, but for me, there was of course another focus for discussion, or should that be, questions, this year.

I thought my next blog post should work through the things I’ve been asked the most over the past couple of weeks, website FAQ’s page-style.

I’ve already dealt with the issue of
how I run, I will do a separate blog another day answering the question of how it feels to run when you can’t see – mainly because it’s something I hadn’t given any thought to until I was asked last week. With this freakin’ weather rather disrupting my
football watching plans this week; I might have a bit of thinking time on my hands tomorrow afternoon. That is unless I’m still asleep after another night
in the company of the cricket. On that note, Ricky throwing a strop like a spoilt child who didn't get the Christmas present they wanted was most entertaining last night.

Anyway, here’s a few to be getting on with.

So who are you running for?

Its credit to the London Marathon as an event that the natural assumption of the majority is that anyone that enters is doing it for charity. I wonder, was I doing Brighton, Paris or Edinburgh would the same assumption be made?

My motivation for entering the London Marathon was purely the goal of completing the distance. Having done a few half marathons I felt it about time I went for the big one. My place is not tied to any charity and so I have the freedom to pick any cause in the world, or, not pick one at all. Either way, I have other, more important priorities right now.

Will you be running in a costume?

Absolutely not. This is about seeing how good a marathon runner I can be. A couple of years ago I did the Maidenhead 10 just before London Marathon day, and we saw a man taking his apple costume for a run and it didn’t look much fun to me. Were I to dress as something, or someone, given that I have to be attached to another person, the choice of costume should really take that into consideration, salt and pepper pots,
The Chuckle Brothers, a knife and fork, bride and groom, that sort of thing. Maybe something to keep in mind for a Christmas Day Parkrun, or maybe not.

Will you have run that far before the day?

It’s a fair question, the answer being no. Marathon running, so I’m told, takes it out of your legs, therefore the training and
pre-race race schedule has been planned with building up the distance in mind. The Cranleigh 21 four weeks before hand will be the longest race I’ll do.

Have you started training yet?

Ah! Now, you see, the thing is, ahem!

As previously blogged illness, injury and the snow has meant I’ve not exactly got off to the best of starts. That said, over the Christmas weekend I ran about ten miles, with no negative reactions from the body, so here’s hoping it’s onwards and upwards.

What is the world record for blind marathon running?

Something’s can always be relied upon, and it came as no surprise to me to learn that the world record is held by a Kenyan.

Henry Wanyoike is the speedster in question, his time of 2 hours 31 minutes 35 seconds set at the 2005 Hamburg Marathon still stands as the world best to this day. Of course I don’t expect to get anywhere near that, within an hour would be fantastic.

Next up for me, Tadworth Ten, weather and injury permitting of course.