London's calling!

Well I'm back on my feet (almost). Many thanks to Lynne who took over blogging duties last week as I was completely floored with the flu. I'm feeling mostly better now, although if you've been within 30 metres of me recently you'd know all about it as I have a barking cough that I can't seem to get rid of.

(A repeat picture, but this is how I look ill)

Being sick has been bad and good. It was really annoying as it came on the weekend I was supposed to do my longest run. I had hoped to do 18-19 miles, but I didn't get out at all. This made being sick all the more stressful, I spent the first day in bed, half awake half asleep dreaming about struggling to run the first couple of miles of the marathon. In other ways it has been good, my legs and hip feel better than they have done for a while, so it may be a good thing.

I have recovered enough in the last week to go on two runs, the first was just a tester to see how the lungs and legs were feeling and was only 4 miles. The second was on Saturday, I was running towards town and then the heaviest (and quite painful) hail shower started, I decided to run towards my old gym and did an hour and a bit on the treadmill and then jogged home once the sun had come out. Apart from coughing my lungs out at the end, I felt pretty good.

Now I am entering a stage of my training called the taper, it's where I basically let my muscles repair themselves so they are all good for the big day, I like this because it means I don't have to do long runs, which I like because I am really bored of long runs!

So now it's basically looking forward to the big day itself, I'm very excited about going to London, and think this is a really cool way to do a tour of the city.

A few years ago I had a three day tutorial for one of my actuarial exams down in London, everytime I go to London I act like a complete tourist, the 'local' actuaries always find it funny that I would be so excited about seeing Big Ben or crossing tower bridge. At the tutorial they all mocked me when I told them that my plan for the evening was to get as many 'selfies' of the London tourist attractions so I could text them to Lynne.  Best night ever....

(Me at Picadilly circus)

(Me at Trafalgar square)

(Me at the Horse's guard)

(Me at Downing Street)

(Me and Big Ben)

(Me at some cathedral)

(Me and Cromwell)

(Me at parliament)

(Me at the Olympic park)

(Me at Harrods)

Fingers crossed that the pace of my marathon means that I'll be going too fast to enjoy the sites. Although I think this will be a really cool way to see it all again.

Vital Stats

Time run this week -  2 hours 40 minutes
Distance covered this week - 26.6km
Distance covered since beginning of training - 366.3km
Average pace - 6 minutes 9 seconds per kilometre

Donor of the week

People have been very generous this week and the Actuaries Charitable Trust has had some great donations:


Now this wouldn't be the time for mother n law jokes (and I do have some good ones), but my mother n law was extremely generous in her donation. In giving her donation she insisted that I use her passport photo!

And many thanks to all my wife's hard working colleagues in Lochgelly for their kind contributions. Also must say thank you to Andre Miller for his contribution.

Thanks guys

Please give generously!

We are now less than 2 weeks away from the big day so if you would love the chance to be donor of the week and at the same time help a great cause that contributes to loads of different charities then please go to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserPage.action?userUrl=therunningactuary&faId=524011&isTeam=false