Hitting home

Some things are scarier in black and white: the original Psycho, for example, is far more frightening that its 1998 technicolour remake, starring the hardly spooky Vince Vaughn. And so it has turned out with my London marathon training schedule. In my head four months of build up culminating in my first 26-miler on 25 April would be a challenging but ultimately rewarding journey towards a much fitter, super-toned new me with a glowing sense of achievement.
 
But on 1 January, as the back-to-work blues kick in and I put the training down on paper, the reality begins to dawn. Four runs a week plus a day of cross training means some very early mornings, no impromptu after-work drinks – or even scheduled after-work drinks – and weekend plans? Forget it.
 
Back in October, when our ballot entries to the world’s biggest marathon were rejected, my Inside Housing colleague Caroline Thorpe and I decided to press ahead anyway. The Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust provided the golden ticket we needed, on the promise of raising £3,000 between us for this worthy cause.
 
So we’re in, and it’s time to knuckle down. Firstly, faced with the prospect of a bare social life, some serious organisation is required to prevent the marathon entirely dominating next four months. Here’s the plan. Weekday runs are either to or from work, thereby killing two birds – a run and a commute – with one stone. This fits nicely with my rather vague New Year’s resolution to ‘make best use of time’. Weekends are long run territory, gradually increasing in distance to the killer 20 miles on 3 April before tailing off in preparation for the big day.
 
A week’s skiing holiday in February puts a bit of a spanner in the works, but hey, it’s exercise. Will just have to avoid too much apres ski… My best friend’s 30th can also be worked around with a vow to give up drinking the day after her party until the race, and a weekend in Devon will involve packing the trainers.
 
Ok, maybe it’s not so scary after all. But with the schedule finalised, all that’s left to do is start the training. Six days in and I’ve battled through treacherous weather to clock up 14.7 miles so far (OK – 3 of those were on the treadmill, but better that than risk an ice-related injury in week one). This feels like a solid start, long may the enthusiasm, but not the freezing conditions, continue.
 
We’ll be keeping you up to date on our training progress here and in the magazine, so if you like what you read why not show your support at www.justgiving.co.uk/carolineandleonie <http://www.justgiving.co.uk/carolineandleonie>
 
Leonie’s run rate

Miles since 1 January: 14.7
 
Number of times training schedule has been revised: 9

Caroline’s run rate

Miles since 1 January:  11

Miles scuppered by snow and onset of ITB injury: 6

Sweets eaten to compensate:lost count