Saturday, 21 April 2012

The London Marathon

This is my last blog before the London Marathon, all my training is completed to a level that will not only get me to the start line but also see me over the finish line. All that hard work in the cold freezing weather when staying in doors was a better option has finally paid off and boy am I getting the benefits of it now.



How Dawn Walton who lives in Scotland and has had way worse weather has managed is beyond my comprehension, Dawn you are the true star of training and the fact that you went out and trained in nasty weather then meant that this southern softy had to step up and get out there and do my bit. Thank you so much for all your help support and advice in my dark days when I need it the most. This will seem weird to people who don't know us but I can not wait to meet you in person at last, it will be like meeting an old friend who have not seen each other for a while rather than a first meeting. Work and marathon training has got in the way of meeting up before now. I am so proud to be one of your official running partners in what will most likely be your one and only running race.

Becca Jones who lives in London again it is beyond my comprehension how you train with all that traffic and with all those people/tourist about and the other star of training because we have run together before GSR and Brighton Half we have a good understanding of each other and complement each other we each bring different thinks to the table and I feel that we are two half's of one whole that allows us to complete our races. Becca will be in charge for the first half of the race making sure we slow down keep the pace steady let everyone around us run off slow and steady at the start gets you across the line at the end, then the second half of the race pace will not be a problem then, I step up and take control, motivate, push on make sure we break when we need it and start again. This worked a dream in Brighton and will again. I am so proud to be one of your official Marathon running partners in what will almost certainly be your first of two or many more marathons in the future. This is the link to Becca's last marathon blog. http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffromsnickerstomarathon.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F04%2Fmy-marathon-mile-dedications.html%3Fspref%3Dfb&h=qAQFTGV5jAQEfFxp5TrwnGORtxZ3Ru91mDiMdC86jWO7oMA&enc=AZMd-yzjcdvqAoDp6yF_UpCGiH-8N3DIafL5v0R2pcqCseDq8Xd77e9cUSFkxSoRsmC4lM-Tx9C89nYXVSt48k0W

Darin McCloud who lives in Portsmouth had the best of the weather I did not lose one day's training to the snow and I am still to do a full training session in the rain and I have the ideal training ground a 2.6 mile seafront that in the winter is pretty much just runners doing what they do best running up and down I also used a route from home that has only a little traffic on for me to worry about, I am not a star of training I am the luckiest bugger of training and I will take that any day of the week!!! This will also be my one and only marathon but I will keep running at half marathon distance and below and that way make sure that I never fall out of love with running ever again.

That ladies and gentleman is TEAM THINKING SLIMMER. Three very brave extraordinary remarkable people who will on Sunday 22nd April 2012 at 09:45 make history not only for themselves but will inspire many more people to change there lifestyle and get control of there lives for the first time, as the saying goes if we can do it anybody can do it. I wrote this paragraph not to be vain but to remind me in the future of just what I was able to achieve after a lifetime of underachievement and giving up at the first or second hurdle, and that with "PATIENCE" anything is possible.

TEAM THINKING SLIMMER the support network these people are equally as important as us runners, we would not be able to function without them each and everyone of you are stars.

Sandra Roycroft-Davis and Trevor Silvester without whom we would not be here today you both know the impact you have had on me and Becca and Dawn. I owe you everything for believing in me when I did not believe in myself, the bottom of that barrel was a lonely cold empty place, thank you for finding me and changing my life for the better.

To all the staff at Thinking Slimmer behind the scenes doing all the work I thank you all from the bottom of my heart you work for a truly great company enjoy your work you make a difference in other peoples lives that is priceless.

Lorraine Albon (Dr) I don't know what else to say that I have not already said your support has been immense. I look forward to paying you back later in the year when I can be your training partner as you prepare for your marathon. (did I real just say that and be able to back it up) You created the running monster and I'm thankful for that.

My Mum and Dad two remarkable parents that have had to put up with disappointments as my life choices were pretty crap, stupid or just plain wrong, always there to pick up the pieces dust me off and wait for the next big thing for me to mess up, for never giving up on me when I had clearly given up on myself. It is with pride that whilst the marathon is a personal journey for me, I dedicated this once in a lifetime marathon run all 26.2 miles to you both. I love you both so much. You will now both get a decent rest home later when needed cheap but decent!!!

Hazel Meldrum my partner god knows how that's still the case the last 4 months have been tough and she has taken the brunt of it, My journey has been public through my choice and Hazel has taken more than her fair share of flak for this I am eternally sorry and will make sure this does not happen again, from my point of view I think it has made us stronger and  better able to communicate with each other (still work in progress) I thank you for help and support and look forward to spending more time with you.

Lastly to all the slimpodders each and every one of you are stars, as you embark on your own personal journeys the road is long and bumpy but worth while sticking with. Remember the golden rules you have had a lifetime of struggling this is a lifestyle change not a diet it will take the rest of your lives to complete your journey this is no hardship although it may seem like it now, you will get control of your lives back and enjoy the new found freedom, enjoy the new learning experiences I know I have and will continue to do so for many years to come. My buzz word that you all know PATIENCE this won't work overnight nothing works overnight there is NO quick fix weight loss never has been never will be. Listen to your pods write down your positives they are there even if you don't see them, and set your goals short and long term. I am proud of each and everyone of you and you all inspire me to keep to going on my journey.

I look forward to blogging after the Marathon and telling you about how I ran with 2 remarkable amazing women and achieved something quite amazing.

This is just a afterthought my weight this morning is 15st 5lbs or 97kg I am very pleased to only be 5lb heavier than my lowest recorded weight. This just shows that if you do proper long term training and refuel your body in the right way you can eat more than you normally would without any long term weight gain I am sure that most of that 5lb is muscle gain because I am seeing friends I have not seen for a while who say wow you are still losing weight, again I don't see it because of training and eating, my clothes are the big test and they fit nicely so all is good.

I need to mention a good friend, Female (obviously)!!! who wished me luck for the Grand National I think this is the best good luck message ever and when I need a boost around Aintree near London this will bring a smile to my face and help me along. Thank You (I won't name you) 

I still need to reach my sponsorship target if you can spare a few pounds that would be great.   http://www.justgiving.com/Darin-McCloud1    









           

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