I can’t believe it was a week ago I finished the marathon now - it’s gone scarily quickly! I think apart from obviously finishing, the thing I’m most proud about is that I’m now able to walk up and down stairs again. My family have been treated to some amusing scenes of my varying attempts to get down stairs over the last week - ranging from crawling like a baby, a crab-like walk and bumping down on my bottom like a baby! I thought I’d give you a bit of an outline as to what my day was like last Sunday.

6.20 am. Alarm goes off. Switch on “snooze” and spend the next 10 minutes thinking about the massive challenge ahead of me.

6.45 am. After a quick shower, I eat a large bowl of home-made muesli and an energy bar. Put my kit on, cake my body in sun-cream (it reaches 18 degrees later in the day) and anti-chaffing cream.

7.20 am. Leave the flat we’re staying at in South Kensington and get a cab to Charring Cross. Train to Greenwich and walk 15 minutes to the red start.

9.15 am. After fueling up with lucozade and dumping my kit bag on the lorry which takes it to the finish, I make my way to my starting pen on Blackheath.

9.45 am. Mile 0. I cross the start line, set my watch and slowly but surely make my way to the first mile marker.

Mile 3. First water station and after a few doubts at the start line I have settled into a rhythm by now and am enjoying the atmosphere and high fives of enthusiastic children at the side of the road.

Mile 6. I run under the approach to the Blackwall tunnel. A loud speaker is playing Tracey Chapman (a big favorite of mine) and I suddenly feel happier than I have done for a very long time. I look up at the blue sky above and am thankful for being healthy enough and have the chance to run this amazing race.

Mile 7. After the Cutty Sark, I run past my family for the first time. It’s a great feeling and I’m already grateful for their support.

Mile 12. As I run through Bermondsey, I make a quick loo stop and take on more water and energy gels (stored in the back pocket of my running shorts which makes me look like I have some abnormal growth coming out of the back of me)! 

Mile 13. After crossing Tower Bridge, I head towards the Isle of Dogs and pass the leading men running past in the other direction - they are almost sprinting and Sammy Wanjiru has opened up a lead of 5 seconds or so. I wonder where last year’s winner Martin Lel is, only to find out later that he never made the start-line. I cross the half-way mark in 1 hour 49.

Mile 15. Run past my family, aunt, uncle and cousins Christopher, Alexandra and little goddaughter Marina. Feeling much better than at this stage last year and am buoyed by the fact that I’ll be heading back towards the finish shortly.

Mile 18. Pass the family again. Still feel strong as I pass the crowds around Canary Wharf. It’s a strange area to run actually as much of the 15-20 mile period is very quiet, but there are pockets where the noise erupts. Becoming a little bit conscious of a blister forming on the inside of my left foot.

Mile 20. My dodgy left ankle starting to become very painful all of a sudden and I make a decision to stop and sort out my blister. A St. John’s Ambulance medic straps me up and I’m going again, albeit at a slightly slower pace.

Mile 21. Hurting now. And a giant banana overtakes me; I blink a couple of times - a GIANT BANANA!!

Mile 22. Agony now. The legs just don’t want to work. I am still on course for a 3 hour 40 time, but know that my legs have nothing left and my calves are starting to cramp like crazy. The support is incredible and there are crowds 10 people deep on either side of the road.

Mile 23. I start marching towards the finish with a man who is also struggling. His inspiring words get me going again and we walk quickly together talking to take our mind off the pain. 

Mile 25. Just 1 mile to go. I know I’m going to get to the finish but my hopes of a sub 4 hour time are over. Feeling a touch disappointed but whenever I break into a run I feel like my calves will snap in half. 

800 m to go. I start jogging again, very slowly and turn the corner in front of Buckingham Palace. The crowd are amazing and I catch sight of Dad and Frances as I turn into the Mall and have just 200 m to go. I cross the line and throw my hands in the air. I’m exhausted, feel very wobbly but relieved it’s all over. I try to say thank you to all the people who kindly volunteered to help make it such a memorable event on my way to meet my family at the end. I wear my medal proudly and am reunited with a very happy looking Mum, Dad and supportive sister Frances. Spend most of the rest of the day (and week) hobbling around! Promise not to do it again, but who knows.

I suspect this will be my last blog for a bit of time, so I’d just like to thank everyone for their hugely generous support. We’ve managed to raise over £6000 for the CF Trust so far, which puts the total close to £20,000 over the last 2 years. I’m utterly amazed and really am incredibly grateful. I’d also like to say a massive thank you to Kay Hill who has given many hours of her precious time sorting my sore muscles out and getting me to the start line in such good shape. I couldn’t have done it without you. Also to Catherine Clair, Nick Webborn and all his team at Sportswise. Here is a link to a Courier article written on my this week - http://www.thisissussex.co.uk/news/Cystic-Fibrosis-sufferer-completes-London-Marathon/article-946437-detail/article.html

Alastair

Alastair

The weather forecast for tomorrow keeps changing, but it doesn’t now look like it’s going to be 20 degrees and sunny, which is definitely a good thing. Cool and overcast is perfect. It’s been a busy week - I’ve been getting a lot of treatment on my troublesome ankle and feel it’s now as ready as it can be for tomorrow. The donations have also been flooding in and I’m almost up to £6000 now. Thank you so much for your generosity.

I’m off to London now to get ready, so do look out for me - it won’t be possible to miss me in my fluorescent  yellow running vest - and I’ll post again when I’m at the end (I hope)!!

Thanks to all your support I’ve managed to raise nearly £4500 so far for the CF Trust - I’m incredibly grateful to all of you who have donated so far. I thought I’d do something different on my blog this time around and post a few of my favourite songs to listen to whilst training!

1) Eye of the Tiger - Always a classic for pushing yourself to the limit.

2) If I Fall - Alice Martineau. Alice suffered from CF herself and her amazing lyrics are fantastic at spuring myself on.

3) Coming Around Again - Simon Webbe.

4) Proud - Heather Small. Inspirational song!

5) Viva La Vida - Coldplay. A bit of easy listen to stuff for relaxing into the middle miles.

I’ll blog again later in the week to let you know how preparations are going.

The Kent and Sussex Courier have posted a short video summary of the Paddock Wood Half Marathon on their website, which features an interview with me. You can check it out at www.thisissussex.co.uk/video.

Alastair

I ran in the Paddock Wood Half Marathon this morning and managed to finish it in 1 hour 33 minutes 51. Although it was a bit slower than my Hastings time (by just over a minute) I’m actually really pleased, especially since it was a baking hot day and I’ve had a week off serious training.

It seems hard to believe that London is just 3 weeks away now, and while I’ve still got one long run to fit in, I am feeling in really good shape (aside from a sore ankle and aching left knee)! I was in the Alps skiing all last week, and the rest has definitely done some good for my body. I did manage to get one really good session done in the mountains, when Francesca (the owner of the chalet we were staying in) took me randonee skiing. My training was made to feel totally inadequate as I huffed and puffed my way up 500m of piste, over 4,000 feet above sea level. It was a fantastic cardiovascular work-out and whenever I am next preparing for a long distance race, I’m definitely going to try to get a few weeks of training at altitude. Apart from anything, it was great to do something totally different and being able to ski down the slope I’d just struggled up was hugely satisfying!

Thank you very much to everyone who has donated money so far - I passed the £3000 mark this week!

Sorry for the lack of update recently - it’s been a very busy last couple of weeks. I ran in the Hastings Half Marathon this morning, and finished in about 1 hour 32 minutes (almost exactly the same time as last year). It was an amazing atmosphere down on the coast, and the sunny weather only added to the supporters’ cheer. It did mean that it was quite hot though - something I was definitely feeling at the 5 mile point. The first 5 miles are almost totally uphill at Hastings, with the next 8 either relatively flat or downhill. I attacked the first half a bit more than I did last year, which meant that I had less time to make up come the second half. While I ran the second half hard, I found myself frustrated in the final few miles (along the seafront) that I didn’t have a bit more to give - I’m desperate to beat the 1 hour 30 mark! Oh well - next time, and I did manage to beat the runner dressed up in a full on spider man suit!

I’ve been hugely touched to have received nearly £1000 of donations already - both the CF Trust and I really are grateful for your support, particularly during the current economic climate.

Finally, do get a copy of this week’s Courier (the local East Sussex newspaper) as I am featured in an article.I haven’t actually seen it yet, but there is apparently a photo of me with a very red face!

On 26th April I am going to be running in the Flora London Marathon. After an amazing experience last year, where thanks to your support I managed to raise over £12,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and achieve a goal that I have always dreamt of, I’ve decided to put myself through it all over again! I have stepped up my training and am hoping to run it in under 3 hours 30 (which would be a 40 minute improvement on last year - quite a challenge)!

I am well aware that the credit crunch has hit many people’s pockets rather hard recently, however I would be hugely grateful for any donation that you might be able to give. Small charities such as The CF Trust are invariably hit especially hard by an economic downturn and that is a huge motivation behind my efforts to run again this year. You can sponsor me at www.justgiving.co.uk/alastairmavor. Thanks in advance for your generosity.

I will be blogging regularly on the site, keeping you up to date with how the training is going. Amongst others races, I am planning to run the Hastings Half Marathon next month in the build up to London. Do check back for updates.

Alastair