So, as we enter 2008 I thought I’d share my plans for the next few months… After entering the ballot for the 2008 London Marathon back in July of last year a few weeks ago I got official confirmation that I got in! Now, this is great news as I planned to run a marathon in 2008 - however, a slight spanner was thrown in the works - one of our friends, who Sharon and I have together known almost as long as we’ve known each other, set his wedding date for the day before the London Marathon. OK, no great setback apart from one thing - the wedding is in Scotland. Marathons happen all the time and weddings only happen (hopefully!) once in a lifetime so it was an easy decision to make - no London for me in 2008.

Now, I will run London in 2009 (in 12 months time I’m sure this blog will mention how the training’s going) but for 2008 I still want to run a marathon. So, a few weeks ago I entered the Bungay Marathon - which takes place on 6 April - a week before London. To be honest when I run London I want it to be a good run, and not my first ever marathon experience - so for 2008 I want to prove that I can run the distance - and in 2009 I want to run 26.2 miles well. As of today my marathon training is well underway and I hope to report back with good news in just over three months time…

So, what else is in store - well, if I’m going to step up my running distance to a marathon its only fair to do the same with my triathlon training. To this effect in June 2008 I will be taking part in the Bala Middle Distance Triathlon, based near Bala Lake in North West Wales.

“A big challenge set in an outstanding location, twice serving as the National Middle Distance championships, Bala Lake in June must be one of the most impressive venues for a longer distance event. The race revolves around the lake with the bike traversing large parts of Snowdonia National Park and the run following the lake shoreline before a brutal climb into the foothills of the Arans. Not a race for the fainthearted, all who have finished this event know that they are on their way to further adventures in long distance triathlon.”

So, it doesn’t sound particularly easy does it - well it comes as no surprise that the Bala triathlon is listed as one of the Ten Toughest Triathlons in the UK! For those interested the distances are as follows - a 2km (1.24 mile) swim in the lake, followed by a 78k (48.5 mile) bike ride, finishing off with a 20k (12.4 mile) run! Not for the faint-hearted!

So, my plans for the next few weeks are to buy a road racing bike, then get some cycling in around my marathon training. Nothing like a gentle start to the new year eh!