the first real test of endurance

does anyone know what this statue/arch thing at the edge of Hyde Park is called? It's v cool.

refreshment break at the 5K mark

me outside yer houses o' parliament. Or "West-minister" as Ian Paisley likes to call it

Craig not looking overly-chippper









it's a real live pelican! honest! check out the feet on that baby.










this duck looked a bit sad that the pelican was getting all the attention so I took a picture of him as well. He posed liked a true pro

runnin london baby.

I got style.

training has begun....

yes, tattie-fans, I have taken my first tentative steps on the road to success.... walked a 10K round central London today in aid of Crusaid which was very pleasant. Got a tan. Several photos including one of an unexpected pelican which will be posted tomorrow. Followed it up with beating Craig in a sprint along Electric Avenue from the pub to Sainsburys. Eddy Grant would be proud.

Costume advice

Gav has been using his contacts to come up with suitable costumes for me to wear.

So far I have received the following in my inbox:

Thanks mate

Who will win?

Not me, that's for fuckin sure

The ruining of a perfectly good fag break

more words of encouragement

"The only running I've ever seen you do is over London
Bridge for the Bus,
Do you get to stop for fag breaks??"

Richard Mannering, a.k.a. "Rich Manner", London

Never....

....ask for "the good stuff" from Chicken Cottage on your way home from the pub. Have just eaten 2 fully formed bantam hens

Ardent fans...

....of the blog. On my way home when these two started pestering me for my autograph. Lovin my work apparently. Murphy and Linda, I now class you as friends.

Noo shoos!

Spangly.

Corporate sell out

After almost 29 years on this planet, I have finally succumbed to pressure and have purchased my first pair of Nikes. This was not through choice. You should all be aware by now of the '98 vintage Adidas' demise, which has resulted in me trying to buy a pair of cheap trainers after the rest of RunLondon's finest have trampled their way through the capital's sports stores. The RunLondon lot seem ...

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Less Blogging, more Jogging.

there are three very good reasons why I am not out training tonight:

1) My trainers do not fit me - apparently my feet have grown since the age of 20. Poor bastards, might stick em on Ebay (the trainers, not the feet). Either way it's some poundage I could have done without spending.

2) I was meant to be getting my fitness fix from a game of football down the park this evening, but that has been ...

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Effin thing's following me everywhere....

False accusations

Craig has decided to accuse me of stealing all his ideas off him.

However, as I learnt at university, it is not plaigiarism as long as your references are complete. As I have fully admitted to stealing Craig's ideas every time I do it, I am absolved of responsibility or blame.

PS Craig - like the link to my blog from yours - where did you get that idea from?!

PPS - you would never catch me in a floral shirt. In fact, you'll never catch me full stop.

Didn't get to sleep til half one last night

Started thinking about the run and realised that 10k is the same distance as from my house in brixton to my old job in the east end. Almost vomited just thinking about it.

Last day of freedom

I feel like i'm embarking on a long, long journey. About to try using my mission as a chat up line. Predicted success rate? About the same for both i reckon.

Great News!

I found my gutties!!

They're not quite at the 'retro' stage yet (being a mere 8 years old), and I'll probably get laughed out of the park clutching a torn achilles tendon, but I'll try em out in the hope I don't have to fork out for a new pair.

I have also worked out how to send photos direct from my phone to the blog. Isn't technology marvellous?!

Expect accidental shots of ladies' bottoms to be posted at 2am most weekends.

Gav

another string to be added to his already string-laden bow, Gav has embraced all that is right and proper in his time across the pond by gazumping Murray by a measly penny. Or two cents I guess.

Altogether now..... USA! they're number one!

Come on proud people of Britain! Tony Blair may be Condaleeza Rice's bitch but that doesn't mean we can't reclaim the mantle of "largest donation" from the ...

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The Smith

Just wanna give a shout out to my man Ally who has come up trumps with a twenty nicker bung.

Hailing from the mean streets of Cults in Aberdeen, I've known him since I was a naive young fresher back in 96. Former hockey starlet (he assures me he played with other boys) and founder member of the Dalrymple massive with a fine line in close-to-the-bone scathing comments (and general childish ...

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Supportive Comments

A selection of responses to my initial email detailing my plans:

"would have got back to you sooner - but it's taken me three days to
stop laughing."
Gavin Wilson, New York

"what the hell is going on my boy - i didn´t think i´d be moving in with a
reformed health freak when i agreed to move in with you!"
Helen MacQuarrie, somewhere in the Pyrenees

"can't BELIEVE ur doin a 10K run!! The man who said he'd rather have pills to feel better, rather than excercise!Hell, I'd pledge me life savings 4 that - or maybe just a tenner!"
Nikki Greer, via text, Ballymena.

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys - it means a lot.

The right of reply

I received the following response from Dave. He raises some very valid points so I felt it appropriate to publish his email here:

"Have just read your blog-based tribute. While you do capture some of the basics of my remarkable existence, I feel that more time could have been spent emphasising the sheer magnitude of my jungle-puma libido, my physical athleticism, kindness to children, ...

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I'm going to post photos on the site so you can follow my progress.....

......followed by a fitness video to be in the shops in time for Christmas

I've just dropped avocado all over my work

Preparations for starting to think about starting training continue apace, with two pints of Guinness at lunchtime giving me the necessary skewed outlook to think I might actually do this.

I'm a TIGER! RRRRRrraaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!

(oops, there's the boss, gotta go)

I Love my friends

What can I say..... It appears that either:

a) Murray has instigated a "biggest cock" competition amongst my friends
b) All of aforementioned friends are earning considerably more than me and think nothing of chucking £20+ in my (erm, I mean Fairbridge's) direction.

Imagine my surprise when I looked at my donations this morning to discover that I am now up to the princely sum of £75 in ...

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Training. Day 2

Shunned the fried chicken on the way home from the pub last night, instead going for the much healthier Chicken Shish Kebab. Bit too much cabbage though.

I plan to try and find my trainers over the weekend - I think they're in my wardrobe somewhere. They are as good as new, having been bought when I joined the Stevie Building at Glasgow Uni in 1998, but only worn twice. Not really a need for them in order to sit in the cafe and watch the girls swimming.

After that, training proper starts on Monday (honest).

Muzz sets the bar

Never one to do things by halves, Murray has blown the race for "most generous sponsor" (i.e. 'most attractive to women/men*') wide open with a whopping 25 quid offering!

Again, myself and the other disadvantaged youth of the inner cities salute you for your Bill Gates-esque donation....

I know that your donation comes from the heart (well, at least from next to the right thigh - I hope that's ...

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Dave Kenicer. The Man. The Legend.

Oh Surfy....

What a man. The first pledger. Five of your Scottish pounds for my noble cause. Thank you. Thank you thank you thank you.

Let me tell you about this man - the soundest mo fo ever to get stuck in academia. Looks like Euan MacGregor after that motorbike thing. Well, at least that's how I remember him. We called him Surfy Dave cos all the girls fancied him and thought he looked like a ...

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day one. planning

Met Craig (training partner) in the Prince Albert for a couple of pints to discuss training strategy. Had four. Potentially going to join a gym. Had some fried chicken on the way home. Baby steps.

welcome

Being a narcissist of the highest order (hey, I'm moving to Clapham, Libertines fans), I figured everyone would like to follow / laugh at my attempts to get fit for the 10K.

A life of beer and fags has left me feeling a little unfit, and a recent trip to health-conscious Scandanavia (melanoma-baiting excepted), the 10th anniversary of my 'retirement' from schools rugby - in addition to my 61 ...

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