Run Rhodri, Run!

I set myself a challenge once. I declared, inwardly to myself, that I would run a Marathon by the time I was 30. Now the clock is ticking and I didn't manage to get a place in this years London Marathon which is incidentally tomorrow.

So I feel today is the time to announce that I have now set myself up with a great opportunity to meet my challenge.

I've recently signed up for the 11th Annual Cologne Marathon which will take place on the streets of Cologne on Sunday 7th October 2007. I have sometime to prepare.

I think I've made a pretty good choice. Cologne is pretty flat. I know this because the flatness combined with the very minimal snow this year have prevented me using one of the useful phrases I have in my German phrase book. I don't have the German to hand but the phrase is "That's a very nice ski suit" I believe it is in the 'chatting Germans up on the piste' section of the book which comes just after 'introducing yourself' and before 'getting around' (that's getting around in the travel sense rather than getting around in the following on from the chatting up Germans on the piste sense)

I fairness I need this marathon. Living in hotels with hot buffet breakfast and eating out every night often in bars which can, for the weak, also lead to drinking is leading me to not look like a man on his way to 30 but look like one who has comfortably passed it by.

So over the next few months I will track my own progress towards this event which I hope to be able to finish in 4 hours 30 Min's. As a starter I went running this morning for 45 Min's. I can confirm that I didn't even achieve 1/4 of the marathon distance and it made me tired. Phase 2 of the training comes this evening. I'm meeting some friends in London for drinks. Oh dear. I see this whole process will be a struggle.