I'm not feeling terribly chirpy tonight. Mainly because I'm distracted by three thoughts:

1. Will I still be crawling my way round London this time next week, in the fading light with the roads reopened and supporters all gone home?

2. How much pain will I be in this time next week?

3. Will I even finish it at all?!

Genuinely concerned about the above. But I'm determined. So, so determined to finish. Here's the reasons:

1. I don't want all those miles that I've dragged myself around to go to waste. My iPhone app, that I started using a few months ago and so doesn't include all my training, says I've run 150 miles and it's taken me a whopping 28 hours, 14 minutes and 31 seconds. I will never get that time back. Urgh.

2. I've not had aching legs for approximately 5 months to not finish this.

3. You lot are brilliant and have donated loads of money to my marathon fund already. (Although those of you that haven't prized open your rusty, cobwebbed purses need to get a move on!)

4. I won't be able to bear telling people that I didn't finish. Oh the shame!

5. If I don't finish, then the marathon will have beaten me. I really am not a good loser.

6. Charlie (as featured previously) has had the news that his surgery needs to be brought forward to this summer. He and his family needs BHF and their support.

7. For Verz. For his memory. In celebration of him. For his family. For his friends. For my husband who's lost his best friend.

So that's that. Better blooming well finish it hey?!

In other news, the ankle is improving loads and the foot pain has gone. This is excellent! The magical physio tape is indeed magical and resting it has helped. Thank you so much to all of you that have been concerned about it, prayed and been sympathetic.
This has meant that I've been able to go for a couple of little runs. 3 miles test run on Friday and a short 5 miles today. Obviously a fair way longer to go next Sunday.....

I've also really enjoyed cycling this week. Whizzed out for 90mins on Tuesday (which included a pit-stop at my slightly surprised friend's for water- thanks Claire!) and about an hour yesterday. I love it! I thought I hated cycling but it's brilliant! So much faster than running. So much easier than running. So much less painful than running (especially with those awful but yet fantastic padded shorts).
Here's some pics from yesterday's trip out to the Attenborough Nature Reserve:

Beautiful day, lovely church.

Attenborough

Visitor centre- more about that in a minute

Me on a bike!

I love biking!

I cycled over the the nature reserve, round it a bit, through some really fun muddy puddles (Emma- I promise to clean the bike before returning it), was mistaken for a bloke by a passer-by (I'll gloss over that point) and then met Matt and Katherine to feed the ducks. Whilst we were there, we thought we should support the good work done by the nature centre and show our appreciation for the tremendous duck care they provide by, erm, by eating cake! Haha! I can ALWAYS find an excuse for cake. Matt and I shared a slice of what was one of the best sweet treats I've ever had (and I've conducted very thorough and extensive research). Layers of chocolate cake, toffee cake, chocolately creamy stuff, nougaty type stuff (to use a technical term) all topped with yummy caramel and peanuts. So, so good. If you decide you, too, need to support the ducks, do it with a slice of that stuff. I think after I've finished supporting the British Heart Foundation that my charitable attentions will be turned towards the plight of wild birds and ducks and that it really is my heartfelt calling to consume vast quantities of cake in that visitor centre as my sacrifice to them. It's got to beat running!

This week I'm on long shifts at work from Monday until Thursday so won't have time to get out. Then on Friday it's off down to London village to get registered at the Excel centre, spot a few celebrity runners, say a cheery hello to the BHF team and probably cry lots! Many of you will know that I'm a really emotional, wet-eyed wally and well up at pretty much anything. I get teary every time someone sponsors me. I choke up when I think about the big day. I've snivelled my way round my training routes thinking about Verz. When Matt ran London, I wept my way around the Excel centre at all the inspirational messages and reasons for running. I'm going to be even worse this time! There's lots of people coming to cheer me on and I'm sure I'll blub every time I spot one of them. So, Mum, Jon, Ruth, Ray, Matt, K, Corinne, Lynz, Shawn, Vicki and Ali- apologies! I really appreciate you coming but won't be able to tell you that on the day!

So that's that. My training is officially done. It's not included as much running as I'd planned. It's featured more pain than I'd hoped. It's been colder and more miserable than I'd wanted. But it's done.
WUHOOOOOOOO!
Here's a pic of me looking pleased with myself after my last EVER training run:

I pledged to sponsor myself 50p for every mile that I trained. 150 miles later and I think I should be exempt from the money side of the marathon madness! But I reckon I can scrape it together so that's my contribution done.
If you haven't sponsored me yet, please, please do. It's for such a good cause and in the memory of a good man.
Thanks.
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/longrunlizzy

Verz enjoying life

Verz helping others to enjoy life

Verz was full of life