Hitting the final countdown (dee dee dee dee, dee dee dee dee deeeeee...)

So people. Hold on to your underwear, we're into the final week.

This is the tough bit. Not only do I really have to run, but I have to behave myself in a manner fitting that of a top athlete (like what I obviously is...). So this week, I have a plan:

At least 1 pasta meal each day (have stocked up on sauces and the like already)

No Booze. I stopped on Sat Night (in amazing style in Durham, of course, where I decided that G&T is always better minus the T. Hardcore, me.)

Sleeping normally. Well, I'm trying on that one. Going to tonight (after I've caught up on Glee...).

No Caffiene. Now this I'm REALLY struggling with. I live off coffee. The girls on my course all commented this morning when I bought a bottle of Oasis instead of the 5th espresso I'd normally be on. Tonight, I nearly fell asleep in my sign language class. Luckily I pulled myself out of it, as it's not like anyone could have shouted at me to wake me up...

But onto the good news before I cry myself to sleep, faced with a week of bloated tiredness ending in a god-awful run.

Yesterday, my darling brother Hazza (or the Lanky Git, as I like to call him) decided that we should have a dry run of the full 10k. 6.2 miles. As I said, Git. So I went for it, and learnt a number of things:

By Mile 2, crying about how hideous it all was really did seem like a logical thing to do. Quite glad my little bro didn't let me stop running and swore at me until I pulled myself together.

Harry running ahead doing the YMCA, skipping and generally taking the Michael was not a great support at some points, but did at least make me smile sometimes. That helped.

My brother really cannot read a map. That's an extra half a K I'm never getting back...

I can run further and faster than I previously believed. Yes, I did it. 10.5k. And guess my time...

No, you really have to guess...

This is a fully interactive blog, and thus you must get involved too....

ok, No, you're all completely wrong, it was not the 2 hours I myself had thought, but 1 hour 15mins. Oh yes. and I did walk little bits (though in no way stuck to a regime). SORTED!!!

Must not get complacent now though. Noooo. So out again tomorrow morning. And now, I want to get it down to an hour...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

PS. Thanks to everyone who's sponsored me, I'm REALLY grateful - please don't hold back if you haven't got round to it yet though. Every Little Helps (the smaller man's mantra...)

xxx