Week 16 - it's now T minus 24 hours! Getting ready for the Flora London Marathon 2006

It has been hard to think of anything other than the Marathon this week. A number of friends and colleagues are running it and that has been the chat all week. Everyone has worked hard at it and we are all hoping for some good weather (cool, not hot, and dry) and some good luck.

My ankles, Achilles and body overall have held up reasonably well this week. I have still got a bit of a cold, which is better but has certainly not gone away. Hopefully it is virtually gone by tomorrow.

My tapering exercises went fine this week. Got 2 x 3 mile runs in, around the same route, the first one with Marianne, the second with Michael (together, the McMufetts!). It was taken at a steady pace and both were completed in around half an hour. Running with friends is definitely encouraging and I enjoyed these runs as I have enjoyed all previous runs with good company. I walked for 3 miles as my final bit of exercise last night (Friday nt.) and the plan for today is to rest well. With a lot of footie on the box, that shouldn't prove too difficult!

I have been focussed on eating lots of carbs this week. Happily I'm not yet sick of the sight of pasta but if I kept this up for much longer, I'm sure I would be. Have eaten lots of carbs as recommended and hopefully my body will remember that on Sunday morning.

My weight hasn't changed a jot since I started training for the Marathon. The good thing, however, is that I have lost most of my belly which I had sadly cultivated over the last couple of years. Whilst I have not fallen in love with running per se, I have really enjoyed being fit, excercising a lot and getting those endorphins flowing! Hopefully that's something I will keep up post-Marathon.

One of the most excting aspects of this last week has been the phenomenal response to my Charity appeal for Shelter. I was hoping to raise £3,000 and have been gob-smacked by the response; as I type, the amount stands at £6,362.44! (www.justgiving.com/vinay). I have received unbelievable generousity in terms of both money and goodwill from family, friends, colleagues... you name 'em! That is something that will give me energy tomorrow.

Counting down the hours. Next blog update will be post-Marathon.

So I started at nought and am on the eve of a full Marathon. I've certainly done the training, the hard work has been put in. I've had some bad luck with injuries but I'm feeling better going into tomorrow. Postive Mental Attitude! With good wishes, some good weather and a lot of good luck, I hope I have extremely good news to post tomorrow.

Let's go!