Clocked up another 10km today, 51mins run time, at steady pace, including leap-frogging over posts during half-way stage, finished with a bit of a sprint. Happy cos did this despite having a touch of the sniffles.

UPDATE: woke up and legs pretty much normal, recovery times must be speeding up, felt like could prob run another 10km today, but due to being so wanted by all and sundry, didn't, prob for best as will help get over this cold better. Ah well will wait til next week now

There is a ginger cat that lives in my house called ‘Grahamina’ – she is a special cat because she likes to interrupt my breakfast and use Google to produce amazing results such as the one below! 🙂

The Googling Cat

Grahamina Googlewhack

Just back from another 'long' run of 2:02 hours – apparently about 12.3miles, which gives me hope that a half marathon is now within my grasp!

For once it was light, since I left at about 1:30pm, ran up to the common and took a detour through Richmond Park. I thought this would be more pleasant than running up Kingston Hill like last time, which was tough going, but even on the grass it wasn't that much easier, bit more green and less cars though. I was a bit disappointed not to see any deer or squirrels or even birds though though I did overtake a woman on a bicycle going up the rather steep hill there, lol, she overtook me on the way down and straight though. The Park also was a good option since it saved getting lost round the private estates of Kingston Hill like last time and made a nice run back into Raynes Park along Coombe Lane.

Legs aren't quite as tired as the last long run, seemed a bit more steady today, whereas I pushed it quite a bit at the start last time, am sure I could've (just about) made another mile or so, then I'd have hit the milestone of the teens!

Click here to see a 'rough' route map of today. I did cut down Chase Alley which Google doesn't know about.

Just started reading it!

Finally set up my JustGiving.com page so people can sponsor me and Save The Rhino direct! So pls sponsor me if you can

http://www.justgiving.com/James-Reed0

I finally have a confirmed Virgin London Marathon 2011 place at last! I phoned Adam Brown from Save The Rhino and he kindly gave me a place. I have to raise £1250 for them and any more over that target will go to the Rainforest Trust. I have to say that is less than the £1800 the Rainforest guys wanted me to raise so I'm not complaining one bit! On with the training then…

Ran 10km at reasonable pace on usual common route up to Tibbets Corner and back, tried listening to music this time, haven't done that for a while, but I was tired and felt like it, had to stop numerous times to sort out the headphone lead and trainers (may need new pair). Finished in about 52mins, hence lot faster than usual. Interested to see what my legs will be like tomorrow after pusing it a bit today.

Well after an email on Monday from Matilda at the Rainforest Alliance, it turns out it could be a two way run-off between myself and a lady called Carol for a place in the marathon

Anyways had a 'marathon meeting' with the Rainforest Alliance folks near Kentish Town tonight after a hectic day at work. Met a couple of guys doing the Brighton Marathon and the other 7 or so of us are doing the London. Matilda gave a nice presentation, didn't know Sting set this thing up, plus gave us some fund raising ideas.

UPDATE: Got a call from Matilda and was told that she had to draw straws between myself and Carol (she was a very nice lady and very enthusiastic + she'd done the Dublin marathon back in 1996) and she won the place. Must admit I'm wasn't entirely surprised, BUT Adam Brown at Save the Rhino does have a place for me an expects a call!

I'd seen the posters around and resisted so far, BUT it wa too much, my hero Michael Knight was starring in the pantomime at Wimbledon theatre! Yes, the star of my fave TV programme as a kid Knightrider AKA Mitch from Baywatch AKA David Hasselhoff was visiting my hometown and this might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see him!  so I went along for the Wednesday 1:30pm show! It was Peter Pan with The Hoff as Hook and Louie Spence from Pineapple Studios as the Cabin Boy (named Roger lol). These two made an unexpectedly brilliant combination. The Hoff's very-English announcement of the start of the show, hinted to me that he may have actually grasped what the very British institute of panto really is, which is most impressive for an American! 🙂 After curtain up, came the songs, the dances, the jokes and even the story, which was wonderfully told and acted out by all the cast involved! Louie Spence was flippin hilarious and what a dancer too! The dude playing Peter Pan was excellent too, had a real quality for being a nice guy and luring the audience in with the traditional BEHIND YOU and OH NO HE HASN'T routines too! 🙂 Top marks to both him + the lady playing Wendy, you guys got the characters 100% right + the funny pirates ruled (esp the bit where Louie got them doing a caberet).

What I loved was that rightly there were references to everything – Baywatch, KITT (best car ever if you don't know), the talking watch, Pamela Anderson (who was at the theatre last year), they even had a bit introduced as singing 'live from the Berlin Wall' (oh yes, all you Germans out there, who remembers Hoff sitting on the Wall singing Freedom in 1989). The delighted shouts and laughs of what sounded like thousands of kids around me along with adults and a large number of pensioners alike, made a great atmosphere.

Got a txt from a friend earlier saying that the Daily Wail had slated the show, I really dunno what version the reviewers saw but this was EXCELLENT STUFF! the best panto production I've seen and certainly better than the last one I went to a while ago. Even had a fab DISCO INFERNO ending!

Was also very lucky having a great seat about 5 rows back from the front and happened to be sitting next to a very pretty blonde, who people around obviously thought I was with, Spicegirl Emma Bunton being one of them, as she + her man + kids were sat behind us! Turned out this girl was cool and knew the guy playing Peter Pan and loved the show too, her squeals everytime Louie said something, are gunna be a lasting memory 🙂 So, a most splendid Wednesday afternoon.

P.S. WISH I'D KNOWN WHEN KITT HAD BEEN OUTSIDE THE THEATRE, WHY DON'T THEY ADVERTISE THESE THINGS???!!

Ran slow 10km in 1:06:12 to see if my legs could take the distance and a bit more and essentially not be entirely knackered the next day.

Hardest part was actually running slower than I wanted to. Usually I can cover 10km sub-50mins fairly comfortably, but I like to push myself and this is not a good idea when there's 3 times that distance to cover. Despite being dark I ran on the common ground, not only because it is nicer on my knees, but also there had been a lot of rain and there were tons of puddles and mud and so it forced me to slow things down a lot. Also the cars coming towards me on the road were a bit scary sometimes.

I'm fairly confident I could run at least 8 miles now at this kind of pace. I've also heard of people who run and then walk parts of the 26 miles distance and this is sounding more and more sensible to me. hmmmm.

The Rainforest Trust gave me a quick call today and confirmed that I have a place in the London Marathon!!

I haven't officially said yes, as I've been contemplating putting it off until 2012 – you know what with the Olympics and everything. Also after Googling 'marathon in 3 months training' and reading that 'yes you could probably do it, but you probably won't be unable to walk for a month afterwards', I was somewhat concerned I'd need a few more weeks. Most regimes say you need 16-18 weeks instead of 12.

I sent an email to my running expert friend Nico who's run a couple of marathons now and will wait to see what he says…Nico replied asap, he's hoping to run a sub 3 hour this year and said he reckons I should be alright to finish it. thanks a lot Nico you've really helped me a lot on this one.

I was really in the mood for something quick and preferably noodles. I didn't have any peppers or bean sprouts, but thought I'd try see what I could cook up anyways. I also used a non-stick saucepan instead of a wok! Turned out to be delicious, perhaps even better than with the bean sprouts.

Ingredients (names/specifics are only here for reference, you can use what you like):

olive oil
1 small onion chopped
1 clove organic garlic chopped
half an organic carrot chopped
small dollop of tomato puree
some water 😉
1 x nest sharwoods noodles
1/3 lemon's juice
Blue Dragon oyster sauce
Blue Dragon soy sauce
Schwartz ground ginger
unrefined cane sugar
2 slices Morrison's carvery cooked ham
1/4 pack Morrison's simple side salad (endive, radicchio, carrot and cabbage).

Cooking The Dish

1. heat non-stick saucepan with small amount of olive oil
   add onions + garlic to pan, fry for 3mins
   add 1/3 of the carrot
   add a small amount of tomato puree (hey it was to hand) and mix
   add some water and reduce heat to level 1 (quite low)
2. boil some water in another pan, add rest of carrots and when boiling, add noodles
   cook noodles for 4mins 
   meanwhile remember to keep stiring the onions/garlic to stop them burning.
3. drain noodles/carrots and add them to the onions/garlic, 
   turn up the heat to max! 🙂
4. stir liberally until onions are mixed in with noodles
5. add a good tbsp oyster sauce and stir, adding water if it's getting a bit dry
   add tsp of ginger, stir
   add tsp soy sauce, stir
   add half tbsp cane sugar, stir + add some water
   add in 1/3 lemon's juice
   add bit more oyster sauce and some water and stir til it's all hot again
6. add 2 slices ham, stir 🙂
7. add handful salad mix for 1minute, stir again and stir/cook for one minute
8. serve!

TA!DA!
P.S. I say tbsp/tsp but personally I just chucked it in the mix, guessing.