Day Two - revealing an insane goal

16 mins Rowing machine, 30 mins cycling, 1 set sit-ups, up and down my stairs 10 times

You might think that the last point of my exercise today is a clear case of kidding myself. But please bear in mind, I have 3 flights of stairs, one of which is a double. So, OK, it’s stretching things a bit but I still consider it to be a few steps (if you pardon the pun… oh well, never mind...) towards my goal. And they are Amsterdam Eiger-like stairs. And… and…

And what is that goal? Well, it could be considered just a tiny bit nuts.

One of my motivational-sign-ups a couple of months ago was for the Amsterdam Marathon on 17th October – now just 15 weeks away. Now obviously, like all my other attempts to force myself into action by paying money for events, this one had no effect whatsoever.

Week after week went by and I kidded myself it was still possible - “I can train for a marathon in five months/four mths & three weeks, 4 & a half mths…” Then with four months to go, I went for a run – and then carried on my low-value diet and high level of drinking/eating sweets as well as doing no exercise. Brilliant.

So I had totally given up on it, even yesterday as I wrote the first piece about my new commitment to fitness. But one of my principles is this (thanks to Lance Miller for instilling this in me);

"A good idea doesn’t care where it comes from"

And I believe the same is true about inspiration. I watched a stupid film last night called “Run FatBoy Run”, and the heart of the so-called plot was a guy trying to get his girl back by impressing her with a marathon run with just three weeks training.

And suddenly it dawned on me – if he can do it in three weeks, can’t I do it in three and a half months?

Now, you’re probably thinking “Hello?!? It was a filmmmm! Not reality!” and I want to assure you that I understand that. Really.

It’s just that, you know, that bloke was very unfit and managed to get round… Yes, I know he was a film character and he didn’t really get round, but… oh, I don’t know, I just felt inspired and want to give it a go! Alright?!?

So instead of binning my application for the Amsterdam marathon, I kept it and will go for it. Come what may, I am going to get round those 42 km.

Another co-incidence – it was 15 weeks since I got back and started to ruin my health. It’s also 15 weeks from the day I decided to get a grip until the marathon. It makes a nice symmetry that fits my idea of what’s meant to be.

I’m gonna do it.