Warm-up time

Welcome to my New York marathon training blog, Nylon Runs.

This is not the diary of an elite athlete, nor is it the diary of a self-confessed couch potato who's never done any exercise before. This is the diary of someone who's taking on a challenge that's much bigger than anything they've done before.

It's the diary of an inbetweener; a regular runner, who's a bit one paced and huffs and puffs their way round a regular selection of local streets, with the odd charity 10k thrown in. For the record, I've completed two half-marathons, in diverse conditions. The first was after an interrupted training programme, carrying an injury and in torrential rain. The second was after an uninterrupted training programme, injury-free and in glorious, if very hilly, sunshine. I'm sure you can guess which one I enjoyed more and ran fastest - and not just because I got a free ice lolly when I finished!

I'm not taking on this challenge alone - I'm taking it on with another of those inbetweeners with a couple of halfs under their belt. Unfortunately we're training on opposite sides of the Atlantic: me in London and her in New York, so this diary is also a way of keeping my running buddy posted on my progress (or lack thereof).

And lastly, it's a diary to make me feel guilty and make sure I stick to my training. The training programme is the terrifying part - 4-5 runs a week, with one of those over a long distance. I normally manage 3-4 runs a week, with longest usually about 8 miles, so this is a whole new regime for me, and I'm worried I won't stick to it. So this blog is another means of shaming me into sticking with it, so the NY in the title can make sure that I, the LON, keep up with the training plan and make it across the finish line in Central Park on November 1st in the best possible time and shape!

I hope you come back and check on my progress from time to time. I'd love to hear your tips and your encouragement, and feel free to nag if need be.

The training starts on 21st July so watch this space

LON