Well into Training, sponsorship to the ready

Thank you for your sponsorship for my running of the London Marathon, I didn't want to just take your money and run, as it were, so thought it may be helpful to provide you with an update on training so far so that you can see that i) I am taking this seriously and deserve your sponsorship and ii) you can continue to give me support when my enthusiasm may wane in the coming few months (75 days to go and counting!)

The good news is that I appear to be on track with most things, I spent a day in London meeting the experts on Saturday to hear top tips of past runners, Olympic runners, organisers, charity officials etc. Also I got the opportunity to run around in my socks in a gym while my running style was assessed and the lovely people from Adidas sold me some very reasonable (their words) lime green trainers (to be fair they will also give £40 to charity if I cross the line in them, finish line I presume not start).
Being on track is challenging, it seems to mean:

i) running at least 3 times a week (check, been doing that since Christmas),
ii) building up your distance running (check, been doing that too - on Sunday I ran a half marathon round Sutton, on my own and was below 2 hours comfortably which was something I never thought I would say)
iii) getting sponsorship as you go along, with gift aid ticked (check)
iv) Telling everyone you will be doing the run (check - you will by now know I am becoming a marathon bore)

Some of the other joyous things I have learned so far whilst running are

i) heat does indeed leak out of your head on a cold day, especially if you have not hair - a little blue hat is essential
ii) sunrise over Sutton in January happens between 6:30 and 7:00 on the 30 Jan and is quite picturesque (I saw this on my way home on my Sunday run which started very early)
iii) the Chester Road is really long and straight and dumps you in Pipe Hayes, 4 miles from home, if you do not pay attention to where you are running (witness my longest, unplanned, 18 mile run last week)
iv) if you tell people you are running the Marathon, all your Christmas presents will be made out of special material to stop chaffing (they will include hat, snood, bottle, gloves, florescent jacket, top, ipod holder, sport headphones, lycra type trousers (lovely) and special socks)
v) you need to wear the items you have been bought for Christmas to prevent nipples hurting like anything in the shower after a run
vi) I can give up alcohol for more than a couple of days (I have only had 1 drink this year, being a glass of Champagne with Noddy Holder - well it would be rude not to)