Week 1 - Baby, it's cold outside.

And we are off! 18 weeks of pavement pounding action ahead, leading to the ultimate goal of completing my first marathon. I'm following Hal Higdon's novices training schedule, available online at http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/novices2.htm I flatter myself that I am a step up from a complete beginner, but that won't stop the guy in the chicken suit from passing me with 2 to go.

In an attempt at spending some time with my children and staying married into the bargain, the plan is to squeeze as many runs into otherwise "dead" time. So Tuesday's 3 miles is neatly placed in the hour that Lewis spends playing football at Forthbank, Wednesday's 5 miles can be chalked up in a lunch hour and Thursday's 3 mile session will be part of the session at Central to which I am committed in any case.

Sunday morning and the programme expects me to do 8 miles, or just over an hour. A modest target, when compared with the mileage that I've been doing on monst Sunday mornings (in all weathers) over the winter. Should be a breeze.

Or it would be, if I wasn't suffering from a stinker of a cold.