This week has been a blur, and already I'd consider myself something of a gym buff. From the Power Plate, through Body Pump and into Body Attack I've done them all. Naturally I'm pretty stiff, looking forward to a night or two off and between now and Monday (Power Plate again) I'll get a couple of short runs in to see where we are..

For those that don't know Power Plate is a vibrating pad which (apparently) increases the intensity of all exercise performed on it. Basically you switch it on, stand on it and do your exercise, and that's it. It might be a gimmick, but it really hurts so whether or not it's down to the machine is pretty irrelevant I guess. The instructor kept on about holding my tummy in, until I told her it was in - about as far as it's going to go.. Monday lunchtimes will never be the same.

Body Pump is organized humilation for any rotund heterosexual male with a pair of milk bottles hanging out of his shorts, but hey, this is a good cause. Music pumps out at 100 decibels, while the instructor shouts motivational slogans at you straining with your weights. "Get ready to rip it up", "over the top", "max the envelope", "ride the burn", etc etc etc. I tried and failed in the most part, but am eager to repeat the experience next week.

The next entry will be about my visit to "Runners Need". A chain of shops I have no natural affinity towards, and one, frankly, I never thought I'd need to visit...

Stacy

Training starts here..

Have I gone mad?

37, grossly overweight and haven't run further than 50 yards in years (and that was more of a moderate amble for a train resulting in 30 minutes of profuse sweating, than a lycra clad sprint followed by a swig of isotonic liquid).

Now I find myself signed up to the London Marathon in 2009, running on behalf of the Anthony Nolan Trust.

The motivation, if I'm truly honest, probably has more to do with an early mid life crisis than uber generosity for the cause, but now I'm here it's clear the ANT do real worthwhile and lifesaving work, and more selfishly there's a challenge here of significant proportions but with an obvious pay back - how can I complete training and the marathon without losing some of the weight that's steadfastly stuck to my hips for far too long?

There is no turning back.

On the bright side my motor racing requires me to have a medical each year to maintain the racing licence and, aside the weight, there is nothing apparently untoward reported there. I also have a gym membership that needs more use, and a pair of running shoes which have yet to see much mileage.

So here we go.....