The Saga begins..

It is February in Dublin. Post Christmas, mid credit crunch, everyone scurrying home to avoid the snow, dark, miserable weather, dark miserable news everywhere.
I have just joined the ever expanding ranks of the unemployed when my Company had to trim costs due to the unfavourable economic climate.

The celtic tiger economy suddenly seems a preposterous notion- much like another notion that had cropped up into my head over the past few weeks.. to run the Dublin Marathon in October. What had come over me? I had turned 30 in October. I am still smoking, drinking, and liking takeaways far too much.

I, Rowland Smithers am not known for running any length of distance, or for having the discipline, endurance and sheer guts to follow through with a training program of this magnitude. I only skulk to the gym to use the sauna facilities.

So this is a blog of one mans struggle to live up to the expectation of his crazy notion, to bring some light back into February and maybe inspire a soul or two along the way.. bring on the plan, the pain and the encouragement and ridicule..