Discovering new corners of south-east London was good, but the lesson of not looking around for too long was not so much fun. I’m timing my runs (nine-minute miles in ordinary training, 10 for endurance), carboloading, rolling out the jargon and, just occasionally, giving myself a lovely off-road run to remind myself I do actually enjoy it. The point of all this was to see if I could do it; in a week’s time I’ll know. Perhaps I’ll also know what it feels like to “hit the wall”, and what mile splits are. Anna Dedhar is a sub-editor for The Independent.

Donations to Whizz-Kidz can be made by credit card (call 020 7798 6118) or cheque (made payable to Whizz-Kidz, FREEPOST LON19191, SW1E 5ZY). Of the 413,481 London marathon runners who have taken to the streets of the capital these past 19 years, Dick Beardsley was leader of the pack – well, the co-leader, to be precise. He was the American who crossed the finish line holding hands with Inge Simonsen of Norway as joint winner of the inaugural race in 1981. Since then, he has been down many a troubled road, though last month in California he re-emerged as a marathon man once again. Of the 413,481 London marathon runners who have taken to the streets of the capital these past 19 years, Dick Beardsley was leader of the pack – well, the co-leader, to be precise. He was the American who crossed the finish line holding hands with Inge Simonsen of Norway as joint winner of the inaugural race in 1981.

Since then, he has been down many a troubled road, though last month in California he re-emerged as a marathon man once again.
Beardsley’s time in the Napa Valley Marathon, 3hr 23min, was 1hr and 12min slower than his first-footing run in London 19 years ago. Merely reaching the finish line, however, was a considerable achievement for a man whose life has come perilously close to the ultimate finish line since his days as a world-class athlete.Beardsley has been mangled in a farm-machinery accident, which almost killed him and very nearly tore off his left leg at the knee, injured in two car crashes and struck by a hit-and-run driver while out running. He has also been treated for drug addiction and prosecuted for forging prescriptions.Having suffered physical damage which required more than 20 operations, Beardsley became so dependent on pain-killing drugs he was taking between 80 and 100 each day. In 1996 he was found guilty of forging 30 prescriptions and sentenced to five years’ probation. Since then, however, he has come a long way on the road to recovery.Now 45, Beardsley runs a fishing-guide service on the Detroit Lakes in Minnesota and rises at 3.30am each day to run with his dog, Cole. “It’s the only time I can get out most days because I’m usually out on the boat until 11.30pm or midnight,” he said “It’s a marvellous time of the day.