Having trained across the world for this event, with train tracks, rabid dogs, construction sites, battered plimsoles, excrement ridden parks, a dodgy knee, swimming for my life and going out to the States for my first marathon – its been a wonderful journey.

I am glad to have shared it with you all! This was a most painful marathon – but not my last I am sure.

For now, goodbye and god bless.

The finishers medal - pink for breast cancer awareness month

Well worth the wait! Pow!

Such a slender figure he cuts - of pain!

I DID IT!!

I managed to complete the Chicago Marathon!!!

Stepping up to the plate in the morning was pretty nerve wracking – being all the way out here alone, but the run had to get done! Limbering up in the morning with 40,000 or so other athletes at the start line is pretty amazing. Literally a sea of runners, with an ocean of support at their sides.

Unsurprisingly, I was there to run my own race, and through the whole race failed to meet anyone that was to be a running partner. (This unsurprisingly is because I had no idea of how to pace myself, and set out for the first 13 miles quicker than I should have done – aiming to beat every 2nd man).

Deepak brings the rain. The marathon, unfortunately, brings the pain...

So…THE RACE?!

A few things -

* I did not stop once, except when I needed to pee – three times during the event.

* Gatorade is massive here – you have lines of course staff along the edges offering it out every mile or so. I chose not to stop as I drank. Try drinking while running. Half of it would tend to end up washed across my face.

The plastic cup gator ade trail!

* There is a rocket of clothes that get thrown off during the opening as people strip down to their running gear. This continues en masse for the first several miles. You spend time hot stepping while you run.

Ouch...

* The marathon distance. Having done sprint work playing football for several teams for several years, having done some serious weight training whilst at university, and having also trained as part of a rowing team. The marathon distance It is the most intense and painful thing I have ever done.

* First 17 miles I wasn’t too bad – running for a 4 hour 10 minute finish. Of course things slowed down later on

* Daryl, the cool guy I am staying with, choose to accompany for the last 3.2 miles of the event. Seeing his smiling face exclaiming “c’mon man!” wasn’t the most exciting thing in the world, as I profusely told him. Raining down some expletives ha ha. But all is well, he helped me put the work in the last few miles! Learning: Have a running partner and you will reduce your time dramatically!

Thats Daryl there to the right of me. Looking like he's taking a walk in the park. As for myself. I'm taking that same walk in the park. Having just been raped by an elephant...

* Finishing the crossing line my muscles started to cramp quite badly, as a lady asked if I would like some medical assistance. Daryl found the whole thing hilarious. As it felt like I had been raped 26.2 times. I told her “No thank you – have a nice day”

* In 2005, the average marathon time in the U.S. was 4 hours 32 minutes 8 seconds for men,

* With insufficient training but over the top advertising of my event, I finished. This being my first time running a marathon ever, I finished. Having trained in a half arsed way across the world and then in London I finished. My time was poor. But I finished!

Yaaaaaarrrrrrr!!!

If you still aren’t aware why I flew to Chicago to participate in this event. and put myself through the worst pain I’ve experienced..it’s to help underprivileged South Asians – go to

http://www.justgiving.com/deepakshukla/

If you have donated then thank you soooo much – makes my efforts all the more worth it! Please do tell friends and family though about what I managed and for what cause. Hopefully they will think its a cause worth supporting

http://www.justgiving.com/deepakshukla/

So.

* 4 hours 26 minutes later I trundled home.

Woop Woop!!!! Next target – don’t know where yet – but coming home sub 4 hours – 2010 or 11!

Deepak x

As I nervously wolfed down bowls of pasta the night before as Daryl (three time Chicago marathon runner) told me I should, I was also painfully aware that I would be forcibly expelling it only the morning after.

This is not to mention the copious amount of Gator Ade I glugged as again it was on the to do list. I got given some power ade gel packs with 45 mg (or something like that!) of caffeine (amongst other things!) which I’d need during the run. Slobber Slobber. Suck suck…

Sun Morning 3.30am, USA

Up I awake thinking I’m running late as I stare at my wrist watch and then breath a sigh of relief as I realise I still have 2hrs 30mins before I need to be up and at em! Oh the joy…

Sun 10th Sept 6.15am, USA

Alarm rings off, and having been awake for some 15 minutes or so already I sprang up and out of bed as it was time to prep! A good thing I had told Daryl to shake me awake in case I slumbered around 6am. The man was still in bed…

Anyhoo, up I was, and applied plasters to the nipples (ever tried running at length and having a cotton top on the continually rubs at your nipples – it will end up being a bloody affair I kid you not!). Used the good fabric plasters this time, not the other plastic stuff that just rubs off with sweat!

You should know that chafing is a real issue amongst marathon runners (not that I am really one at all ha ha). We’re talking bleeding thighs, battered testes. Jock strap ahoy!

Anyway, I vassed my body up, which was a strange experience for me. There I was. 6.25am in the morning, covering myself with vaseline. Everywhere. Oh the love.

My body soon went into the “pre exam mode” officially known as the “fight or flight response”. Basically. Erm. To be diplomatic. I was running from the kitchen back and forth to the bog for a solid 30 mins. During my sparse intervals however. I did have time to wolf down some toast with chocolate spread prepared for me

Thank you Daryl!

7am – Deepak leaves the house…and the final event, the culimination of all his wordpress, newspaper, and physical efforts was going to be tested in this one final grand moment.

And, also. I needed to pee.

D Day is here…

Deepak is in Chi-town!

All is well. The city is nice enough! Most of all, its just cool being in the States. Admittedly I do feel like a big kid ha ha. Daryl picked me up from the station and from there we’ve had a blast. I went sightseeing as you’d expect. Went to their famous museum and happened to catch Caravaggio on his opening day there! Saw Millennium Park and some impressive skyline and city views from the 96th floor!

Watched Paranormal Activity. Bloody scary. Please Please go and watch it. When it comes out in the UK ha ha…

Chicago Town Pizza – Jumbo Hots dogs – Italian Ground Beef – Popeye’s Chicken – all authentic WIndy City cuisines that I’ve wolfed. Yum Yum!

Now just the small matter of the marathon I’ve got to run…

Thought I would stretch the legs a little this time rather than going for an all star run! So what was it to be?

45 minute gentle swim in dirty pool.

Nothing much to report other than the worrying twinge I experienced in the final 15 minutes of the swim in my left knee. Hope it doesn’t prove to be an issue for the actual marathon. But at least have a couple days to rest before I’m running!

Off to Chicago tomorrow woop woop!

Went out for a 14 mile run with Ajay meeting me some 50 minutes into my run. Aimed to be awake and out for 7am for this one – however going bed @ 4am didn’t help matters much.

Headed out at 9.15am. Ended up doing a 2 hour 17 minute run – not bad not bad – approx 9mins 47 secs per mile!

Ajay made it out 8.8 miles without stopping! Impressive, considering his only real training was out with me in Germany. Think he is naturally a better runner than I!

Anyway, knees creaking, sweat weeping, and with a jelly feeling. Finished all ok. Now onto the real thing!

Roll on marathon!!

Well, post 15 mile-run I did think I would be looking forward to having a day off. As it turns out though the day had other plans for me as I ended up heading off with Tom to a regular haunt of his.

Circuit – 45 mins. Doesn’t sound long, but the series of push ups, sprints, tricep dips, dead lifts, sit ups, bicep curls and so on and so forth can really knock the wind out of you. Then also included was some laps around the gym-cum-church building.

My dry fit nike vest had me sweating bucketloads. Stripped that off and kept on my fantastic orange Peru top. 45 mins later, job done!

Sat 3rd,

Hanging out at Tom’s, he randomly sprung the idea of joining him on his 20 minute  workout. So I said cool. Little did I know it was 13 mins of non stop sit ups, 70 press ups, 2 minutes of fast bicep curls, and then 3 minutes of slow curls…

This is now how I look. I am awesome.

Tom completed it. I didn’t…

I wasn't a fan of being shown up. Oh well. He cycled 15 miles, and I ran it. Ha!

Pre-mortem - 7.15am Chantry Lane, London

I made it!  15 miles – 2hours 35 mins(a little slow actually – 10 mins 20 sec p/mile approx – full marathon = 4 hours 31 mins!)

This is mid mortem - Tom cleverly took a shot from the rear view as the pain ridden across my face is rightly hidden from sight

Well off I went – setting out at 7.15am having just wolfed my down my protein shake. Bad idea. I managed to expel most of it during the first mile of my run, as I did my bit to aid the growth of the green belt with some yellow haze.

Anyway, Tom came out with me on his bike, and constantly told me to slow my pace down as I would suffer the effects later. In truth, I did slow my pace down, and still suffered the effects later, so it didn’t really help much, his advice!

Go onnnnnn son!! Just near Lizzie's place...

Notable moments:

• Discovering, as Tom suggested, that London isn’t that far away anymore if you can run to the queen’s gates. Then discovering, that at the last 2 miles, it really is that far!

It looks like I am barely running - I assure you, you would look the same (or worse no doubt) after several hours of torment on the roads. Need to ask the Queen if I can take a whizz. Flag's up - means she's in!

• Seeing Tom in several scary moments (or just envisioning it) as he would pedal alongside me and then wheel off to the side when a passer by tried to pass by. Through him.
• Having a lost chap ask the sweating runner if he could stop and help him with directions. Having the wheezing runner mumble “huhuh haa hu” and putter on.

Woop - he did it! In fairness, this is entirely choreographed. Of course I didn't turn up at Lizzie's with my hand in the air whooping, but rather with dead weights attached to my hips, gasping for dear life!

• This happened again. Only this time it was Nikon bearing Japs wanting a picture with ol Lizzie while I was bent over in my best lung busting pose.
• Finishing

12 days left!

Hello darlin'

In 6 hours 20 mins. I’m running from Uxbridge to Buckingham Palace. Its like 15 miles or something.

I am going to die!

1. http://www.justgiving.com/DeepakShukla