WE are fast approaching race day now and things are looking a bit shaky this week.

After a superb 15 mile run last Sunday my training hasn't quite gone to plan this week.

Yes, I have still been putting in the miles and the gymwork, but I feel very, very lethargic.

Maybe the 15 miler is catching up with me and I need a few days off, but if I have a few days rest I may not be ready for the next training session.

After the run last week I took Monday and Tuesday off to give my legs a break but I was soon back into training with a six mile run on Wednesday.

On Thursday I had a fitness assessment at the gym, followed by a two hour session - but it was tough.

The assessment went smoothly and it looks like I'm making good progress, the weight is still coming off and my BMI no longer categorises me as 'overweight', but 'normal'.

Finally! I've been striving to be normal for a long time, but didn't see it happening any time soon!

So, thinking I'm going places I hopped on the cross-trainer and 20 minutes later I thought I was dead.

It was a really difficult workout that I had to keep plugging through, and then came the bike and the rower and the core muscle workout.

I was spent by the time I had finished.

Another day off on Friday meant I hit the road for a six mile run and if I thought Thursday was bad, it was a dream compared.

While my run appeared to have gone well - completing six miles in 54 minutes for nine minute pace - the throwing up for 15 minutes afterwards signalled all was not well.

My stomach remained bad through the rest of the day, possibly spurred on by two nervy radio interviews in the afternoon!

Because aside from my running efforts, my fundraising efforts are keeping my brain ticking over in any spare time I find.

An email to work contacts on Wednesday evening proved worthy when I was contacted by BBC radio and Lakeland Radio to promote my marathon run and also the 70s and 80s night I am organising for March 4th at The Park, Kendal.

The radio interviews proved a welcome distraction from my churning stomach though and hopefully it helped spread the word about my fundraiser, while making people aware of the dangers of epilepsy.

I'm starting to feel like the marathon has taken over every thought I have had for around six months and there are still eight weeks to go!

I've been extremely excited about running the marathon for so long and I think this week I've had a bit of a lull.

There is only so much running, organising and thinking you can do for an event before you burnout.

And so, after another six miles - this time on a treadmill - following by an hour's core workout in the gym, I'm going to have tomorrow off training, off organising and off thinking about running.

The 1,300 calories burnt at the gym today has left me worn out, a bit flat and very hungry, so I'm going to recharge my batteries before I get back onto the training run.

Eight weeks left. I'm still excited and I'm sure as the day continues to get closer my excitement will build to a crescendo, but I need to pull myself through this lull.

Next Sunday I am running the Maryport 10 mile race, so I think there will be a couple more 10km runs this week and by next week I'll hopefully be through this dip and ready for the final hurdle.

For now though, I'm going to grab some chicken, mash up some potatoes and make some dinner.

I might even wash it down with some ice-cream.

People keep telling me that when you train like I have been, you can eat like a king, so if kings like ice-cream, then I am happy to be among royalty and in good company.