OVER the next five months I am going to be keeping a training blog of my first ever London Marathon, due to take place in April.

Previous injuries to my knees mean it will probably be my only one, so I am keeping a blog of my training to bring the readers, and anyone else who is interested, along, and make them part of my adventure.

Today, I set off on my first training session on the streets of Kendal: WINTER arrived in Kendal with a bang today (Tuesday) and aptly coincided with my first training run as I bid to get myself to the starting line of the London Marathon in April.

So after calculating that the run on April 17 in the capital is only 23 weeks away on Sunday, it was the perfect evening to head out for my 'tester' run.

Dark, damp, blowing a gale and pouring rain. What more could I ask for my first run since injuring my ankle in September?

But after finishing work and dragging my carcus home I was determined I had to go out.

Having tried - and failed - to coerce my flatmate Kathy to come with me, I set off from my house and down the road.

And every step of the way I fought with myself to get my mental frame right - one half saying, you idiot, why have you wanted to do this for six years - and the other side saying, this is the start of the journey and I will take it one run at a time, and get to the start, and eventually, finish line.

So off I went with a one mile run in mind, but ended up doing three miles.

Not bad for a demotivated guy just wanting to get in after a tough day at the office.

And when I arrived home, a wave of relief that the first run was over swept over me, but then came the realisation of many more dark winter runs to come.

See for me, the marathon is the ultimate running challenge I can ever plan to do, having dislocated my knee twice, and having tried for several years to get into the race, I am determined to give it my all - it could be the only chance I get to run it.

And so, with the fundraising in the back of my mind, and the potential charity donation to the National Society for Epilepsy in the back of my mind, I have three focus points to take with me along the way.

1 - My sister Siobhan - Siobhan was diagnosed with epilepsy aged 14, when I was 13, and having watched her and my family come to grips, it is vital for me to raise as much for epilepsy charities, whose help made it easier for me and my family learn the full facts of the illness.

2 - PMA - Positive Mental Attitude - I want to use the maxims I have picked up through inspirational stories I have reported on in my brief journalism career.

One of these was Olympic silver medallist Alison Mowbray speaking at the Cumbria Sports Awards on her quest for an Olympic medal and achieving it, and another came from an open water swimmer from Winster who took his swim through Loch Lomond 'one stroke at a time' to become one of just 39 people to swim the length of the Scottish water.

3 - My desire to get to the end - Setting out on this journey I had and still have just one goal. Get to the finish line, claim my medal and revel in my achievement.

So one run down, and around 100 more training sessions to go, I am now embarking on a gruelling adventure, but with the above three points on board, I will take my run one stride at a time and hopefully by tea time on Sunday, August 17, I will sit outside Buckingham Palace with another of my 'to do list' tasks ticked off.

First training run: 3 miles - time: 24.36.

If you have any training advice or suggestions for routes around the Kendal/Lake District area, please get in touch with me. Also, anyone who is looking for a running partner to help them through the dark night runs, please get in touch. And lastly, if you can, please visit my fundraising website and make a donation at www.justgiving.com/paddyslondonmarathon To contact me email sportingpat@hotmail.com