WITH just two weeks to go until the London Marathon I am resting up, knowing I have at least one medal in the bag.

But the price I have had to pay for that may spoil my big race day run.

Tonight I am panicking a bit about my goals for the marathon after narrowly missing a PB finish at the Three Bridges 10km in Lancaster earlier today.

While I finished the race in 49.29 - just nine seconds off my best 10km (set four years ago this week) - I have pulled my left calf muscle and my shin splints which showed signs of returning in midweek have come back to haunt me.

I have been putting ibuprofen gel on my leg and chewing tablets to try to get rid of the pain, but to no avail.

I know I will just need to take things steady for a few days and I should be back on my feet for the marathon in just 14 days but there is still a nagging doubt that this 26.2 miles could be the one I just can't get round.

Apart from this setback, my training has gone relatively unscathed and considering the pulled calf muscle and the 40-step climb halfway through today's race, I am on course to get round.

And had it not been for the steps, which probably cost me a good 30 seconds to a minute, I would have beaten my PB.

So it has been a bit of a mixed day, but I got a medal for finishing. That is hopefully just for starters!

There is one big medal I want and I just need to get myself fit in the coming week to give myself the best chance of getting through the streets of London.

Many people have asked me what I listen to when I run and what my motivating track is; or how I pull myself around six miles, let alone 26, but I've never listened to music on my runs.

The one thing that has kept me going through my training is my desire to get to the starting line in Greenwich and to collect my small chink of armour from completing the marathon.

When I wake up thinking about crossing Tower Bridge and taking that final turn into The Mall, both of which I have done this week, I know I am ready for the marathon.

This run has been a long-time coming and I am determined to make the most of it.

And hopefully, when I blog in two week's time I will be beaming about having crossed the finish line and realising a dream.

For now though, I'm signing off and heading for a well earned sleep.

One thing that did go well this weekend though was taking a punt on a horse yesterday with the marathon in mind.

And at 14-1 Agony and Ecstasy won, leaving me almost £20 better off, but let's just see if that is the feeling on April 17 at around 4pm!