"I CAN hardly believe that in less than a month I'll be pounding the streets of the city that never sleeps in the New York Marathon.
As Sinatra crooned: 'These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray, right through the very heart of it, New York, New York.'
Ironically, I was power walking in a very different US city last week, during a holiday break. I used to watch the TV series 'The Streets of San Francisco', starring Karl Malden, and I remember Steve McQueen's car chase there in 'Bullitt' – but when San Fran was my training ground last week it was at a much slower pace.
With its long waterfront, including Fishermen's Wharf, and its steep roads and hills, it gave me good, testing walking territory as I broke in my new trainers which I'll be using in the Big Apple. Those Californian roads were a far cry from my normal Inverness training routes along the River Ness, Tomfat Woods, and the Inverarnie walks.
I know that I have to take time off from my heavy business schedule to put the miles in and I have been trying. As you walk, your mind flits to the challenge ahead in New York. The weather will be that much colder, possibly raining, but as a Highlander I can certainly take that in my stride.
My San Francisco experience certainly did me a lot of good, breaking in the trainers and having time to reflect on what I need to do to be ready. It brought it all much more into focus.
Though I haven't had a major build up this time, I have for several years completed the Wilderness Challenge in the hills round Poolewe, Wester Ross. It is 13 miles in pretty rough terrain but I've managed it and raised over £100,000 for charities in the process. And next weekend I plan to tackle a session on the Cowal Way which will be a 12 mile stint, again in an undulating environment.
So how did I get involved in the New York Marathon? The Archie Foundation teams in Inverness and Aberdeen show terrific enthusiasm and some of them determined to run in New York.
Catriona Cameron, owner of the Mustard Seed and The Kitchen restaurants in the city centre, and a great supporter of Archie – she was standing in the cold outside the Caley Thistle stadium on Saturday, rattling her Archie collecting can – mentioned she was going to walk the Marathon.
The idea was planted and I decided to show some leadership and volunteer to walk it as well. I hope to make it the whole way to the finish line in Central Park – but my sponsorship efforts are based on me making it at least halfway, some 13 miles. If I'm feeling OK, I'll keep plugging away. I'm carrying excess weight but I have a great deal of determination.
My training session is now three sessions a week of five miles each time, upping the ante with 13-mile walks, such as the Cowal Way.
Caley Thistle chairman Kenny Cameron has offered their physiotherapy services if necessary. But right now it's a case of clocking up some mileage in my legs to make me as prepared as possible for my New York test. And racking up more sponsorship for Archie to ensure that if my legs hurt going through the New York boroughs then the knowledge of having raised so much will keep me going.
But right now I'm very positive, and as I train, I keep whistling 'New York, New York'!"
