And finally I laced up my shiny new trainers and went for a run. The shock to the body of that first stroll was immense - the jolt to the knees, the aching shins, burning lungs, headaches, sore ankles, groin strains and tweaked calf muscles. And that was just by the time I had got to the end of the street.
More than a decade of inactivity had seen the muscles atrophy, and the willpower evaporate.
It was horrible. I remembered Murakami's words. "The hurt part is an unavoidable reality, but whether or not you can stand any more is up to the runner himself."
At first, 20 minutes continuous running left me gasping for breath. Then it was up to 8kms - not even a fifth of the marathon distance.
After a couple of weeks of struggle, I discovered that with some decent tunes, proper meals and staying off the cigarettes, I could run 10km.
I became a hermit and followed the training regime, and gradually extended the long runs to 12kms, then 14kms. Then a strange thing happened: I started to enjoy it. Even look forward to it.
I was sleeping better, had more energy and less stress. The tension of work would drift away as I ran through Battersea Park or Clapham Common.
Training in the middle of a Northern Hemisphere winter provided it's own special motivator - it was so cold that if you stopped running the sweat would start to freeze. There were lots of days when I couldn't be bothered. When I could find a hundred reasons not to go for that run. But even when my muscles screamed that they had had enough, I realised that they had to do what I said, whether they liked it or not.
Murakami writes: "It's precisely because of the pain, precisely because we want to overcome that pain, that we can get the feeling, through this process, of really being alive - or at least a partial sense of it."
Finally it was race day. I headed to Greenwich Park in southeast London with 35,000 others, and soon we were gliding through the crowded streets.
There were runners in giant chicken suits, Smurfs, and Coke bottles, a soldier wearing his Doc Martins boots and enormous, heavy backpack. And the man with one leg who winced every time he stepped on his artificial limb.
You ran past, over or through many of the English capital's great landmarks, and the route was packed with more than quarter of a million people. Many urged you on by calling the name written on the front of runner's shirts.
After crossing the finishing line, without stopping once, I collapsed in the foetal position and didn't move for a very long time.
Afterwards I went out to celebrate. Several pints were downed, accompanied by a couple of cigarettes, and there may even have been a visit to a fast food chicken joint on the way home.
That was in 2009, and since returning to live in Auckland last year running has become an addiction. A few days off and that heavy lethargy sets in. With their gruelling gradients, the inner-west suburbs of Grey Lynn and Ponsonby provide plenty of challenges.
The Waitakere Ranges are an ideal out-of-town place to train. Head to the Waitakere Golf Course and take the 8kms Upper Kauri Track to the Waitakere Reservoir. Go on a Monday, and you will probably be the only person there.
* The adidas Auckland Marathon and Half Marathon on October 30 will see a record 10,500 runners take part. Entries are still open in the quarter marathon, 5km, and KIDSMARATHON events.
TRAINING TIPS
Nutrition:
* Eat regularly throughout the day. Consume enough nutrient-dense carbohydrates and lean protein to ensure optimal vitamin and mineral intake. Eat from each of the food groups:
* Fruit and veg: five servings minimum
* Grains: six servings minimum
* Low-fat dairy: two servings minimum
* Lean meats: include in lunch and dinner Make sure your meal and snack choices are low fat, especially saturated fat and stay hydrated by consuming 8-10 glasses of fluid a day. On race day, only consume energy drinks if you have been drinking them during training.
* Source: Aucklandmarathon.co.nz
* gmap-pedometer.com - is a fantastic website to map your runs. It has recently been updated so you can log your runs on an online training diary.
Motivation:
* Set goals: Be specific, be realistic. Write your goals in a training log, be flexible with them and continue to re-evaluate them.
* Find a buddy to run with.
* Use visual cues and reminders such as quotes posted around the house or on the fridge. Mix up your training. Reward yourself, especially with quality rest. And do it because you want to do it.
* Gear: The right clothes and shoes can help motivate you to get out and train. Visit specialist shoe retailers to find out what foot type you are, whether you will need extra cushioning, support, and make sure the fit and feel of your shoes is right for you.
Training runs:
Adidas Auckland Marathon director Richard Lindroos recommends:
1. Waitakere Ranges - 29km cross country. From Portage Rd in New Lynn, head to Scenic Drive before descending to the Pipeline and back through Titirangi.
2. Auckland Domain - go for a figure of eight of the fields before going off-road towards the Stanley St Tennis Centre and back towards the grandstand.
3. Tamaki Drive - there is nothing like running beside the sea and beaches in the early morning. Avoid the middle of the day when bikers, kids and skaters clog the footpath.
Dates to aim for:
The adidas Auckland Marathon on October 30 is already sold out, but there are others you can train for:
December 10: The Frontrunner Series Queenstown half marathon.
January 29, 2012: Auckland Anniversary half marathon
April 28, 2012: The Rotorua marathon is already accepting entries.
* For more dates go to coolrunning.co.nz
* Go to marathontraining.com or aucklandmarathon.co.nz for more information.
Fuel for the road recipes:
Soba noodle stir fry
Roasted vegetable and quinoa salad
