Charles Jardine's London Marathon blog: Week 8 – It's time to download some tunes

Fishing 4 Schools founder and director Charles Jardine will run the Virgin Money London Marathon on 23 April for Fishing 4 Schools. You can sponsor him through JustGiving.

It's been a frantic week workwise, which has meant little time for training, but what I have done has been good and we are into the final straight now – just two weeks to go until the Marathon.

My cousin – who is about to run his 11th marathon – advised me that the two main things I need to do to get ready for the run are circuits and hills and my preparations have included a great deal of both.

I think I'm ready. Speaking to my friends at the Hale Hurriers and Downton Running Clubs the things that will spur me on on the 23rd will be adrenaline and a really good playlist – my daughter is in charge of that. She knows my taste so I can expect some great music to keep me going.

I had a great run with the Hale Hurriers earlier this week, which was all hills and involved me carrying about 7kg in a backpack for part of the time! Then yoga nearly killed me on Tuesday night. I had no idea my body could do half the stuff she's getting me to do!

I am definitely going to continue running and practicing yoga after next Sunday, but I probably won't run another marathon. I'm definitely good for half marathons though and think I could be competitive in my age group. I would never have thought in a hundred years that I would enjoy running, but I really am and it's all down to running with a group.

I'm going back to Bournemouth with the Downton Running Club on Saturday. After my last session with them I am cautiously pessimistic about who and what to expect – I shall report back on the carnage!

And on Sunday I'm combining a trip to plan a new F4S project in the Sheffield area with a run around the picturesque Ladybower Reservoir. Then it will be my last week before the big day.

Until next week, yours aye, Charles