Legend states that the greek messenger chappie who inaugurated the Marathon run, died when he completed the 26 mile journey.  Regardless, I have been caught boasting that a Marathon is not really a challenge...  I have therefore decided to test the ageing temple with an ultra-Marathon.  My aim is to run the 100km race from London to Brighton in the spring…and to raise a bit of money for the less fortunate little ones in the UK and around the world.

Over two thirds of the 100km (62 mile) course is off road, up and down hills, through valleys, streams, rivers and swamps…  Beats running down the M25 and M23!  Inspired by a combination of the Sound of Music movie, Bear Grylls and Robin from Strictly Come Dancing (private joke…)  I laugh in the face of cramp and exhaustion! After all, pain is weakness leaving the body, right?

My preparation and training period is short, with the race taking place in May.  I have never run an ultra-Marathon of any kind or Marathon in my life...and have only run a few non-competitive half-Marathons in training almost two decades ago now…  

Although I am not a total novice in the art of rapid leg movement, I am taking the challenge very seriously.  In 2011, 2 out of 5 competitors retired from the race.  The winning time in 2012 was 11 hours.  Scary stats!  I expect to burn in the order of 12,000 calories during the race, hence I have pulled a bit of science into the training regime in order to understand how the body consumes fuel and not to overdose on sugars…

Churchill-style, I will never surrender.  I aim to run the course without stopping….If the legs fail I will drag myself commando style to the finish line.  If I am successful, I will have run a distance equivalent to 0.25% of the circumference of planet Earth!

THANKS FOR READING...and you know what to do if you wish to donate a few pennies...