The long journey starts again.

It's been really difficult, just lately, to find the motivation to train at the same level I managed leading up to this year's big run. That's the standard I need to reach and sustain if I'm to have any chance of a successful run across the USA in 2011.

I've decided to wipe the slate clean and forget all about the 1700 miles I've already ran this year.

After 3 good weeks of running, I really feel like my appetite has been renewed. Thanks go to Jonathan Jobe, Pete Maddison and Carl Hudson for providing the motivation, encouragement and good company in and around the streets of Gosforth and Jesmond.

Another factor that has helped keep things interesting is running against my previous times with the help of my GPS watch. On today's run, I finished 1/4 mile ahead of my virtual self from last week. Yesterday, the margin wasn't so great, with a 200 feet victory over 8.4 miles. I'm going to use this method of training for the foreseeable future. Watch this space for details of my progress.

I've managed 25 miles a week for the last 3 weeks (Not to mention the gym sessions and Spinning classes). My next aim is to add a weekend run into this schedule and try and get this up to 40 miles a week on a consistent basis. This will be easier said than done what with family and football commitments.

The most pleasing thing at the moment is the fact that my average pace is between 08:30 - 09:00 minute miles for the benchmark 6 mile Town Moor run. Surely, a sub 50 minute time will be within my reach in 2008!

A fine send off!

I did my final training run today around the so called "Mark Allison Memorial 6 miles". This route starts at Northern Rock and heads toward and goes around the Town Moor. The final long straight is then up the Great North Road past my birthplace (Princess Mary's Hospital) and back to Northern Rock.

I'd asked a few of the regular Northern Rock runners to accompany me one last time. There was a good turnout and the 9 of us set off in humid conditions.

Despite different abilities in the pack we stayed together for a few miles

(for a change!). However, it wasn't long before the speed merchants
left me behind.

This was a fitting send off. I've ran with these lads many times in preparation for the big run. I hope the next time we run as a pack, I'm a few stone lighter and get to run at the front a bit more than usual.

Pictured from left to right are Carl Hudson, Ian "The Coach" Glasgow, Pete Maddison, Steven Moore, Michael Dunn, John Brettell, Patrick Aynsley-Smyth and Colin Moore (who appears to have left his arms in the changing rooms).

6 days to go - Time to reflect on my training

If "You only get out of life what you put in" is actually true as a saying then I stand a very good chance of completing the run from John O'Groats to Lands End. So far in 2007, I have ran a total of 720 miles and have been to the gym 48 times. This is on top of my working and family life and the fundraising activities and planning that has been done for the big run. I could not have done any more training than I have. I just couldn't have.

Although I've been training since November 2005, it wasn't until I stepped things up in January 2007 that things started to get serious.

With help from Ian "The Coach" Glasgow and John Brettell I was able to maintain a regular routine in those early winter months. Runs around the Town Moor and up to the Race Course were on the menu most lunchtimes in Gosforth.

The routine was extended in February and March with lots of runs home. Mostly in the dark!! In April and May I added much longer weekend runs with the hills in the Pennines providing a stern test.

June was all about winding down for the big run with lots of shorter runs. This was also the month where I suffered what seemed like my first major injury. Once again, though, I proved to be a quick healer and managed to run a PB Blaydon Race some 6 days after picking up a hamstring injury. I haven't felt a knock or an injury since that day and hopefully that will continue for the next 900 miles or so.

I have trained in extreme heat, cold, wet, wind, snow, ice and rain. I have trained in bright sunshine and even complete darkness. I have trained on sand, road, grass, pavement, gravel, mud and dirt track. I have trained in cities, towns, villages and the open country side. I have trained on flat and on hills with gradients up to 17%. If there is a running scenario left out there then someone please let me know what it is.

I've actually come to enjoy running in difficult conditions. I'd far rather run 2 miles up to a 1700 ft summit than 2 miles on the flat. The positive attitude I've built up will be put to the test running 868 miles over 36 days. Let's have this discussion on August 12th and see what's changed!

Running at full speed again.

It's been 12 days since I suffered the injury to my right hamstring. With 4 runs in the last 6 days I can safely say I feel back to full fitness. I even attempted to run at full speed today up to Newcastle Race Course and back. I really feared the worst last week but yet again it looks like I've proved to be a quick healer.

5 rest days and I'm ready to go.

I've decided to let my body recharge and repair following the two 22 mile runs earlier in the week. It looks like it's paid off as I feel in tip top condition and ready for tomorrow morning's 16 miles in the Pennines. The blisters on my feet have healed well. I stopped aching at about Thursday tea time. Those 2 miles really took a lot out of me but at the same time gave me a confidence boost to take into the final 4 weeks of training.

The fact that I'm hardly batting an eyelid at the prospect of this hilly run is testament to my training so far. Confidence is very high so I'll be looking to break 03:05:00 hours. Secretly, I'm looking to break 03:00:00 hours but it won't be a disaster if I don't.

Next week's runs will include the Blaydon Race where I'll be looking for a PB. I finished the run in 00:59:50 last year. I reckon a sub 00:55:00 could be on the cards this time.

The final 4 weeks of my training will see me doing the usual 5 - 8.5 miles during the week together with some intense gym sessions. I'll be varying my remaining weekend runs though with some quicker flatter sessions. I feel ready for the run now. Any remaining training is a bonus.

A tough yet rewarding week of training.

I woke up this morning wondering how on earth I could ever manage to run 22 miles on top of yesterday's 22 miles. My legs were still sore from yesterday's effort but energy levels felt good.

I didn't set off until just after 1 pm and the first thing that struck me was how cold it was. It's the end of May for goodness sake. What is going on with this weather! At least I had a nice tail wind to push me along the way. The first 2 miles were a doddle. Worryingly though, I had some strange pains in my legs for the next 2 miles. Thankfully the pains were never to return after that.

It took me 01:55:56 to get to Stanhope where I stopped briefly to sup an energy gel and some water. The ice cream van that sells hot dogs was there but I didn't fancy one this time and proceeded to leg it up the horrible 17% climb out of Stanhope. I reached the 13.5 mile point at 02:37:34 and by now it seemed even colder than at the start point.

The following 2.5 miles up to what I now call "The Summit" weren't too bad at all. My iPod was at full blast to detract from any pain! I got a lot of encouragement from some of the passing cars. A few drivers and their passengers decided to wave at me enthusiastically and this really spurred be on up to the top at 1675 ft where Katy was waiting with fresh supplies. I supped another energy gel at 16 miles and this kicked in 2 miles later as I legged it up the final climb at a pace far quicker than yesterday.

Miles 18-22 have always been tough in the past. This is the point where I usually have many negative thoughts and enter a mental world of pain and torture. I think John might have experienced the same thing yesterday at this point. Today was different, however. These were miles 40-44 of 2 difficult day's of running. I was almost at the end. I felt great, all things considered. The chemicals in my brain were starting to do all kinds of weird and wonderful things and I got this sudden rush of euphoria going into the last uphill stretch. It didn't stop there. My legs had gone past the aching stage and when I looked at my watch I knew I was on for my 2nd quickest time for this route. I also realised that I was going to be a lot quicker than yesterday. In fact, I finished the run in 04:16:07 with the last mile at 00:08:56. This was a full 14 minutes quicker than yesterday. You can tell from the photo how pleased and relieved I was to have completed 2 gruelling days of running in the North Pennines. My first words to Katy were "King Prawn Madras". I had to replace the 8500 calories that I'd burned somehow!

This time last week I spoke of what would and would not be acceptable. My confidence is sky high now after a very successful week of training. Once again I've talked about high standards and once again I've managed to reach them. If the big run started this week I feel as though I'd be ready for it. Just as well, because in 5 weeks time I'll be starting it for real.

1 down, 1 to go!

Make no mistake, today's 22 mile run was tough. Very tough! This is the 3rd time I've ran this route and this was the slowest time to date (04:30:00). I was lucky enough to have John keeping me company and he was astounded at the 3 major climbs on the route. Speaking of the climbs, "They go on and on" and "They seemed never ending" were quotes from today's run!

It took 3 miles to loosen up after an early Sunday morning start. The next 8 miles were as straightforward as ever. The weather even behaved itself. The climb out of Stanhope wasn't too bad, but by this time conditions were quite cold and I had to wear the woolly hat that I'd found at the 10 mile point.

I made the mistake of wearing my backpack from mile 10.5 to 16. That's the last time I'll be doing that! 2.2 litres of water is far too heavy to carry up the major climb on this route.

I was very pleased to reach the 1700 ft summit with relative ease. My road side supporter for the day, Katy, had bought some home made cookies from a nearby farmer's market. Just what the doctor ordered after 16 miles.

The final 6 miles were ran in a bit of discomfort. My groin was quite sore and this stopped me getting any speed up. I nearly collapsed when I reached the finish line. My legs ached so much. Energy levels were high once again.

An hour after the run, I realised that I had a bit of trouble with my feet. I had a nice new shiny blister on my left foot to accompany the 2 I've been running with for the last fortnight. Every time I do this 22 mile route, I seem to pick up a new blister.

Now how on earth am I going to be able to manage to do this exact same gruelling 22 mile run tomorrow. For now, I've got no idea. I guess I'll just keep putting one foot in front of the other and see what happens.

A good start to a massive week of training.

It's pleasing to report that I've followed up Sunday's 22 miles with 5 and 6 mile runs on Monday and Tuesday. As you would expect, I was slightly tired for yesterday's 5 miler. Normal service was resumed today and thanks go to young Steven for setting a good pace on both runs. Recovery times continue to be good.

I am now left with the daunting task of running 8.4 miles on Wednesday, 2 hard sessions in the gym, 6 miles on Friday and 22 miles on both Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday.

Hopefully, I'll have some running company on Sunday on what should be a routine 22 miles. Monday, however, is all about getting to the finish line no matter what. I should learn quite a few lessons from the next few day's runs. I'll be putting my nutritional arrangements to the test in order to ensure I'm in the best possible shape going into Monday. Without doubt this week will provide the biggest test so far in my training schedule. It's imperative that by next Tuesday morning I'm in a confident mood and I'm writing about a successful week of training. Anything else will simply not be acceptable. Standards are high now!

60% target reached.

Thanks to some generous donations from the other parents at my son Jack's school, the fund has now reached over 60% of the target. The fund level is really typical of the whole state of this event. In other words, a lot of hard work has been done over recent months but this really must be sustained right up until the end of the big run to ensure a successful outcome all round.

Week after week I keep telling people that my training couldn't be going any better than it is. Vast improvements have been made in general pace but more importantly with endurance. Just recently, clocking up 4 hours 20 minutes for a very difficult 22 mile run, numerous PBs and the general comfort in which those longer runs are completed is testament to this.

Behind the scenes there remains only a few odds and ends to sort out. Cheap hotels and train tickets for the road side supporters have been booked. The route has been planned in detail and checked numerous times. Nutrition and supplements for the run have been planned and thanks to my friends at Science in Sport it will be cheaper than buying it in the shops. The whole event and it's organisation is in very good shape. At the present time I don't feel one ounce of apprehension for the mammoth task ahead. In fact, I'm looking forward to getting on with it. Lets hope I'm still holding my nerve in 7 weeks time!

Running on empty!

After 3 good runs and 3 very intense gym sessions this week I was all set to put in a good effort for the hilly 6 mile course in and around Jesmond Dene. I set off at a good pace with Dave, Carlton, Colin and Chris. Things took a turn for the worse, however, at the 2 mile point. All of a sudden, I didn't feel like I had any energy at all and both my arms and legs felt like jelly. Oh dear! I hadn't even got to the hilly bit yet. The morning's gym session had obviously taken it's toll. The last time I felt as weak as this was mile 35 of day 1 on the C2C run in 2005.

Now the old me would have turned back to Gosforth and called it a day. The new me decided to see what the effects of a hilly 6 mile run would be with very little energy. It wasn't a pretty sight! I was just about managing a 13 minute mile pace and I was so hungry! Even now, writing this entry into my blog, my arms feel a tad fragile.

So I'll put this one down to experience. I have been doing 2 workouts some days for the last 3 weeks. I haven't increased the calorie intake though! Clearly, I think I need to eat more between workouts.

Thankfully, I have a rest day tomorrow before attempting the very difficult 22 mile route through the North Pennines from Castleside to Middleton on Sunday. The run I've really got my eye on is on Monday. It'll be interesting to see how I react on Monday's 5 miles to the Race Course with Sunday's 22 mile effort still evident in my legs.

Getting faster and faster!

Conditions were ideal for today's run up to Newcastle Race Course and back. There was a "quality field" out with Michael, Pete, Ian, Rob and Steven out to keep me company. We started at a very quick (for me) pace and didn't get that much slower for the entire run. The runners were soon spread out with Steven and I at the back. However, unlike previous runs, I had the leading runners in view right up to the 4 mile mark. Normally, I never see them again after 1.5 miles!

I looked at my watch at the 4 mile mark and quickly calculated that, at this pace, I was on for a PB. Young Steven was a real asset here as he ran the last mile at a blistering pace to ensure that I got my PB. He knows that I run at my best when I'm in pursuit of someone. Steven finished a good 30 seconds ahead of me and I reached the finish line a good minute and a half quicker than my previous best. Once again, I had been to the gym before starting work so this PB was especially pleasing.

Just not good enough!

Well I finally did it after all these months. I didn't embark on a training run that I had planned to do. On Sunday I was supposed to run 22 miles in the North Pennines. Instead, I came out with every excuse in the book not to go. I suppose, in the end, the official reason not to go was a "headache".

This shouldn't be the action of someone who actually wants to reach Lands End in 1 piece. This shouldn't be the behaviour of someone who is being backed so many generous sponsors. This is something that only a LOSER would do.

So this is a final warning to myself. No more excuses. No more ducking out of any more planned runs. I'll count this as 1 strike. Another strike and I'll really start to question my attitude. I'll question whether I have what it takes to reach Lands End (or even the Scottish Borders!).

It is time to remember those immortal words - "A winner makes commitment. A loser makes promises". Or something like that!

YAWN! Another PB.

Conditions were a little on the warm side for a crack at the 8.4 mile route around Gosforth and the Havannah Nature Reserve. I was accompanied by young Steven from work and he set off in spectacular style, setting a very good pace indeed. We managed to do the first mile in 08:37 and I suspected early on that I might be on for a PB. I know I should be training at a slower pace but I just can't help it! I've got this new found speed and I want to put it to good use!

We were attacked by thousands of flies at the 3.5 mile mark. I could have done without that as I cannot stand flies! I must have looked like a right loony, trying to run while waving my hands around in an attempt to keep the flies away. They soon went as we hit open space and this allowed me to concentrate on keeping up the pace that young Steven had started.

Just over an hour had past and we hit the Great North Road on the way back to base. I knew then that it wouldn't take that much of an effort for a PB. Young Steven was suffering slightly in the heat so I ran at a pace to make sure that I wouldn't get too far in front of him while making sure that the PB was still on the cards. To his credit he dug in and finished only a few seconds behind me. I was very pleased with the final time of 01:16:56, knocking nearly 4 minutes of my previous PB and a whole 15 minutes quicker than various times in January and February. I should add that I was also in the gym at 07:15 this morning for an hour. I'm trying to build this into my daily routine in an attempt to get my weight down to less than 16 stone when I start the big run.

As you can see from the split times (pictured) I was nowhere near the 10 minute mile pace I'm supposed to be running at!

A very difficult 22 miles in the North Pennines

I set myself a target of 4 and a half hours to run the 22 mile course from Castleside to Middleton in Teesdale. Conditions were perfect with a tail wind from the east and it wasn't too hot.

The first 8 miles to the tea rooms at the end of Waskerley Way were pretty straight forward. I managed to keep to my intended 10 - 11 minute mile pace and descended into Stanhope in glorious sunshine.

When I reached the Ford at Stanhope I felt very hungry indeed. Imagine my joy when I saw an ice cream van (pictured). Imagine how that joy turned to ecstasy when I found out that the ice cream van sold hot dogs! Tremendous! I searched frantically in my back pack for my emergency £2 coin and handed it over to the bemused ice cream man.

As soon as I'd scoffed the hot dog, I set off up the hill out of Stanhope. I didn't find it too bad this time. This was the 4th time in the last 4 weeks that I'd attempted it. I'm definitely getting used to that nasty 17% climb.

By the time I'd reached the next summit at 1311 ft I felt very hungry again and was pleased to see Katy and Jack waiting for me in the car a mile later. At this 13.5 mile point I scoffed 2 bananas and drank half a litre of water. I said a quick hello and goodbye to Katy and Jack and set off up the further 780 ft climb covering the next 2 miles.

I can safely say that the next 2 miles were the hardest I have done in a long old while. Not only could I feel the energy drain with each step, but my confidence was taking a bit of a battering too. I felt as though I was locked in a battle. Just me versus the hill. There was no way I was going to let it beat me. "Quitters never win, winners never quit" was the phrase going through my mind.

I reached the 1695 ft summit absolutely drenched in sweat. As soon as I drank another half a litre of water I was on my way again. On my way downhill that is!! I dropped 700 ft over the next 2.5 miles and found myself running an 10 - 11 minute mile pace again.

My legs really ached for the final 4 miles and I didn't have a positive thought in my head. However, my spirits were raised with 2 miles to go when I saw Middleton in the distance and I finished the run in style with mile 21 in 11 minutes and 22 in 9.5 minutes.

I was really pleased with my final time of 04:20:04. That's probably quicker than the first 22 miles of the 2 New York and 1 London marathons I've done in the past. Had I been doing 26.2 miles today, I think I would have just been outside my 1997 London Marathon time of 05:05:13. Only just though! Mind you, there were no climbs like these in London or New York.

These stats just underline the hard work I've put in during the last 12 months. Every week, I keep saying "If I keep this training up I'll be ok". I'm now starting to believe this. I now reckon I've got a very good chance of getting to Lands End. Everything is starting to fall into place just nicely with 2 months to go. 2 MONTHS!!!!! DON'T PANIC!!!!!

The quickest ever Town Moor run!

So much for sticking to a 10 - 11 minute mile pace! When I was getting changed for today's run I felt as though I could achieve a PB for the 6 mile run round Gosforth and the Town Moor. Despite hot and humid conditions (about 18 degrees) I was going to go for it. My previous best for this route was 00:52:52. I set this PB back in the winter of 2003 and have rarely come close to beating it. In fact I never got less than 1 hour all last year, often taking about 01:05.00 or thereabouts.

Rob, Jonathan, Ian and Steve set the pace. The first few miles were done at a pace faster than I'm used to (08:59) and I thought that I would never be able to keep that up for the whole run. On the uphill section of Grandstand Road I picked the pace up even more and managed to reach the 2 mile point at 00:17:40. It wasn't long before I was at my familiar position at the back of a pack of runners. However, I used this to my advantage on the 3rd and 4th miles where Ian "The Coach" and Steve were setting a good pace which I managed to beat and I left them at the 4.5 mile point. I later found out that Ian had forgotten his running socks and was struggling to run at his usual pace.

Knowing that a PB was in my sight, I really pushed myself on the last mile and a half. I had now increased the speed to an 07:30 minute mile pace. I crossed the finish point (which is simply a lamp post near Northern Rock's head office) at 00:51:56. I had to stop there and then for fear of collapsing!

What a way to start my running week! As well as improved fitness, I think that losing a stone since Christmas has helped. Right! It's time to start running sensibly again. Back to that 10 minute mile pace!

12 windy miles from Castleside to Stanhope

Today's plan was to run 11 miles from Castleside to Stanhope. I was accompanied by Ian "The Coach" who thought it was a good idea to also try the 17% climb out of Stanhope at the end of the run. He's a hard task master to say the least.

We had a comfortable start and seemed to reach Waskerley Way (pictured) in no time. I once wrote the following about this desolate place while running the C2C route in 2002: "Now for the most depressing part of the whole run; Waskerley. Now do I not like Waskerley. Waskerley Park, Way, Reservoir or anything else Waskerley.". I can safely say that nothing I saw or ran on today has changed my mind about Waskerley Way. It's like another planet out there. It's even worse when it is as windy as it was today (about an 8 mph south westerly). The wind was in our faces for 6 miles none stop. It was a complete nightmare. And boy did we whinge all the way! "It's too windy", "The stones are digging into my shoes" and "it's too cold" were just some of the complaints to be heard. What a pair of wusses!

We eventually got to the road section near Crawleyside Bank and it was some relief to be sheltered from the wind. A steady descent followed into Stanhope and we had a quick water stop before setting off up "that hill". I must say that the climb up the 17% hill is not half as bad when you have been running for a while. Either that or I'm getting used to it! We continued uphill for another mile before Katy arrived in the car to pick us up. At this point (pictured) I felt as though I could have ran the remaining 10 miles to Middleton no problem. I think I'll have an attempt at that next weekend. All in all, it was a great morning's running in difficult conditions and up some steep hills. When the wind was really blowing, I did mention to Ian that I'd rather be watching Soccer AM on a nice warm setee! Pictured, thanks to my wonderful Garmin 305 Forerunner GPS watch, is the elevation of today's run. As you can see it was uphill for the first 9.5 miles. And did I mention the wind at that point of the run?

On a positive note, I felt no reaction to my groin injury. I know I've been a quick healer in the past but this recovery has really surprised me. When I felt my muscle "tear" last week I thought that this was a serious one. Thankfully, this seems not to be the case. I'm now going to forget all about running as fast as I can and "beating my previous time". I've got too much to lose at this late stage of my training. So for the purposes of self preservation, it's going to be 10 - 11 minute miles from now on for me. That's the pace I intend to run from John O'Groats to Lands End, so I might as well get used to it.

11 miles of hills in 22 degrees of heat!

I knew when I looked at the forecast on Saturday that today's run from Stanhope to Middleton was going to be one heck of a scorcher! At least I had a bit of company to share the pain with! Mike and Michael (pictured left) decided to put some training in for their up and coming 22 mile Pennine Challenge run. This event runs parallel with day 16 of my big run from Castleside to Middleton. I've been trying to scare these two for some time with stories of the steep hills in and around Stanhope. I reckon by the end of today's run that they thought my stories were justified. Although nothing these fit lads can't handle!

We set off, in glorious sunshine, with me leading the charge up the 17% gradient hill out of Stanhope. After 10 minutes or so, I found the pressure of leading such a high quality field too much and asked if Mike and Michael would share the burden of leading. They are both built for speed and I thought we benefited as a group from this approach. I still maintain that that first climb out of Stanhope is by far the worst on this stretch. It's a complete nightmare to run up (Especially at my weight!).

Things got much easier after that first climb and I felt I was getting stronger and stronger as the run progressed. The other lads hardly seemed out of breath most of the time.

As was the case last week, the cars and motorbikes passing by gave me plenty of room. I find the riders of those big Harley Davidsons to be the most courteous. There was one spot at around the 9 - 10 mile mark that had a few blind bends. Thankfully, Mike and Michael (pictured) were a bit in front of me so they would have got hit first!

We all had a strong downhill finish into Middleton and, as planned, Katy was there (with Monkey) to pick us up in the car.

Despite a very difficult start, in scorching conditions, I have to say that this was yet another pleasing run. Even more pleasing considering I ran 11 miles yesterday afternoon in equally hot conditions.

It's obvious when you think about it, but I've noticed that I consume twice as much water on hotter run. I got through 2.2 litres today, mixed with that wonderful electrolyte powder, in just 10 miles. It's a bit of a culture shock running in such heat after months of cold winter training. I much prefer the hotter conditions though. Just as well, as I'll be running my 900 miles in the height of summer. Scorchio!!!

Just 3 months left.........not time to panic (yet)!

There are less than 3 months before the big run. It's time, just for a moment, to take a step back from all the training, organising, pestering, dreaming and planning and take stock of things.

This event has presented me with 4 main challenges; organising it, training for it, sponsoring it and running it. The organisation of the run has gone almost 100% to plan so far. I haven't managed to acquire the camper van that would have solved all of my accommodation problems in one fell swoop. I have, however, managed to get some very cheap and often free "digs" with the help, imagination and generosity of colleagues and friends. So far, I've got 24 nights of "quality" accommodation. This leaves 18 nights sleeping in a tent in both the Scottish highlands and later in Devon and Cornwall. These 18 nights coincide with support from my wife and son - Katy and Jack (and not forgetting Monkey of course!). It should be an interesting family experience to say the least! My other supporters, Keith and Owen, have put their hands into their own pockets for digs. I owe them a beer or two after the run when I start drinking again (My last beer was New Year's Eve!). Speaking of support, I have all but 4 days of the run supported. I need to finalise support for these 4 days very soon or I face the prospect of running 96 miles solo! Heaven knows how that would work out.

I'm currently giving thought to the changeover arrangements needed when one supporter finishes and another starts their duties. I do feel that I'm almost there on the organisation front.

My training for the run has gone far far better than I'd expected and my fitness is probably the least area for concern. I'm running quicker than I have for a long time and further than ever before. Apart from a sore groin lasting a couple of days and a bad back caused by carrying 2 litres of water for 51 miles there's hardly been the hint of an injury. I've said it many times before and I think it is worth emphasising again. The support and encouragement from my colleagues at Northern Rock has been key to the progress I've made in training. Again, I think a few beers are in order when I return, God willing, from the south coast in August.

I set an unprecedented and very ambitious sponsorship target of £5000 for this event. At the time of writing, I've achieved 51% of that target. In my school days, that would have been enough to get you a pass in an exam. I'm after an A+ this time round and nothing less than £5000 will do for the pain I'm about to put myself through. I've still got plenty of avenues to pursue and remain ever confident of reaching this target in aid of St Benedict's Hospice.

And finally we come to actually running the thing. How on earth is a human being supposed to run that far in 6 weeks? Especially a 16 stone one! I'm resigned to the fact that it's going to hurt like mad. I'll be prepared for the pain knowing I'm backed by so many people, pledging money, for such a great cause as St Benedict's Hospice. One thing is for sure. This is a real step into the unknown for me. It doesn't compare to anything I've ran before. I could really do with something like a "Running 900 miles for Dummies" book.

A Newcastle Racecourse 5 mile PB

In preparation for two 11 mile runs at the weekend, I decided to warm up with a nice and easy 5 mile run to Newcastle Race Course and back. Conditions were on the chilly side and I was joined by Ian (aka "The Coach") who had regrettably, for him, decided to wear a very thin vest. Oh how I laughed! Ian was nursing a couple of niggling injuries so he wasn't his usual speedy self. We still managed to run at a fair pace and I was more than pleased with the final time of 00:44:41, smashing my previous best of 00:46:13. This means diddly squat in the context of running from John O'Groats to Lands End. It is, however, pleasing when you use it to show how much progress has been made in the last few years. I never managed to break 50 minutes for this run in 2006. My average, this year, has been around 48 minutes. If I keep this level of training up I hope to run even quicker in the future. And, of course, even further!

An 11 mile Easter Sunday run in the North Pennines

You just can't beat running 11 miles in the North Pennines on a sunny Easter Sunday! This is the first time I've actually trained on a section of the John O'Groats to Lands End route. In fact this is approximately mile 424 - 435 of the big run. Or you could think of it as 1.2% of the total distance! I prefer not to though as it makes me feel rather sick!

Setting off from the ford at Stanhope, I immediately had second thoughts about doing such a hilly run. That first 14% hill is an absolute nightmare and is enough to put anyone off. I was gasping for oxygen after only 7 minutes and boy could I tell I'd had a Chinese meal the night before! Half a mile later things started to even out a bit (not much mind!) and I started to get in my stride. It did, however, take 16 minutes to do the first mile, such was the steepness of the first climb. I think this may be a new record for me.

With it being a Bank Holiday. there was quite a lot of traffic on the road and I'm pleased to report that 99% of them gave me plenty of room and a few of them slowed down to wave for some strange reason. I reckon that the 1% who drove very close were more than likely bitter Mackems who spotted the Newcastle training top I was wearing.

After 4 miles or so, I was stopped by a colleague from Northern Rock - Richard. He'd been out for a walk with his good lady. It's always nice to see a familiar face and he reckoned that once I'd reached the nearby 1650 ft summit (pictured) that I'd have "broken the back" of today's run. It was quite appropriate that I bumped into Richard on this day of all days (Easter Sunday) as some say he has a look of the Messiah himself! I'm referring to the biblical one by the way and not Kevin Keegan.

Richard's words of encouragement turned out to be quite right. Once I'd gone over the 1650ft summit, I really did feel that the worst climbs were out of the way. In the distance, I could see the valley in which Middleton was situated. This, at least, gave me something to focus on and I picked up the pace to around 11 minutes per mile. This is much slower than my usual training pace but that's all the steep hills and strong wind would allow.

After 2 hours and 10 minutes of running, I met Katy and Jack (pictured) for my lift home. I felt really good at the end and felt like I had a lot of miles left in me. This was surprising, considering the amount of crispy duck, ribs, chicken and seaweed I ate last night!

All in all, a successful day's running was achieved and Jack was rather pleased too, having gone to the park in Stanhope and had an ice cream while waiting for me to finish.

As far as training runs go, this has got to be one of the most scenic I've ever done. The conditions would have been perfect if it hadn't been for that pesky 13 mph westerly wind. The glorious sunshine more than made up for it though. Happy Easter!