A month has passed...

Tardiness is an unbecoming trait, but rest assured I am training hard.

11 miles is now the staple of my regime once a week, and I'm hoping to move up to a half marathon distance (13 miles) next week.

I had entered the Silverstone Half Marathon on the 15th March, but to my considerable displeasure the Toyo Tires Racing Saloons have moved their Brands Hatch race from the Saturday, to the Sunday. Since we have spent hundreds of hours preparing the car with a full ground up rebuild for the season, it would be churlish not to race it. Not only that my very good friend Brian Mullender, who has spent similar amounts of time on the car, is likely to hit me over the head very hard indeed..

So a lonely half marathon it will be the week commencing 16th March, but a very necessary increase in distance. Ironically running 11 miles, while very encouraging, has brought home the realisation about what a fantastically long distance 26 miles is..

My toe husbandry is now second to none (I'd say), but running anything over six miles is opening up a whole new ball game - fuel. I need to take on calories during the event and how to do that is being tested.

I am ordering carb replacement gels (Science in Sport) from www.wiggle.com - a tip supplied from a triathlon competing friend of mine, and have been advised that jelly babies are worth having in your pocket. Yes, I need to practice eating jelly babies which all things considered is not one of the most challenging dynamics of the preparation so far.

I was also concerned over a knee twinge again, but this time further down the leg around 2cm below the kneecap. True to form I'd self diagnosed with Dr Google and was convinced my bone was delaminating, but a visit to the physio confirmed it was just bruised. Further investigation revealed it wasn't bruised from running either, in fact it was all the kneeling I'd done while working on the car. Doh! A pair of gel filled knee pads later and the problem has gone away, although it is not a good look I will admit.

(The squeemish may want to look away now)

Finally, in a bid to ensure I am not carrying around the 12 pounds of unchewed sirloin that we are all told is kicking around our lower intestine I visited the local colonics clinic and can confirm that it is just as horrific an experience as you imagine it will be.

I was alarmed early on in the process, as I was being gently inflated by the water stream and could find no means of releasing. For a few seconds I had a horrible vision, a cross between a dodgy German porn film and James and The Giant Peach. Fortunately things took care of themselves, but the end result was particularly disappointing with very little extracated. There is more, much more, but perhaps better suited for a different medium.

(The squeemish may return)

More next week post the half marathon distance, complete with the results of the carb gel test. My hopes are high. Eating has got me into this mess, it can jolly well get me out!

Stacy.