I have had a good running month during February. I started the month confidently running a ten mile maximum distance, usually on a Sunday, and I have finished the month running a fourteen mile maximum distance, with runs of up to ten miles inbetween.

At this time last year I ran the Malta half marathon, which was a great experience. I am looking forward to the Fleet half marathon in two and a half weeks, and the Gatwick Marathon on April 1st. I hope to have one or two training runs of up to eighteen miles each before the marathon. Together with training runs of a lesser distance and attending training with Reigate Priory Athletic Club, this will complete my running preparation.

I am extremely pleased that I am still uninjured this year. It is clear that my fitness is really improving. I have run thirty six miles in the last week, and I still want to increase this. I hope that I can stave off injury before the big day, so that I can reduce the distances and continue to run afterwards.

Finding the time to run has been a little tricky. The weather has not been brilliant, and I have had colds in the last months. I fill my time in the evenings, and writing the Reigate Priory AC website has taken many hours. This together with being around for the children has meant that I have not run as much as I would have liked, but nevertheless I think that what I have done is probably about right - enough to get through, but not enough to get injured (as yet!).

My sponsorship is not going well. I do not yet have 400 pounds pledged. However, I will try to contact local companies, University of Keele alumni, internet newsgroups and so on soon to try to boost the collection.

I have ordered my running livery. I'll be in red this year. That is, red vest, red shorts and red hair. I hope that I don't have to resort to long trousers like last year - it depends on the weather and temperature on the day.