Week 7

Wow, its been 4 weeks since I last updated this. Thats almost a month...Doesnt time fly. In this time, we've seen 'Team GB' win gold after gold at the European Championships, we've seen Alex Hurricane Higgins laid to rest, we've seen flooding in Pakistan, we've seen David James in Bristol, we've seen Lucas finally 'exposed' in Eastenders, we've seen budgets chopped, Beckham dropped, BP's leaking well has stopped...

So, while all that has been going on, what progress have I made in preparing for the 2010 Great North Run? 'Not very much' I hear you all say in unison! Well you would be wrong! For starters, I am running 4 miles every morning before work, with a longer run planned for each Sunday, its a 6 miler this weekend - I'm having to run outside each morning now though as I have been barred from the gym at work on 'fashion' and 'nudity' grounds! I think this came after I tried to shave a few pounds off when I got on the scales naked, standing on one leg whilst breathing in. They do let me have a shower in the gym afterwards though, so long as I 'keep everything hidden' I think was the exact phrase!

I have also gone 2 weeks now without a nicotine stick. I am feeling great for it. I'm not missing it one bit. Much. Probably.

I have purchased some running trainers today because I realised after 7 weeks of training that your feet bleed, your shins hurt, you get blisters, your back hurts and you generally look a bit odd running 4 miles every morning in a pair of white stilettos so I should make even more progress from today onwards!

So far, this 7 weeks has been a very strange pleasure, I am losing weight, I am getting fitter, I have given up nicotine and am putting myself through the mill every single day in order to raise as much money as possible for Framework so, please dig deep if you havent done so already and go to http://www.justgiving.com/James-Sturman, it is a very good cause believe me. You can read all about Framework and what they do at www.frameworkha.org

So, thats it for this week. I hope you have enjoyed reading this - there are now 5 weeks and 2 days to go - 37 sleeps - til the big day, its come round a bit too bloody quick for my liking!

Hopefully, by the time I write my next update, Arsenal will have stuffed Liverpool, I will have found some better music to replace Rick Astley and David Essex on my mp3 player and this Friday the 13th will have passed without a hitch...