3 days to go

Have been up in Yorkshire since Saturday now, getting used to the air, doing some high-altitude walks to Morrisons for pork pies, and other necessary location-based exercises to finally prepare my legs and white blood cells for the challenge.

Must admit to being a little bit daunted, not least because everyone says it's mental and more than the a half-fit body like me can do. Worse still, I was in Blacks today and the lad said lycra shorts are an absolute no-no for long distance. I might have to pop down The Station and let the bar-man know that. He likes to be updated on these matters.

Have just received delivery on my new Air Force One trekking socks, with their anatomically shapped footbed, patented shin protectors, AirCondintioning Channel, X-Cross Bandage and Achilles Tendon reinforcement, and... AND... 99.9% pure silver is used in a terry-loop construction to guarantee the highest degree of direct skin contact and optimal moisutre permeability. making my feet breathe easier and decreasing bacterial growth. These are the socks to end all socks, the presidential socks, the socks with the silver lining. I'm bound to not get blisters now til at least 6 hours into the 30.

Have a new pair of North Face shoes to wear-in. Deemed them essential for the dry, flat day stages, especially now my achilles won't let me wear boots for more than an hour. So that's another £60 well spent. Would not like to calculate how much this has cost so far.