THIRTY miles this week and my legs are starting to feel it a bit. At least I’m not suffering from too many unusual ailments as discussed last week. My long run is up to 16 miles and I can remember why I said I’d never do another marathon now!

This is due to the fact that at some point (normally around 2 ½ hours) the body runs out of glycogen stores (carbohydrate sources) and thus the individual hits ‘the wall’. The only way to describe the feeling, is that not only are your muscles starting to ache, but you lose your sense of awareness and it becomes harder to focus. Elite athletes like Paula Radcliffe are lucky in the sense that they run so fast, they actually finish before they run out of energy!

Still, the more training I do, I know that my body is adapting to the stresses being imposed on it. Hopefully I will take it in my stride.

Weekly Tip from the Top (half).

If you get bored running or with any other exercise type, put some music on, I won’t leave home without my iPod. As such, I’ve composed my list of top 10 tracks to run to. They can all be found on iTunes, so have a listen and buy if you like: Upbeat make-you-run-faster category: 1 Coldplay – Viva La Vida, 2 Counting Crows – Angels of the Silence (Live in New York), 3 Dire Straits – Going Home, 4 Green Day – Basket Case 5 Scouting For Girls – She’s So Lovely.

Downbeat make-you-relax-while-you-run category: 1 Bob Seger and the Silver Bullets – Running Against the Wind, 2 Neil Diamond – Pretty Amazing Grace, 3 Sarah Brightman – Time to Say Goodbye, 4 Dire Straits – Lady Writer, 5 The Rolling Stones – Time Is On My Side.

Next week I’ll be having a look at food for running (having eaten my fair share of it!).

Please visit www.indianoceanrace.com to view the official website of the world record attempt, to meet Guy and Andrew and to make a donation if you so choose.