Started my training for the Asics British 10K London run last night. Oh my aching body today! Last year a group of local business people, Oxygen Business Forum, got together to run/walk this event to raise money for local children's Hospice Helen and Douglas House.

So, I thought I was being very clever yesterday by trotting off to local Gym with son Douglas and while he and his mate lifted weights and worked out (they both play national league Basketball and are of an age where they can eat what they like and still not put on the pounds - unlike us 40+ wine merchants!). I ran 2K moderately easily, stopped for some much needed water and ran another 1K. Felt great, had a Sauna. Fantastic!

Woke up this morning, fully intending to hit the road and carry on the good work by doing some running. Ouch my poor knee! I think it is trying to tell me that a life of eating and drinking is taking it's toll and not to be so stupid. But I managed .5K uphill, and then a bit of a walk to try and at least maintain momentum.

Something tells me this is going to be a long-haul to the start line in London on 6th July!

Anyway, being a glutton for punishment, and as if my poor aching knee wasn't warning enough, to get me in the mood for 10K on 6th July I'm also planning on running in the first ever Oxford Run for Moore. This in aid of the Bobby Moore Fund, which raises money for research into bowel cancer. The event is on Sunday 8th June, and as soon as I have registered I will post information for anyone that feels like sponsoring me.

Given Alison's illness with breast cancer I badly wanted to run for that charity, but the Race for Life is women only event. This years Oxford Race for Life is being held in University Park on Saturday 7th June, the day before the Run for Moore.

So, having overdone it and started like a Greyhound out of the Blocks, I think it's time to pace myself... a night off training tonight I think, and rest the knee. Which really only leaves the question of what to drink...?

With today being the London Marathon, it seems like a good time to mention that on July the 6th this year I, along with a group of other local business people from Oxygen, the Oxford Business Forum will be running in the Asics British 10K London run.

Once again this year we will all be running to raise money for local Hospice Helen & Douglas House. Last year we raised several thousand pounds for this incredible local charity who provide care for terminally ill children and young adults, and this year we aim to do even better. We will be fielding a bigger contingent and hoping to raise even more sponsorship.

More info to follow in coming weeks - rumour has it there will be group training sessions (I know I need all the training I can get), and so sure to be some great photo's of very unfit Oxfordshire business people to be posted here - me amongst them!

In the meantime, if you would like to sponsor me and Douglas to run on behalf of Helen & Douglas House, please email me and I will let you know the best way to do this.

The race was won by Stephano Baldini of Italy, in a time of 29 mins and 27 secs. Second place was taken by UK runner Phil Wicks, in a time of 29.33, and third place was secured by Simon Tonui of Kenya, in a time of 30.35."

The whole event was an experience that no-one there will ever forget. The atmosphere was amazing, with all the spectators taking it in turns to shout encouragement as we ran past. And some of the other runners were plain crazy....one man was dressed as a 6 foot silver spoon (perhaps he was running to find a well-bred mouth to go in?!) and another lot were rugby players, who were passing the ball to each other. Whenever anyone dropped the ball, he had to drop to the floor and do ten pushups. I made sure I didn't get in their way!

"Over the last six years The ASICS British 10k London Run has provided a cost effective platform for hundreds of UK charities and tens of thousands of individuals from Great Britain and from around the world to take part in the totally unique unrivaled experience of running the world's greatest race route through the heart of London - on roads closed to traffic - passing many of the worlds most famous historic and iconic landmarks."