After a great deal of anticipation and looking on the website constantly the application forms finally came out for next year's race. Dick sent the forms by Email on Friday and he had a full postbag by Saturday and had to declare the race full on Monday. It's just like Glastonbury.

Fortunately I was one of those who got his application in straight away and though nothing is confirmed yet I still feel hugely excited about doing this again. It is a much different feeling from this time last year when this was a complete unknown. Last year it was very nervous anticipation, now it is just excitement. I'm certain that by the time the race comes I'll be back to nervous again, I hope so at least.

I am trying to pull together something that describes how I approached this race last year as well as forwarding my race report on to anyone who can read. I've got some great feedback on it including some from Dick Kearn. I'm hoping it may help some others who are doing it for the first time as others did for me.

I am also quite excited for Nick who I managed to convince to do this. He is the type of person who has the motivation to do this as would get so much out of finishing and look forward to watching him over the next 6 months.

I got over excited and started a facebook group which is snowballing in members. It already has nearly as many as the 2008 group got in total. It's also great to see some familiar faces doing it again next year.

I can't imagine queueing to get tickets for Glastonbury or standing in a muddy field all weekend drinking warm beer and waiting for some bands to come on. I'd much rather be getting muddy in the dark along a canal with my body broken and mind vacant trying to stumble to Paddington.

Each to their own I suppose.

RunningandStuff