Yes, I have decided to undertake marathon number 7, and the usual round of curry and beers has had to come to a halt whilst I step up the weekly mileage to be able to complete it without passing out (fingers crossed!).

I am once again raising money for Cancer Research UK, but to make it more interesting, I have added an extra half marathon into the mix a few weeks before the full marathon - I am running the Great North Run half marathon (13.1 miles / 21.1 km) on the 5th October, and then the Marathon des Alpes Maritime (Nice to Cannes - 26.2 miles / 42.2 km) on the 9th November.

I have set some pretty high targets, 1 hr 30 for the half marathon, and 3 hrs 30 for the full marathon, and to give me some added incentives I am aiming to raise GBP  10,000!

There will be 3 sweepstakes for the competitive amongst you based on my time (prizes to be announced, please ask me for more details), but you can just donate through this site or sponsor per mile or whatever you choose.

As you may know, Cancer Research is a charity very close to my heart - my life has been touched by cancer, and more than 1 in 3 people will develop cancer of one form or another over their lifetime.  The charity itself is Cancer Research UK - they are the world's leading independent organisation dedicated to funding cancer research, but get very little government funding.  They are almost entirely funded through public donations. They support research into all aspects of cancer through the work of more than 4,250 scientists, doctors and nurses. We all want cures to be found.

So please sponsor me now!

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Cancer Research UK gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.