It's at about this time of year that I apparently feel the need to gouge my nearest and dearest for whatever cash I can squeeze out of them whilst simultaneously embarking on truly masochistic programme of pain and self-denial for the Aberdeen Baker-Hughes 10k.  Which is this year taking place on Sunday 23rd of May.  Why I keep doing this I don't know but you can rest assured I'm going to carry on until I find the answer. 

This year it's once again MacMillan Cancer Support's turn to have money raised for them by me and I'm doing so in memory of Martin Ferguson; a gentleman I never got the chance to meet but someone to whom I owe a great debt that I can never repay. 

The process (as usual) is to convert the pain, tears and general misery that I experience during the training (and the event itself) into your guilt.  Guilt that condensces and solidifies into cold hard cash that I can readily extract from your willing bodies culmonating in donations for MacMillan. 

Unfortunately, this year I have discovered problem with the process.  I am (so far) actually injury free.  This coupled with an overall improvement in fitness because of previous years 10ks has resulted in a dramatic and intolerable reduction in agony per minute (APM).  To compenstate for this disasterous turn of events I have taken it upon myself to train with one Mr Paul Graham. 

http://www.justgiving.com/Paul-graham

This has resulted in many hours hours worth of additional dialogue on the inane and insensible.  Those amongst you who know the individual of whom I speak I trust to judge my quotient of suffering to have been met both truly and bravely.  It is my fondest hope that someday, some of you may feel sufficiently moved to write or sing of my valour spent in these many dark hours... 

Don't forget that donating through JustGiving will allow GiftAid to be added to any donation that you make ;).