Day 238 - Wednesday 26th May ~ 19500km , Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

Since returning from a relaxing weekend spent hiking and fishing for our dinner in the Drakensberg Mountains (needless to say we ended up eating in the restaurant) it has become a bit of a media frenzy as the business end of the Ultra Triathlon - the Comrades run - approaches and World Cup fever grows. One local paper even ran with the headline "Grapefruit for Accommodation"  with reference to my way of securing a bed for the night in Newcastle last week!

Today was spent filming for a short piece with the BBC that will hopefully be aired prior to England's game v the USA on 12th June. With filming taking place in possibly the hilliest terrain imagineable (also worryingly close to the Comrades route) and a variety of angles/takes required to catch the right light on my ginger beard I ended up having quite the work out and I'll be holding the BBC personally responsible if I don't get a top 10 finish in the 89km Comrades Ultra Marathon this Sunday!!

You'll be pleased to hear I'm continuing to take my Comrades training extremly seriously by including a variety of short and long interval, speed and fartlek binge eating sessions around my media commitments! Lets just hope it pays off on sunday and some of the extra publicity translates to a few more charity donations..

Up against a thoroughbred in the best fan competition who heads up an online football fan club this three legged donkey, against the odds, is gadually sneaking up the rail so if you haven't voted for me yet please do so here or better still stick some more money in the the charity pot!