Being over 6 ft and clocking in at 79kg I don't have many reserves to keep the pedals spinning and I’m hardly the ideal build for braving the colds of the Strait of Gibraltar, so with only just over one week to departure the challenge has already begun to become obese.

Gaining weight is one aspect of training I have not been taking lightly and I have turned to the country that knows how to do it best for guidance - America. With numerous over weight specimens as role models across the pond I have decided to follow their lead by replacing my five fruit and veg a day for five saturated snacks a morning and five chocolates an afternoon. While this fast food, guilt free, gluttony may sound appealing it is proving increasingly difficult to stick too, as I tire of reprocessed pork meat and deep fried chicken, and I now have new found respect for our Yankee counterparts. 

Unfortunately the food binge I’m currently indulging in has only seen me put on a paltry 2kg. For once I’m cursing my fast metabolism and the lack of calories in scotch eggs. As a result I’m ready to step up the meal count, further reducing the quality and increasing the volume, so it anyone fancies getting together before I go lets make it an all you can eat venue!

Thanks very much for all the generous donations and words of encouragement. On numerous occassions it is these kind words that have got me through the last slice of cake!!