Why?

My mate Ben came to visit the other weekend. I'd not seen him since way before I took off on the Wallace in America trip, so he arranged a weekend in Nottingham.

We dug out the itinerary from his last visit and decided that it seemed like a sensible enough format to stick to this time around as well!

Friday
5.45 pm - Ben Arrives
6.00 pm - off to the pub, drink Guinness x 3 and eat pizza x 1 each
7.30 pm - head home and buy bottle of vodka on the way back
8.00 pm - sit in the garage listening to music, smoking and drinking vodka
10.00 pm - head out into town and continue drinking
2.30 am - Wallace makes a desperate dash for a kebab house, only to be wrestled back out of the door by Ben and into a Taxi.

I could elaborate further and provide sketchy details about Saturday and Sunday as well, but the truth is that the run down from Friday pretty much says it all. The weekends come, I drink......quite a lot, and then I eat...........rubbish.

I'm not unique when it comes to this kind of weekend format, but if I'm honest, it's not easily sustainable. Firstly, it costs money, and secondly (and some might say most importantly) IT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOU!

Ben reinforced this point on Sunday morning, as we both sat nursing hangovers in a greasy spoon on Nottingham's Upper Parliament Street. True, Ben hadn't had a weekend any different to mine, save for the Kebab that I managed to get hold of on the Saturday night, but he did well to remind me that he doesn't do it every week, AND that he also gets himself out running as often as he can.

Running's something that I've tried before.......but it hurts and I give up after just 2 days. Apparently though, there's no better way to get yourself fit.

I thought this over after Ben had left, and come Monday, I had the semblance of a new and challenging adventure in front of me. Something to keep me occupied for another 10 weeks whilst I got over the come down effect of not being in America anymore, and that would hopefully help me get fit and healthy at the same time!

I've decided that I'm going to Join my mate Ben on the BUPA Great Manchester Run. It takes place in just 10 weeks time and I'm going to be doing it all in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

This latest blog will be an account of the journey towards the big day! It'll be measured in miles run, time taken, pounds (hopefully stones) lost, and most importantly - money raised for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust!

I'd be really grateful if you'd sponsor me for the run. The money will be going to a very good cause.

Hope you come back to read more.

Wallace