These shoes were made for running

..... well, this particular pair have clocked up a fair few miles already and will need to be replaced by a shiny new pair very soon. 500 miles is considered to be limit for a pair of running shoes. After that they start to lose their spring and ability to cushion the pounding punishment of road running, and the risk of injury increases exponentially. So most of the events on my schedule of races for the year will be run with a different pair.

Here is my provisional list of races for Project Five O:

6th March           Bath Half Marathon

12th May            Beat the Banana 5K (Hyde Park)

30th May            BUPA London 10K

12th June            St Albans Half Marathon

4th September     Richmond River 10K

25th September   Windsor Half Marathon

30th October       Great South Run (10 miles - Portsmouth)

27th November   Florence Marathon

11th December   Jingle Bell Jog 5K (St Albans)

This schedule may well change as the year progresses. I'm allowing myself at least two goes at most distances, and have pencilled in three half marathons. I think my PB from Fleet in 2006 for the half marathon is going to be the hardest to beat as it was achieved at the height of my fitness, and although Bath and St Albans are great events, they are probably too undulating for PB purposes. Therefore I'm hoping Windsor will provide a similar challenge to Fleet, which I ran in 2:09:12 in 2006.

Looking remarkably fresh and bouncy after 13.1 miles in Fleet 2006

Florence should provide a memorable finale to the year. I've not visited the city before but I have been told it's beautiful. It certainly looks stunning in the film A Room with a View starring a young Helena Bonham-Carter. Of course I have chosen Florence purely because I want to experience its wonderful culture and architecture. Nothing to do with the marathon course being very flat and, in fact, downhill overall.

I'm all excited now.