It is becoming increasingly difficult to write anything original about trudging around the same Leicestershire fields without adding details of the lithology and chemical composition of the mud now liberally distributed throughout the house. I’m also pretty good at irritating the hell out of those around me with enthusiastic commentary about the resilience and condition of my boots. So, over the coming weeks and months, I am rather hoping that I can think of something a little more engrossing for this blog before I lose any of my hard-earned band of followers.

Mind you – if I am allowed a moment of trivia. We have a winner re naming the blunder bus! Thanks Hughesie – it is now affectionately known as ‘Snickers’ (may contain nuts, but it’s a marathon really). Hopefully that’s worth a bit of sponsorship in the form of free chocolate from Mars for the duration! If it is, can Mars people please note that I prefer Galaxy, Maltesers, Twix and a Mars itself and not a Snickers bar – sorry. And if anyone from Cadbury is reading, please note that I am a complete tart and willing to change the name of the bus for a years worth of Wispa, Crunchie, Bournville or Fruit & Nut. Oh and Nestle….I’m not averse to calling it Yorkie or Aero either. And there’s me wondering why I gain weight so easily.

Having completed over 1100 miles of training, I am now getting increasingly impatient and twitchy by the day.  If it wasn’t for the logistical set-up I think I would have started two weeks ago. But no I can’t. So now is my time to wind the training bit down and give some time to more logistical prep work, kit out the motorhome and spend a bit of valuable time at home.  Yes, I am a more than a little apprehensive. Yes, I question my sanity almost hourly. Yes, I worry about the continuing conveyor belt of storms hitting the South West and yes, I question every single aspect of the logistics. In truth the logistics are and need to be flexible and informal but my main worry is that the crux can collapse easily if the support drivers pull out or if Snickers fails catastrophically. To counter that, I picked up Snickers from St Helens and drove it over the Thelwall Viaduct in a howling gale – it passed test 1. I now have it in for a service and cam belt change – test 2. As for the support drivers – all seems a little quiet. I am rather hoping it stays that way as any pulling out or date changing will probably bring me out in nasty rash.

The weather is a real concern. Will that jet stream ever shift? I really feel for the people of the South West and though I am thoroughly fed up with storm after storm, the East Midlands has hardly had the perpetual onslaught that they have had to endure. I equally feel a little guilty to be entering their area in search of the odd overnight favour or two when they will be in the midst of yet another clean-up. Maybe I should take a JCB with a trailer load of sandbags and a high volume pump instead of Snickers.

Right, I suppose I’d better get back to some planning and check on the state of the South West Coast Path and their excellent route changes page.