Week 41

It is a happy new year so far :) I think the last time I wrote a blog, I'd just run my first solo marathon-length run through 'undulating' territory; since then I've been enjoying running shorter distances like a new man (for want of a less clichéd expression). Well, almost entirely since then - the last week or so I've had a bit of a nigging tendon (it feels like) pain just outside and below my left knee so I'm planning to rest up for about another week before getting back to it.

"Why write a blog post if you're not running, Ben?" is probably a good question. The answer is, because I've started letting people know about a plan that I've had for the last three or four months and I figured I should probably, you know, let my running community know about it too. In August I'm going to run between my home town and the city where my brother lives, 130 miles away, in a oner. It's all for a charity that's pretty close to the heart of my day job as a dispensing optician (although I don't think you have those in America) - raising money for eye examinations and new glasses for people in developing countries.

'Scared' is probably the wrong word, but maybe 'apprehensive': I'm not good enough to do it yet, but I will be. I keep saying to my friends that it's weird to have a goal like this since it's not a question of 'whether' I'll try it or not: the day will come when I'm taking the first step; this is going to be part of my life - I just hope the last step comes too!

You guys have been great with advice for me in the past; the limey novice who doesn't really know what he's doing, but keeps doing it anyway. I'll keep blogging on here to vent about how I'm getting on and if anyone has any thoughts to spare, I always feel incredibly lucky that you'd take the time to share them - even if I might sometimes be a bit pigheaded and end up learning through my own mistakes anyway :)

If any of you are on the Facebooks, I've set up a page at www.facebook.com/benonfoot

The Twitter is @benonfoot

If you want to read about Vision Aid Overseas (who really are a fantastic charity), their website is www.visionaidoverseas.org - just £5 ($8) pays for one eye exam and one pair of glasses to let a kid go to school, or a parent carry on working to provide for their family.

Ok, heartstring-tugging bit done, let's get back to the actual running part :)

- Ben

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