The couch to 42k plan...to run around the world

Marianne McPhee (@fillingthepages) and I have a plan. And this plan involves running. Not just running around the park but running around the world.

We first decided to run a 5K for Cancer Research UK after seeing the London Marathon (which was also the anniversary of my Aunt's death from liver cancer). Now we've decided to raise even more money for Cancer Research by putting our bodies to the test and run in events around the globe over the next 18 months. And these bodies are ones that don't run. I never do things in half measures and I do like an adventure. Plus as cancer affects people around the globe, it seems fitting to take our various runs across it.

First we're going to run the Race for Life 5K in July in Hyde Park. Then we'd like to do a 10K in Africa at the end of 2011 (still need to find one!). May 2012 will take us to China for the Great Wall Half Marathon. We'll finish off with the Reggae Marathon in Jamaica in December 2012. It would of course be brilliant to finish our journey across all continents by completing runs in South America, Australia and finish with the Ice Marathon in Antartica. But we'll start small(-ish) and do what we'll have to do to get to the end (even if that includes a couple credit cards to complete it).

So what now? We'll need to:

• train
• 
  raise money
• 
  try to get sponsors to help us get there

We'd love to try out new gadgets, new programmes, new devices, new equipment, new airplanes, new hotels or your well used couch that'll help us as we train and run our way to our first marathon. Know someone who can assist us? Or is it you? Please do let us know.

Of course there will be video and sound and pictures. That's what I like to do - though I can't promise I'll always look my best.

So join us on our journey from couch to 42k. Want to run too? We'll regularly update our sites as we train and if you feel so inclined, do join us.

Donations currectly being accepted on wwww.justgiving.com/C242K.