AN AMAZING FEAT

I just wanted to pay tribute to Helen Skelton - only the second woman in history to successfully complete the 78 mile Namibia ultra marathon. An amazing feat, even for a seasoned endurance athlete...... but considering she is a Blue Peter presenter who trained for just three months beforehand, it as absolutely phenomenal.

She ran the equivalent of three marathons, through the desert, both during the 43 degree heat and the long dark night. She suffered horrendous blisters and came close to quitting twice, but she hung in there. The programme recording the race was wonderful. If you are in the UK, for the next few days you'll be able to watch it on the BBCi player - I'd highly recommend it. My favourite bit was when she kept herself going by the shout "Come on me!"

As you may know I love to run myself. I completed the 2005 London Marathon and raised £4500 for the spinal injury charity Aspire. Unfortunately I sustained a back injury that kept me away from running for a long time..... but now I'm back. Well I will be once my torn calf has healed - the perils of being the wrong side of 40......I'm being good, doing my stretches etc..... but things like Helen's run just make me want to get my trainers back on and get out there.

My own big dream in the running arena is to complete the 40 mile Tring to Town run next January. 40 miles along the Grand Union Canal from near Kew to Tring. It will be cold, might well be wet, almost certainly very muddy and could even snow. Unlike the London Marathon, there won't be huge crowds lining the entire route. For miles at a time there will be no-one. It starts in the dark and will long since have got dark again by the time I get there. But just the thought of completing it fills me with the sort of excitement that a really big goal should do.

What are your big dreams? What's going on that you can take inspiration from? Look around you. Open your eyes, take it all in and use it to help you build your dream.