I’m counting down the last few days before Tough Mudder, this Saturday, with a mixture of abject fear and excitement. Although I’ve been training quite hard, I can safely say that I am starting to feel my age, and the aches and pains have started to creep in.

I have based my training around preparation for a triathlon, integrating swimming, running and cycling into my everyday life. Nick and I have also attended regular training sessions at the local ‘Graft on the Green’ training camp. We recently woke at 5:30am to attend a session (We are pictured above with Graft on the Green Instructor, George). I’m not sure if any of this will help when doing a 10–12 mile military-esque obstacle course that includes electrocution but we will soon see. Going back through my training plan, I realised that in the last 12 weeks I have cycled 120 miles, run 54 miles, swum six miles and completed nine cross-training/ Graft on the Green sessions. Not sure if I’ll be going through this again any time soon.

It’s been tough training for the Tough Mudder, but I always said that the first hurdle was reaching the start line and I’m nearly there. I have worked through the various scenarios for race day in my mind with varying results. What I do know is that it will hurt in at least some sense but I am determined to make it to the end.

I’m looking forward to the camaraderie on the day and hope that when I reach my twilight years, I will look back with fondness and pride to the day when I completed the Tough Mudder. I try to remember, too, who we are doing it for. Many of the veterans that the Charity looks after endured far more than the Tough Mudder will ever put us through – they were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. Our whole nation is indebted to them.