​Morning: 7 miles (11 km).

Morning: Easy 4 miles (6½ km).

Evening: Cape Town-Atlantic 10 km race. Sadly there was a gale blowing, so fast times were out. I had a good, hard race with Danny Biggs before finishing 19th in 32:14. 4 km beforehand and another4 km afterwards (11 miles).

Danny Biggs is a multiple Comrades gold medallist. He also won the Dusi, South Africa’s famous canoe race.

No run; easy day.

I have never been worried about taking a day off when I feel I need it. When preparing for Comrades, it is important to realise there will be days when rest is more important than training.

Mala Mala. Easy, slow run with Morne du Plessis, Sydney Ellerine, Steve Dallamore. 4 miles (6½ km) along reserve road, protected by game rangers with rifles.

One of the more interesting runs I have been on. It may have been slow, but we all had the stored adrenalin to run a sub 4-minute mile, if necessary! We thought that time had come when we spotted a lioness under a tree. Thankfully the rangers told us she was sleeping and we should just keep on running.

Mala Mala. Easy 10 km (6 miles) run with the same team across the Sand River and back. Very hot.

I was in Mala Mala as a speaker at a conference. Morne du Plessis, ex-Springbok rugby captain, and I often worked as a team, speaking at various events. They weren’t always at such exciting places as Mala Mala, so it was a great experience! Nice work, if you can get it.

The must-have book for everyone who wants to run - or win - ultra-marathons.