I NEED to clock up some miles before Sunday's 10K but illness has set me back three or four days.

Tonight though I decide to go for it, and out come my famous beige shorts and David Bentley trainers.

The advice is to take it easy in the final run-up to the race, but I feel like I'm playing catch-up, and plot a 7.5K course - three-quarters of the distance I'll have to run in the Jane Tomlinson Pennine Lancashire 10K in Blackburn.

It's a course I'm familiar with - a one-mile climb to start, a half-mile descent, then the rest fairly flat.

The competitive streak in the Telegraph office is increasing by the day. Local government reporter Tom Moseley has recently run a marathon, and is clear favourite to be first from the office home.

Chief reporter Dave Watkinson reveals he run the recent Manchester 10K in 52 minutes ... with a broken toe.

I seem to be giving 15-20 years and a couple of stone to most of the other reporters, so there should be no pressure on me.

But the competitive streak in me wants to do well. To at least beat some of them. To beat my brother. To beat my pal Paul McGowan. Perhaps it's a trait of my sporting mentality.

My sportsdesk colleague Steve Tinniswood - a fellow fortysomething - is also running, and we've started to become obsessed with what time we'll finish in.

In truth, we never really bothered until our friend Andy Neild ambled home in 52 minutes in Manchester. Now 'Neild' time is our target.

I set off on my run tonight with this in mind, and trek uphill for the first part. The run is going well until 4k in when I have to stop for a 30-second rest.

Maybe it's the slight hill, or my recent illness, but I hate having to stop.

I have a similar 30-second rest at 5k, but in general I dig deep and settle into a decent rhythm, reaching the 7.5K marker at .... 42 mins.

That time puts my 'Neild' challenge into perspective. At that pace,I've got absolutely no chance breaking the 50 minute barrier - that looks like a pipedream.

If I run like this on Sunday, then I'm looking at about 55 minutes - a fair time, but one I'll be slightly disappointed with.

Tomorrow, I've arranged to speak to athletic legend Ron Hill for some pointers on how to prepare for the big race.

Maybe Ron can help me shave a minute or two off my time. If anyone can, Ron can.