Luckily I am not attempting this crazy challenge alone, so I would like to introduce you to Team Sheffield (Running Division):

• Sandra Pilarcyzk (JCI Sheffield President): The Multi-tasker. By the time I am dragging myself out of bed in the morning, this woman has got two children packed off to school, walked a dog and is en route to her lovely new offices to run her own business, Have a Great Stay Limited. Clearly she was in need of a new, time consuming training regime!

• Dan Senter (JCI Sheffield Deputy President): The Instigator. Yes, this was all his idea, with two marathons already under his belt he is out running before 6am twice a week (headtorches essential) and generally to be a found a fair way ahead of the rest of the pack! A word of warning though: the last hill is NEVER actually the last hill.

• Kate Senter (JCI Sheffield Immediate Past President):The Persuader. The woman whose motto "sign up first, think later" should get her in to all kinds of scrapes but actually appears to be the secret behind her successes and makes her an inspiration to us all. Kate is always up for a challenge - and for getting everyone else involved!

• Niki Davies (JCI Sheffield Marketing Director): The Cheerleader. I have never seen Niki without a smile, not even at the bottom of a terrifying hill, after Dan had promised us it was all flat from here on. Full of enthusiasm and positivity, I highly recommend her sister blog, www.nikinom.com.

• James Alcock (JCI Sheffield Community Director): The Energiser. The other half of Team Bromance, James is running "6 before 7" twice weekly and racing Dan up those hills. With boundless energy and the ability to crack out the cheesy jokes even after 10 miles in Arctic conditions, this man personifies "joggers' high". 

• Richard Popple (JCI Wannabe): The Recruit. Whilst most of this team got dragged in to running by JCI, Richard has been dragged in to JCI by running! Turns out after several miles of hearing just what a fab organisation it is, resistance is futile. I assume his membership form is in the post.... He may be a novice runner but is clearly a natural, and my money is on him to be first across the line in May.

• Becky Sutton (JCI in Training): Still a full time student, Becky is challenging all the stereotypes. Up and out running by 7am (on her days off!), on course for a first class degree, holding down part time jobs and still the last one to leave on a night out! This is what Team Sheffield is all about and we look forward to her joining JCI in Spring. She's also the only one to have the sense to stick at a half marathon (in Sheffield, of course) but will be training with us throughout.

Please sponsor us at http://www.crowdrise.com/jciunitedkingdom/fundraiser/jcisheffield. Every $10 saves the lives of a family in Africa.