Wednesday 20 May: I am finally back on track again after ten days of over-indulgence with my family, who are all home from abroad.

On Tuesday, it was back to a PT session followed by cardio-kick class. I found both surprisingly manageable. I must be getting fitter from the weeks of training and activity regardless of the digression from routine.

Then it was step class on Wednesday with a Pilates session on Friday. Now the latter is where I met yet another challenge in my goal for ultimate fitness. I have been practising Pilates for many years now, with just one class a week and no extra homework either as I’m not disciplined enough for that. No two classes are the same and I am lucky to have an instructor that knows the nuances of my body. I say nuances when in fact I mean oddities. For example I have one leg that’s a couple of millimetres shorter than the other. So my instructor has put a lot of thought, expertise and effort into teaching me how to work with these to not only strengthen but lengthen my limbs and core. But what makes the session so much fun is the equipment that is used. From a combination of the Reformer (a sort of rowing machine like structure but it does so much more) to the Chair (like a toy box that can swing and spring you in all directions) - there is never a dull moment and its great for taking your mind of the fact that your body is doing a hell of a lot of work. Last week’s session was not only fun but possibly dangerous if I didn’t concentrate. I felt that perfectly acceptable twinge of pain in every muscle when I was finished that reminded me I was getting fitter.

I’m off to Spain next weekend and then a conference so it will be interesting to see how I manage to fit in the training but with only a short run in to the big day - I am not about to lose focus now. It's hard work balancing a social life, work life and a fitness plan but I think I’m getting there and the fact that I’m raising money for Little Sammy’s charity is motivation enough for me.

Elaine is running for her niece Sam. If you'd like to donate to Elaine's charity, email runningforsammy@gmail.com. You can find out more about Children's Interstitial Lung Disease at www.childfoundation.us.

- Elaine Roddy