91Èȱ¬

"It sounds easy, if you say it quickly; run 30 miles around 91Èȱ¬ Radio Manchester's four Premier League grounds (and one lap inside each stadium) in one day. The reality was more challenging. To help raise the profile of Sport Relief, I volunteered to undertake the mammoth task.

"I started at the City of Manchester Stadium at 8.30am, being escorted on my lap around the pitch by club mascot Moonbeam and former Manchester City and Oldham Athletic (and England) defender Earl Barrett.

Taking a break and a refreshing drink

"From City, I headed through the city centre to Old Trafford for a meeting with Fred the Red, Manchester United's mascot and John Shiels, Chief Executive of United's Football Foundation. Just for the record, I beat Fred in our race around the pitch!

"By 10am, I was out on the road again, running through Trafford Wharf, before crossing the Centenary Bridge and into Eccles and Patricroft. By now, the legs were starting to show their first signs of mild discomfort. An old mate of mine, Graham Jackson, who helps organise the runs for Manchester YMCA, drove alongside me for a while, offering me a welcome bottle of water and plenty of verbal encouragement.

"The next planned stop was at Cleavely athletics track, hidden away next to the M60, where I met up with some of those who use this gem of a sporting venue. While I was there, I saw a gathering of people with disabilities, one of the many groups who use the venue. They use specially adapted cycles and seemed to be having loads of fun.

The loneliness of the long distance Cheesy

"I knew the next leg of the run – and it was still a run as I resisted the urge to walk - would be the toughest. It was up the A6 through Little Hulton and Westhoughton to Horwich. Thanks to a request from 91Èȱ¬ Radio Manchester’s Allan Beswick on air that drivers on the A6 should 'pip for a tit', as he affectionately called me for taking on the challenge, more than a few cars obliged with words of encouragement through wound down windows.

"One lady, Sheila, even parked up and walked half a mile with me - the first time I'd broken my running rhythm, but how could I resist the charms of a lovely woman and her support gave my spirits a lift.

"By 3pm, slightly ahead of schedule, I got my first sight of the Reebok Stadium, arriving there soon for a 30 minute break. Bolton's mascot Lofty the Lion jogged around the pitch with me and before you could say, 'you've done 21 miles so far, only eight to go', I was on the road again.

"The pace had dropped, but I carried on jogging rather than walking - just occasionally taking a 200m walk up the short inclines and over the humpback bridges.

"Eventually, I was closing in on Wigan town centre and Wigan Pier. In the car park outside the Orwell pub, I was met by three students of sports physiotherapy from Salford University who gave my legs the most amazing massage of all time.

"At that point, it'd had felt like I was trailing lead weights around my ankles. After their magic hands had delved deep into my tiring muscles, I was ready to run back to Manchester - well maybe not, but I certainly felt reinvigorated.

Working out Cheesy's aches and pains

"The final mile or so - from mile 29 to mile 30, lest you forget - I skipped along like a spring lamb (believe that if you want) to the JJB Stadium for a final lap around the pitch with their mascot, JJ. I can't begin to tell you how euphoric I felt crossing the line, nine and a half hours after starting out at City.

"Thankfully, I still had breath enough to have a joking go at Ricky Hatton on air, as the boxing star had playfully suggested I'd fail. I reprised Kevin Keegan's Fergie rant of a few years ago - he might not have been watching but he might have been listening.

"My legs ached the following day - I even struggled to climb the stairs at home - but by Sunday afternoon, I'd recovered enough to run the Sport Relief mile from Albert Square with thousands of others, and hopefully played my part in proving anyone can achieve their goals if they're determined enough.

"Bring on 2010 and the next Sport Relief challenge!"