I guess the Great Wall now holds a great allure for us. We both enjoy running and we were intending to run a marathon this year anyway, so when we heard of the Great Wall marathon after we got back to Hong Kong in January, it just seemed like the perfect opportunity.

We've been together for four years. We've always enjoyed running and when we moved to Hong Kong from Melbourne in November, we deliberately chose a place in Bowen Road to live for our running. When I found out about the Great Wall Marathon it just seemed the perfect fit.

Before we began our marathon training, we would have considered an 8km run a long one. Now it's just a warm-up. We used to run together probably two or three times a week. Now we're running a lot more together.

It's an incredibly tough event. There are something like 3,700 steps to conquer which is daunting when you've got to run 42km anyway. There is 7km on the Great Wall itself which is basically a relentless series of climbs and descents. They say it's an adventurous, demanding physical and mental challenge which most marathons are, but it has the added bonus of all the stairs and hills.

We've been training for four months. The first week we ran 25km and for the past four weeks we've been running 70km a week. Our longest run has been 32km. We've focused on hill running and the hills and stairs of Hong Kong are great for that. They've been invaluable for our training. Hong Kong is the perfect training ground for this event.

In Melbourne we lived by the sea and we would run along the beach every day. The conditions in Hong Kong are obviously very different, but I think because we live in Mid-Levels and Bowen Road, we do feel like we are out of the heavily polluted area. It may have affected us but I'm not sure if it's the pollution or humidity. When I first got here I just found it harder to run.

We both decided this is not a race in which we're going to try to run out personal best. This is a race we are committed to running together and just aim to get to the finishing line. Steve is faster than I am. I wear a heart-rate monitor and I know my target heart rate so I set the pace and he runs with me.

Running together doesn't cause friction. We find that exercising together as a couple works really well. It gives you motivation. We think this is going to be a lovely thing to do together as a couple. It's a hard race to do on your own - but to have someone with you will be a really special experience. It will be quite something.

Steve is quite keen to do another marathon and run to a time and set a personal best. For me, it might be my one and only marathon, but it will give me some lovely bragging rights. It should be a spectacular route as well. We're going to buy some disposable cameras and stop and take some snaps along the way.

We won't pass the spot where we got engaged on the Great Wall unfortunately - the run goes along a different section of the wall and I'm not sure it is even open to tourists. Our wedding will be in October in Hong Kong but there won't be a 'marathon' theme to the ceremony and I shan't be running down the aisle. There is more to life than running.'

The Great Wall Marathon takes place on Saturday.