Name: Kerry McCarthy

Age: 32

Occupation: Health and Fitness Writer

Profile: Kerry is Senior Writer at Runner's World magazine, a role which not only allows him to plod laboriously round races in various foreign countries but also to indulge in the odd pie-fest in the name of fuelling – a combo which does not bode well for the long-term health of his knees. He has trained with Paula Radcliffe, raced Usain Bolt (photo finish), and run a half-marathon around an active volcano all in the name of journalism, but the 12in12 is by far his biggest challenge to date.

Most looking forward to: "Two things: firstly, completing the Marathon Des Sables and knowing that I've just done something I can tell my grandkids about; and also catching up with HOPEHIV in 2013 to find out how the money we raise has made a difference."

Most nervous about: "The London Triathlon. I can swim about as well as Vanessa Feltz can walk past a dessert trolley, so training for the 1.5km open water section will be a major, major undertaking."