This year's Evening Post "volunteers" to run the Bristol Half Marathon are battling through the pain barrier as the training heats up ahead of the big race.

Reporter Olivier Vergnault and trainee Niamh Byrne are both suffering from knee injuries but have vowed to continue their preparation for the 13-mile run on September 7.

Olivier told Evening Post readers: "There's still hope for me as a runner. Despite putting on weight, damaging my knee and only improving my general level of fitness slightly, I'm not despairing yet."

The duo recently endured a test to see how much their general fitness level has improved since they began training more than three months ago.

Both have put on weight, which Olivier personally attributes to "increased muscle mass more than the curries, wine-drinking sessions and poker nights", but it is Niamh whose fitness has improved the most.

Despite this, Olivier is still promising to succeed in the "Battle of the Sexes" after he beat Niamh by six minutes in the Nailsea 10km race two months ago.

He said: "Niamh thought gleefully that I would quit before even starting because of my bad knee.

"But she is mistaken. With [physiotherapist] Libba's help and more serious training in the coming four weeks, I'm confident the Bupa Half Marathon on September 7 will be a repeat of the Nailsea 10K."