Martin Parnell hit all four seasons this past week as he trains for the 150 km Calgary Marathon.

Running 80km can be difficult at the best of times, says Parnell, but add in the force of Mother Nature and you face additional challenges.

"I hit fog, frost, hail, snow, sunny clear, rain; it is sort of all the seasons in one, which I guess is typical Alberta in late March early April."

Parnell says although he encourages everyone to run outside his fit tip for this week is to make sure you are well geared for the elements.

"Last week we talked about shoes and they're obviously important, now we'll talk about the different kinds of shoes. I have a road shoe and a trail shoe, the trail shoe has a little thicker tread so that is good in snow but also what you wear; I use a base of a merino wool long t-shirt and merino wool tights especially for the winter running. It's all about layering so just have a number of layers: I get cold hands so I like a pair of mitts especially when it's below 0 but then when it gets a bit warmer I use a pair of light wool gloves. Really the tidbit is there is no such thing as bad weather just bad gear."

With only 8 weeks to go, Parnell's training will not only be physically taxing but mentally as well, as he faces several 100km weeks.

"It is a huge mental game, it's a tough one. I haven't done this mileage since 2010 when I ran 250 marathons in one year and since then I had the clot on the brain so this is a huge step for me."

Parnell will be paying close attention to his nutrition, hydration, electrolytes, and rest.

Running this marathon is not only a personal challenge but one which will help children on the international, national, and local levels. Right To Play is a charity which helps youth enjoy the love of sport regardless of economic diversity. Currently Parnell has raised $1280 of his $5000 goal and is hoping the public will get behind him to support the cause; with only 8 weeks left, the push is on.

To help Martin reach his goal, go here.