I've been in the Army since 1983.  Every so often you meet a young soldier who, through your own experience and instinct, you just know is going places.  One such guy was Matthew Hatton.  I say was because on 13 August 2009, 'Hatts' was killed in Afghanistan shortly after I left to take up a new post.  I had done Charity work before.  I helped co-ordinate a Charity Auction on return from Iraq in aid of BLESMA and took part in the Great British Hero Bike Ride from North Yorkshire to London.  After meeting Hatts' parents however, I decided I wanted to do something more, something bigger to help our young servicemen and women who sustain horrific and life changing injuries.  BLESMA is a fantastic charity that gives our lads and lasses a bit of normality in their lives and helps them to get back on track.  You can make a difference. 

I aim to run the length of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal (127.5 miles) in 5 days at the end of May by completing a marathon a day.  I'm no Eddie Izzard, but I want to complete each 'race' in less than 5 hours and so long as I can remain injury free from the start in Leeds, I can finish in style in Liverpool.

My goal is to raise as much as I can on this event and the target I am putting is £10000.00.  Hopefully I will raise more.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

If you are able to donate, no matter how small the amount, please do so.  Our servicemen and women are putting their lives on the line for us on a daily basis.  We need to start giving something back to say thank you and to help them with the terrible injuries they sustain on our behalf. 

20 Apr 10 - Training Update.  Hi everyone.  Just a quick line to let you know that training is going well.  I've taken to getting up well early in order to get out and put some miles in before I go to work.  I'm happy with the raising efforts so far, so a MASSIVE THANK YOU to those who have kindly donated.  PLEASE pass the message on if you would.  We need to meet this target to help the real heroes.  If you're tired of all this General Election mumbo jumbo, do something positive TODAY and give to my MONSTERMARATHONEVENT.

 

17 May 10 - Training Update.  Hello again.  Another quick line to let you know how things are going.  I've managed to keep getting up early in order to get out before work as I know once i'm in my office training gets difficult to complete.  Support went a little quiet for a while and unfortunately Jason Manford couldn't get to run some of the way with me.  Nevermind.  However a huge thank you to those who have recently donated.  I won't thank everybody personally until after the event, and i'm not going to single any individual donation but I would like to say that I am so grateful for those people that don't know me and have given money to the cause.  I am eternally thankful and I hope many more will continue to do so.  Pass on the BLESMA love as we need it!  6 days to go......I'm PETRIFIED ha ha ha!

 

28 May 10 - Run Update.  Well I've finished!  A brief outline of events as follows:  Monday...the weather was extremely hot as my team and I arrived in Leeds.  There we were met by Phil Hatton and his daughter Becky (Hatts' dad and sister), who made it to see me off, so a million thank you's for that.  So, at 1022 off I went into the great unknown.  I have to say that the heat was something else; thankfully I had slapped on the old factor 30 and was therefore protected from the sun.  After 5 hours and 30 minutes I had finished the first day including the climb at Bingley Five Rise which was a killer!  At this point i'll mention the Premier Inn chain who were absolutely fantastic in putting us up and providing buckets full of ice for me to sit in after the run.  I have never felt so cold in my life as I did on Monday afternoon and I'm sure the screams were heard all over the hotel.

On Tuesday we decided that I would start early in order to get in before the sun was up and hot.  The forecast was a bit 'iffy', but anyway by 0730 I was on the road (or towpath) plodding away.  The team were on the ball as usual at the water stops which were every 3 miles or so...easy when it's written on paper!  Morale including haribo sweets, and a snickers at the half way point.  Lovely.  Day 2 finished in a time of 5 hours 23 which was better than the day before, but a knock to my left knee whilst going through a stye gave me a slight cause for concern.

On Wednesday we were on the road by 0930 as the forecast was for cloud and the chance of showers.  As with every day up the 15 mile point I was fine but from Wednesday I started to get cramps in my calves resulting in the slow time of 5 hours 45 which was dissapointing from a personal point of view.  Thanks to the Police officer I met whilst on the run who said a donation would be forthcoming.  No sign of that yet!  I know where your station is and I will be forced to send the boys round if you don't keep your word!

Thursday was the worst day, not because the CO arrived to to see me off and ran with me for a short distance which was most welcome, but the knee had swollen up quite badly just after coming through Wigan.  (Not sure if that was the effect Wigan has but there you go).  The decision by the team and myself was regretfully made to stop early, which due to the actual length of the canal meant over a full marathon on the last day.  (Each day had been almost bang on marathon distance depending on bridges where I would stop).  The last day was originally meant to be 22 miles-ish but had now gone up to just over 27 miles).   Ice was packed against the knee for around two hours after the usual sit in the ice bath and anti-inflamatories taken in an attempt to reduce the swelling and tenderness.

So, to the last day.  Again, after some more tablets I set off at ten o'clock and made really good progress.  I'm sure the fact that this was my last day probably had something to do with it, but with the knee holding out and the cramps nowhere to be seen I made good headway and was looking at my first sub 5 hour run.  I had hoped for that all week but the terrain whilst good in places is after all a towpath used by hundreds of thousands of people since it was built and is therefore rutted, uneven, straight, flat, steep...you name it the Leeds-Liverpool has it all.  So after 5 hour and 2 minutes I had finished, which when worked out meant that my last actual mararthon distance had been in a time of 4 hours 50 minutes and 40 seconds, which I was very pleased with.  A small welcoming party of my gorgeous wife, the RSM, the CO's driver and of course my support team without which I would never have made it were there to greet me at the finish line. 

It's not over yet though.  I still want to raise the target I have set, so again, PLEASE support me in this quest and donate to my website.  The page is active until August.  Many thanks to all those who have donated thus far.  If you know of any friends or colleagues who will support me please let them know. 

Thanks to the following who donated to my Mum's friend Norma!  I'll only put your first name or initials and I hope that's ok?  You know who you are anyway and I thank you so much:

JW, Tilly, AT, Sue H, Phil J, Irene, Margaret and Andrew, John H, Mel H, Alan, Derek H, Frances B, Harry, Ray H, D Mc, Roy, Jean F, Gordon R, NJ, VH, CT, HW, Jack T, Kerry B, Michala, Marie, Trish, Paul and Lucy, Anne and last but by no means least, Alan.

 

Thanks again.