<p><span style="color: #ff0000;">I DID IT!! I DID IT!! I beat his time (just) by running 4:30, but it was touch and go. At mile 16, my knee had seized up and I thought 'this is it, I'm not going to make it'. So I popped a couple of codeine and continued through the pain to cross the finish line. Philip, John and Jasper all managed to spot me along the way which gave me&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #ff0000;">great boost. I am thrilled with the money raised for Leuka and can't thank you enough for your donations which make the whole trip so worthwhile. Huge thank you. It was a fantastic day and I never have to do it again (the best bit of all).</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="color: #ffcc00;">UPDATE: We're just arrived in New York and it's fantastic here. Such a buzz. The weather forecast for Sunday is sensational and I've no excuse. Oh, I hope I don't mess it all up. Thank you to the 53 wonderful people who have donated to Leuka on my behalf. You are the reason I haven't given up.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="color: #800080;">Greetings to you!</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="color: #800080;">In a bid to <span style="color: #0000ff;">try</span> and get my body (and especially my belly button) back after producing 3 babies in under 18 months, I've decided to <span style="color: #008000;">attempt</span> to beat my husband Philip's 2004 4hr 39min New York marathon time this November 6th.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #800080;"><br></span></p> <p><span style="color: #800080;">I really hate running, so this is my own personal Mount Everest. I hope to gain a <span style="color: #ff0000;">love</span> of running during this epic training journey, so that I can incorporate it into my working life during trips after being couped up in a box flying for 14 hours.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #800080;"><br></span></p> <p><span style="color: #800080;">The charity I want to support is an obvious choice in that it's my father's charity <span style="color: #ffcc00;">LEUKA</span>. It's a wonderful charity that raises funds to support research into the causes and treatment of leukaemia and is based at The Hammersmith Hospital in London.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #800080;"><br></span></p> <p><span style="color: #800080;">Please help me to reach my fundraising target by digging <span style="color: #00ffff;">deep</span> and thus not only helping to create a future where cancer is no more ominous than a common cold, but also providing me with a wonderful incentive to train even&nbsp;<span style="color: #ff0000;">harder</span>. I need all the bloody help I can get.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="color: #800080;">Many, many, many thanks for taking the time to read this and then for clicking on the '<span style="color: #99cc00;">Donate now</span>' button up there.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="color: #800080;">Cassie</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="color: #800080;">PS Just for the record, it's mid-May now, and I can only run about <span style="color: #00ff00;">12&nbsp;minutes</span> before having to stop for a breather. I've got a long, long way to go. Jaysus.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #800080;"><br></span></p> <p><span style="color: #800080;">PPS Update - it's now mid-Sept and I have improved somewhat, but beating Philip's time is looking <span style="color: #993300;">highly unlikely</span> to me. Got to keep up the 5 x runs/week and 2 x cross training/week. Never realised the <span style="color: #0000ff;">commitment</span> I was making. My goodness. Sigh.</span></p>