26th April - Well I achieved my goal of doing under 5 hrs but only by a whisker! 4.59.38 and I'm pretty chuffed with that I have to say. Had an encounter with "The Wall" at 23 miles which is an indescribable feeling but managed to keep going with the help of the crowd and handfuls of jelly babies/beans. Great day all round. 

 

Well, I'm having another go at this having sworn I would never do it again. This time I'm running for Chicks, a fantastic charity that gives children who really need it a break from incredibly difficult daily lives. My son Joe did some volunteering for them recently and, whilst it was really hard work, everyone - the volunteers and the kids - obviously gets so much out of it, doing things they otherwise wouldn't get a chance to do. Its incredibly professionally run from two centres in Devon and Cornwall. There should be a hundred such places. If you want to find out a bit more go to www.chicks.org.uk They are always looking for volunteers.  

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.

I know times are hard at the moment but I'd be really grateful for any contribution. It will give me a bit more motivation whilst pounding the dark streets over the winter!

Chris Simkins