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Hi

Yes, it's me again! I sometimes refer to myself as Alf Tupper after the famous comic character known as The Tough of the Track. Alf was an excellent runner and faced many challenges in his life but I don't recall that he ever ran the London Marathon. Well, I am about to tackle the famous 26.2 mile course for the third time in 8 years. Having first participated as a spring chicken aged but 50 years, I am now much closer to the dreaded 60 so it is going to be a greater physical challenge than ever before. My aim is to achieve a sub-4 hour time, a target that I managed with class to spare in 2005 but failed dismally to hit in 2010. This time, I am going to train like never before and severely reduce my intake of alcohol in order to give myself the best possible chance of reaching my goal. As always, I will need a great deal of motivation to train properly during the long winter months. I am now well into a 26 week training plan and do most of my training early in the morning before work. You can play a huge part in maintaining my motivation to continue getting up and out at the crack of dawn by donating to one or both of the 2 charities I am supporting this time.

On my other page at http://www.justgiving.com/Dave-Johnson5, you will find details of why I am supporting the mental health charity, Mind. On this page, I am supporting the local charity Weston Hospicecare. Weston Hospicecare provides care and support to those with life-limiting illnesses. The charity also helps families to care for their loved ones in a place of their choice, which could be the Hospice or in their own home, nursing or residential home. I have, inevitably, some very sad reasons for wishing to support Weston Hospicecare. A colleague at Weston Jobcentre where I work tragically passed away in 2012. I visited her at Weston Hospice and it was immediately reassuring to realise that she was receiving the utmost care and support to make her as comfortable as possible when she most needed it. Sadly, another colleague of mine who was receiving care at Weston Hospice has also recently passed away. I am sure that the care she undoubtedly received from the dedicated staff at the Hospice would have comforted her family and friends during that very difficult time. You may recall that a close friend of mine received care at Weston Hospice before passing away in 2010. I know that her close family were very thankful for the care she received at the time.

We never know when we ourselves might be in need of the support that Weston Hospice and other hospices offer when we are at our lowest ebb. It is, however, reassuring to know that such support is there for all of us should we need it. Such places can only survive by raising much needed funds so I hope you will donate as much as you can for this very worthwhile charity. In return I promise I will put my heart and soul into all the training required to perform to the best of my ability in London on 21st April 2013.

Thank you for your support as always.

Dave