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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-Johnson, you will find details of why I am supporting Weston Hospicecare. On this page, I am supporting the mental health charity, Mind. Many of us will experience some form of mental illness during our lives. Factors such as childhood experience, the unrelenting pace of modern society, financial hardship or bereavement can all result in our developing mental health problems; or we might simply be more prone to becoming ill due to hereditary reasons. Whatever the causes, mental illness can be devastating and life changing for those who directly experience it and also for their family and friends. Mind are there to ensure that anyone with a mental health problem has somewhere to turn for advice and support. As well as directly supporting those with mental health problems, Mind are striving to ensure that all people experiencing mental illness receive support and respect; that people experiencing mental health problems are given the opportunity to fully participate in society; that those suffering with mental illness are not discriminated against and that there is a continuing improvement in the services and support generally available to those who suffer with mental illness.

I am sure that most of us will know someone who has suffered with mental illness at sometime in their lives. I have witnessed at close hand how mental health problems can impact on the person who is ill as well as those close to them. My wife, Sue, has for many years battled with bipolar disorder and was forced to sacrifice a successful career in social work as a direct result of the illness. Despite the progress that has been made, there is still a reluctance for some people to admit to experiencing mental illness for fear of the repercussions in terms of, for instance, losing their job or how others might perceive them. However strong we may think we are, we are all potentially susceptible to mental illness during our lives. It is, therefore, reassuring to know that charities such as Mind are there to support those who have no one else to turn to.

Running 26.2 miles around London on 21st April 2013 will be a serious physical challenge for me. Your wonderful generosity in the past has maintained my motivation during the long winter months of training. I hope you will support me once again and, in return, I promise I will train as hard as I possibly can to ensure that my performance in April is as good as it can possibly be.

Thank you for your support as always,

Dave