Raised: 18%
Target: £10,000.00
Raised so far: £1,805.00
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My story

 

Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

The answer to the question, “Can an overweight bloke in his late 40’s make it to the finish line?” is an emphatic yes, in a time of 2:40:53 at an average time of 7’.37”/km.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and I’m looking forward to next year.  Thank you to everyone who has sponsored me as I couldn’t have done it without the spur of your support.  So far thanks to everyone’s generosity I’ve managed to raise £1,500 for the hospice and there’s still more to come.

Due to my somewhat patchy (ok, let’s be honest nonexistent) training regime I had steeled myself to either walk or crawl the course so long as I finished it – I received a rather frightening email some weeks before the race advising me that I should be running 8 miles a day without a problem – at that stage cumulative mileage run still hadn’t broken this important barrier and it never got past 13.

I started the day at the very back.  I was so far back, the winner was half way round the course before I even crossed the starting line.  My fellow runners in the Pink Zone comprised a motley assortment of Smurfs, Teletubbies, Supermen and fairies.  The most memorable of all was a very bewildered old lady dressed as a squaw, in a wheelchair mocked up as a tepee, being pushed by a Red Indian – I don’t think she had a clue what was going on and one got the impression she might have been unwittingly borrowed for the day from a retirement home.

Fortunately, at a party late on Saturday night I met a fellow runner called Tracie who gave me some crucial last minute tips on technique much of which, such as “Don’t drink the night before” was too late to apply.  By chance we bumped into one another again at the start and ran in step together until the last mile of the race.  As can be seen from the before and after photographs the run has helped me lose weight, regain lost hair and shed years - if you've ever though of taking part but not got round to doing it please lstudy these powerful before and after images and just do it.

Thank you to everyone.

Much love

Goffy

Well done Mark. See you soon. Donation by Tim Trotter 07/10/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Goffy, I knew that the hairline would make you faster. When is the next one? Donation by Roly 24/09/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Many congratulations, Mark! - a great effort. Donation by Richard Rastall 23/09/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

well done! not bad for an old bloke!! Donation by susan gilbertson 22/09/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

We'll be rooting for you. Donation by Hannah, Holly, Brandon, Clare and Matthew 20/09/09  

Goffy - Good luck - at least you have not worn out any body parts by running too much for the intervening years! Let us know how it goes. Donation by Toby and Susie Lehmann 15/08/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Good Luck Goffy and well done Donation by Mark Spoor 05/08/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Donation by Macca 04/08/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Donation by Anonymous 03/08/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

One per week and we've cracked it!! Well done Mark - Good Luck Donation by JOHN S 29/07/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Great effort Goffy - best of luck Donation by Andrew Redmayne 28/07/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Donation by Anonymous 27/07/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Oh Dear, Oh Dear......been training? Donation by Howard Piper 27/07/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

I still say you're mad! Pace yourself! xx Donation by Marjory 25/07/09  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

Best of luck. I admire your spirit! Donation by Alan Fielder 25/07/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Good luck Mark. A most worthwhile cause! Donation by Ross Pullan 25/07/09  

£500.00 + £141.03 Gift Aid
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* Total raised online: £1,120.00
  Offline donations: £685.00
  Gift Aid plus supplement: £315.90

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