Some of you may remember the 90km bike ride I did last November in Sydney to raise money for sufferers of the muscle wasting disease Multiple Sclerosis. On Sunday October 22nd I am attempting, along with Lynsey, to do the Great South run to try and reach an overall target of £2,500. A total of £661 was raised in November so I'm hoping to beat that total and raise £2,500 this time.
To warm up for this event I'm doing the NIKE London 10km RUN on October 8th. The Great South Run is the sister race of the famous Great North Run and takes place in Portsmouth. The route is shown below.
http://gsr.realbuzz.com/event_information/images/GSR2005_Course.pdf
The reason I'm doing the run is cos my Uncle Tom died from MS. I remember when I was a young lad he used to play footy with me over the field and as I grew up I saw him go from a fit healthy person to bed ridden and struggling to speak or do anything for himself before he eventually died. It's a horrible heartless disease.
MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS consists of the brain, spinal cord, and the optic nerves. Surrounding and protecting the nerve fibers of the CNS is a fatty tissue called myelin, which helps nerve fibers conduct electrical impulses. In MS, myelin is lost in multiple areas, leaving scar tissue called sclerosis. These damaged areas are also known as plaques or lesions. Sometimes the nerve fiber itself is damaged or broken. Myelin not only protects nerve fibers, but makes their job possible. When myelin or the nerve fiber is destroyed or damaged, the ability of the nerves to conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain is disrupted, and this produces the various symptoms of MS.
I've never ran more than 3 miles flat out before so I'm probably going to have to cut down on the sausage rolls and will need a stretcher at the end but I'm determined to finish it. I'll be wearing my Boro shirt for the run to bring me good luck, hopefully I'll pass a few Portsmouth shirts on the way. Any help is most welcome. Come on Boro!
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Multiple Sclerosis Society will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.
Many thanks for your support.
