UPDATE  31 May 2010 ..

OK ....  I've finally run my marathon !  I spent the weekend in Chester and they put on a great marathon on the Bank Holiday Monday ... the weather was warm for the first half but clouded over much to everyone's relief.  I hit the wall at 18 miles and struggled between 18 to 23 miles but three Cadbury's brunch bars later and I found enough energy to get me to the line ...  I finished in 4:06:47 which I'm really pleased with.  Am definitely suffering tonight but hopefully for not too long ...  

Once again, many thanks to all of you who have encouraged, supported and sponsored me over the last few months through highs and lows ....  I feel very proud of the money you have donated and I know it will make a huge difference to Chase.  Thanks again ...       

UPDATE  21 March 2010 ..

Just wanted to thank you for the amazing donations everyone has been making .... I've up'd the total several times to keep up and your generosity has been greatly appreciated ... Had the Fleet Half Marathon today which was great fun ... amazing turn out ... having my name on the front of my shirt was definitely a good move since i was desperate for the support after 10 miles !!!  I finished in in 1:45:28 which I'm very pleased with ...  although I think I'm writing cheques my knees can't cash !!!    

UPDATE  11 March 2010 ...

Wow ...  I can't believe how much everyone has been donating ....  seriously, I'm really amazed and very grateful.  It's also very inspiring which is definitely needed since I'm half way through watching the Eddie Izzard Marathon runs on the telly as I type this and all I've seen so far is his agonising foot pain !!!  So, ignoring this completely, I'm going to press on with the Fleet Half Marathon in a week or so and I've also lined up the Golden Gate Headlands Half Marathon in San Francisco http://www.envirosports.com/events/golden-gate-headlands-marathon-half-marathon-7-mile whilst we're on holiday in California ....  ok, I know it's not everyone's idea of fun but I'm really excited about it !!   Although, getting back into Gatwick a day before the Brighton Marathon might not have been the smartest move ...  anyway, too late to turn back now ...  ;-)   Thanks for all your support ....  J

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Ok, so we've all thought it, right ? Watched the London Marathon and wondered how on earth they all manage to get round (even the team of chained-up three-legged parrots !) ...  and then you hear of a few friends who had done it and they all say what a fantastic experience it is (ok, to be fair, only those to make it round say that !) ...  and then it the idea starts ... small at first ... but after a few careless bets and dares it grows into a monster of a can't-go-back-now, mid-life crisis kind of idea that maybe, just maybe, you can pull this off and run one too !      

So ... here it is ... my marathon challenge ...  I'll be running the Brighton Marathon on 18 April 2010 (www.brightonmarathon.co.uk) ... it's Brighton's first marathon and probably my last !  Along the way, I'll be raising some money for a worthy cause - if someone offers enough, I'm sure I can persuade Dil to run it with me three-legged !  I'll also be taking in the sights and sounds of my old home town on 21 March 2010 running the www.fleethalfmarathon.com ...

I'll be undertaking this self-less act of not-inconsiderable pain for a local charity in Guildford called Chase that provides much needed help and support for life-limited children, teenagers and their families ... the kids they help will make every step worth while so please dig deep and donate as much as you can !!