Hello.

You'll be pleased to know that both Novak & myself finished the marathon alive!! ;-)

Novak did it in 5hrs 20mins, which is pretty amazing considering he did next to no training!!

I managed to run the first 10 miles without stopping with no problem but then slowed to grab a bottle of Powerade which resulted in my right knee giving way and my crumpling to the floor... I got up but had a huge amount of pain in my knee and along the side of my leg... I limped for about a mile before having to sit down on the side of the road to miserably watch all of the other runners pass by... I sat there for a few minutes and then tried to get up and walk again but that just ended with me falling down again and the realisation that the marathon must be over for me. I was just about to burst into tears of frustration, when a guardian angel stopped on a pushbike to ask if I was okay? I told him I couldn't walk and he identified himself as a sports therapist and that perhaps he could help me. He did indeed help me with some stretches and a bit of a massage, telling me that I had damaged my IT band. He said it was very common with inexperienced runners and that if I wanted to even attempt to finish the marathon, I would need to get an ice pack on the knee to stop the swelling and reduce the inflammation. He made it so I could walk again, even if still in much pain, and so I walked for another mile or so to near the halfway point where I found the St John Ambulance... They strapped on an ice pack and sometime later my knee was feeling much improved... As I passed the half-way point, I could see/hear the 100s of runners finishing the marathon on Madeira Drive, which was rather depressing, but as the ice pack worked it's magic I became more determined to finish. There were still 13 miles to go and I was limping badly but because the pain had subsided so dramatically due to the ice pack, I was suddenly feeling optimistic & somewhat buoyant... The cooling by the ice enabled me to break into a run for short bursts but running against people so close to the finish was hard although the crowds were still so encouraging and as I turned up towards Hove I felt a renewed sense of belief in myself actually finishing. That soon dwindled to disbelief as I ran against returning runners again into Hove not having a clue when the turn around would come... Seeing the Sussex MS Treatment Centre stand on that stretch helped me remember why I was subjecting myself to this hell however...  Each time the ice pack wore off my leg would start to seize up again & so I'd need to limp to the next St. John Ambulance station and have a new one applied (They were all so lovely and helpful!) and then limp along until the swelling/pain subsided again before attempting a run... This would be the recurring theme throughout the rest of the marathon... Many moments of despair and disbelief followed by renewed vigour and elation at the possibility of finishing the run which can only be described as a nightmare or prolonged torture, albeit self imposed. (Severe pain in my left ankle, a bloody right big toe & blisters a plenty need not be expanded on!)
The people still out cheering as I returned back through Hove were a real help... Extremely motivating. Something that was also compelling me to keep going was the fact that my parents would be waiting just past the 21 mile mark at the turn around by Shoreham Power Station... The run through that hideous industrial area was probably the worst part... Very uninspiring, drab and empty of spectators... Running against lots of exhausted and miserable runners with the monotony only broken up by visiting the occasional St. John Ambulance for a re-application of my ice pack but even they were tired and bored-looking by that point! I kept going though, happy in the thought of seeing my smiling, proud, encouraging family at the far point of the run into Southwick and the turning point into the final 4 1/2 mile stretch along the seafront to the finish line. As I encircled the power station and began the return run it was sadly apparent that my family had given up and gone, believing most probably that I'd not made it! This was really sad but at least the belief they were there had kept me going and now I only had that return stretch along to the finish line, which was essentially on my way home anyway! ;-)
That last few miles were particularly awful but there was a sense that it was now in the bag, so I just had to do it as quickly as possible and end the nightmare... People were still cheering but the seafront was littered with people meaning that I had to do lots of weaving in and out to get through... I kept seeing runners in various states... Ancient, huge or dressed up in some impossible costume, so I made a push to overtake as many of these as I possible could, running the last two miles without stopping and I crossed the line in 6Hrs 33mins!! Woohoo, although it was all a bit of an anticlimax as there was not any personal fanfare, nobody to meet/greet me, no charity to congratulate although I did get my lovely medal, a t-shirt, some bananas and a fantastic massage in the charity tent. ;-D
I was worried that Novak had not finished but soon learnt he had done it in such a great time... He thought I'd finished it before him and waited for me for ages, again without any friendly faces to congratulate him either, before limping home... So, I tried to walk but had to get a taxi home where we were able to congratulate each other and compare injuries!! We've both said never again but are super-happy we've completed a marathon and that we've raised so much money for the charity... Happy days!  ;-)

Thank you all so much for your generosity... Massively appreciated... But please keep it coming!!

Lots of love, Jason & Novak xxxx



Hello & thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page.

We have both agreed to run the first Brighton Marathon (also our first!) on the 18th of April 2010, in aid of the fantastic Sussex Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Centre.

We are doing this because my wonderful father has MS and he uses the centre for all sorts of necessary treatments that aren’t available to him on the NHS...

The centre really is a fantastic place, where they use all money received from fund-raising to provide front line services which help people with Multiple Sclerosis to stay fit, active and cheerful! 

They have yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, voice work and fitness classes, along with dedicated therapists who provide a variety of drug-free therapies to help maintain attendees well-being.
My father, once a fit & active farmer, is confined to a wheelchair these days and so has shiatsu twice a week, uses the gym, which has an invaluable standing frame with other machines that help him stand and move in ways that he would otherwise find impossible, and even a bicycle that allows him to have an automated bike ride! All of this helps to keep him supple, improves his circulation and does wonders for his psyche!
They also have a pressurised oxygen chamber to help relieve the symptoms that come with MS, and slow the progression and impact of nerve damage. 
Social events are always a sell out - Flamenco, Curry and Jazz, Christmas dinner etc...  Everyone knows that when they go there, they won't feel self conscious because they will be amongst friends and any special needs they have will be fully recognised and catered for.

Without this Centre, many would return to the struggle of coping with the ups and downs of MS in isolation.  This place is full of inspirational people, who live life to the full and they can go there knowing that they will leave feeling uplifted and ready to face the world.

We both love Dad very much and The Sussex MS Treatment Centre gives the whole family such peace of mind, as it allows us to relax to a degree knowing that he is being well looked after... We’d be lost without the place & are so very grateful to all those at the centre... Very sincere thanks to them all... Please support it as much as you can.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now...
REMEMBER YOU ARE SPONSORING TWO PEOPLE TO RUN 26 MILES EACH!! ;-D

“Multiple Sclerosis is a disease in which the fatty myelin heaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms. Disease onset usually occurs in young adults, and it is more common in females. It has a prevalence that ranges between 2 and 150 per 100,000. MS affects the ability of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to communicate with each other. Nerve cells communicate by sending electrical signals called action potentials down long fibres called axons, which are wrapped in an insulating substance called myelin. In MS, the body's own immune system attacks and damages the myelin. When myelin is lost, the axons can no longer effectively conduct signals. The name multiple sclerosis refers to scars (scleroses—better known as plaques or lesions) in the white matter of the brain and spinal cord, which is mainly composed of myelin. Although much is known about the mechanisms involved in the disease process, the cause remains unknown. Theories include genetics or infections. Different environmental risk factors have also been found. Almost any neurological symptom can appear with the disease, and often progresses to physical and cognitive disability. MS takes several forms, with new symptoms occurring either in discrete attacks (relapsing forms) or slowly accumulating over time (progressive forms). Between attacks, symptoms may go away completely, but permanent neurological problems often occur, especially as the disease advances. There is no known cure for MS. Treatments attempt to return function after an attack, prevent new attacks, and prevent disability. MS medications can have adverse effects or be poorly tolerated, and many patients pursue alternative treatments. The prognosis is difficult to predict; it depends on the subtype of the disease, the individual patient's disease characteristics, the initial symptoms and the degree of disability the person experiences as time advances. Life expectancy of patients is nearly the same as that of the unaffected population.”