<p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Hello Everyone</span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">After last years effort to run the Belfast City Marathon, I plan this year to share the <em>miles</em> with Mark McDowell&hellip;.. I&rsquo;m very generous. Mark and I will be entering as a two person relay team and running a half marathon each. I am hoping to complete my leg in 2 hours and as Mark is a member of East Down Athletic Club he will probably run his leg in less that 1 &frac12; hours (no pressure Mark)&hellip;&hellip;so there will be a bit of competition for the other AMH relay team&hellip;they have 5 runners, Joanna Miskelly, Johnny Stevenson, James (Elvis) Costello, Bernie Best and David Babington. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">After running last years marathon I was waddling around with stiff legs the rest of the week but I did take some comfort from the fact that James (Elvis) Costello was waddling around as well even though he plays Irish League Football&hellip;. but he did have a good finish time. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">I ran the Larne &frac12; marathon on 25 March 2012 and my time was 2 hours 5mins, so I&rsquo;m hoping to run a bit faster this time. In saying that the first part of the Belfast marathon is all up hill so I could be a bit slower. The second have is all down hill and then flat so Mark has the easy part&hellip;he could be in for an even faster time!! </span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">As this is marathon season (listen to me marathon season indeed) I will also be entering in the Lisburn &frac12; marathon on 20 June and also the Ards &frac12; marathon on 29 June. I have been cautioned by some that both these &frac12; marathons include a bit of hill running so rather than going for a faster time to finish than previous runs I just want to <em>finish&hellip;!</em> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">I am unable to run in the Newry &frac12; marathon on the 3 June as guess what &hellip;&hellip;I will be carrying the Olympic Torch somewhere between Belfast and Portrush</span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">I have received confirmation that I will be an Olympic Torchbearer (that&rsquo;s what we are called, pretty cool hey) but my route to carry it has yet to be confirmed (don&rsquo;t think I will be allowed to carry it up the Antrim Road). My two sons Declan and Aidan nominated me last year and I got a conditional offer last December so now it has been confirmed. As Declan and Aidan nominated me through Coca- Cola I will be able to keep my torch as Coca-Cola said they would buy all the Olympic Torchbearers, nominated through them, their torch&hellip;.. what a souvenir. So if you are out and about that day somewhere between Belfast and Portrush look out for me&hellip; I will be in a white and gold running track suit (lovely) </span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">So now I will get to the point&hellip;I have re-opened my <em>Just Giving</em> page as it is <span style="color: black;">less than 1 week to go until my next &frac12; marathon (7 May 2012) I thought I would make all my effort (and Mark&rsquo;s) worthwhile and raise some money for Action Mental Health (AMH). As mention I have set myself a target time of 2 hours for each &frac12; marathon (fingers crossed) but if it all goes pear shaped at least I&rsquo;ll have lost a few pounds and AMH has gained a few pounds. If you are able to make a donation please visit my Just Giving page at </span></span><span style="color: #73645d; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.justgiving.com/John-Davis9"><span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Calibri&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"><span style="color: #0000ff;">http://www.justgiving.com/John-Davis9</span></span></a></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> </span> <span style="color: black;">to raise funds for services that support people who experience mental illness. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If anyone would like to join me at the start line in any of the runs (James (Elvis) Costello said he would be up for the Ards run) let me know and I&rsquo;m sure AMH&rsquo;s Fundraising Manager, Gavin McConvey will sort you out with a t-shirt (but he will also expect you to get a sponsor form filled in). </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is also a &frac12; marathon in Foyle sometime in September this year so I&rsquo;ll be keeping an eye on that.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last Sunday morning I ran the 13 miles plus (1/2 marathon distance), 7 miles where on the marathon route and I was on for a 2 hour finish. Just before mile 12 my blood sugars dropped to 3.9 so I needed to take some orange juice (when I am out for a long run I&rsquo;m like a pack mule with all the stuff I need to carry), so between walking and running the last mile or so I had a finish time of 2 hours 5 mins, &hellip;&hellip;maybe next Monday I will finish in 2 hours. I do need to thank Brenda Crummy, Diabetic Nurse from the Mater Hospital and Mark Kellet from Roche who got me sorted with a new arm wallet and blood sugar meter to lighten the load that I carry on these long runs. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I never thought that I would be ever be interested in or be physically able to run any distance&hellip;&hellip; and enjoy it! </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Please pass on this email to anyone else who would like to support AMH.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many thanks </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">John </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></p>