Updated on Oct 10th 2010 at 1:55 PM from the JustGiving API

Finished race 1 and a personal best too! 2hrs 11 mins: 2 minutes of my best time. 6 miles uphill and a ridiculous hill on the 12th mile which I thought was very rude! Well done to Claire and the Turner clan. :)

Updated on Oct 9th 2010 at 8:42 AM from the JustGiving API

24 hours until race! Just hoping that the weather will be kind this year, last year it tipped it down. Fingers crossed!

Please help!!!

I was quite happy being a fat (fatter), lazy, armchair sports fan who could be spotted enjoying a glass of beer/ red wine and maybe even a cheeky fag too. Then, one day, my life was hijacked by a cruel French charity worker who has taken me prisoner and insisting that I run the Swindown Half Marathon (October 10th) and the Birmingham Half Marathon (October 24th) before I am allowed to enjoy the delights of an alcoholic beverage again. In addition to this I must also raise some money for a very worthy cause. 

Now, if you think that running 13.1 miles is easy then think again, it's not - i've already done two half marathons this year already. However, spending almost 8 weeks without a beer, not even so much as a sniff of shandy is perhaps the real challenge! The good news is that because i'm doing this you don't have to. BUT you could show your support for your thirsty friend (and i am so very thirsty...) by donating some money to a wonderful charity. I will be running both half marathons for the Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children. 

Even by donating £1 - you can help this amazing charity fund vital pieces of equipment (such as wheelchairs, padded beds and car seats...) that will drastically improve the day-to- day lives of disabled and terminally-ill children. 100% of the money raised will go to help children living in the West Midlands. 

For more information and to find out how many children need help in your county, please visit the charity's website: http://www.newlifecharity.co.uk/county/index.shtml

If you would like to get involved in helping this charity then you can email aparker@newlifecharity.co.uk

So please give as much as you can to this very worthy cause. 

Thanks for your time :) Morg/Jon

PS. Please check back and follow my progress, the Swindon run is this Sunday (10th October). I will post an update to let people know just how thirsty I am getting!!