*** UPDATE: A huge thank you to all who have supported me and CHIVA Africa.  I finished the marathon in under 5 hours & 5 mins so I'm really pleased. The conditions were very hot but I really enjoyed it!

Split times: Total time - 05:04:41
10k: 01:08:42
Half: 02:27:45
30k: 03:33:44
Marathon: 05:04:41

Hurray! ***

Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.

The charity I have chosen to run the marathon for is CHIVA Africa.  I have a family friend who is an integral part of the CHIVA Africa team.  They work mainly in KwaZulu Natal (KZN) which is an area that is deeply affected by HIV and often described as the epicentre of HIV in South Africa.  The charity provides teaching and support to healthcare professionals to treat children with HIV.

I have been training for the marathon since October 2009.  It is in Edinburgh on the May 23rd.  So far I have run 291 Miles in training for it (including many cold and icy runs during January!).  I am very slow, but have been steadily increasing my distances week by week. Although it would be nice to finish the race in less than 5 hours, realistically, my main target is to simply cross the finish line before sunset!  The training has been mostly enjoyable but tough.

Below is the mission statement of CHIVA Africa.  Any donation will have very real and far reaching effect on the lives of children and their families.

*   MISSION: Teach healthcare professionals to care for children with HIV and their families  *

There is lots more information about the charity and what it does here: www.chiva-africa.org

Thanks for your support!

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