Nicholas Motson
Why do I do these things?
Fundraising for London's Air Ambulance
Story
"If I ever suggest doing this race again you have my permission to kick me where it hurts numerous times until I remember how broken I am at this moment" I typed these words in a hotel in Ouarzazate on 16th April 2016 after only managing to finish the Marathon des Sables with the aid of I.V. rehydration.
[adopts falsetto voice]: Don't worry my wife has fulfilled the role outlined above as on Sunday 8th April 2018 I will be on the start line to once again take on "the toughest footrace on earth", a 250km, 6 stage, self-supported run across the Sahara desert.
Why am I doing this again you might ask? Well there are 2 main reasons (one selfish and one less so).
The selfish reason is that I set myself 3 objectives last time:
- Don't die
- Finish the race
- Finish in the top 500
With the understanding that if any of the lower objectives put the higher ones at risk I would ditch them. Obviously, I achieved 1 & 2 but I'd like to have a go at achieving number 3.
The non-selfish reason is the following, I was persuaded to enter the race in 2016 by my best friend Jonathan Jenkins who I have known for nearly 30 years since we were undergraduates together at Cass Business School where I now work. Unfortunately, he failed to finish the race, dropping out on the long day having already had a drip & feeling unable to continue. Jonathan is now CEO of the London Air Ambulance & is taking a team of medics, pilots, past patients and supporters back to the desert to try again. So, I saw the opportunity to support him and also the great work of the air ambulance (which is 100% charity funded) by trying to help them reach their £50,000 sponsorship goal.
As last time I am bearing all the costs myself so 100% of any donation you can make will go direct to London Air Ambulance.
Training is going well thus far, I ran just over 320km in January and over 100km last week alone. Anything you can donate will be massively appreciated & make getting out of bed at 5:30am to run a half marathon before work so much easier to bear.......
Thanks in advance
Nick