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The rationale

 

Early in the new year I was given the chance to run the London Marathon. I had seen it a few times on television and done a handful of half marathons in the early 1980’s, so figuring it can’t be that hard I decided to enter. It also gave me the opportunity to raise money for St Leonard’s Hospice, albeit 17 years after I promised I would do and after many untimely reminders that this type of volunteer funded support is essential in a modern and caring society. 

 

Looking to the future, inspired by my daughter (who is climbing Kilimanjaro (easy peasy) then volunteering to work on projects in the area) I  want to try and help her to raise money for COCO, a charity founded by Steve Cram,  which aims to give education and healthcare to children living in poverty.  Like many people, I cannot comprehend how or why such poverty is allowed to continue but feel helpless to make any difference.  It is a crazy world.  I hope to give (approximately)  70% of monies raised to St Leonard’s Hospice and 30% to COCO.  Depending which link you hit will determine where your monies go (the site cannot split charities).

 

Reality

 

As I sit here typing this in some discomfort after a 20 mile run/walk on Sunday I finally realise that perhaps running 26 miles is not that easy and that I have somehow got old.  I cannot understand why all those hard training sessions in the 1980’s have not equipped me for this!  My (previously secret) target time has slipped from a comfortable and enjoyable 3 hours 30 minutes to finishing “sometime on Sunday in a bit of a mess” and I am facing the probability of being beaten to the finish by a young lady in a wedding dress!

 

That said, I have trained, I have lost a few pounds, I have pushed my physio into a higher tax bracket, I have bought new trainers and I have learnt (the hard way) exactly where to apply the Vaseline and plasters.  So I can do it and will do it.  Anything that you can spare to help me to support these two charities may just make the final few miles (from 16 on!) a little less torrid.

 

You can help make a difference! Thank you!

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