The Background

 

I still remember the call, just before 6am on 31 December 2003, confirming that my Mum, Anna Smith, had passed away after a long period suffering from Motor Neurone Disease. A lot of people say these things can be a blessing when they happen and I certainly felt that way in the case of my Mum.

 

For those of you unfamiliar with MND, it is a particularly horrendous condition which gradually takes away physical and communication skills but not mental capability. This effectively leaves the patient ‘locked-in’ their body and suffering an increasing number of indignities as their condition deteriorates, all the time being fully aware of every degrading thing that is happening to them. It is an utterly harrowing condition for both patients and their families and there is no known cure as yet.

 

The Grand Plan

 

I’ve contributed to several charitable causes over the years but have never actually done anything to raise money myself so I thought with 2013 being the 10th anniversary of Mum’s death, I would like to raise funds for MND Scotland. A lot of people enter marathons to raise funds but I would like to do something a little different and run 3 half marathons (13.1 miles) during 2013: the general idea being 3 x 13 in ‘13.

 

These are as follows:

 

-          Rock ‘n’ Roll Edinburgh (14 April)

-          Edinburgh Marathon Festival (26 May)

-          Great Scottish Run Glasgow (6 October)

 

 

The Target 

 

£1,303.13 minimum (you can see what I've done there...)

 

The Training

 

So, how big a challenge is this? I have run half marathons before- 4 over the last 3 years- but never 3 in a calendar year. Also, every time I have entered one in the past, there’s tended to be something dodgy which has happened to me. From running with a chest infection (they say you shouldn’t do that- I quite agree: it was minging), to falling within the first mile and then running the next 12 miles bleeding and bruised (not recommended in the pages of ‘Runners World’ either) to various post-race ailments (normally the right knee. Or the left. Or a hip.) which friends rather uncharitably have described as ‘whingeing’.

 

Training has begun and I’ve completed 60 miles in each of January & February so I’m feeling on track so far. I’m on holiday in March so looking forward to altitude training in Mexico City (from past experience, the puffing / panting starts even earlier than usual) and then some beach runs in Zihuatanejo (see ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ for further details). And Peterhead.

 

Rest assured (?), I’ll keep you posted on progress with the exciting (??) prospect of training updates, race reports and ‘photos of me in my lycra taken in various far flung places around the globe. And Peterhead.

 

That’s got to be worth a bob or two, surely…?

 

 The Request

 

Please, please, please give as generously as you can. I am delighted that my employers- Barclays- will also be match funding so for every £ donated, Barclays doubles this up to ££.

 

Your donations will be going to such a worthwhile cause and you will have my eternal gratitude for your support of something which means a lot to me, my family and many others.

 

Thank you.

 

Paul ‘Twinkle Toes’ Smith