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I am 60 years of age and will be running my first marathon next April. Thirteen years ago I decided to improve my fitness levels and started going for a gentle jogs from my Northampton home aound the local park. I entered my first race, the Marie Curie 10k at Althorp in 2002. Since then I have run many 10k races and completed the Flora London Half Marathon at Silverstone in 2004 in 2 hours 13 minutes. I have subsequently run the course on two further occasions, eventually beating the two hour barrier at the third attempt.

Since moving to Dorset in 2006, I have completed the Bournemouth Half Marathon twice and continued to enter local races. I have also joined the Egdon Heath Harriers, a local running club who meet for training runs at different South Dorset villages during the summer months. I enter several 10k races each year and occasionally progress to the 10 mile mark. I also have a friend, Mark with whom I run most Saturday mornings around the roads and paths of Puddletown and Tolpuddle.

To run 26 miles seems a very daunting task; My ideal would be to complete the race in 4 hours, four and a half will be acceptable. 

I do not normally ask for sponsors, but feel that if I can achieve this distance, then that will for me be quite an achievement. I have chosen Oxfam as my nominated charity. My parents and I have always supported Oxfam and feel that their support for long term projects and emergency help to improve the lives of people in the Third World. I help in the local Oxfam shop in Dorchester one day per week which is most enjoyable.

My first race this year, the Milbourne 10 was cancelled due to the icy road conditions. I completed the Blackmore Vale Half Marathon on 7th February. It was a tough course with a nasty uphill bit over the last mile, but I managed a respectable 1 hour 50 mins 45 secs, The next week's  training was put on the backburner but I was able to run the Lytchett 10 Mile Race in under 1 hour 23 mins. I upped my training runs to 15 miles and completed the Mad March Hare Race on 14 March, a 20 mile course in just over 3 hours 17 mins. I felt some pain on the second part of the course but just about managed to get around. A fortnight later I managed the Bournemouth Bay Half Marathon in just under 1 hour 50 mins and felt good. Then a week later I tried 16 miles and my muscles tightened again so I am now under the physio. Worse was to follow with a nasty cold this week, so it is lying low and hoping for the best.

Well all over now, am happy with the outcome 4 hours 24 mins 18 seconds position 17274. The race was not without pain but the reception from the Oxfam team at the end was brilliant. Money still coming in, over £800 in total.