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2011 will be another challenging year for me. In March I run a Coastal Trail Marathon at Seven Sisters in Sussex. Then in April I run my 10th London Marathon and finally, in May, I run my third Comrades ultra-marathon over 56 miles (90kms) between Durban and Pietermaritzburg in South Africa (my first “up-run”). As the years roll by my times get longer and it seems unlikely that I’ll ever break the 4-hour barrier for the marathon again. That said I did a personal best in the 2010 Comrades, beating my 2009 time by a minute in 10 hours 54 minutes and 17 seconds!   As well as raising over £4,000 for Build Africa last year I also took great pleasure in delivering over 100 caps to the disabled children of the Ethembeni School at Inchanga (just before the half way point of the Comrades), generously donated by colleagues and friends. “Ethembeni” means “Hope” which was my reward when, on race day with my spirits at rock bottom and with another 30 miles to go, I ran past these poor children who, despite their disabilities and the heat, urged me and the other runners on with high-fives and cheers. It brought tears to my eyes….and still does today.   That feeling and the knowledge that the funds I’m raising are helping other children and young people in Build Africa’s projects is worth a lifetime of PBs and it’s what keeps me challenging myself each year. Please make it worthwhile and give generously.   Thanks, Richard

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