Story
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">*UPDATE*</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've only gone and bloody done it! After all these months of training, I finally completed the race on the 22nd May in a time of around 4:40 - to be confirmed in Tuesday's paper.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">The weather was a bit mixed with strong winds, torrential downpours and the occasional blast of sunshine. The first 10 miles or so were fine, the next 10 were a bit tougher; but I have to say that the last 6 miles were absolutely brutal. We were running against gale force winds coming in off the coast and it felt like you weren't moving at times.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">However, I am absolutely delighted with the result and it was a fantastic experience. The atmosphere was great and the crowds were a real inspiration. I'd also like to thank my family for travelling across to cheer my on towards the finish line and a special thanks goes to my partner, Ailean, for getting me ready and looking after me throughout this whole adventure.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">Finally, I'd like to thank everyone who has donated to my cause and let you all know how much your generosity is appreciated. If you haven't donated yet, the site will be available for a few months - so feel free to drop by anytime if you would like to contribute.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">*UPDATE*</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thanks for visiting my page and taking the time to see what I’m up to this time!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">After too many years of living the life of a couch potato, I have gotten myself fit (well fit-er) and decided to participate in the 2011 Edinburgh Marathon as part of the Parkinson’s UK team.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aside from a long held desire to compete in a marathon, I wanted to do something worthwhile for a cause that was close to my heart.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">The only choice I could make here was to support Parkinson’s UK, as this was the debilitating illness that robbed my Grandfather of any quality of life in the last 5 years he had with us before he passed away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was an inspiration to me and to this day, still one of the best natured people I have ever met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His warmth was palpable, his wisdom extensive and I owe him an eternal debt for teaching me manners and the value of hard work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He contributed so much to making me the man I am, and it still pains me that he never really got to comprehend my success because of this condition; as I know it would have made him so proud.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">So now that you know my cause, and what I’m doing to support it, I would greatly appreciate your assistance! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every single donation is important and can contribute to this great cause in some of the following ways:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: small;">·</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">£2 – covers the cost of the charity’s ‘Being There’ DVD being sent to someone recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: small;">·</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">£26 – pays for a specialist nurse to answer calls on the Parkinson’s UK helpline for an hour</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: small;">·</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">£150 – is enough to fund a Parkinson’s nurse for a day</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: small;">·</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">£1,000 – would help fund a cutting edge research project into the condition for a week</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ll be posting new photos and updates on my training plan, which at the moment involves 3-5, 8km+ runs per week and lots of additional time doing circuits in the gym.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was quite looking forward to the groin strains, jogger’s nipple and thigh chafing…..until someone explained what they were; but I’m sure there will be some nurses on the course that would only be too happy to help me out with these conditions! ;-)</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am actually feeling reasonably confident about it but if I’m being quite honest, there is a chance that I might not actually win it; so I’m only going to promise to finish it…..even if it takes me all day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just checking the rules to see if you’re allowed to use a bicycle and I’ve already marked out a few cafés along the way, if anyone wants to join me for a coffee on my ‘breaks’! :0)</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">You should be able to pledge your donation on this page but if you do have any problems using the site, please feel free to email the site administrators for assistance: </span><a href="mailto:help@justgiving.com"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #0000ff; font-size: small;">help@justgiving.com</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thanks once again for your interest and your support!</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kind Regards, Scott</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">PS If anyone makes a really impressive donation, I might just do a ‘Paula’ and take a massive dump half way round the course!</span></span></span></p>