Story
<p class="iphone-update"><strong>Job done!</strong></p>
<p class="iphone-update"><strong>First blog update (4th May) is </strong><a href="http://irunbecause.blogspot.com/2011/05/ballad-of-barefoot-dave-part-one.html">available here</a>. </p>
<p class="iphone-update">Second (17th August) is <a href="http://irunbecause.blogspot.com/2011/08/ballad-of-barefoot-dave-part-two.html">available here</a>.</p>
<p class="iphone-update">Third (8th Sept) is <a href="http://irunbecause.blogspot.com/2011/09/ballad-of-barefoot-dave-part-three.html">available here</a>.</p>
<p class="iphone-update">Fourth & Final (19th Sept) is <a href="http://irunbecause.blogspot.com/2011/09/race-report-great-north-run-2011-aka.html">here</a>, which includes a pretty thorough race report. Enjoy!</p>
<p class="iphone-update">***</p>
<p><span style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: Arial; line-height: 19px;">Oh yes, here we are again dear friends. Dave's running another race - snore - but this time it's different. This time he's taking a collection bucket, and leaving the running shoes at home... </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; line-height: 14.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #1c1c1c;">In September 2011 I will be taking on the BUPA Great North Run, tackling 13.1 miles of Newcastle's finest tarmac in my poor, unsuspecting bare feet.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: 14.25pt; vertical-align: baseline; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #1c1c1c;">Never without a cause, I'm doing this to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society. </span><span style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #353535; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">The Alzheimer's Society is the leading support and research charity for people with dementia, their families and carers</span><span style="font-family: Arial; padding: 0cm; border: 1pt none windowtext;"><span style="color: #353535;">. </span></span></span></span><span style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #1c1c1c; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Dementia describes a group of diseases and conditions, characterised by loss of memory, mood changes and communication problems.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: 14.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #1c1c1c;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: 14.25pt; vertical-align: baseline; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #1c1c1c; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><span style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">These are a progressive conditions where symptoms get steadily worse; affecting families, relationships and lifestyles, making many people's lives challenging, stressful and difficult. </span><span style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dementia affects 750,000 people in the UK, including some who are important to people who are important to me.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: 14.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #1c1c1c;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; line-height: 14.25pt; vertical-align: baseline; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #1c1c1c;">As you may know, I've run one or two races before, but always with the comfort and security of a couple of inches of highly scientific rubber between my feet and the ground. This time will be very different - running with either completely naked feet or just the micron-thin rubber of my Vibram FiveFinger shoes (which are really more like gloves). The net effect on my feet, ankles and knees will be the same: the only difference is that the Vibrams will keep the broken Brown Ale bottles from lacerating my toes. I'll make the decision nearer the time...</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: 14.25pt; vertical-align: baseline; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #353535; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><span style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I hope you'll think my mad self-punishment might be worth some of your hard-earned cash for an excellent cause. Here comes the friendly small print:</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: 14.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #1c1c1c;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; line-height: 14.25pt; vertical-align: baseline; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #1c1c1c;">Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the Alzheimer's Society and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; line-height: 14.25pt; vertical-align: baseline; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #1c1c1c;">With love and thanks,</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; line-height: 14.25pt; vertical-align: baseline; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: #1c1c1c;">'Barefoot' Dave</span></p>
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