It happened one morbidly obese Tuesday evening in March.

During a rare and uncharacteristic moment of clarity, it occurred to me that moving and breathing need not be mutually exclusive. Once that penny dropped, I decided the pounds must follow (can you see what I did there? I’m here all week, etc). To stave off a particularly nasty dose of premature death – which I’m told one never quite recovers from – it was time to lose weight and get fit. Tentative beginnings saw me eating a bit less and exercising a bit more, which has now been going on for about twelve months and to the tune of 6 stone.

Early on, a bunch of us had decided on a whim to attempt the 2009 Reading Half Marathon, which seems only marginally less ludicrous now than it did then. The first time we went running I managed a few seconds’ dash before all but hacking up a lung. I’m optimistic about getting a bit further come race day, and what better motivation to do so than to have secured a slice of your hard-earned by way of sponsorship?

So this is where your generosity comes in! I’m hoping for sponsorship in aid of St. Michael's Hospice in Basingstoke, the excellent work of which will be familiar to many. In the words of a leading supermarket chain “every little helps”, and you can sponsor me safe in the knowledge that you’re making every single dark, rainy, cold, miserable, puffed-out training run 100% worthwhile.

Thank you for your help!