We are 7 work colleagues (Andrew, Jan, Hugh, Ian, Zoe, John and Mark) who have decided that 2009 is the year to do something that can make a real difference to other people and at the same time achieve a major life time goal.

We are taking part as a team in the Flora London Marathon 2009, one of the largest Marathons in the world with a capacity 46,500 expected to take part in 2009.

To further motivate us to meet this challenge, we are raising funds for WellChild the Children’s Charity (http://www.wellchild.org.uk). Child health problems affect many families across the UK from all backgrounds; rich or poor. WellChild supports these children and their families, while leading research into childhood illness and disease.

The team are now all training hard and are very much focused on being ready for the big day, April 26 2009, when we aim to make sure that your kind donations made in support of our efforts prove to be well placed.

Doing a marathon in April means lots of 6am training runs in the preceding months, those mornings when you can hear the rain battering off the window, when it's dark and cold.  No more lazy Sunday afternoons with a glass of wine.......but we are confident the effort will pay off and it will be well worth it on the day.

So, please, please sponsor us.  We truly appreciate every penny and every piece of support no matter how big or small.  And for those of you in and around London, we thoroughly recommend coming along to watch on 26th April.  It is an inspiring and enjoyable day out. 

Thank you.

Andrew, Jan, Hugh, Ian, Zoe, John and Mark.

Please click here for our marathon training blog

Team Quotes
Andrew (aka Mr B): "This is the third time I've been involved with a Bluefin Fundraising Team in the London Marathon (second time with WellChild) and my fifth FLM.  From an early age I have always wanted to run the London Marathon, but it took me until I was 30 to realise my ambition.  You could say that I have the marathon bug, having run several since then, but I have always run with a charity in mind.  WellChild is a fantastic organisation to be doing this for, and with your donations and support makes what we do all worth while.  Thank you."

Jan (aka The Flying Dutchman): "Running the marathon was always on my list of things I wanted to achieve but I never committed myself to actually doing it. Running for Well Child in the Bluefin team felt like the perfect opportunity for me to realise my own ambition and at the same time support the important work of Well Child. Special thanks to my dad who has taught me to run. I am afraid his best time (2.36) is still way out of my league...I hope you will give generously - I will certainly give all I can on the 26th April!"

Hugh (aka the Silver Fox): "This is my Third FLM so I'm becoming a veteran in more ways than one. What an amazing experience the London Marathon is and from my previous association with WellChild, I know that they are a great cause to support. My previous times have been 5:25 in 2007, 4:28 in 2008 and so I am aiming for under 4 hours for 2009 and the world record by the time of the London Olympics. Please support the Silver Fox in his quest for glory!"

Ian (never accept anything for free): "This will be my second crack at 26miles and 385 yards of Londons streets. In 2007 (the hottest FLM ever!!) I completed it in 5:35 with blisters appearing at mile 7. This year I have managed to get a “free” place and linked up with Wellchild to support them as they really do make a difference. I shall be hoping for better training and equipment having started running earlier and spent some money on some decent trainers. Please support me otherwise I may have to do it again next year!"

Zoe: "As a marathon virgin, I'm really excited, really scared and confident this is a thoroughly mad idea!  But I'm running for all of you, who I know will have the good sense to enjoy watching telly, keeping warm and relaxing while I pound the London streets in the dark, wet and cold struggling to get fit enough to complete the 26 miles!  I promise a smile, good humour, a blister and a plaster for each of you and hope you'll make a donation to 'Well child' in support of my trot and hobble ... probably my first and last!!"

Mark: "Running a marathon has always been one of my goals.  I'm really looking forward to the having the double privilege of exploring my home town whilst raising money for disabled and chronically ill children in the UK with WellChild"