Welcome to my Marathon web page

Last year I promised myself the famous marathon runners’ pledge “Never again!” I had just run 26.2 miles dressed as a clown with a giant head.  It had been pouring with rain all day and with every drop the suit got heavier and heavier and I got slower and slower.  So why now do I find myself preparing to line up on the blue line once again?  After 15 marathons, totalling 393 racing miles around the world as well as countless other training miles and smaller races, why put my body through it again and why don the clowns outfit one more time?

The outfit is large and hot but the most distinctive thing about it is the head.  The head is especially large and rolls about a lot, making vision blurred and moving in a straight line difficult.  In order to make this year’s race easier I have spent many evenings training in order to re-create this sensation!  I am confident this will help to get through the day!

Last year I ran at the last minute in memory and in place of my friend Steveo who died of a heart attack while training for the big race.  The year before, I ran in memory of my good friend Paul who died as a result of stomach cancer.  Because of this I understand the impact that suffering or loss has on family, friends and those around them.  Life has a habit of serving things up but what can you do about it, especially when you hear of a life threatening illness in a young child whether you know them or not?

I have met some people who do make a difference.  The Doctors who dedicate a life of study and work to helping to alleviate and in some cases cure the illnesses that blight young lives.

The scientists who work tirelessly to find a cure that will prevent these illnesses from occurring in the first place.

With only 2 O’levels to my name I’m hardly qualified for either vocation in life.

Then I’ve met the staff at Round Table Children’s Wish.  Both the few employees and the many volunteers who either raise money or literally go about the hard job of making wishes really happen.  If you look at the charities website; www.rtcw.org  you can see the type of wishes that get granted.  They are usually fairly simple ranging from a lap top (very useful for the frequent hospital stays), a bike, to meet a band or sportsmen or often to take a simple holiday.  Things that you and I could probably afford or arrange without too much difficulty, things we probably take for granted. The charity has 3 strict criteria for granting wishes:

1: It’s open to any child from any background that is suffering from a life threatening illness.

2: It is the only wish granted by a charity.

3: What I view as most important.  It is the child’s wish and only theirs. Not a parents, not a friends but something that will really mean something to them and bring them happiness and memories for a life time. (However short that life may be.)

The staff at the charity make all the difference to these young people lives.

Lastly the people who make a real difference, the young people themselves.  I have been lucky enough to meet a few who have been granted wishes and it really does inspire and put your own lives minor strains and stresses in perspective.  They carry on happy leading normal lives, smiling, laughing and just being children whatever is going on around them.

By running 26.2 miles I can make a bit of a difference again.  Maybe the cost of 2 laptops.  Put that way I can make a small difference and so can we all.  Distance and pain even dressed as a clown is only relative.

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. Please dig deep and sponsor me online.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Round Table Children's Wish Limited will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor me now!

Many thanks for your support.