Story
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">UPDATE 30.04.11</span></strong></p>
<p>I have agreed to run in the wedding dress again (despite the fact that I've still not worked out how to wash it...) at the <strong>Great Yorkshire 10k </strong>on Saturday 4th June which is part of the <strong>Bridlington Festival of Running </strong>which spans the whole weekend. The race organisers have very kindly said they will donate some of the proceeds from the race to Yorkshire Cancer Centre in return for some publicity - how cool is that?! I could hardly refuse. To make this more of a challenge, I have decided to state right here and now that I will be aiming for sub-50 minutes for the 10k in the dress (gulp!).</p>
<p>I have also upped my fundraising target from my original £500 to £2,000. I had originally kept it at £500 to show how wonderful all my friends and family and supporters were in helping me smash this target. However, as my total is creeping up and to recognise the unplanned decision to race for a second time in the dress, I felt it appropriate to raise my target and see how close I can get. So if you have not already sponsored me, please please do - thank you! Read on below to find out why I chose to run for Yorkshire Cancer Centre... Thanks so much, Eleanor.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">UPDATE 19.04.11 - I am now an official Guinness World Record holder!!</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">I completed the London Marathon on Sunday 17th April 2011 in a time of 4.11.01, in my wedding dress and veil and was told as soon as I crossed the line that I had got the Record. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">It was a really hot day and I did find it extremely tough but I pushed on and kept going, using the inspiration of everyone I know who has had the courage and strength to battle through cancer. It was an extremely emotional day and after my many photos and 2 radio interviews at the finish line I'm not ashamed to admit that I burst into tears and didn't stop crying for at least 15 minutes! </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Many thanks to my running club friend Amy who ran the whole way with me, thanks to everyone who cheered me on during the race, those who have sent me kind messages of support and of course everyone who has, or is about to (if you are reading this!) sponsor me. I'm thrilled to bits to have raised so much money for Yorkshire Cancer Centre and would love to reach £2,000 but have left my fundraising target at my original £500 to show how incredible my fantastic friends, family and those who I have met along this incredible journey have been. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800080;"><strong>The Charity</strong></span></p>
<p>I am raising money this year for the Yorkshire Cancer Centre based at St James' University Hospital here in Leeds. Two of my work colleagues, Dianne Ellis and Jane Eyre, have had to battle breast cancer in the last two years and the Centre have provided comforts which they said they both really appreciated throughout their treatments. I am hoping to help the Yorkshire Cancer Centre raise as much money as <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">possible to continue their clinical research, purchase the latest medical and scientific equipment needed, provide arts projects to help uplift and heal patients and provide ‘home from home’ comforts for those who attend.</span><span style="color: #800080;"><strong></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800080;"><strong><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">The Costume + World Record Attempt</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Many of you will know that I have run 2 London Marathons in my purple tutu outfit and 1 in my Supergirl costume. This year I decided to go one step further to celebrate my forthcoming wedding this summer, and run the marathon in a full wedding dress! I have also applied to set a new Guinness World Record for 'Fastest Marathon in a Wedding Dress' to fulfil a childhood ambition of getting in the record books...<br /></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800080;"><strong><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Justgiving / Giftaid blurb</span></strong></span></p>
<p>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 charity 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.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone, your support means a lot.</p>
<p>Eleanor xx <br />(soon to be Mrs Gallon!)</p>