Mark Wilson - Fit at 40
£1,901.00 raised of £2,000.00 target
68 donations
My Target:
£2,000.00
£1,901.00 raised so far
How to make a donation
Donate online at - www.justgiving.com/fitat40
By mobile internet Scan this code on your smartphone to go straight to Mark Wilson's page.
By text message to donate £10 Text £10
to 70070
My story
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
"Fit at 40" is my challenge to lose weight, get fit, and raise money to fight Prostate Cancer, the most common cancer in men.
* * * For the latest updates check out the posts tagged Fit at 40 on my blog. You can also follow my progress on Runkeeper. * * *
I'm asking my friends, family, colleagues, and everyone else to sponsor me, but it's not for a single event.
This is what I'm doing, and why...
It's about me
At the time of writing, I'm 38 years old, about 5 stone heavier than I'd like to be (I'm about 17st 10lbs - or 113kg), and I've been this way for a few years now.
I know the problem: I like food; I don't do enough exercise; and I'm greedy. But I really want this to change - with your help...
Last year (2010), I ran the Harrold Pit Run, a 4.8K race in a village a few miles from where I live. In a few short weeks I worked hard to get from being unable to run to the end of the street, to running my first race, and I loved the experience.
I tried to keep up the running but I've struggled to keep going by pounding the pavements alone. Like cutting out the poor diet, I need something to motivate me and, after I ran another 5K race in Studland last summer, my wife came up with the idea of combining running, dieting, and fund-raising.
It's for my Dad
On 6 May 2009, I received a phone call to tell me my Father was in hospital. I knew he was receiving treatment for Prostate Cancer, but the doctors had thought everything was under control, telling him that he was more likely to die of something else before the cancer got him...
But the doctors were wrong - the cancer had spread, Dad was undergoing chemotherapy, and things were not looking good.
Dad died in the early hours of 9 May 2009. He was only 63.
It's for every man
* Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men.
* Every year 36,000 men are told they have prostate cancer.
* 96% of men don't know where the prostate is.
* In the early stages of the disease, you have no symptoms.
* At 50 you have a 1 in 11 chance of developing prostate cancer.
* Prostate cancer kills one man every hour in the UK.
There are several charities dedicated to prostate cancer research, support, information and campaigning but I've chosen to support The Prostate Cancer Charity because they work across all of these areas.
It's about helping me, remembering my Dad, and potentially benefiting every other man
By sponsoring me, you can help me stay motivated to shift that weight, get fit, and run a number of races for charity. In return, I'll donate all of the funds raised via this website to The Prostate Cancer Charity.
I'm asking my friends, family, colleagues, and everyone else to sponsor me but, instead of me asking you to sponsor me for a single event, I'm going to keep going until my 40th birthday, in just over a years' time.
Each time I lose another stone (that's just over 6kg), I'll ask you to come back and sponsor me some more. And each time I increase the distance I run in a major race, I'll come calling again.
I hope to run at least one 5K race over the winter months; and I've entered the BUPA London 10,000 next May too. We'll see how I go with the 5K and 10K runs, but it would be nice to think I might make it to a half-marathon before the end of my challenge in April 2012.
[Update: I ran the Buckingham 10K in October 2011 and am also running the Milton Keynes 10K in March 2012, but I'm risking injury if I run any further than 10K - judging from the knee pain it induces...]
If my friends, family, colleagues and online contacts could sponsor me just one or two pounds each time I either run a race or lose a chunk of weight, I’ll be able to reach my goal of raising £2000.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe – JustGiving have pledged never to sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to The Prostate Cancer 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 money, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
Thank you for helping me to be Fit at 40
Mark Wilson, January 2011
My gallery 6
My updates 1
Well, I did it! With you help, I hit my targets to lose just over 3 stone and run 3 races of 10K or above by my 40th birthday. Read more at http://www.markwilson.co.uk/blog/2012/03/fit-at-40-achievement-unlocked.htm - thank you everyone for your wonderful support!
My charity
The Prostate Cancer Charity
Charity Registration No. 1005541 and in Scotland (SC039332)
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. 37,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK every year and one man dies every hour. The Prostate Cancer Charity funds research, provides support and information, and campaigns to improve the lives of men with prostate cancer.
Donations 68
Happy Birthday Mark, Top result, great work. With your new slimmer shape it's down to you to dance topless this time at your bash.
Donation by Andy German on 21/04/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
Awesome result Mark. I'm so happy not just for you but for Nikki, Ben and Matthew too. Love to the family and see you all soon.
Donation by Garry Martin on 08/04/12
£220.00
+ £55.00 Gift Aid
Happy birthday Mark! Congratulations on all of your achievements in this campaign. I trust that you are suitably proud - as you should be.
Donation by Simon Coles on 07/04/12
£20.00
+ £5.00 Gift Aid
Happy Birthday Superslim Mark!! Huge congrats on your achievement and hope you've had an extra specially fab Birthday. xxxx
Donation by Tan, Mark, Laura & Eloise on 05/04/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
Well done Mark. Here's the extra dosh for the training runs we did. Hopefully I'll start running again soon.
Donation by karl richardson on 05/04/12
£5.00
+ £1.25 Gift Aid
Congratulations well done.
Donation by Colin Gadsby on 05/04/12
£10.00
Congratulations Mark on all the achievements of those 40 years. Enjoy your celebrations. Love Barbara & David x
Donation by Barbara Paige on 04/04/12
£20.00
+ £5.00 Gift Aid
Congratulations Mark. Nikki and the boys must be proud of you.
Donation by Simon on 04/04/12
£100.00
Well done, Mark. We are proud of you, keep up the good work
Donation by Tom and Chris on 04/04/12
£50.00
+ £12.50 Gift Aid
Hi Mark We are so impressed with your commitment and huge achievement. Have a fantastic 40th birthday xx.
Donation by Julie and Danny Langley on 02/04/12
£30.00
+ £7.50 Gift Aid
Donation by sheila wilson on 29/03/12
£40.00
Well done Mark. You've done much better than I ever would! Keep it up, not much further now to meet your target.
Donation by Alan Purchase on 23/03/12
£20.00
+ £5.00 Gift Aid
Saw you outside school the other day, looking very trim ! Well done, not long to go now..
Donation by liz lynch on 23/03/12
£20.00
+ £5.00 Gift Aid
Woohoo - all done. Congratulations, an amazing achievement which will have benefits for years to come!
Donation by David & Caroline Saxon on 22/03/12
£20.00
+ £5.00 Gift Aid
So impressed - well done Mark!
Donation by Ailsa Watkinson on 14/03/12
£5.00
+ £1.25 Gift Aid
You are awesome!!! Well done Mark
Donation by Libby & Fran on 06/03/12
Well done on your achievement so far. Keep up the good work!
Donation by kithsen, Natasha and children on 06/03/12
£30.00
+ £7.50 Gift Aid
Well done Knew you could do it. Mo x
Donation by Maureen Smith on 05/03/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
Another stone - well done Sir! Nearly there now, keep up the good work.
Donation by David & Caroline Saxon on 05/03/12
£20.00
+ £5.00 Gift Aid
Well Done Mark! We are SO proud of you! You've lost three stone and completed three 10K races in a year! A FANTASTIC ACHIEVEMENT!
Donation by Nikki, Matthew & Ben xxx on 04/03/12
£50.00
+ £12.50 Gift Aid
Great cause... Have fun running!
Donation by Michelle and Dave on 27/02/12
£20.00
+ £5.00 Gift Aid
I lost my husband to prostate cancer at only 64 years old. Good Luck with the 10k on 4th March.
Donation by Jennifer Mitchell on 25/02/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
Excellent achievement. I'm well impressed with the miles you are able to cover. Wish I could do the same. Mo Smith
Donation by maureen smith on 03/12/11
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
More when you get to your next milestone. Don't go celebrating with a big slap up meal!
Donation by Sarah German on 01/12/11
£2.00
+ £0.50 Gift Aid
Very well done, Mark !
Donation by Barbara & David Paige on 01/12/11
£25.00
+ £6.25 Gift Aid
Donation summary
- * Online donations£1,466.00
- Offline donations£425.00
- Text donations£10.00
- Total raised£1,901.00
- Gift Aid£312.08
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