Hi All,

On July 9 2011 my life changed forever, I still remember as if it was yesterday when I was told that my Dad had passed away. Since then it has been an emotional rollercoaster days, weeks and months have gone by and I still sometimes can’t believe that it happened. Over the last ten years my Dad was in a very difficult place and in a battle which in the end there was only one winner. My Dad suffered over the last few years especially with Alcoholism but never once admitted to himself that he wasn’t well and that he needed help. If he did than maybe he would still be here today....It’s always seen that someone who drinks alot is always doing so out of enjoyment; yes it may start this way but i have seen it at firsthand what the effects can be once someone loses control and falls into that trap of when the drinking becomes a necessity in their everyday lives. As with my Dad once he fell into this trap he didn’t once enjoy any of his drink and it became a need that he relied on to get himself through day by day, and unfortunately for him and for us he couldn’t get out of this trap. Not only was this tough for him but also tough for loved ones around him, people do and say silly things when they are under the influence and my Dad was no different.

For a while I was thinking of ways that I could help other people who were in the same situation just too simply raise awareness to others that help is out there and encourage them to use it. So I came across a charity called Addaction who have kindly offered me a place in the London Marathon 2012 (26.2 Miles) on April 22 2012, and I will be running this in memory of my Dad who passed away in July.

Addaction is a charity that does some fantastic work to help people like my Dad who needed the help, loved ones that are left behind and people that need help rebuilding their lives. So I ask you all kindly too please donate to support my Marathon run. This will be my first ever full marathon (I ran the Great North Run in 2006 13.1 Miles) and I want to raise as much money as possible for this fantastic charity.

I have a set a minimum target of £1500 , but don't want to stop at this and want to raise as much as possible with your help.

My progress on training can be followed on Twitter @HappyDhaliwal30

Please check out Addaction on http://www.addaction.org.uk/ 

This is for you Dad, Love and Miss You Everyday....x

Thank you all for your support.

Harpreet

x

 Update April 21st 2012

Tommorow i will take on one of the biggest challenges of my life. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone of you who have sponsored me and supported me over the last 4 months during training and over the last 9 months since my Dad passed away. I have just sponsored my self £100 and together you have helped me smash the 4k mark. Unfortunately for me there is no amount of money that will ever bring my Dad back but what this money will do is try ensure that someone else out there doesnt loose their Dad in the same way I did mine. When my Dad passed away i really wanted to do something to help people who suffer with an issue that is often ignored or overlooked in our culture. The truth is it shouldnt be overlooked and noone should be ashamed of it, i encourage you all to take the right steps to help those who need it because its not easy for anybody who is involved. I would be happy to help anyone reading this if they want to talk to someone or if they need any help with regards to this issue because im telling you at first hand it dont get any easier if you ignore it. The last few months have been tough both mentally and physically but ive tried my best to get myself prepared for this as best i can overcoming many challenges...e.g coming home from a long day at work and then going for a run, or being feeling upset and then still going out to hit the roads, overcoming lots of injuries with my left knee and foot especailly. This marathon journey hasnt helped me come to terms with the loss of my Dad because that will never happen, but what it did do is give me the strength and courage to get through day by day over the last few months knowing i am trying to help others and it has helped me learn to live with the loss of my Dad on a daily basis. Everyday i wish i did more for him while he was with us to help him overcome his battles but the sad thing is i only really understood the full effects of this issue when it was too late.If i can help just one other person overcome this battle id be happy. There is not a day that goes by that i don't miss my Dad but then i think to myself its selfish of me to want him back as the amount he was suffering was no way for anyone to live on a day in day out basis..and it is this what gives me one of my biggest motivations. No matter how much my leg or foot hurt me over the last few months or how much it will hurt me tommorow it can never compare to what he went through and this will keep me going and I will give it my all, every mile i run every step i take he will be in my thoughts and ill crawl over that line if i have to. Once again id like to thank you all for your messages and support i couldnt have got this far without you all...by supporting me for this marathon you have not only helped rebuild my life but you will help others rebuild theirs...Thank you for reading... x

Update - 22nd April

A Crazy Day - Thanks to #TeamDhaliwal who come to support me on the day...and for all your bbms, texts etc wishing me good luck. My legs,feet and knees are destroyed and here is why : First 6.25 m - Felt ok, running at my training pace managed to do this in 1hr 14 mins. Then at about 7.75m i felt my left foot swell up.. so much to the point i had to stop...so i went to st johns ambulance at mile 8... and got it iced for abotu 10 mins and bandaged and carried on ... but the pain got worse...had to stop again at mile 9 and got the bandage removed and iced it again...and then the woman got me to fill out a bloody form..this took about 15-20 mins....The pain was really bad now by this point i couldnt even walk let alone run and at this point the challenge that lay ahead just got bigger...I had to call the team to bring me my gels and sprays at mile 10, rubbed my gels in my left foot and got up and carried on. The next 6.25 miles took me 2hrs and 15 mins because i got an injury so early on. I was asked if i wanted to continue ...but there was only one answer and that was to do what i said i was going to do. I managed to make up some time in the next 6.25 miles which took me to 18.75M and this took me 1hr 30mins after being barely able to walk previously...the next 6.25 miles took me 1hr 38 mins bearing in mind i had an injury and just ran 18 miles. My overall time was a disappointing 6hrs 45 mins. The goal of this marathon has always been to COMPLETE and has never been anything else....i did that although i felt the injury really put me up against it. The guys who came to see me at 10 will tell you how bad of a state i was in. It was an experience got alot of support from crowd and fellow runners and also ran a few yards with Fauja Singh....Thanks x

Update 23rd April

On sunday night my left foot swelled up really bad, to the point that the pain became unbearable. I couldnt sleep at all and had to go to A and E at 5 in the morning. They did x rays and said that nothing is fractured but the foot is badly swollen. They gave me some additional tablets aswell as painkillers to reduce the swelling and also crutches as i can barely walk on it. Ive been feeling a bit disappointed with the way the actual run went getting injured so early but a freind of mine pointed me to a great quote which has given me some reassurance about the marathon -

As Lance Armstrong said; Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever. That surrender, even the smallest act of giving up, stays with me. So when I feel like quitting, I ask myself, which would I rather live with?"