Dear All

As most of you are aware, usually once a year I:

1. take to the streets of a capital city
2. flaunt my aging body in front of thousands of cheering people
3. keep my physiotherapist, local sports shop and deep heat in business and
4. strive to run 42,164.8128 meters in under 14,400 seconds (in other words a marathon in under 4 hours).

Although I have achieved a number of these markers over the last 5 years, I have yet to better a time of 4 hours 30 minutes.

On 22 April 2007, I hope to start with over 30,000 fellow marathon runners from Blackheath on the long journey through the streets of London to the finish 26.21875 miles later at the Mall.  I would dearly love to run this in under 4 hours.  That’s down to me.  Hopefully HRH the Queen will be putting the kettle on at around 1400 hours with some rich tea biscuits.

This will be my fourth marathon and third London Marathon.  Despite various set backs during the last month including members of my family (namely my one year old son and two year old nephew) passing me their various lurgies I am determined to get to the starting line with a fighting chance of making it round.  I have had to give up my dream of running with Paula Radcliffe this year largely due to the fact that when I tried running at her pace I actually fell off the running machine (well you should try running at 12.5 mph!).

Now for your part.

I will be running for the Variety Club’s “Easy Riders” which is their division which funds wheelchairs for disabled children from tiny tots to 19 years of age when many of them get to go off to college and have the kind of independence they wouldn’t get in an ordinary manual wheelchair. Have a look at their webpage www.varietyclub.org.uk/easyriders to see the difference that can be made to children’s lives.  These wheelchairs are expensive.  Some of the really snazzy ones can cost £17000!  Fortunately a normal one is about £3000. Let’s go…………………

Thanking you for your generous support.