********************* UPDATE *********************

Wonders will never cease, I actually managed to waddle my bulk around the course.  It wasn't a pretty sight but clocked in at 4.41.41 and beat Katie Cruise (nee Holmes) by a good margin.

Hopefully will get nearer 4hrs for the next one!!

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In the very recent past there was a time when the expression ‘when hell freezes over’ was pretty interchangeable with ‘when Jamie runs a marathon’.  However to New York I am heading and a marathon I am doing - though to be fair the term ‘runs’ is probably going to be a little disingenuous.

The training hasn’t exactly gone according to plan, and with less than 3 weeks to go I’m currently standing toe to toe in the weight stakes with the man who did the London marathon in full 19th century diving regalia.  Nevertheless I’m going to try my hardest to get around the 26 miles 385 yards (42.195 kilometres for those metric converts out there) though I think aiming for a record-setting time is going to have to wait until next year.

If you'd like to sponsor me I have chosen two exceedingly deserving charities: The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and Macmillan Cancer Support and .  Unfortunately the wonders of technology don’t extend to allowing donations on one justgiving page to be divided between two charities, so depending on which charity you prefer to support:

- for RNIB, please click on the 'Sponsor us now' button next to my photo above or near the bottom of this page; or

- for Macmillan Cancer Support, visit my other page www.justgiving.com/jamiejmastersMacmillan and click on the 'Sponsor us now' buttons there.

Also, the government has broken with its habit of a lifetime and, through the GiftAid scheme, decided not to appropriate yet more of our money when it comes to charitable donations – please remember to tick/click the appropriate box/button to ensure the charities get that little bit more cash.

If you wish to sponsor me off-line either because you are, quite understandably, dubious of me completing the course or for any other reason please just let me know.

Your donations are greatly appreciated and will not only allow the charities to continue their great work but also ensure I am so guilt-ridden that I feel compelled to complete the course - crawling on my hands and knees if needs be.