Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.
Many of you will already know about my journey to running the marathon this year. For those who don't in July 2007 I weighed 17 stone. I signed on with the most amazing personal trainer Alex Minors and lost 5 stone in 5 months. 
In December 2007 Alex suggested I start running and on my first run I completed 4 miles I was over the moon. So I ran it again and then a bit further and then a bit faster and before I knew it I was hooked on running!
In June 2008 I ran my first race the Asics British 10k London Race for the local hospice, then in October last year I ran the Great North Run (half marathon) for CAFOD. I completed that race in 2:06:14.
So now I am going for the biggy! When I watched the first London Marathon in 1981 I thought what a great thing it would be to do but never did I really believe I might do it until now! My aim is to complete the race in under 4:30.
As well as running I want to raise money for Oxfam. I volunteer in my local Oxfam shop on a Saturday. I hope you will support me by sponsoring me.
Oxfam is a vibrant global movement of dedicated people fighting poverty. Together. Doing amazing work. Together. People power drives everything we do. From saving lives and developing projects that put poor people in charge of their lives and livelihoods, to campaigning for change that lasts.
Money donated to Oxfam supports long term development projects and emergency responses. Every penny counts, for example a donation of
· £1 could buy a school book
· £8 could plant 25 trees
· £15 could buy 3 mosquito nets that would save lives
· £26 could fix a well
· £32 could build a shelter in an emergency
· £50 could build a bog or provide emergency communications
· £75 could buy a cow
· £300 could stock a library
Please support me but more importantly support the vital work Oxfam does by donating whatever you can! Thank you so much.
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Oxfam gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
UPDATE
I completed the Berkhamsted half marathon yesterday (1 March) in 2 hours 4 minutes. I was disappointed as I wanted to break the 2 hours. It’s a very hilly course with some very long uphill stretches and someone told me it was the equivalent of a 16m training run. It makes me feel better so I’ll buy it! 
I have done one slightly longer run of 17m which was tiring but not completely exhausting especially as I had to really push the pace the last 2 miles as I was late home!! So I’m feeling reasonably up beat and think under 4.30 is realistic.
UPDATE
Since the half marathon I have had a niggling pain in my left shin made worse after running. The obvious diagnosis was shin splints which can be a terminal condition but only in terms of running! However, the physio husband of another volunteer at Oxfam has kindly seen me at his home today (Saturday 14 March) and diagnosed tendonitis from running up hill. That’s the good news! The bad news… the treatment is two weeks rest – oh no! 
UPDATE
Graham Harris (physio) has been an absolute star treating my tendonitis almost everyday! Although its better its still ain’t right. 
Alex has been helping me cross train but we have concluded I have to cut back even more! 
I’m panicking now, time is slipping away and I have to accept that I may only get one more longer run in.
UPDATE
V.V. depressed have resigned myself to no more long runs before the event. I have serious doubts about whether I can do it. Desperately don't want to give up the dream though! Having to accept that just finishing will be an achievement and forget about a respectable time. I guess you don't want to set too good a B.P. first time and I'll still have the medal!!
UPDATE
The Good news is that I started some cross training and my cardio fitness doesn’t seem to have dropped at all 
The bad new is that on Easter Monday (13 April) I tried 10 minutes in the treadmill and my leg started to twinge afterwards. Alex has sent me to ProFeet to get my trainers checked out though with 10 days to go its pretty late to make any changes now.
UPDATE
Mike at Pro feet has set me up with some specially made supportive insoles. I need to go back to get even more support but he didn’t want to change things too much before the marathon but even the slight change should help with the pain. Graham says that while I can run through the pain I can’t actually do any irreparable damage to my tendons. Alex says I am fit enough if my legs stand up to it. So I am going to do it! I am going to run the LondonMarathon… or as much of it as I can. I promise to give it my all even if I have to crawl over the line after 8 hours! Fingers crossed it doesn't come to that though! 
UPDATE
So far the insoles are OK no blisters and no new or worsening leg issues so fingers crossed this continues! I will test them with a short run at the weekend. I did some cross training yesterday (16 April) and some leg strengthening exercises and although my quads ache today, my shins seem OK. I took Alex’s 10 minutes challenge which is to cycle as fast as you can on level 14 of the exercise bike in 10 minutes. I cycled 5.68km beating the women’s record of 5.61km – yea me! After recent weeks I feel inordinately happy and buoyed by this! Bring it on!!! 
WANT TO TRACK MY RUN? You can track my runfrom start to finish butto use the service your phone must be WAP enabled.
Text the word 'RUN' to 83040 and adidas will send you a link to the mobile tracking service.
Simply enter my bib number '42327' and the system will do the rest.
Adidas' award winning tracking service follows me by using the timing chip on my shoe as I pass the 5k markers along the course.
To see me cross the finish line use the 'red button' from the BBC coverage If I run really well I should be crossing after 1.30pm but before 2.15pm but I'm making no promises now!
