Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.

UPDATE 5:

I managed to finish the run on the 13th of May 2012.

Thanks to those who supported me.

Many thanks

UPDATE 4:

Today is Monday the 7th of May and I have recently received a reminder that I am due to run in the Lymington 10K race on the 13th of May 2012!  This is the same race I ran in 2009 which I finished in 54.02 minutes (see Update 1). The problem is I have done little training and I have just 7 days to go! Will I beat my previous time? The training begins intensively today and will update my progress on Twitter and Facebook.

Please be kind enough to support my charity - Sickle Cell Society. I cannot make any promises but I will try and beat my previous effort. My training so far has been pityful and I am 3 years older!!!! Will give it a go though.

Many thanks

UPDATE 3:

Yes I completed the run on the 25th of October 2009. Please find details here: "The Race and Life's Parallels" 

This page will continue to be active until I reach my target. So please continue to support me.

Many thanks

UPDATE 2:

It is official! I am now registered for the great south run on the 25th of October 2009 (It is 10 miles this time - so I have to even train harder!).  Another opportunity to raise more money for the Sickle Cell Society. If you have already supported me: Thank you. If you haven't yet, I will appreciate your support greatly. Please donate online via the justgiving site (www.justgiving.com/kazeem).

I will update you on how my training is progressing on  the facebook group page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=73134770271

Many thanks.

Kazeem Olalekan

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UPDATE 1:

On the 10/05/09, I ran 10K to raise money for sickle cell charity. Of 880 runners, 764 completed the race. I was number 362 finisher and I ran the 10K in 54.02 minutes.

I am very proud of this time as I am no athlete. That time represented my best time: better than the time I made in training.

I am now planning to run in the BUPA Great South Run in October, if I get in.

Thanks to all that made donations. I am still taking donations as I still have a long way to go with my target. I will appreciate any donations.
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I have been procrastinating about doing a charity run for the past 6 years (or thereabout). I just haven't been able to find the time! I have decided to jump off the fence and start training for this 10k run in May. First PRIORITY: Finish the race! Second PRIORITY: Complete the race in good time! What is a good time for a 10k race these days? I will need your help. When you support me through donation, please suggest a respectable time for a 10k race. Remember I am no athlete!

I am not racing just for fun (although this is not a bad reason to run). I want to raise money for a charity close to my heart. To maximize the fund raised, I will be posting a framed signature autograph of Kevin Pietersen to the person with the highest donation. There is a story around this autograph and here it is:

I was the Pharmacy Manager at Tesco in Southampton Bursledon Towers until May last year. In June 2005  (6 months into my career at Tesco), the then store manager decided to organise a team building/bonding event at the nearby Botley Park Hotel over 3 days. Coincidentally, the English Cricket team was staying there around the same time. On the morning of the 14th of June 2005, the team came down for breakfast and the guests (including my colleagues) were jostling for autographs. My knowledge of cricket is poor and my knowledge of the stars of cricket is even poorer. Nevertheless I said: what the hell! I managed to corner Kevin who was nice enough to give me an autograph on the Hotel's napkin of all places! He was wearing his characteristic hairdo (which he doesn't wear any more).

My vivid impression of Mr Pietersen was that of a deeply humble man (even for a first encounter). For someone who I later learnt was the rising star of English Cricket, he was remarkably courteous and respectful. I later learnt that he had his Twenty20 International England debut against Australia the previous day (13.06.2005). He was a star performer scoring 66 runs. He will later go on to captain the English cricket team. I am sure there is a whole lot more to come from Mr Pietersen.

You can track his career on Wikipedia by clicking here.

You can continue to make your donation for up to 3 months after the race. I will mail the framed autograph to the highest donor after this time.

About Sickle Cell Disease (SCD):

Sickle Cell Disease is a hereditary condition affecting red blood cells. The different kinds of SCD and the different traits are found mainly in people whose families come from Africa, the Caribbean, the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and Asia.* In Britain SCD is most common in people of African and Caribbean descent (at least 1 in 10-40 have sickle cell trait and 1 in 60-200 have SCD). It is estimated there are over 6,000 adults and children with SCD in Britain at present. There are other inherited conditions that mainly affect other groups, e.g. Cystic Fibrosis in Europeans, and Tay-Sachs disease in Jewish people.

You can find more about it by visiting the Sickle Cell Society website.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: The Sickle Cell Society 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.

So please sponsor me now!