Story
Well, I've just about finished my fundraising now so a huge thank you to everyone who has supported me.
In total I will have raised just over £2000....which is fantastic, again thank you very much.
Ps. I know I said I'd never do it again but I didn't really mean it....I've already entered another! How quick the aches, pains and training are forgotten!
So if you are in Nottingham on the 10th September come and give us a cheer! (or if you see me trying to get out of training runs push me towards the door!!!)
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**NEWS FLASH!!**
I made it! Yesterday I completed the 26.2miles of the London Marathon in a time of 4h 16min 
It was a great day, even though the weather was a bit grey and drizzly. The crowds were fantastic, loads of very loud cheering and it was great to see family and friends at miles 18, 22 and 23 (needed a cheer by that point!)
Very very happy to have made it round and now enjoying some R&R even more! Feet up for the next week I think!
Ps. Photo is from the post-race reception........after pasta and massage and time to get my breath back!!
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Hi and thanks for visiting my website,
Well as you probably guessed by now, I’ve caught the running bug and after completing the Great North Run in September have decided to go a ‘few’ steps further and upgrade to a marathon.
On the 23rd April 2006 I will be running the
FLORA LONDON MARATHON
Yep, that’s 26.2 miles (say it fast it doesn’t sound that far 
)
It’s certainly going to be a challenge, so the training starts NOW! You should see me out running, a lot, over the next few months even if it is raining/snowing/hailing??!!! I might need some encouragement, along the way so feel free to give me a push in the right direction or even join me for a training run.
Why?
As the training begins I am beginning to wonder myself …..
No seriously by dragging myself around the 26.2 miles, I’m becoming a ‘hospice runner’ and supporting the charity help the hospices.
I’ve chosen this charity because of the great work they carry out with over 220 adult and children’s hospices across the UK. Hospices touch so many people’s lives by providing care and emotional support to patients, and their families, facing an incurable illness. As my fundraising will be spread across the this national charity is a great way of making a small contribution to the important work of hospices throughout the country.
I’d love to try and raise £1500. By raising money for Help the Hospices we will be helping them support local hospices across the UK by providing,
· Grant-aid and funding for local hospice projects
· Specialist training for hospice staff
· Information and advice to staff, volunteers and patients
I’m hoping to achieve my target via sponsorship and a variety of events squeezed in between training so keep an eye out for quizzes, concerts, competitions .........
If you would like to sponsor me or make a donation to help the hospices then please scroll down to the bottom of this page. Making dontations through this website is completely secure and really easy. Alternatively I will have the traditional sponsorship form to hand between now and April!
You may recognise the Help the Hospices charity because of their distinctive sunflower, while I won’t be dressing up as a 7-foot sunflower on the day (some people will!) I will consider any fancy dress suggestions or even sell advertising space on my T-shirt...so long as the sponsorship totals are high enough! 
Thank you again for visiting my website
Please make sure that you keep visiting, as I will update this site regularly with my training and fundraising progress
Ps. If you are close to London on the 23rd April why not come along – all cheers welcome and probably needed!
** TRAINING DIARY!!! **
Week 1 - Run 22 miles Very tired! ZzZzzz........
Week 2 - Run 28 miles Even more tired ZzzZZZzzzzZZZ....
Week 3 - Run 32 miles V. cold weather this week - still went out feeling proud (but cold!)
Week 4 - Run 27 miles Oops, mileage drop-picked up injury so cut back runs and cycled!
Week 5 - Run 19 miles (Cycled 30M) Still injured!
Week 6 - Run 0 miles (Cycled 40M) Physio banned me from running! :-( Back next week?!
Week 7 - Run 28.5 miles Hurrah I'm back running! Building back up slowly......
Roding Valley 1/2 Marathon (+ a bit) - 26th Feb.
End of week 7 and I have just completed the Roding Valley 1/2 marathon! The plus a bit is because the lead car actually took the wrong route which added a little bit more to the course! (which means I managed a longer run, hurrah!)
My actual finishing time was 1h 57 minutes
Adjusted time for 13.1 miles 1h 52 minutes
Well below the 2 hours I was aiming for and a full 25 minutes faster than my Great North time.....Must say I'm slightly paying for the speed today as I hobble around campus!!!
Week 8 - Run 24.5 miles Once could walk again after 1/2 marathon!!!
Week 9 - Run 26 miles Hurrah I'm back running! Building back up slowly......
Milton Keynes 1/2 Marathon 12th March.
Time for another 1/2 marathon, this time around Milton Keynes
Finishing time: 1h 46min 50sec A new PB - Hurrah!!!!
Very, very, very happy! 
All the training must be working as it was a nice 'easy' (ish!) run, I even managed to sprint the final stretch. Even better news is that the old legs aren't too bad today, stair doesn't pose as much as a challenge as after Roding Valley!
Week 10 - Run 29 miles Can't type too tired! Might break the 30M barrier next week.....
Week 11 - Run 31 miles Broke the 30M barrier - hurrah! No wonder back at physio!
Week 12 - Run 32 miles Longest run this weekend - now it's time to taper - Hurrah!!!!!
Oakley 20M 2nd April.
Well yesterday I completed my longest run ever! 20miles - Hurrah and ouch!
I even have the t-shirt to prove it although you will probably never see me wearing it as it is 2 sizes too big!
The course was described as undulating - if that's undulating there is no way I am going near a hilly run! There was HILLS galour! Of course in theory what goes up must come down, didn't see many downs though!
I finished in exactly 3hr.....there was no way that clock was ticking over the 3hr mark so managed a huge sprint finish - practice for steaming over the finish at the marathon!!!!
All in all great practice for the marathon which is only 20 days away - aarrgghh!!
Week 13 - Run 17 miles Tapering starts here, hurrah! Still busy swimming etc. (honest!)
Flitwick 10km 9th April.
Yesterday, a bunch of Silsoe people took part in the local 10km run.
Race was good fun, few uphills but matched with plenty of downs!
I finished in 49min - so sub 50min (just!!)
Week 14 - Run 15 miles Not long to go........aarrgghh!
** FUNDRAISING NEWS**
Ampthill Town Band Spring Concert
Ampthill Town band have very kindly offered to donate all proceeds from their Spring concert to Help the Hospices. The concert will cover a range of music from classical to pop and feature several soloists. There is something for everyone and you are guarenteed to be tapping your feet!
The concert is also kindly being supported by Ampthill District Lions Club.
Thank you to the band and everyone who attended the concert the evening raised £250
Kids Television Quiz
The Kids Quiz has now closed - thank you to everyone who entered and congratulations to the winners!
Combined with the Yorkshire quizzes the quizzes run in Yorkshire have raised £93. Thank you to everyone who entered.
One for all the family this quiz sheet covers childrens television from the 1960's to present!
Prizes -- This quiz is being supported by the North York Moors Railway and Soroptomists International Malton Branch. The prize if 4 full line return tickets on the Moors Railway.
Sheets cost £1 and can be purchased from Malton or Pickering tourist information centres before the closing date of 3rd June
More information on the prizes and how to enter are included on the sheet!
Yorkshire Quizzes
The Yorkshire Quiz has now closed - thank you to everyone who entered and congratulations to the winners!
There is a choice of 2 quizzes this year, Yorkshire places for those who like crytic clues and Yorkshire people to test your knowledge of your fellow county men (and women!)
Prizes -- The quizzes are being supported by Castle Howard and Eden Camp who have donated family passes to the attractions.
Sheets cost £1 and can be purchased from Malton or Pickering tourist information centres before the closing date of 23rd April (marathon day!).
More information on the prizes and how to enter are included on the sheet!
Bedfordshire Quizzes
The Bedfordshire quiz has now closed, thank you to everyone who entered and the Rotary club for their support in total this quiz rasied £183
Yep, the Yorkshire quiz idea has been transfered to Bedfordshire with the launch of the Bedfordshire places, cryptic clues, this weekend.
Prize -- £50 (Donated by Ampthill and District Rotary Club)
Sheets cost £1 and can be purchased from The Hospice Shop Flitwick, Cheesemans Pharmacy Ampthill or Silsoe Newagents before the closing date of 23rd April (marathon day!).
More information on the prizes and how to enter are included on the sheet!
Easter Eggs!
Thank you to everyone on campus and at Inntravel who entered Easter egg raffles. In total we raised £124.
Yorkshire Car boots
Another thank you! this time to everyone who was a York Racecourse at the weekend and supported our car boot stall (despite the awful weather!). Once we had feeling back in our hands and had thawed through we counted up all the money raised........£182 so a very big Thank you!
About “Help the Hospices”
You may already have heard of this charity or recognise their sunflower mascot, but I thought that I would include some more information on the work of the charity to let you know what my sponsorship and your donation will go towards.
Help the Hospices is the national charity for the hospice movement and therefore has a direct link to over 220 hospices across the . The work of the charity supports the whole hospice community, patients and their families, staff, volunteers and carers in achieving the hospices aim of ensuring those with incurable illness can live life to the full.
Hospices provide a “home from home”, a positive and friendly place full of love and laughter where care is tailored, free of charge, to each individual and their family.
The work of these local hospices is supported by help the hospices via, the funding of local projects, grant-aid and the provision of specialist information, training and education.
For more information on the charity visit their website at: http://www.helpthehospices.org.uk