I did it!  I finished the London Marathon in four hours 50 minutes and 37 seconds.  There were times when I enjoyed it, and there were times when I didn't want to be there - but I ran the whole 26.2 miles and crossing the finish line and getting that medal was amazing.

I have updated my training blog to include my marathon day experience - http://marathonfrog.wordpress.com/

Thank you so much to everyone who has sponsored me.

Team Archie & the London Marathon, April 2009

I am running the Flora London Marathon on Sunday 26th April 2009. 

Not only is this a personal challenge for me (my first marathon!), I am also raising money for a very worthwhile charity called FIGHT FOR SIGHT, and I would really appreciate your support.

My nephew Archie Powell, pictured left, (born 3rd August 2008, son of my sister Clare and brother-in-law-to-be Dan Powell) is a beautiful and healthy baby, but was born with a cataract in his left eye.  This means that without treatment, he would be blind in one eye.  Fortunately he is under the care of the fantastic doctors at Moorfields Eye Hospital, and they are doing all they can to ensure that Archie grows up with the precious gift of sight that most of us take for granted.  Archie has had three operations on his eye so far, and is now doing really well.

The charity I am running for - Fight for Sight -  presented Moorfields Eye Hospital with £1m to develop the research unit at the Children's Eye Centre which opened in 2007. The centre is helping Moorfields, together with the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, to establish a world-class research programme in paediatric ophthalmology.   Through its funding, Fight for Sight has made a major contribution to scientific and medical advances in eye research.  To read more about what Fight for Sight does, please see their website:  http://www.fightforsight.org.uk/ 

Please sponsor "Team Archie" in raising money for Fight for Sight....

....because I am going to be running 26.2 miles on Sunday 26th April 2009 (and I've heard it's quite a long way to run) - I also ran the Tunbridge Wells half-marathon on 15th February 2009 so that's lots of running for your money!  But most of all, because this is about Archie's future, and for everyone who benefits from the work being done by this charity.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Fight for Sight 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.

Thank you.

Nicola Duffy

Training update

January

Started the year with a 12 mile run - but still a long way to go.  Just back from a two week break in Thailand, a break which was conveniently written into my training programme....! got the Tunbridge Wells half marathon in four weeks time.

Sunday 25th January - woke up to a miserable, cold, wet day and have an 8 mile run to do this morning - my first since coming back from sunny Thailand.  THANK YOU to everyone who has sponsored me so far, your support is a big incentive to put my trainers on and get out in the rain and run! (...and I did)

Already entered my first post-marathon race! London Bupa 10,000 10k (just 6.2 miles... no sweat!) on Monday May 25th 09.

February - Tunbridge Wells half marathon

15th February 2009 - I ran the Tunbridge Wells half marathon (described as "one of the most testing and picturesque on the racing calendar" - never mind the nice scenery, that means hilly!). 

Anyway, I throughly enjoyed the race, got a nice medal and a t-shift and finished in 2 hours 2 minutes and 48 seconds.  Thankfully there won't be any big hills in the London Marathon...

March

Have set up a training blog at http://marathonfrog.wordpress.com/

The training is going well, but I am now at the stage where I think a half marathon is not very far, but beyond that is getting into big distances.... the marathon is going to be a long way to run.

Fundraising

Red Lion weekly raffle

Thank you very much to Dad and everyone at the Red Lion in Shooters Hill, as the proceeds from the weekly Sunday raffle are going to be donated to Fight for Sight.  Details below.

Off-line sponsorship

Thank you very much to everyone who has sponsored me so far, it means a lot. 

Fundraising event at the Red Lion

A fundraising event is going to be held at the Red Lion on marathon day, 26th April.  I will be there at some point after the race!