Many thanks to everyone who has sponsored me, or is thinking of contributing.

I finished the marathon in 5h45..!! It was somewhat slower than my original target, but much faster than I had expected given how dodgy my knees had been in the week prior to the race - several people had actually advised me not to run. I managed to run the first 13 miles but had a recurrence of the problems I had in training with my left knee, which effectively meant hobbling the last 13 miles.

It was an amazing experience, the crowd were fantastic along the whole route, and it made a lot of difference in the last few miles. I would recommend it to anyone who has the time to do some training (more than the 6 weeks I had..!).

I ran for the Shaw Trust (http://www.shaw-trust.org.uk/), a charity which provides training and job opportunities to people who are disadvantaged through disability, ill health or social circumstances. Shaw Trust gets a lot less publicity than some of the major heart and stroke charities and relies on high-profile events like the marathon to raise additional funds. If you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

It was a lifetime goal for me to run a marathon, and I was lucky to get a guaranteed place to run for a charity. Your contribution will make a difference! Many thanks once again for your support.

Paul