<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #1c1c1c; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In April I will be taking part in my first London Marathon. This event is something I have wanted to do ever since I&rsquo;ve been in a wheelchair and I cannot wait. Prior to training for this event I&rsquo;d only ever taken part in a couple of half marathons and 10ks in my day chair. Training is going well and I&rsquo;ve been going out in the wind and rain to get prepared to take on the 26 miles. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #1c1c1c; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I&rsquo;ve got two aims for this race one is to finish in under 2 hours 45 minutes and the other is to raise some money for the spinal injuries charity Aspire. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #1c1c1c; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">This is an important charity to me. In 1996 I was paralysed after an accident whilst sledging. I was in hospital for six months whilst recovering from my injuries and have used a wheelchair ever since. You might be surprised to know that although my story is personal to me I am not unique as around 1,200 people become paralysed each year.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #1c1c1c; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Like me those who become paralysed&nbsp;will lose muscle and sensory control and the vast majority become full time wheelchair users for the rest of their lives. Historically, the majority of spinal cord injuries have, like me,&nbsp;been sustained by those aged 15 to 40, with men outnumbering women, although increasingly it is affecting more older people too. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #1c1c1c; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Aspire offers invaluable practical support to the 40,000 people living with a spinal cord injury in the UK so that they can lead fulfilled and independent lives in their homes, with their families, in work-places and leisure time.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #1c1c1c; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">You can read more about the superb work they do here <a href="http://www.aspire.org.uk/"><span style="line-height: 140%; color: #2a42c6; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">www.aspire.org.uk</span></a>. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #1c1c1c; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Over the coming weeks I will be giving training updates and progress on my preparation on my blog <a href="http://www.rockupandroll.com/"><span style="line-height: 140%; color: #2a42c6; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">www.rockupandroll.com</span></a>. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #1c1c1c; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving &ndash; they&rsquo;ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they&rsquo;ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it&rsquo;s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity</span></p>