I've more than doubled my original target!  thanks very much everyone!

FINALLY! 

I have been promising to run the marathon for years and now time is running out if I want to do it before I'm 40....  so yes I shall be spending my 39th birthday on Sunday 13th April running (or more likely staggering) around the 26.2 miles of the London Marathon.   I've done a very slow half marathon before and several stunning performances in the 5k Race for  Life - but this is the big one!

This time you also get four events for the price of one!  To raise maximum funds for Cancer Research I am running:

***  the Adidas Half Marathon at Silverstone on 9th March; - UPDATE:  completed in 2:37:29; legs have now seized up but was very pleased with that!

*** the London Marathon on 13th April;

UPDATE:  completed in 6 hours 9 mins; slower than I'd hoped but at least I finished - first half was great but my ageing hips started really hurting in the second half and I had to get some painkillers from the medical tent and walk a lot of it. Got thoroughly drenched twice too which was horrendous!  Fantastic atmosphere and a brilliant event - I can safely say though that this will be my first and last marathon, I'm just not built for it!  It worked out that my fundraising was £6k so I earned my £1k per hour around the course!  63km of my fundraising done, just 15 left to do hurrah!

***  the London 10k on 26th May

UPDATE:  completed the inaugural BUPA London 10k on bank holiday Monday in torrential rain:  1:07 so not bad at all.  Great course, shame about the weather.  Just 5k left to do!

***  the Race for Life on Hampstead Heath again on 8th June

 I'll only be asking for sponsorship once! promise!

We all know people whose lives have in some way been touched by cancer.   As you will all know I have had breast cancer twice, firstly in 2002 and then again whilst I was pregnant with Lexie in 2006.  I am still here thanks to fantastic treatment and amazing new drugs - I have a close friend battling lymphoma in the US and many other friends who have lost loved ones:  and so for all of us, once again I am raising funds for my favourite charity Cancer Research UK.  So far (before this set of races) with my various runs since 2003, I have raised over £4k, thanks to everyone's kind support.   

So think of me as you sit down for your Sunday roast on 13th April, I am not promising to break any records but I am going to get round and give it my absolute best shot!  Look out for me on the telly just in front of that bloke in the iron diving suit, I'll be holding hands with Jimmy Saville or rather hoping he will drag me round!  And if you can get to the route then I'm sure a friendly face along the way will be very welcome!

Thanks in advance for sponsoring me.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Cancer Research UK will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

Cheers

Sam