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Target: £3,000.00
Raised so far: £3,241.00
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My story

 

Having performed this gut wrenching lunacy 14 years ago when a fit, athletic 24 year old I went into this year's London Marathon with my eyes wide open, and the intervening years had certainly not dulled the memory. It was, as expected, 5 hours of mental and physical hell!

Well 5 hours and 14 minutes to be exact, but I have to say that I was delighted to finish at all given that my longest run in training was 7 miles, and I think I just about racked up the 26 miles of the marathon in all my training runs added together!!!

The sight of a priest standing by the side of the road splashing the runners with holy water at the 2 mile mark near Charlton, looked unnervingly like he was administering the last rites, but I put that to the back of my mind as I surged to the half way mark at Tower Bridge. Sorry, I missed out a t,g and l, that should read struggled! At the14 mile mark I made a tactical decision, forced on me by my ageing, weeping leg muscles. I decided to drop down to a fast walk knowing that this would ensure completion, whereas continuing to run might run the risk of me breaking down all together and being shot at the side of the road somewhere in Poplar!

Even at walking pace the pain was indescribable and the mile markers took longer and longer to come into sight and pass. Throw in a sudden, torrential downpour and a swift drop in temperature, and the period between the 20 and 24 mile markers was as miserable a 45 minutes as I have ever suffered and that is saying something given the number of England football matches I have watched in my life!

Spurred on bythe fact that my wife and children were watching and waiting somewhere in the final two miles, I picked up speed and even managed a sprint finish over the last 400 metres as I turned for home up the Mall. Needless to say Melanie was chatting to her friends about Friday night's Eastenders or something else important and failed to spot me as I dashed for the line, so my moment of glory was celebrated alone. All in all I did what I set out to do. I may not have run the London Marathon but i finished it and can safely say that my 2nd marathon will be my last. Or maybe in 14 years time I will have forgotten the pain and will make the same mistake again!

Many thanks for all your very generous support. The fact that so many people had donated to much money meant failure was simply not an option - even though Racing Welfare already had your money !!!!

Simon 

I'll be supporting you on the day from my armchair with my feet up! Good luck. Donation by Diane Penfold 10/04/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

DON'T CARRY A FLAMING TORCH ! Donation by CHRIS TARRATT 10/04/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Best of British mate, I fear you may need it!! Donation by Ian Wassell 10/04/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Good luck Donation by Philip Knight 10/04/08  

£26.00 + £7.33 Gift Aid

Good luck Simon .... although I still hope Utd beat Arsenal on Sunday (just like we did ... 5-1)!! Donation by Sarah Jones 10/04/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Man U v Arse at 4pm - is that the carrot for the donkey? Go get 'em! Donation by Gary Burton 10/04/08  

£26.00 + £7.33 Gift Aid

Why can't people raise money for charity without endangering their lives? Donation by James Knight 10/04/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

I will double it if the Hammers finish above Spurs. Good Luck Fella Donation by Sean Rotheram 10/04/08  

£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid

Good Luck! Donation by Phil Taylor 10/04/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

i'm sure you'll hack-up, good luck Donation by rob smith 10/04/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Good for you! Hope it goes well. The kids will be watching out for you on telly!! Donation by Kate Adshead 08/04/08  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

4/6 under 4 hours? Good luck Donation by Ben Cleminson 07/04/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Best of luck Donation by simon vance 22/02/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

You're crazy but good luck! Donation by Simon Bazalgette 01/02/08  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

Don't worry Si - it'll be as easy as standing on the 1st tee with people watching! Donation by Rishi 29/01/08  

£40.00 + £11.28 Gift Aid

a game of snooker with 'the breeze' would have been a lot less painful! Good luck mate Donation by jonathan hobbs 29/01/08  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Good luck Simon, does this mean a dry week at Cheltenham? Donation by Phillip Le Feuvre 17/01/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Good luck. Donation by Tony Lovell 16/01/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Good Luck - I'll double the donation if you break 5h30mins Donation by Dan Roebuck 15/01/08  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Go get em C-Force Donation by seb vance 12/01/08  

£25.00

All the very best - just glad it's not me running that far Donation by Rob Wright 11/01/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Good luck! Donation by Tom Manners 09/01/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

This doesnt mean you can have a day off from your talkSPORT Form Guide you know !! Donation by Michael McIntyre 08/01/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Another tenner if you do a talkSPORT interview at the same time Donation by Martyn Miller 08/01/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

You'll do it - no problem! Donation by Rita 07/01/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Remember it's a marathon not a sprint ! Donation by Nick Mills 07/01/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Go on Double Trigger! Good luck Simon Donation by Nick Rust 06/01/08  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

I hope you won't fall foul of rule 157(f)! Donation by Jamie Hart 05/01/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

You are very brave Simon - I have seen you running on the football field!!! Donation by Richard Lang 04/01/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

What people do to get shortlisted for the Pride of Racing Awards..! Good luck!! Donation by Mark Davies 04/01/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid
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  Gift Aid plus supplement: £737.85

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