Alright, hands up, last time I didn't really care. It was 10k and I was only in it for the smug satisfaction and the free t-shirt. 

This time it's 21k, I don't particularly want to do it and the free t-shirt is likely to be a rather obnoxious shade of pink. 

I'm running the Southend Half Marathon in a mere 6.5 weeks. I chose Southend so that I can celebrate afterwards with fish & chips and a ride on Adventure Island's Dragon Claw. 

I chose Friends of The Elderly because I recently lost my last surviving grandparent and she fought to retain her independence until the end. This was made possible by regular visits from carers and family members. Cigarettes, alcohol and narcotics permitting, we'll all be old one day and, hopefully, there will be people around to make sure we're looked after. 

So dig deep, shitsticks. There's no punishment if you don't but I'll probably like you a little bit less. You'll have to take a gamble on whether or not I like you enough at the moment for that to push you into the minus range. 

Thanks.

Goodwin