FYI: The donation goal of £3,999 comprises two London Marathons: 2020's virtual [that's me at the end of it last 4 Oct] and this year's in-person race on Sunday 3 Oct. You all have been amazing in supporting me and Whizz-Kidz all these years! I thank you!

Marathon update brief - and more to come

All done! Details and photos later (a work day awaits first). Wonderful to see people en route, read your messages and good words, and feel your spirit. It really helped. Massive thanks for donations to Whizz-Kidz, too. You are totally amazing! Love to all. Colleen (ps - I tried a run/walk and it worked.)

Marathon Sunday 3 Oct 2021 -- 

Soon to be off to the Blue Start at Blackheath (and a ~11 a.m. start)! Thanks to all of you for your support! Details to come. Lots of love xxx

Late Sept 2021 UPDATE -- Renaming it the Motivation Marathon

What with Queen Mary colleagues and students in support (thanks to Julia's SLLF-Insta-communicating), a reminder that the Whizz-Kidz team provides nonstop reinforcement, calls from my brothers, and lots of cheerleading from 'Chrissie's crowd' at Zoom circuits -- I'm motivated for Sunday. It's this Sunday! Yikes!

Given everything, I'll still be extra-pokey, but that's OK. I'll be there. And will appreciate that I can be. And aim to get to the finish. For a good cause. Thanks for keeping Whizz-Kidz, and me, moving forward. Cheers, all! xxx

Mid-Sept 2021 UPDATE -- Calling this my 'Undercover Marathon'

Why undercover? That's because I haven't been saying much about it -- although mentioning Whizz-Kidz alot -- because I'm not entirely sure how long it will take me this year and how my leg will hold up (it's an old injury from a long-ago accident that is starting to play up). But hey, I'll walk alot and get to the end. (Fingers crossed.) The Whizz-Kidz cause is what moves me forward.

And, truly, it would be great to see people along the way. In spirit if not in person. I'll be thinking of you all! xx

April 2021 UPDATE -- London Marathon 2021 moved to 3 October 

April is usually the time to "taper" for the end-of-the-month springtime London Marathon but the pandemic has changed all that. Since 2020's version was postponed and became "virtual" in October (see photo above and account below) and 2021's version was moved to October (for a hoped-for in-person event), I have time to train and to talk up the wonderful charity that Whizz-Kidz is. (Just remember: You have moved so many lives forward through your contributions over the past 12 years, just as Whizz-Kidz does.)

My 2020 fundraising goal of £2,020  -- we hit that target! -- has been upped to £3,020.21 for 2021. As I did last year, I'll donate my "commute budget" to Whizz-Kidz every month (still WFH!), to help the cause during these dry times for charities. Anything else you can add (here or to your own causes) will be so very appreciated.

I'll include updates along the way. Thanks, everyone, once again!

xx love, Colleen

UPDATE -- Virtual London Marathon (4 Oct 2020): done!

I’m still a bit amazed that I did the “virtual” marathon on Sunday, especially given the weather and my relative lack of training this time around. Aside from the nonstop rain-wind-cold and 26.2 miles to cover, the 40^th London Marathon, my 11^th, running for Whizz-Kidz, was a different experience than previous years but just as meaningful. Grueling as ever, but walk-running and lots of support from some hardy friends along the way and Peter from the start got me through.

The other runners in Regent's Park, my chosen "virtual" locale, whether wearing London Marathon bibs or not, were unfailingly positive and supportive, something I really, really appreciate. And so were the little spectator groups. Including our very own self-made Whizz-Kidz cheer team. It conveyed the spirit of the “real” marathon. Got a honk or two from motorists on the Outer Circle near the London Zoo and a couple from some actual (unseen but heard) elephants. No rhinos, though! – those Save the Rhino charity runners I try to stay ahead of during “normal” times.

UC running friend Claire arrived when things were tough halfway through, which was a huge boost; we heard the marathon app on my phone, charting my progress every mile, announce we were “on Tower Bridge” at Mile 13. Her phone charger was a lifesaver. I saw texts at miles 15 (“Narrow Street”) and 21 (“Commercial Road”) from colleague Julia, following me on the app from her home in East London and sending support when I "virtually" passed locations where she has been positioned with her family every single one of my marathons. It brought the real to the virtual and made happen something I didn’t think was possible this year. Friends Chrissie and Alys joined the cheer team in person with two hours to go and stayed 'til the finish, despite the rain and cold. Troopers.

I cut my route from 3 miles 'round the park to shorter circuits along the Broad Walk and adjacent pathways for the comfort in the last half of seeing people I knew every five-10 minutes. They spurred me on. Also using the Broad Walk for his route was an “Ever Present” – one of now just 10 people who have run every single London Marathon since 1981. We never managed to sync the several times he was near, otherwise I’d have liked to have chatted. I sweated out the last two miles with nonstop low-battery warnings from the VLM app, which prompted me to run faster. The battery conked out *just* after I passed 26.2, got the official VLM message with my time (a slow but situationally respectable nonstop 6:18), and took the post-run selfie. Whew. A true photo-finish.

Checking in with Team Whizz-Kidz on fb before and afterwards – a couple hundred of us in the UK and across the globe -- kept our common goals in sight.

Thanks to all of you for your comments and emails and support and "likes" and donations to Whizz-Kidz, this past week and back in April. Your contributions have made a difference – to disabled kids and their families, and to me. You’re all amazing!!!

xx Colleen

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UPDATE  -- The [Virtual] London Marathon is 4Oct! (and it's also 40)

Along with a couple hundred other Whizz-Kidz runners throughout the UK, and thousands of others in places all over the world, I'll be running the Virtual London Marathon on Sunday. Round and round Regent's Park for me. Drop by and cheer me on! [Covid-safely, of course.] Peter will be manning a cheer point near the fountain the northern end of Broad Walk if you want a sign or banner. Or run or walk (depending on when you come) alongside. Or track my progress on the app*. Have a leisurely brunch , amble to the park, and I'll still be there! Thanks to everyone who has supported Whizz-Kidz, and me, so warmly and generously each and every year for the past 11!

*app info: https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/your-way/home.html#the-app

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UPDATE 26 April 2020 -- Marathon Sunday/2.6 Challenge DayI 

For the 2.6 Challenge for charities today, in lieu of the London Marathon (normally the largest one-day charity fundraiser in the world), I ran 2.6 miles x 2 in Regent's Park. The photo is a post-run selfie. (And then did a 26-min 26-exercise Zoom workout for charity led by trainer friend Chrissie.) Please let me know if you're doing a challenge (I'll donate to your charity) and thanks for considering Whizz-Kidz. So many thanks. 

xxColleen

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UPDATE 18 April 2020

Hi, all -- On Sunday the 26th, the day the London Marathon would have occurred, charities across the UK who rely on the funds that marathon runners raise have come up with a "2.6 challenge". Anyone can do anything involving 2 and 6 (26 press-ups? 2.6 min. of juggling?) to try to raise money for their charity.

I'll be doing 2.6 things: Running 2.6 miles, donating £2.6 to 26 charities (that mean something to people I've met), and supporting any of your own 2.6 challenges. Let me know! And thanks.

xxColleen

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UPDATE Easter Sunday 2020: after my "hot cross bun run" :)

Hi friends and family -- Today would have been two weeks 'til the corona-virus-postponed London Marathon, so I wanted to run today with my Whizz-Kidz vest and send some positivity out and about. I called it my Hot Cross Bun Run -- fueled as I was by a blueberry version (thanks, M&S!).  The above photo is the "after". All in all, it's very strange, like all things now, not to be immersed in April marathon prep. Thankful for my "one exercise," my ability to move (hence, trying to help Whizz-Kidz), and you all. Stay safe, everyone.

xx Love, Colleen

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15 March 2020

Hi friends and family,

Thanks for visiting my page. Even though the London Marathon has been postponed from April 26 to Oct. 4, I'm still going to be running it for Whizz-Kidz, the charity that provides wheelchairs and mobility to disabled kids, and still going to be fundraising for their excellent cause.

Now I have two targets: using the original April 26 date to get as close to my fundraising goal as possible, and then actually running on Oct. 4. That way a lot of deserving kids won't have to wait 'til autumn to benefit from Whizz-Kidz, and the charity can budget accordingly.

It's my 10th year in a row running for Whizz-Kidz (11th London Marathon overall) and your support has been just fantastic. You've made such a different to young people, whizzing around school, home, the playground, the university, work placements -- it's because of you. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Stay healthy, all.

xx, Colleen

NB: Donating through JustGiving is straightforward, your info is secure, and the money you donate goes directly to the charity.