I am raising money for the Medical Foundation for victims of torture, and want to widen awareness of the plight of people it is helping in Scotland and the rest of the UK .  Their problems include coping with their past suffering, and surviving as refugees exiled in a strange country.  Mentally damaged by their horrific experiences, many need help to prove that they are genuine asylum seekers, or risk being returned to their country of torture.  They find it difficult to face simple daily tasks, let alone to rebuild their lives in the .  You can read more about this charity at www.torturecare.org.uk

I have run races this summer to raise money for this charity, which needs the money.  You can still sponsor me and support the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture through this webpage.   

My results have been:

Laggan 10K - 45 minutes 05 seconds on an undulating windy course in beautiful scenery of the Highlands .  My previous best time for this distance as a veteran was 45 minutes 42 seconds, so this was a very good race for me, perhaps because I was determined to beat two other men of about my age (55).

Clydebank 10K - 43 minutes 04 seconds - Fwhew!  I will be proud of this, dipping under 7 minutes per mile over 6.2 miles.

Bearsden & Milngavie Highland Games 10K – 47 minutes 06 seconds on a hot day over a hilly course through the lanes of Dunbartonshire.

Vale of Leven 10K – 45 minutes 21 seconds.  An enjoyable race even if not my fastest.

Harris Half Marathon – 1 hour 43 minutes 49 seconds, in spectacular scenery in the Outer Hebrides beside white beaches and turquoise sea.  So I set out at a steady pace to enjoy the race, but came in with my best time yet for this distance.

Paisley 10K – 45 minutes 9 seconds.  Still fun.

Glasgow Fresh N Lo Half Marathon – 1 hour 40 minutes 34 seconds.  With 7,567 other finishers, to the tunes of bagpipes and in perfect conditions of windless drizzle.  I had less puff in this race to talk to other runners, but still met old and new friends.  I see this as a good result for someone of my age, but the handicapper in my running club, Garscube Harriers, does not recognise it as a personal best (worth bonus points in the club’s summer league), because I ran marathons (twice the distance) 24 years ago in much less than twice this time.  Oh well, cannot win everything, and there is no answer to advancing years but to stay as active as I can.

Thank you for your support.  Donations by taxpayers, made online through Just Giving, are increased by 28% of tax relief.

Dermot