It has always been an ambition of mine to one day run the London marathon, ever since my youth when competing in school competitions and running for Witney road runners youth team. Naturally, I jumped at the chance when a good friend of mine suggested I do it for his charity.

The training is in full swing and going well, (most of the time), and I now have until the end of April to get into “marathon condition”. I’m aiming for a time under 4 hours, but ideally I’d like to be somewhere around the 3 hours 45 minute mark. Time will tell how likely I am to achieve this pace as I progress through my training! 

In addition to achieving my own personal goal, running the marathon allows me the opportunity to raise money for a very good cause: The Rose Road Association. A good friend of mine, Neil Wilson who is Fundraising Director at Rose Road, told me about the amazing work which the charity does in helping to care for children with complex and profound disabilities and providing respite for carers and families in what are often very difficult circumstances.

They are based in Southampton and work with children from across the south of England providing a range of services aimed at valuing the individual, respecting choice and celebrating achievement. To see more about the work of Rose Road please visit their website and scroll down to see what the Association means to the lives of Chris and his amazing parents Neil and Claire. Without the support they receive through fundraising, the fantastic staff at Rose Road could not do what they do, so every penny of your sponsorship will make a real difference.

Neil and I competed in an event in March 2009 which can only be described as “extreme cross country”! (Pictured above) It was on completion of that event that I decided to take it to the next level and run the 2010 London Marathon in aid of The Rose Road Association

My generous employer Barclays has agreed to match all the money I raise pound for pound (up to £750), so anything you can spare towards this great cause will be fantastic as it will be worth twice as much with Barclays contribution.

I’m also hoping to run a half marathon as a “warm up” in March, so a really challenging few months ahead for me. 

At the start of April I go on holiday and for once will not be able to enjoy a cold beer by the pool so I think this endurance test alone is probably more worthy of sponsorship than the marathon itself!!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.