After the disappointment of the Surat Marathon being postponed I have been trying to find somewhere appropriate to do a solo run. However instead, I have decided on somewhere completely inappropriate, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Dhaka is by far the busiest city I have ever been to, it is also crazy hot, unbearably humid and the rains have started so the streets are turning into rivers with every fresh downpour. Add to this some political instability with opposition groups calling for road blockades, we have all the ingredients for a tough run.

But Dhaka is also a city full of wonderful people with great energy and enthusiasm and with a welcoming and hospitable nature that is hard to find in large cities.

Most importantly Dhaka is the city where Cementing Futures funds schooling for some of the cities poorest children, providing a safe and relaxed environment to develop essential skills such as literacy and numeracy.

Having recently visited two of the schools funded by Cementing Futures I was fortunate enough to witness first hand the great enthusiasm and pride with which the children tackle their work, and the great drive and commitment shown by the wonderful teachers.

My run will be guided by a bicycle riding support team of Dhaka University students, led by law student Zaved Zafori. The team will steer me through the vast city navigating a route through the jumble of people and tangle of thousands upon thousands of bicycle rickshaws and every other type of vehicle imaginable. 

Previous messages below:

So,  I will not be able to run the Surat Night Marathon now, since I have just found out that it has been postponed due to a swine flu outbreak. The new proposed date is18th April,  after my visa has expired and we would be nowhere near Surat anyway. 

We have just flown two and a half thousand kilometres from the Andaman Islands to Mumbai via Chennai so we could get a train up to Surat tomorrow.  I am devastated! 

But I am determined to carry on and raise as much as I can for such a good cause.  I very much doubt I will find another organised event now. So I am going to try to work out doing something on my own.  Maybe a solo run between two cities/towns, maybe with some support on bikes or something? but I need to work out where is feasible and try to get some local help.  Any ideas or suggestions are very welcome, I would rather do this soon if possible.

Bare with me on this.

Original message below

My name is Michael,  I work for the NHS but have taken a few months out to travel a little of Southern Africa and South Asia.  

The cause: I decided before I left back in October that I would run a marathon during my travels,  with the aim of raising money to support the education of students in Bangladesh. 

Bangladesh is a densely populated country of 160 million people.  Following independence in 1971 the country struggled with political instability,  extreme poverty,  natural disasters and famine. 1991 saw the restoration of democracy and has led to a period of relative calm and economic progress, although with widespread poverty and low literacy levels,  many are simply unable to contribute to and benefit from this progress.  

The charity: I have chosen to run for the charity cementingfutures.org, they are a small,  Bournemouth based charity,  but one where all monies raised are used to educate children in Bangladesh.  They are currently educating 85 children in 2 centers in the slums in Dhaka. The schools also provide nutritious snacks during the day, give lessons on public health and personal hygiene, and have regular parent/ teacher classes covering a range of topics such as early marriage and family planning.   

Cementing futures is a fantastic charity that does wonderful work,  and if that isn't motivation enough,  you will get to see some pictures of me looking like death! 

While here in Bangladesh I will buy a selection of small local handicrafts (self-funded of course).  Anyone donating £15 or more will have their name put into a hat for a chance to win one.  For every £10 over £15 you donate I will put your name in the hat again!

Many thanks

Michael