Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

When I was in my late 20s and our eldest son was due to be born, my (distinctly non sporty) wife demanded: "Will you be giving up running now ?" I said "No, because you don't want me dead from a heart attack before the children have grown up. My aim is still to be running when I am 60, although I won't be competing for much longer."

Karen understands (now) that my motivation to run has changed from competition to stress busting - for which going out in all weathers is the best and cheapest option.

Anyhow, as it is my 60th birthday at the end of May, I have asked some work colleagues (Penny Nixon, Janet Winrow, Tinashe Chipendo, Sam Coward, Tom Wrigley and Dan Butler - with my PA Emma Rosewarne acting as chef d'equippe to keep us all in order) plus said son and his fiancée to join me in celebrating by running the Great Manchester 10k and raising some money for The Christie Hospital in Manchester - which is a world leading cancer research centre, as well as providing brilliant care and treatment. My wife and sister both had the benefit of that care and treatment and without it (shudder) wouldn't be here to see me do this run.

In my youth I confined myself to short and quick sprints, so you will understand that (despite running a few times a week for, most of, the last 30 years after I stopped competing) 10k is my marathon distance - boredom (and other things) sets in after 5k !

I expect that other members of our much younger team will run a lot faster and cross the finish line before me, but I am hoping to get as close as I can to the (for me) 'magic hour'.

I hope that you will sponsor our team through this site. The smallest of donations will help us towards our collective target and will be gratefully received, but larger ones welcome too. If you are able to do Gift Aid, then so much the better.

Thanks for helping me to celebrate my 60th birthday and 48 years of running. Thanks also for your support.

Thanks also to all the voluntary coaches, helpers, car drivers, fellow athletes and friends who gave me encouragement all those years ago at Liverpool Pembroke and Sutton Harriers (St, Helens). Without you I wouldn't be doing this now.

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