I am running the London Marathon this year for our amazing dad and grandad Stewart McIntosh who was diagnosed with early onset dementia a number of years ago now. 

My dad has always been an avid runner and used to tell me stories of skipping school to run up the Campsie hills just outside Glasgow and sneaking out of his bedroom at night when he was a young lad to train with Cambuslang Harriers, both of which shows a lot of mischief on his part but also a lot of dedication and love for running! He also ran an amazing marathon PB of 2hrs 45min back in the day (if only he could remember how speedy he was!) Amazingly my dad is still out pounding the pavements to this day but to make sure we get him home in one piece we need to put a wee tracker on him these days! :-)

My dad is one of the most positive, supportive and encouraging people I know and despite getting very frustrated at times with the condition he now has, he is still so positive and is constantly donating his brain for tests and trials at the Glasgow Memory Clinic to help eradicate this horrendous incurable disease for future generations.

He really is an inspiration and although he's no longer well enough to make it along to the sidelines to show his support and cheer me on as he's done countless times in the past, he's going to be there with me every step of the way. Which is why I thought the least I can do is try to raise a bit of cash for a very worthy cause in honour of our amazing dad and hopefully use his endless amounts of support, encouragement, positivity and inspiration over all of these years to get me across that finish line in just over a weeks time!

It's definitely not going to be my fastest marathon to date and I can safely say the training's been the toughest I've ever had to do for any challenge. Trying to get my body back to any sort of marathon worthy fitness when I struggled to run for 15mins this time last year after having just given birth has been quite a struggle. As well as trying to find the time and energy to fit in the training, fight off every nursery bug going that Maisie's kindly been bringing home to us and keeping myself as uninjured and motivated as possible in the process have all proven to be my toughest challenge to date. 

If you do have a spare bob or two that you don't mind donating to a very worthy cause, me and my old boy would really appreciate it and I'll be doing my best to make it across that finish line in one piece next week for our amazing dad and grandad!

Thanks everyone,

Rona and Stewart :-)