Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Everybody needs a challenge! Mine's usually to 'just keep going' - but this year things are going to be a bit different. Way back in 1981 the first ever London Marathon got off the ground and with 6000 runners it was the biggest race ever held on these shores and so I just had to do it. I came home just nicely inside three hours and so qualified  to answer 'Yes!' to the perennial question which comes straight after you tell someone you're a runner, "Have you ever done the London Marathon?"

 April 26th will be London's 40th anniversary which seems the perfect occasion to repeat the 'Round of 81'. Running the marathon is never easy but back in 1981 it was just a question of doing the hard work in preparation and then keeping it all together when the going got tough. Unfortunately there are a number of reasons why it wont be quite so straightforward this time round - and not all of them about being 64 instead of 25!

After some heart problems I had a pacemaker fitted back in 2015 to stop it from going so slowly that it might have stopped altogether. Although my Cardiology team has done some serious tinkering with it since then I'm now resigned to running at a seriously slow pace, and even slower if there's any random atrial fibrillation going on. Don't worry though - if you choose to sponsor me you're not encouraging me to do anything actually dangerous!

The other problem I've been stuck with for a lot longer. For the last 30 years both of my ankles have been held together with metal plates and pins resulting from several running injuries. Several people who have seen my recent attempts to run have suggested that I take along a torch on April 26th - I believe though that unlike Broughton they have street lighting down there, so a torch wont be necessary. I will however be taking a calendar rather than a watch! 

Seriously though the main reason I'm doing this is to raise money for the Age UK Project in Barrow where I now work a day a week. Charities have been hit very hard over the last few years and we're finding it enormously difficult to continue to give a quality service to the older folk in our community.

Our project is in constant need of funding to pay for all the services it provides :-

•  Free information and advice about pensions, benefits, bereavement and care - and a host of other issues. 
•  A range of low cost social activities every day of the week currently used by well over 200 people every week. yoga, pilates, art and craft, cooking and bowling alongside computer training, quizes, bingo, and our famous carpentry and painting Shed. 
•  An Age Works team who work with folk over the age of 50 trying to get back into work. Writing CVs, helping with job applications and on-line job searches. We can do it all!
•  We also run a Handyperson scheme and a cheap chiropody service at our Centre on Abbey Road in Barrow. 
• Part of my job involves running free lunch clubs (one of which Elaine cooks for) along with 'chair based exercise' classes.
  
• 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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Please feel free to share my page with anyone you think might like to be involved.