In May 2015 my wife passed away after a short battle with cancer. She was my inspiration and strength. So I set out to complete this challenge to honour her and to raise whatever funds I can for the wonderful hospice who cared for her during her final weeks with us.

The challenge I have set is to complete four races either as fast as I can for the distances I have run before or to increase the distance I complete. Hence the name - Fast & Further.

I have only been running seriously since September 2014, but am challenging myself to complete a 10k, half marathon, 20 mile and full marathon distance - ending with the marathon close to the one year mark of my wife's passing. Three of the four races will have some significance to our lives together - with the fourth one just being that first push to go further.

She never let me give up on anything and she was always there to drag me up when I felt like I could not go on. Her strength will live on in me during all of this challenge and beyond and continues to keep me running.

To quote the song lyric: It has been a long day without you my friend, and I will tell you all about it when I see you again.