2020 will not be a year to remember for many, not least The Peards. Please allow me to explain...

Around 1998 I was playing rugby with a fresh faced, second row unit known as Stretch (aka Mike Peard). A larger than life bloke, with a great sense of humour who always had time for people. His Dad was a bit of ledge too... Les Peard, ex Welsh Rugby International Ref. Myself & my brother James were reffed on a few occasions by Mr Peard Snr when playing for Marshfield. So my family have known their family for many years & have grown up living close by in a small, rural Welsh village.

When my Mum recently broke the heartbreaking news that Mike's son Sam had been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, myself, James & Chris (brother in law) & Owen (Sam's teacher) decided we wanted to do something for him, in the hope of putting a little smile on his face whilst going through the toughest challenge of his 16 years.

Sam is a part of a fantastic community rugby club - Whiteheads RFC. They have already started a fundraising page to raise money & awareness for Leukaemia UK and at the time of writing this, have raised in excess of £7,000 (a phenomenal amount seeing as it was only started a couple of days ago). We want to do something a little more personal for Sam. A small gesture to try and raise some money for him personally. So that when he feels a bit better, he can dip into this pleasure pot & enjoy something for the sheer tenacity, determination & unbelievable amount of positivity he is displaying.

Many people speak of 2020 as one of the worst years on record. But we have seen some wonderful things. A 100 year old ex-military man raising millions with an amazing athletic quest. Ex sports people take on unbelievable challenges like running for 24 hours straight & marathons being smashed out in tiny gardens.

The four of us are aware we aren’t going to blow people’s minds with our challenge, but for those who know me & Uncle Pig (James), will know we see a triathlon as 30 mins in a steam room, 30 mins in a hot tub followed by 30 mins in a sauna. Therefore we thought of pushing the boat out on this occasion and will be running a marathon on Sunday 19th July 2020. What makes this challenge a little harder is the limited amount of training we've all had (which currently stands at zero). Team that with James's inability to run over 10k & I really think we can do this.

It's probably safe to say Eliud Kipchoge’s records are safe for now as we are just trying to make it around with all limbs attached & in the process, hopefully show Sam nothing is impossible (not that he needs to be shown - his Dad will have amazed him many times over the years!).

So please dig deep & help 4 out-of-shape old farts complete their first marathon & raise some money for the very brave, local legend that is Sam Peard.

“It always seems impossible until it’s done”

Thanks for reading all

Nick, James, Chris & Owen x

PS - We understand people have given to our NHS and other fantastic causes over previous months. But if you can find it in yourselves to donate once more - please let it be to this wonderful pot of pleasure...