On Monday 25th October I ran the Dublin Marathon in 4hours, 28minutes and 35 seconds. It's a great feeling knowing that I've achieved something I never thought I would be able to, and more to the point, crossing it off the list so I never have to do another one!

 

Several factors kept me going when every voice in my head was screaming at me to stop:

 

1/ Knowing that if I stopped I would have to enter another marathon go through this all again.

2/ Knowing that, because of me, my friends and family have donated their hard-earned cash to a great cause. In the last few miles (OK, the last ~8 miles!) I had them in my head running alongside with me, encouraging me along.

3/ Knowing that there were probably people who thought I wouldn't be able to finish without stopping - I really wanted to prove them wrong!

 

Raising money for Maggie's wasn't the main reason for entering. It was more about me doing something to feel good about. But I spent a fair while deciding which charity to pick and, having had many hours pounding the streets to think about it, I'm really glad I picked Maggies.

Everyone wants their money to make a difference. And working in a lab makes you realise how expensive lab research is, and, while vital, I didn't want to feel that I'd only raised enough to buy one antibody for some research lab. Maggie's do things like teach women who have lost their hair how to paint on eyebrows, and I think that while it's hugely important that someone out there is paying for the research into new medicines, the things that Maggie's do make a difference to the day to day life of someone with cancer. If the money that you have donated can make that day better then it will be doing a huge amount of good.

http://www.maggiescentres.org/maggies/maggiescentres/home/home.html

Thanks for sponsoring me.

xD.

 

 

It won't be fast, and it won't be pretty, but on 25th October I'm doing the Dublin Marathon. Notice how I've carefully avoided saying I'm 'running' the marathon...

I hope to raise money for Maggie's, a charity that offers support to cancer patients and their families.

http://www.maggiescentres.org/maggies/maggiescentres/home/home.html

 I first heard about Maggies when I lived in Scotland, and was happy to find that since 2008 they have been busy opening centres in England and further afield as well.

 

I have entered the Dublin Marathon because I wanted to feel good about being 30. I already have my place secured (and paid for) and don't have a target amount I have to raise.  

 

http://dublinmarathon.ie/index.php

 

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