Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

By the time the London Marathon rolls around next year it will be 5 years since I had that fateful phone call with my GP.

"Mr Clayton, I'm sorry to inform you that you have Type II Diabetes"

It was the culmination of a time in my life which, while I'd like to leave far behind, has helped shape, quite literally, this once in a lifetime attempt.  

For years I'd followed the "it won't happen to me" mindset, I'd followed the path of "I deserve it" without doing what was necessary to earn it and the result was weighing 26 stone (360lb/160kg) and now condemned with a disease that, far from the standard viewpoint of "just take a pill", is directly responsible for many of the items on "Most Common Causes of Death" lists.

Through the stunning help of charities like Diabetes UK and an amazing group of friends at Northwich Running Club as well as friends and family, since that day I have lost over 10 stone (140lb/60kg) and I have sent the Type II Diabetes into remission.

Many are not so fortunate.  We all hear the stories and are familiar with what Diabetes can lead to

Insulin, Metformin, Chronic Fatigue, Loss of Eyesight, Poor Healing, Foot Amputations, Heart Disease, Stroke, even Cancer.  It can all be reduced or even avoided with your help.

On 28th April 2019, I'm not just running to bury my own demons.  I'm running to help those who need the same help I got and to follow Diabetes UK's vision of building a world where Diabetes can do no harm.  26TO26 may seem like a tagline, and in a way it is, but you will be able to follow my progress all the way

I intend to document my training, my journey, my thoughts throughout the whole process.  From being at the bottom of the barrell to the elation of finishing my first half marathon and the feeling I still get when I show the before/after picture on this very page.

Join me on the journey and any support you can give will be greatly appreciated, not just by me, but by all those that we can help