A massive thanks to you all for your generous donations to my chosen charity, Alzheimer’s Society. I can’t believe how much you have donated, I’m humbled.

Anyway, the marathon experience: The 16 week training plan from early January went very well until in the last week, during ‘taper down’, I pulled a muscle. So with the leg strapped up I assembled with thousands of other runners at Blackheath on Sunday morning. It’s downhill all the way to Woolwich then eastwards through Greenwich. Felt comfortable going around the Cutty Sark, through Rotherhithe, Bermondsey and onto Tower Bridge which was great to run over! A right turn and it was off towards the Isle-of-Dogs, passing loads of earlier runners coming back from where I had to go. On to Millwall and into Canary Wharf the leg got quite painful although the ever-present aroma of ‘weed’ from the excited crowds seemed to numb the pain a bit. Pretty slow now hobbling up the Embankment with a quicker spurt up Birdcage Walk to do the final right turn at Buckingham Palace and a very painful run down The Mall to the Finish and a mighty medal - Yay!! The Alzheimer’s Society looked after me well afterwards in a swanky hotel nearby with food, drink and a leg massage, so it wasn’t all bad and who needs toenails anyway?

At Alzheimer’s Society we’re working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.

We do this by giving help to those living with dementia today, and providing hope for the future.

My Father died following many years of Alzheimer's which is why I chose this charity.