Update: 23 April 2010

Thank you all so much for your incredibly generous donations. As you can see, combining the amount raised on JustGiving with the amount I've raised at work, my current total is over £2000 - an incredible amount, and way more than I ever expected to raise! So thank you.

However, if you're reading this and haven't sponsored me yet there is still time, so please do.

Training has generally gone pretty well. I've had ongoing knee trouble which has meant I haven't got as many miles under my belt as I would have liked to, but the long runs went ok and I've generally been feeling pretty fit. (Touch wood.) Surprisingly I'm now really looking forward to Sunday. Weather's looking nice and it should be a great day.

If anybody is coming to watch, I'll be in a pink Breakthrough Breast Cancer vest and a pink headband. It's a good look, so keep an eye out for me.

After the race I'm having some drinks at a pub called the Market Tavern near Green Park tube. If you're around it would be great to see you.

Thank you again for all your support, and I hope to see some of you on Sunday.

Chris

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Hello there everyone.

Thank you for visiting my JustGiving page. As you will probably know by now, I am running the London Marathon this year. It will be my first ever marathon and I will be running to raise money for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. I'm really pleased to be running for such a great charity and a cause that means a lot to me. I would be incredibly grateful if you could sponsor me, and would love it if you could come and support me on Sunday 25 April.

I'd like to tell you a bit about why I am running the marathon and why I have chosen to run for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

I'm not what you would call a natural runner (to be honest, any sport that involves nipple-lubrication isn't really for me), but over the last couple of years I've been to watch the marathon a few times and found it an inspiring and quite emotional experience. So, I decided to take on the challenge of the world's greatest marathon and raise some money for charity.

Besides, the Robbins family has some (mixed) history of marathon running. My uncle Stuart completed his one and only marathon in under 3 hours - an amazing achievement. And my uncle John finished second last in the Wolverhampton marathon, having stopped off at my mum and dad's house halfway round for a cup of tea - an equally amazing achievement! I'll settle for something inbetween the two...

I was lucky enough to secure a place in the ballot for the London Marathon. This meant that I wasn't obligated to run for a particular charity, but could instead choose who I raised money for. This was an easy choice.

Sadly both my mum and my cousin Bek have suffered with breast cancer. My mum was diagnosed in 2002 and following chemotherapy, radiotherapy and numerous courses of drugs has made a full recovery. Bek hasn't been so lucky. After receiving treatment for breast cancer in 2005 (when she was only 33) she went into remission and was given the 'all-clear'. However, four years later she was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer. This is incurable.

Bek has HER2 positive breast cancer which is particularly aggressive and has begun to spread. Shortly before Christmas she noticed her handwriting begin to deteriorate. A brain scan revealed that the cancer had spread to her brain and she has two brain tumours. On a recent Facebook update called 'Cancer is a Wanker' she wrote:

“There is no cure for this. I will not go into remission again. I simply can not beat this. Although I can still fight...”

Breakthrough Breast Cancer do some amazing, pioneering work, and are dedicated to the prevention, treatment and ultimate eradication of breast cancer by fighting on three fronts:

• Research: into types of breast cancer, diagnoses, treatments and causes.

• Campaigning: for increased screening for early detection, and quicker referral times after initial GP diagnosis.

• Education: to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, “Touch, Look, Check”

Every year 46000 women and 300 men are diagnosed with the disease. To help support the work of Breakthrough Breast Cancer and improve the lives of people just like my mum and Bek, please sponsor whatever you can afford.

Many many thanks and I hope to see you on 25^th April.

Chris