UPDATE 2 (Aug 2020): having already run my own solo marathon back in April, I am delighted to say that the 2020 London Marathon is now on - at least virtually. On 4th October, only a very small elite field will contest the marathon in central London, but I (like many others) will run my own solo marathon on my own (isolated) route, tracked and timed by an official London Marathon app, and this will be part of the official results for the 2020 race. In addition, the "real" thing (the mass participation race) will be back on in Oct 2021 (Covid permitting) - so if you haven't donated yet, please do so - you will get three marathons out of me for one donation :-) Amnesty International's work continues to be vital in these times, and while fundraising has become incredibly difficult for them, there is only more work for them now: the Covid crisis has further accentuated issues like domestic violence (significantly increased during the lockdown), data protection (with more and new types of health and location data being gathered now) and the plight of migrant workers who have inadequate protection from Covid. Please consider donating to support AI's vital work. Thank you.

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***UPDATE (Apr 2020): in the light of the London marathon being postponed to October, I ran my own (virtual, strictly isolated and socially distant) debut marathon on Easter Sunday - see update at the bottom of the page***

Dear friends and colleagues,

I will be running my first marathon in April - and before any of you object that I run regularly, I should point out that I have never covered more than half the distance even in training! Some old hands among DWS runners (no names shall be named) have kindly advised me that I had better abandon any idea of double the distance simply being double the effort - I've been told to forget everything I know about preparation, mindset, metabolism, etc...

So here goes: my journey of almost six months to the London Marathon (26th April 2020) starts this week with a half marathon at Silverstone F1 circuit - and I promise there will be no puns about going through the gears or blaming a poor result on the wrong tyres!! After that, marathon training beckons: learning to run slower, steadier, and loooonger - no, I'm just kidding, the real challenge will of course be consistently getting out onto the road in those long, dark and cold winter months... And then by March, there will be another half marathon, and maybe a 20-mile race to take stock a few weeks before marathon day.

So why my choice of charity? Amnesty International needs no introduction for most of you, but I strongly feel that their work is more important than ever in this age where established norms seem to be slipping even in democratic countries that (used to) pride themselves in being defenders of human rights. Whether it is freedom of press and protection of whistle-blowers, humane treatment of refugees and asylum seekers, or privacy and protection from digital surveillance, human rights seem to be under assault even in most parts of the Western world where these values were taken for granted until very recently. And then of course there are prisoners of conscience across the world on whose behalf Amnesty has intervened for decades. Amnesty's resolve and ability in campaigning on these issues and speaking truth to power is second to none. If you'd like to learn more about Amnesty's current campaigns, do come by and ask me or visit www.amnesty.org.uk/issues

Please support their vital work if you can - any donation, no matter what size, is very much appreciated. If you are a UK taxpayer, please remember to add GiftAid (so that the extra tax credit is available for Amnesty) by certifying "this is my own money", then "yes, please claim GiftAid".

And if you happen to be in London anywhere near the marathon course on 26th April - please do come and support me and the small team of Amnesty runners!

Thank you,

Dirk