Once agan, many thanks for your support and donations to CLIC Sargent (the UK's leading children's cancer care charity).

Again, we smashed the fundraising target. The total raised is £3,535.10 (with £1,653.29 online, £1,536.02 offline and £345.79 tax reclaimed).

Combined with London in April 2007 (www.justgiving.com/dowshan) – we have raised £6,856.30 for CLIC Sargent in respect of both London and NY marathons!

• Aside from just completing New York (Sunday 4 November 2007)  in 4hours and 26mins – I have many good memories (amongst the pain!).
  • Yes, NY is a tougher course than London – the ‘hilly’ start from Staten Island and ‘hilly’ end at Central Park! Then there’s running through the long, dark Queensborough Bridge...shouting 'oggie, oggie'!
• Highlights included:
  • Hearing every variant of my name being called out – especially as I was flying through Brooklyn and then flagging in Central Park.
  • Not being overtaken by Pingu, Super Woman, or a pizza slice. Respect to all those ‘fun-runners’ and their fund-raising.
  • Collecting a whole host memories running the five boroughs of NY (and fortunately not any blisters or new injuries!).
  • The NYPD and cheerleaders for motivating me to sprint to the finish line from 25.8miles – when I pulled up thinking I had ripped my injured tendon...
  • Making the NY Knicks basketball game on the Sunday night to celebrate!
  • By chance, bumping into Paula Radcliffe (much respect due for flying the British flag on winning the womens race) in Niketown (retail therapy at $2+ to £1!) – and discussing how I could recover, and then close my 2 hour gap on her

Finally, many thanks to:

• All who sponsored me and sent messages of good luck
• Question Bar, Forest Hill and Sparkling Diamond Events for their continued support for CLIC Sargent from their Charity Tournaments and raising of £1,036.02
• Royal &SunAlliance for the £500 donation
• To those in the States who came out to see me and wish me well.
• My oldest mate Ali (from nursery!) for sorting me out in NY – especially with the post race curry, hot dog and Macky D burger!
• The medics (Sam, Emma and David) for the treatment over the last few months to help me to ‘manage’ with non-insertional Achilles tendonitis and train for NY in 5 weeks.
• CLIC Sargent (Vickie Stickler and team) for allowing me to run for them and providing the usual fantastic support in the run-up to the event.

Will I do another marathon (or challenge) for charity? Well, I will now listen to the Drs, recover fully and chill – look forward to next year and to all those of you clamouring to join me for a gentle 26.2mile run (or more) in 2008...

Many thanks!

Dowshan Humzah