*UPDATE*

Thanks to everyone who sponsored me and helped to reach the target. The knowledge that that the money had already left your accounts so if I didn't finish I'd have to escape to Belize was quite a motivation. Wonderful day, great experience and thoroughly recommend it to all. In the end I finished in 3 hours and 51 minutes.

Finally, the i's have been dotted and the t-dogs crossed and I am officially running the London marathon. Whilst most might think I am doing this for personal glory or to get myself in shape for the summer you would be wrong; I am running for a charity that means a great deal to many of my friends and their families and to the memory of the ultimate golden boy and the charity set up in his name. That charity is Give It Your Max.

Max Stotesbury died tragically in a car accident in October 2004 and apart from being an exceptionally good guy and the best of the younger brothers he was also a wonderfully talented sportsman. Max gained great pleasure from teaching the game of tennis that he loved to so much to less fortunate children than himself and so in his honour the charity GIYM was set up to continue this good work.

To date, GIYM has enabled a number of professional tennis coaches to visit over 230 schools and provided nearly 70,000 children with their first experience of playing the game.

With your generous donation, I intend to raise £2,500 towards this worthwhile charity so that more young can improve their self confidence and social skills by picking up a racket and interacting with other children.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: The Tennis Foundation gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now!

If anyone fancies a way of beating the credit crunch blues - come along on April 26th and watch me get beaten by Quirky...

Much love,

Ralph