Update: Some of you will know that since I originally started my marathon fundraising for the MS Society last year, my father-in-law Dave tragically died aged just 64 back in May this year. He'd been in hospital for a short time and you get used to these scares being just that, until one time it's the last time. I didn't imagine that I'd be running in his memory instead of having him cheer me on from the sidelines, but in doing so I hope that I can play a small part in celebrating his life and raising something towards finding a cure for the disease that he battled against. Edited original introduction text below:

Following on from my world record for "most consecutive unsuccessful marathon ballot entries" (dating back to the mid-2000s), 2021 will actually see me running the London Marathon and I'm pleased to say that I'll be doing it on behalf of the MS Society.

The MS Society provides information, support and services to people living with MS, and funds millions in research each year. MS is a disease which comes in many different guises; in its broadest sense it is a neurological condition where the immune system attacks your nerves. The MS Society website explains about it much better than I ever could so if you're not familiar with the condition and want to know more, please take a look there.

Many of you will know that my father-in-law Dave suffered from MS in its secondary progressive form and this is where my personal motivation to run for the MS Society lies. In the many years that I knew him, I had a small glimpse into how this particular form of MS can affect people and to put it mildly, it looked like a tough ride. Small tasks to most of us become insurmountable problems, minor illnesses for the average person can lead to serious complications and your world can shrink to the size of a single room, being stuck in bed and unable to leave for months on end. Of course this all necessitates a level of 24/7 care which needs a vast amount of effort and dedication and my mother-in-law Helen provided this in spades. Throughout thick and thin, I didn't hear a complaint from either of them right up until the end, even though it would have warranted it on a daily basis.

So, what are we going to do to make sure that the critical support and research into the condition that the MS Society provides can continue? Well, with two abortive (due to Covid, not due to me...) efforts to train for the marathon in 2020, we're now onto the third and hopefully last time of asking. I've spent a lot of very cold and wet evenings, (the first time around), followed by some overly hot and surprisingly wet days (the second and third times) practising running, so that I can run some more on 3rd October. And you're going to dig deep from the comfort of your sofa / desk / luxury yacht etc. to help me glide well past my fundraising target. Basically you get the easy option, so don't scrimp.

Please support me and let's stop MS together.