Thank you for visiting my fundraising page.  This is me, on the left after a run.  As you can see, a bit of work still to do!

This last July, 2007, my nephew, Richard Edward Perry was killed in a boating accident off the isle of Wight and remembered on the RNLI site here...  http://www.friendsandrelations.com/partners/rnli/html/detail.php?id=283

As you can see from the tributes, we all miss Rich a great deal.  His parents want to keep Richard's name alive and his memory fresh (as do we all of course) and one of the best ways of doing this seems to be to do something in the public eye in his name.  To this end I am running this forthcoming Flora London Marathon, on behalf of the RNLI who's crews searched for, found and retrieved Richard last August.  I shall stagger the course on Sunday April 13th 2008

Whether you walk, swim, sail, drive a motor boat, fly over water or just stroll on the beach, as Richard proved you never know when you might want the RNLI.  I guess being RNLI crew on a sunny day is fun and easy - but when you need them in a howling gale in the dark nights of winter they'll STILL be there for you.

I wanted badly to get into the FLM to raise awareness of Richard's name. I also wanted to make a meaningful contribution so I have pledged FIVE grand.  Please help me raise this money.  If you can get to London to see me run even better...the Krispy Kremes are on me afterwards! 

Both rebecca (Richard's sister) and I intend to do this all again next year too!!  She can't do this year because she and husband Stuart have just had a little girl, Ellie-May.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: RNLI - Royal National Lifeboat Institution will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor me now and remember, I'm running, but it's Richard Edward Perry we are remembering, him and the terrific crews of the RNLI life boats.

Many thanks for your support.

David Perry

Update:

1/12/07

Well I have been training for a few weeks now and it's going well.

The other day after a fairly  hard days travelling I managed to crawl into the gym and was inspired to run a fast 5km. never done that before...usually manage a slow one!  Anyway, so inspired i went out the next day to do my first "long run" (obviously speed training in important because I want my body to get used to running fast -  I have to finish the marathon!! -  but distance is vital too, it's all very well running three miles at a blistering pace but remember I am running just over TWENTY SIX MILES!).

Anyway, I went out and ran 5 1/2 miles in 65 minutes! I was dead chuffed I can tell you.  Didn't feel too bad after it either.

I'll keep you posted.

Update 10 / 12 / 07

Just wondering whether anyone actually reads the updates once they have sponsored me...probably not!

Anyway, yesterday ran...7 1/2 miles - seven and a half!! Yikes.  The training is hard but continuing and I really, really appreciate the sponsorship and support. Thank you all.

David

Update 10th Feb 08

Typical bloke, I managed to trash my training a few weeks ago by overdoing it. I never in my life expected anyone to tell ME I had over trained!  But I did and my legs stopped working. So it was back to gentle four or five milers for me, and now we are building the mileage up again. 

Then last week I had root canal treatment on a molar followed by the same tooth being extracted. My abiding memory is of the dentist standing behind and over me swinging my tooth around with both hands till it popped out.  It didnt hurt but left me out of it for a whole week.  Still, if I felt bad think how the tooth felt!

 I'm back at around eight now but the marathon seems very close. Am I still confident? Yes, quietly, I am.

Fund raising is a bit slow, it's all new to me. I'm going to hit the local press next week and also start fundraising lunches. We are organising a big fundraising ball for, probably, September.  Watch this space!!

D

26th Feb update

Agh!! Just done ten miles. Thats the longest non stop run yet. A loooong way to go to the full 26 miles, but right now I'm in "get me round mode"!  I am running the Reading half marathon on sunday next, thats, erm, 13 miles in, double erm, Reading!

Hard work this running malarky, hard work but fun.

Here's a funny story - it's a small world alright - Rebecca my neice was trying to get a photograph that her late brother, Richard, had taken put onto canvas so that it could be auctioned in the forthcoming charity ball I am organising (Sept 20th!).  The company, The Canvas Co I think, is part owned by a chap who also works for...the Bembridge Lifeboat which happens to be the lifeboat that found Richard!  As it happens Bembridge badly need a new lifeboat so now I am thinking about running next years marathon specifically for them. Perhaps a new boat called "The Richard Perry" would be a good tribute to Rich?

I'm off for a coffee. Happy days everyone.

D

Update March 3rd

Well yesterday was the first real test of training: the Reading Half Marathon.  Yes folks, a little over 13 miles (13.1 I think they said).  The winner did it in 1 hour 1 minute! I was aiming for two things, three if you include just running 13 miles -  remember the furthest yet has been 10. I wanted to run the lot and I wanted to do it in about two and a half hours.

Well, I DID run the lot and I finished in 2 hours 47 minutes -  so i was pretty happy with that!  Tell you what though...I could not have turned round and run back another 13 miles and, this is important, it is HARD!

I have five weeks to get up about 21 miles now so I am pretty confident that I'll be okay on "The Race Day".

When I get my photo back from the people who took one of everyone crossing the line I'll post it.  I suspect it'll be gruesome!

Thanks everyone.

David

Update 12th March

Agh!!!!! Just  run 14.5 miles. hard, hard work.  Mind you, I managed it in 3hrs 2 minutes. I maanaged the 13 mile mark in FOUR minutes LESS than I did Reading last week, so a personal best and a good sign!!  To take 14 minutes more to do 1.5 miles is fair dinkum in my book.

I feel ill now.

david

17 3 2008 Update

Agh!!!!!

Went out for 17miles today but managed a rather poor 11 before the Achilles tendons became so painfully sore I could barely walk.  I really had to think hard -  was this the wall? Was I being a wimp? Well, no, actually, I really could barely walk! Having said that walk I did (well, you've got to get back again havent you!) so I did 15 miles total.

The stats...I did the first five miles at 9min mile pace -  fairly flying along and it felt good. Even with my walking I beat the Reading time again. We did the whole 15 m in the same time overall as last week - so had I kept the pace up I'd have done a blinder. Mind you, had I DROPPED the pace I'd might have finished!

See you soon Ant people. (If you get that you're as old as me!)

David

Update 10th April 2008

Well I guess this is it then!

Remiss of me to leave the updates so few and far between.  After that 17 mile becomes fifteen becomes eleven malarky I did run the next week and had a thoroughly enjoyable ten miler. I found the cause of the Achilles issue (long strides!) and have resolved it with runs and physio.  I've been in the gym since of course and have been keeping up the training but slow and restful (oxymoron? restful exercise!!). The pros call it "tapering".

Yesterday I went for my running tag (I am number 39477) and bits and bobs at the London marathon Expo. That was fun and well organised.  Everyone else seems very thin compared to me!

I've had my last pre-race physio and done my carbo stacking (see, I've got the jargon!!). Mentally I feel very prepared for the event, I just hope my physical being stands the pace. I am sure it will. Gulp!!

Thanks to all who have sponsored so far and to all who will sponsor me after the event (got a big charity ball on September 20th at Chafyn Grove School, Salisbury).

Lets hope I do Richard proud in the event and raise loads more for the lifeboat crews -  all the while hope WE won't need them!

Thanks everyone!

David

Update 14th April.

Did it!!!!  I managed a fairly unimpressive 6:34 time but I was happy just to have got round to be honest. My training hasn't been anywhere near long enough, but as I originally intended to do the 2009 one I'm pleased.  No, I will NOT be doing the 2009 one!

Thanks to all who supported me...we've raised a lot for the RNLI and I hope to carry on  raising for them.

On behalf of Richard, many many thanks.

David

Update 15th April

Quiote astonishingly I have entered for next years marathon.  Why? Because as the pains disappear I realise there was something magical about that 26 miles.  Yes, it was a huge distance - it is a seriously long way and not to be entertained "lightly, wantonly or unadvisedly", but it is survivable.  But more than that something happens to you on the way round. Let me explain: the race took me 6 1/2 hours, yet in my mind it took about twenty minutes. I seriously do not know where the time went, it just flew by.  I guess that meant I was totally focussed on getting one foot to move after the other!  At one point I was following a girl on stilts - she must have been eight feet tall! yet I do not recall passing her or her losing me! How the heck do you lose sight of an eight foot girl?!?!  It must have been focus again.

That kind of experience has to be repeated I think.

Oh, and the fact that I was pipped to the post by a Rhino really bugs me!!

And that medal is brilliant!!

I will be after more RNLI sponsorship (if they accept me as a runner!). I'll keep you posted.

David