Simon Runs Paris: Paris Marathon 2009

UPDATE (14/04/2009): Official race videos online

Clips of the official race video (including yours truly crossing the finish line!) can now be seen on the Asics (Paris Marathon Official Sponsor) website - Watch it now!

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UPDATE (12/04/2009): Full race report now online

Yep, you can now watch me run the marathon on my website http://www.50000steps.co.uk, along with a blow-by-blow account of my race.

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UPDATE (07/04/2009): I did it!

After four months of training, four days in Paris and 5h 27m 4s later, I finally completed the Paris Marathon.

Stay tuned for a special video update!

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UPDATE (18/03/2009): More chocolate to be won

If you're a bit disappointed about not winning the Easter egg, then I've got a new prize for you - the first person whose donation pushes me over the £50 mark will also an Easter egg as a thank you for their donation!

At the time of writing, the total stands at £25, so winning that chocolate is easier than you think!

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UPDATE (17/03/2009): And the winners are...

The winners of my Easter egg competition are Margaret Wells, who was the first person to donate and gave £5 and the winner of the Easter egg for the first Woodend Tenant to donate is Neil Fitzpatrick who donated £10.

Thanks Margaret and Neil for getting my campaign off to a flying start!

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UPDATE: Win an Easter egg!

To kick off the fundraising drive for my Paris Marathon 2009 attempt, I'm giving away an Easter egg to the first person to donate £5!

All you need to do to claim this delicious prize is be the first to donate. I'll be checking this page and awarding the egg to the first person in the list. I'll be in contact with the winner, so make sure you provide a current email address.

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Donations page launched!

I'm taking part in the Paris Marathon 2009 to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Society.

The Paris Marathon is a full 26.2-mile marathon, starting on the Champs Elysee on April 5th at 9.00am.

I’ve been training really hard for the past four months, getting up at 5.00am five days a week to run an average of 30 miles a week. I’m doing it my for my grandparents, who both suffered terribly with Dementia and were both eventually taken by it. They were childhood sweethearts who married young and stayed together for the rest of their lives.

My grandfather was a proud man who fought in the Normandy campaign during the Second World War and was later posted to Palestine (when it was still part of the British Empire). To see him lose control over his emotions and his memory was a dreadful experience which no-one should have to go through. That’s why I’ll be running in April.

It’s not the first time that I'll be running a marathon to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Society. Since May last year, I have already completed the Edinburgh and Dublin marathons and competed in Jane Tomlinson’s Leeds 10K “Run For All”.

Jo Swinhoe, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at Alzheimer’s Society said,

“We are delighted that Simon is giving his time and energy to take on this running challenge for us. As a charity, we rely on the generosity of individuals like Simon to help us care, research and campaign for people affected by dementia. One in three older people will end their life with a form of dementia. It is more than just memory loss; it rob’s people of their lives and has a devastating impact on families and loved ones. Please back Simon in their fundraising efforts so that we can continue leading the fight against dementia.”

You can keep up-to-date with my progress on my training blog http://www.50000steps.co.uk

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Alzheimer's Society 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.

Thanks for visiting my fundraising page and please sponsor me now!

Races completed to date:

Edinburgh Marathon May 2008
Leeds 10k June 2008
Dublin Marathon October 2008