Gabriel's page
Gabriel Gottlieb is raising money for British Heart Foundation
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Thanks so much for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
Why I'm running the London Marathon on 21st April, 2013
To celebrate moving from Guildford to Walthamstow and back at last to my home town, I've decided to attempt the London Marathon again. Look at the photos of my first one in 2005.
I'm doing it again to raise money for the British Heart Foundation (BHF), who do amazing work trying to eliminate premature death through heart disease. I don't have a personal connection to the BHF; but all of us have a heart, and any of us might depend on the BHF's help for our survival at some point in our lives.
When you do something for the second time you always want to do it better; so I'm going to try and improve on my finishing time. This is a tall order: back then I was a sprightly 27 year old, and now I'm an almost middle-aged 35. I did it in 3'32 last time, so if I can get below 3'30 - I'll be ecstatic. To spur me on, why not pledge a little bonus - say another 10% of your donation, if I can beat that time? I'm asking you to donate your cash; it's only fair that you expect me to work for it!
The London Marathon is an amazing event, and my first one was an incredible experience. Yes, it was EXHAUSTING; I couldn't work properly for a week afterwards (seriously); I was desperate for the race to be over from mile 20 (of 26.2) onwards. But the feeling of being cheered on by name all the way through the race, of running with SO many other people of all ages (the man who finished just behind me was at least 65...), and the emotion of running past so many of London's greatest landmarks is hard to indescribe. I urge anyone to give it a try!
About the British Heart Foundation (www.bhf.org.uk)
Our mission is to play a leading role in the fight against disease of the heart and circulation, so that it is no longer a major cause of disability and premature death.
Within a generation, we aim to:
- reduce cardiovascular disease in the UK to one of the lowest levels in Europe.
Within a decade, we aim to:
- halve the number of people under 75 who die from cardiovascular disease
- make sure at least two thirds of people under 75 survive a heart attack
- reduce heart-related deaths in all UK local authority areas to the current level in South East England or below
- reverse the increase in childhood obesity.
About JustGiving
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
About the Virgin London Marathon 2013