Hey!

Yeah, you read the title right – for some insane reason, I decided that running a marathon would be a fantastic idea! I’ve never been into anything sporty, I’ve always hated running, and to say I’m not really built for long distance running (or any physical activity) is a gross understatement, as anyone who’s ever met me will know. That said, I’ve been diligently training away for the last few months, giving the people of Oxford a good chuckle as I jog past, and 26.2 miles should be a piece of cake! Hopefully followed by a piece of cake…

The charity I’m running for is Headway Oxfordshire. They’re a charity that provide support to people with brain injuries and their families & friends – brain injuries coming from things like stroke, head trauma, being unconscious for a long time, chemical imbalance etc. – the sorts of illnesses that lead to difficulties with otherwise trivial day-to-day activities like moving, speaking and understanding what’s going on. There was a great drama a few years ago starring David Tennant called “Recovery”, which was produced in conjunction with Headway and gives some insight into living with a brain injury. Brain injuries have certainly played their part in my life – my granddad having a stroke, and the effects of the brain cancer that eventually killed my dad – and given the limited exposure it gets when it has such a significant impact on people’s lives, it seems like a worthwhile cause!

So yeah – pay them some cash to get a fat guy to run like hell for 4 or 5 hours! The majority of people I know are students and I’m acutely aware of how tight funds are – I’m not gonna hunt anyone down for not sponsoring me, but if you can spare some cash then it’s very much appreciated. If not, any moral support you can provide so I can keep up this ludicrous endeavour would be just as welcome (I don’t have much willpower with exercise, the moral support is at least as useful as giving me cash…)

Thanks! :-D
Matt xxxxxxxxxx