I've signed up for running the Edinburgh Marathon 2025.

There are a lot of reasons why this is a terrible idea...

I currently don’t run very fast. My PB in the 10k (which I’ve only done at full tempo pace three times) is 51mins. Even factoring in a slower pace at marathon, that would have me come in at 4hr30min.

I’m not a runner.

When I do run, it’s not very fast.

I'm also – until a few weeks ago – the heaviest I've ever been, and have strayed comprehensively into skinny-fat dad bod territory. As a former gym rat whose favourite exercise was weighted pull-ups, times have changed.

I've been almost entirely sedentary during the day, sitting in my chair writing (that's ok, btw, it's my job!).

[For those of you who don't know me, I'm Andrew Raymond, a crime writer whose titles include The Bonnie Dead among many others.]

And I’ve never trained consistently and over as great a period of time as will be required to achieve what I want to achieve in this marathon.

However...!

...the more I thought about it, the more I realised that those were actually all reasons why I SHOULD run a marathon.

So I’m training properly. And seriously.

I’ve always wanted to run a marathon, and I figured at 40 now is as good a time as any to do it. The best way to do it was to simply sign up immediately before I could change my mind – which I did the day of the 2024 marathon. I was staying with family whose house is on a street the race went down.

I was so inspired I immediately thought I should do the Half Marathon the next year, as both run on the same day.

Then about ten minutes later I decided I wanted to do it properly and do the full marathon instead.

Although I have a time I’d like to get, I’m not running it purely as an exercise in fastest time. But that is part of the challenge. I won’t know until closer to the time whether I’m any way close enough to try for the time I have in mind, but I won’t jeopardise finishing or risk cramps etc to do it.

Anyway, the important part is that I’m running to raise money for Blood Cancer UK, which is very close to me and my family’s hearts.

If you can afford even a few £s, I would hugely appreciate it.

I promise that I’m taking this very seriously, and I’ll run my heart out on the day for the cause. 100% of all donations will go directly to Blood Cancer UK. JustGiving, the platform I'm using for donations doesn't take a single penny for charity fundraising.

***

As part of an "accountability network" (feel free to *CRINGE* here with me), I'm linking my Strava profile to the donation page, so you can see every single training run I do (annoyingly it doesn't show the ones I've already done!).

There is also a personal element to this for me. I’ve come through a lot in my life, but there’s a part of me that still wonders how much I really know myself. I believe that until you challenge yourself to do something previously unthinkable then you cannot really know yourself.

Running this marathon will be a privilege. Kicking the **** out myself for 11 months of training will be a privilege. Because being alive is the greatest privilege there is, and I believe I have a duty to make the most of that gift as possible.

Wish me luck because I’M GOING TO NEED IT :)