Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

After many many years of talking about doing the London Marathon, I am finally doing it!! You can imagine my surprise, delight and absolute horror when I received the e-mail saying I had got a ballot place ( after about 15 years of applying!). Having run barely more than 5km in the last 17 years, it was going to involve a lot of training!

I am hoping to raise funds for 2 charities very close to my heart. Prostate Cancer UK and Partner for Change Ethiopia, both causes important to me, one being much closer to home!

Firstly Prostate Cancer UK, who fund research that will stop men being diagnosed with prostate cancer too late, helping other families get an early diagnosis can change the outcome significantly. Secondly PFC Ethiopia who support the most disadvantaged women and children in the poorest areas of Ethiopia helping to fund breakfast clubs for the children, giving them a meal before school starts, quite often the only meal they will get that day.

It has been a very tough couple of months and through it all the long training runs have helped keep Andy and I sane. You never know what life is going to throw at you and who would have guessed that the long runs are actually a few hours of escapism and something I ( Andy not quite so much ) look forward to !! and we know our efforts will not be in vain if I can help raise money for further prostate cancer research and help other men in Andy's situation.

I hate running on my own so I am very grateful for my training buddies, Andy, Sam, James and Freya the dog who keep me company and listen to my incessant chatter along the way.

I now know that training for a marathon is a full time job and I am delighted I am doing it but I promise I will NEVER be doing it again!! So will only be asking for donations this one time!! I would be delighted if you feel you would like to donate however much or little you want .

THANKS. xx