After running short distances for less than a year, Juliet Champion's 1st long-distance run was an ultra race (as a substitute for our dear friend George Dayantis who passed away in 2011).  Jumping in the deep-end, having only run 15 miles max beforehand, Juliet finished the 50km in just over 5 hours. Inspired to race while living in France, Juliet completed her 1st marathon in April 2012, achieving a sub-3 hour in her 4th marathon within 18 months.  In the Bournemouth marathon last year, Juliet finished 4 minutes outside her best time in training for a marathon just two weeks later!  Juliet was very delighted to pick up the prize for 1st GB runner and 3rd female overall from the Mayor of Bournemouth so close to home.  So, Juliet returns to UK with even more motivation to compete in the same event this year, Juliet will be aiming at "a better time" in her 14th marathon, competing for Poole Athletic Club.  Quite a challenge after an unsettling moving to Germany, besought with injury niggles. So, the last pre-race is one week beforehand: a half marathon on 27th September, when Juliet will complete a 3-race series challenge, hoping to pick up the Hella Laufcup for 1st female.

Before Juliet starts the BMF marathon at 10am, Micah Dougall (Alan's son) will be competing in the half marathon event at 8am.  Micah's story is equally inspiring (to me at least).  In 2009, Micah faced a challenge to finish no more than 30 minutes behind his dad in a standard-distance triathlon. Despite the handicap of a slow bike (allegedly sabotaged), Micah finished 29 minutes behind - good enough to claim Alan's 10-year old TT bike as the prize.
'At the time, I recall my throw-away comment "You have to beat me to win my new P3 bike."'
So, nearly four years later, having given up smoking, Micah, joined his dad in France.  In the Nice triathlon, Micah bettered his dad's time by 10 minutes, and was very proud to swap his former prize and fly home with the treasured Cervello bike!  A few years on, Micah finished 6th overall in his 1st half marathon in under 1:35 (which is better than his dad's best time on a much easier course).  So, three weeks later, just 30 minutes before Juliet starts the double distance, Micah hopes to finish in under 1:30 in his 2nd half-marathon.

So, that just leaves Alan with about 15 minutes to cycle 3 miles back to the start of the marathon to support Juliet.  Not a problem ordinarily, except he will have faced two races the day beforehand: the BMF "supersonic" 10km at 4pm aiming closer to 45 minutes, and two hours later, the "speedolight" 5km (running minimalist again) at 7pm in half that time again.  Perhaps not such an easy challenge racing both, since his heart rate was racing 200+bpm just a three months ago after limited training for a triathlon.

So, if inspired, please add your support to our crazy personal challenges before or after the event on 3rd/4th October...

For the BMF Festival of events this year, we are continuing a tribute to my sincerest nephew, Matthew James Porter who left this world too early, but for a better place 3 years ago., we are supporting MIND charity across all 4 races.

Matthew was a fitness instructor (in Dorking) and many tributes followed which uncovered his exceptional kindness to others while battling mental illness for over 7 years.

I'll let him share his own words he has passed on...

'Everyone listen very carefully i am going to tell you a great secret. I have no clue what i am doing but the Lord is with me. Everyone listen very, very carefully, no-one ignore me. Whatever situation you are in pay attention, i don't care what you think of me i am a man and i have my shortcomings and i've made a lot of mistakes, maybe too many but there is a chance for you. Listen because someone is talking and they want to reveal themselves to you. Do you know who i am talking about?
He has existed before everything else, before you or I. Perfection was there, such love, such love, the presence, the almighty power. I am trying to tell you that God is love. Nothing is impossible with him. 
Think about him, before everything, before time, before creation. He was there and he loved you before it all, he had a plan for you, a purpose a calling and a name. Before he called the earth into existence he knew you.
This is my calling, i am his and he is mine. I have experienced his mighty love first hand and if i could i would like to share it with you but i know written words are not enough. What you and i need is his presence, his very real and tangible presence, his FATHERLY LOVE. There is only one way to come to the true Father of creation, he has made that way. His name is Jesus.
We have all heard that name many times but he is a real person and you can meet him, all you need to do is call on his name and you can come to the great creator of all good things. Jesus said " I am the way, the truth and the life, no-one comes to the Father but by me." Please, please listen to me. Call on his name, scream it from the top of your lungs if you like. He will listen as he is calling you to follow him, pleading with you, desperate to have you back in his plan.
Now i may sound a bit weird and heavy, but to be honest i don't care. The truth of God is without parallel. Please don't waste your life. A second in Gods presence is more valuable and greater than a lifetime of anything else and he promises much, much more. Sure there will be struggles in life, i know i've had a few. But what God promises is an over abundance of peace, joy and righteousness which words can simply not explain.
Far more is in store though as he promises us eternity with him and remember he is Love. Eternal joy, eternal peace, eternal righteousness. Believe me his presence is incomparable. I remember the night i became christian when i decided to follow Jesus. I went from suicidal to being filled with such joy and peace and a feeling of being made right with God, no more guilt or condemnation. I was made pure because of him. It's all in the bible. He died so that we might live. We've all heard of the cross, and it's the sacrificial bit, he died in our place, the very Son of God.
Jesus is real give him a chance i promise you, you will not regret it. Every moment of the Saviour's life he lived for others and he continues now to talk to his Father on our behalf. Don't miss a minute call on his name, he is definitely listening eagerly waiting to hear your voice, desperate to have you back in his presence.
I've said enough, it's time for you and i to start talking to him. HE IS LISTENING. He loves you and do you know what so do i, that's my secret.'

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