I'd love to run a full marathon but I doubt my ailing joints will withstand the onslaught. This constitutes a reasonable adjustment. It's obviously nowhere near Eddie Izzard levels of physical and mental torture but I can guarantee that I'll be in serious pain by the 35th mile. I just hope to avoid doing a Paula Radcliffe.
The 3 half marathons in 3 weeks in 3 different countries are:
1. Sunday 25 September - Foulees Lambersartoises, Lambersart, France
2. Sunday 2 October - Cardiff Half Marathon, Cardiff, Wales
3. Sunday 9 October - Royal Parks Half Marathon, London, England
I'll be running for Breast Cancer Care and will welcome any generous donation, large or small. I've got a target of £350 to achieve and with your help I can avoid having to resort to some form of "humorous" degradation to raise cash. Or a bake sale. I've set up a Just Giving page to make donating as easy as possible so there's really no excuse.
In return for your donations, I'll put in the required hours of preparation, running round Regent's Canal, the River Lea and the Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park on weekend mornings, dodging dog walkers, overly optimistic anglers and monged out revellers from the night before. The aim is to push for a finishing time round the 1 hour 45 minutes mark, failing that anything under 1 hour 50 minutes, failing that just get to the finishing line. I'm quite a fast walker so I reckon I can make it round any which way without falling victim to the sweeper car.
Having been out for a few runs recently where I've inexplicably completely died on my feet by the 4th mile, I realised that I'd run several hundred miles further than recommended on my current trainers. A swift visit to the local Sweatshop and I'm now donning a brand new pair of Brooks Ravenna 7 trainers with moulded Footbalance insoles. £160 it set me back. Pure gritted teeth pleasure seeker.
At least the Breast Cancer Care running vest looks great, eye catching design and colour scheme, so even if I'll be running round Lambersart, Cardiff and London with a pained look on my face, I'll at least be doing it in style.
For those of you who aren't aware, Breast Cancer Care is the UK's only nationwide support charity for people affected by breast cancer. Through face to face, online and phone based services, Breast Cancer Care is there every step of the way, from worrying about a lump to being given a diagnosis, from starting treatment to living beyond breast cancer. The charity receives only a tiny amount of statutory funding, relying wholly on the kind donations from individuals, groups and corporate partners. Please give generously
