And so it begins (again)

It all started back in the middle of 2010. Having run the Great North Run many years earlier, I’d decided it was about time I ran a marathon. Too late for a ballot place for the 2011 London Marathon, I selected a few charities I’d like to raise money for and submitted their application forms.

By November I’d received rejection letters from all of them. Disappointed, but secretly slightly relieved, I consoled myself in the knowledge that I’d apply through the ballot for the 2012 race.

A month later, I was sat eating the last of many Christmas lunches with friends, when a call came through from a number I didn’t recognise. It was the MS Society.

“Great news, we’ve had someone drop out and you’re top of the reserve list. Do you still want to run for us?” Without giving it a second thought I replied “Of course!”.

That very large pudding I’d just started tucking into stopped going down so well as I realised I was already months behind where I should be in my training. However, the MS Society was who I really wanted to run for, so I was delighted at the news.

Fast forward to March and with a heavy heart I had to pull out due to injury. Thankfully, I managed to defer my place for a year. A year in which I spent a long time resting (very frustrating), then slowing ramping up the running again. That very slow ramp-up gave me the opportunity to switch to barefoot running, too, which I’ve now completely converted to.

Today was the first proper run of my 2012 London Marathon training. It was great! There’s still a bit of a twinge in my leg, which I’m keeping a close eye on, but I’m feeling a lot more confident than this time last year.

And now for the ask… As I said earlier, I was so pleased when I got the place through the MS Society. A close friend of mine was diagnosed with MS a few years back, so it really is a privilege to be able to fundraise for them to help in the quest to find a cure for this debilitating, and poorly understood, disease.

Any amount, large or small, would be gratefully received over on my sponsorship page to get me towards my target of £2000!