Hello

Thanks so much for looking at my JustGiving page.

With just one week to go and my final training run done today it looks like I will be running the London Marathon! In my feeble attempts to kid myself that 50 is the new 40 I decided to have a go at running my first marathon. Training had gone well untill two weeks ago when I injured my knee. It is still playing up but the chance to take part in the London marathon it too good to miss. It also gives me the opportunity to raise money for a charity that means a great deal to me. If you would like to know why I am running the marathon and why I would like to raise money for Central London Samaritans please read my story below.

It’s been my ambition to run the London marathon for more than 30years. I tried to do it in 2006 but a combination of a poor training schedule, the heavy mud of Epping Forest and my own stupidity resulted in a bad injury to my Achilles tendon, which meant I had to pull out 6 weeks before the race. This was really disappointing and for several years after the injury I could not run. A few years ago I started to strengthen my Achilles and tried running again, initially on treadmills at the gym and then an occasional mile or two on the road. I joined my fantastic local running club Orion Harriers, and with the help, advice and encouragement of the clubs run leaders and other club members learned how to adopt a more sensible approach to training. So, a decade on and the old Achilles is holding up pretty well. 

What on earth makes someone want to run a marathon? I’ve asked myself this many times over the past months of training. For me, it began more than thirty years ago when I would watch the London marathon with my mum. We would ooh and ah at the size of the event, the colours, funny costumes and how fast the elite athletes were. My mums favourite bit was those poor souls who had jelly legs at the end and wobbled towards the finish line...naughty mum! I was always struck by the stories behind many of those who ran, so many did it to raise money for
a charity close to their heart or in tribute to someone they had lost or was
unwell.  It seemed to me, perhaps, that this was a way for some people to finally come to terms with a difficult time in their life. This resonated deeply with me. I had struggled to come to terms with the loss of my dad who suffered a massive heart attack when I was 12. By running the marathon I saw an opportunity to pay my own tribute to him.

Asking friends and family to donate feels a little strange. So, please don’t feel obliged but if you can spare a little and would like to support my attempt to get these old legs round my first and the 36th London marathon I would very grateful. Your support would help Central London Samaritans enormously. 

Central London Samaritans (CLS) are a branch of the national charity whose core aim is to reduce levels of suicide in the UK and give 24/7 emotional support to those who are finding life tough. CLS relies on the commitment and professionalism of 400+ volunteers who work to keep CLS open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Since it first opened 60years ago it has not closed. CLS receives over 100,000 calls each year and provides and an extraordinary service to those in need of support. Volunteering for CLS can, at times, be challenging, it certainly keeps me firmly grounded. CLS gives people the opportunity to talk to another human being by phone or face to face at the branch. Volunteers listen without judgement and make every effort to understand what life is like for the person they are talking to. Feeling that you have been listened to and understood can be vital for someone in crisis.

For me, it’s about simple human kindness towards a stranger who, for whatever reason, is finding it difficult to cope. 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.