Happy New Year to all forumites and Merlin sailors near and far, old and new.

I have signed up (after some research and encouragement from others who have done it before) to run the London Marathon this April.  It's still a bit of a daunting prospect as I have only ever run half that distance in one go and that not often.  I am running on behalf of the Maudsley Charity, which raises money mainly for research into mental health, and for innovation in provision of mental health services.  I have a blurb on my fundraising page and I have put the link below.  It's a very worthwhile cause in my view, and does not get nearly the public support that for example breast cancer charities or childrens' hospices do, despite being really common and shortening lives by a very surprising degree.

I would really welcome your support - and I will need some encouragement to keep the training going too!  I was out this morning and ran down to the Thames at Hampton to discover that the island is once again visible above the river, but it is still whizzing past at about 7 or 8 knots!

Andrew


Heaven Sent 3511

Shameless bump.

Still doing the training even in the bitter cold.  Many thanks to those who have sponsored me so far, and a plug to those that haven't.  The Maudsley Charity is a major donor to Mental Health research, and I'm really proud to be representing them.  I am thankful that mentally and physically I have remained really well throughout my career, but I have met many that have not been so lucky, and mental health problems somehow still have a stigma that marginalises and makes them a less attractive issue to donate to, despite being common and disabling.

Look forward to seeing you all in the 2013 season, even fitter and lighter!

Andrew

Just a final push for sponsorship before the big day!

Wish me luck and keep an eye out for me on the telly - though quite how you will spot me among the other 35,000 runners I don't know.

All the training is done and I am resting up and eating all the rice and pasta, weather this Sunday looks far better for marathon running than it does for sailing.  Heard Andrew Strauss on the radio this morning also running his first marathon ever though a lot younger and fitter than me and even he was feeling a bit apprehensive about what it's like from mile 19 on as I will never have run that far before.

When this is done I can think about getting back in the boat, which I have just got back from Laurie.

Andrew

Best of luck Andrew, I'll be thinking of you when I'm jogging round the Bushy Park 5k tomorrow!

Many thanks for the sponsorship and support.

A fantastic experience, but my comment above was just right!  At half way it's a doddle, running well, no pain, good steady pace, but from about mile 16 on it just gets tougher and tougher.  Respect for Dave's 3h 28 - I managed 4h 17, but I am a fair bit older!  The atmosphere is great, the noise of the crowd over the last 3 miles particularly is just huge and it really does give you a lift.  And today I can walk normally again and even get up and down stairs without holding on!