I'm running the London Marathon to raise money and awareness for the Steve Reid Foundation and the Musicians Benevolent Fund.

     I started the Steve Reid Foundation to keep his memory alive. Steve Reid was an amazing drummer with a long and illustrious history that stretched from working with James Brown, Miles Davis and Fela Kuti through to his own Steve Reid Trio and more recently working with Kieran Hebden (Four Tet). He died from throat cancer in the US in April 2010 without the money for treatment that could have saved his life.

     The Steve Reid Foundation will work closely with other charities such as the Musicians Benevolent Fund to aid the plight of struggling musicians, especially those with long-term and life threatening health problems. A career as a musician may sometimes seem glamorous, but more often it is a struggle and health-related issues can often be the final straw.

     To train for the marathon I've been running between 5 to 10 miles a day, changed my diet, gave up a lot of things, and even turned down DJ gigs. Once I cross that finish line, all of this will be worth it.

     Wish me luck!