Rachael and myself have both run marathons before and raised money for both Cancer Research and The Stroke Association. My father was diagnosed with Testicular cancer in 1994, Rachael's father passed away from a Stroke in 2006 and her mother contracted Breast cancer in 2006.

Along with Mark Harriott, Tricia Bunn and Richard Bunn of the Peel Road Runners we came up with a challenge of running 12 marathons in the 12 months of 2012.

The first marathon Rach and I are going to run is the Liverbird Marathon in Liverpool on New Year's Day 2012. I was really looking forward to beginning the challenge when I found a lump in my right testicle at the start of December. Having the lump confirmed as a tumour I went into hopsital to have an Orchidectomy (testicle removed). I'm recovering well, but unfortunately won't be able to run on January 1st. I will however still be running 12 marathons in 2012, firing on one cylinder, when I've recovered. Rachael will still be running in Liverpool along with Tricia and Richard Bunn.

Due to my father's and my experience, Rachael and I are going to raise money for Everyman, the UK's leading prostate and testicular cancer campaign.

If you could donate to our page that would be fantastic! So please dig deep and donate now.

Update 6/01/2012

After stating that I wouldn't be able to run on New Year's Day I managed to walk and jog the first marathon in 6 hours, 9 days after my surgery. Rachael completed it in 4:07. I have also found out that the tumour in my testicle was a seminoma type cancer. Luckily it has not spread to other areas of my body and I am waiting to see an oncologist at the QE hopsital in Birmingham. 

Update 26/02/2012

Marathon number 2 completed yesterday, 15 days after my chemotherapy treatment. I was given a dose of a drug called Carboplatin which reduces the risk of the cancer returning from 20% to 2%. I did feel weak following the treatment but recovered enough to finish the Belvoir challenge in 4:40, Rachael completed it in 4:32.

Update 12/04/2012

When is a marathon not a marathon? When it's an ultra marathon! March's marathon turned out to be a bit further than 26 miles. Due to our lack of navigation skills we ended up getting lost in the New Forest and running 31 miles. Our time? 7 hours 22 minutes. Now only 10 days until London!

Update 28/04/2012

Marathon #4 of 12 completed. A fantastic day running with Tricia (until she left me at halfway) and Rachael. Going well until 19 miles when my left knee was in considerable pain due to ITB friction. Rach stayed with me until the end as I hobbled, limped and walked the last 7 miles to finish in 4:09. More importantly fundraising amount now over £1600. 

Update 20/07/2012

It's been a while since the last update so here's what's been happening since April: Rachael completed the White Peak marathon in May in 4h04m but unfortunately I couldn't complete the race due to my knee injury from the London marathon. After a cortisone injection in my left knee I was able to complete June's marathon in Cheltenham in just over 6 hours while Rachael did it in 5h20m with Rich. Two weeks later we were in Yorkshire for the Osmotherley Phoenix - a 26 mile race in the North Yorkshie moors. A very hilly and muddy marathon eventually completed in 6h22m. As I was a marathon behind I then ran a track marathon at my school sports day. This was 105.5 laps of a 400m track and the last lap was run with most of the school behind me. A truly wonderful moment and probably the best finish to any marathon I've run. Fundraising has now gone past £2000! Next marathon is on 12th August in Salisbury.

Update 24/10/2012

August, September and October's marathons have now been completed. Unfortunately, Rachael was ill the night before Abingdon and did not start. I managed to run a PB in 3:36:37, knocking 6 minutes off my previous best from London 2010. Rachael will be running the Snowdonia marathon on 27/10 as her 10th marathon of the year. Fundraising is now over £2300.

Update 25/11/2012

Rachael completed the Snowdonia marathon as her 10th marathon of the year in 4 hours 18 minutes. I also managed to get an entry into Snowdonia and posted a course pb of 3 hours 54 minutes, so was well chuffed. November's (or should that be Movember?) marathon was a muddy affair over 28 miles in the Bedfordhsire countryside with Paul and fellow 12 in 12er Mark. We got a little lost (not as bad as New Forest though) and finished just before dusk fell in 6 hours and 31 minutes. Now only 4 weeks until the last marathon and the completion of our challenge. Fundraising has also now gone past £2500!

I have updated the list of marathons we are running below:

1st January - Liverbird Marathon, Liverpool DONE

25th February - Belvoir Challenge, Leicestershire DONE

11th March - New Forest Marathon DONE

22nd April - London Marathon DONE

19th May - White Peak Marathon, Derbyshire DONE (Rachael only)

24th June - Cheltenham Circular Challenge DONE

7th July - Osmotherley Phoenix, Yorkshire DONE

18th July - CCHS Sports Day Track Marathon DONE (Lee only)

12th August - Salisbury 5,4,3,2,1 DONE

9th September - Yorkshireman Off-Road Marathon DONE

21st October - Abingdon Marathon, Oxfordshire DONE (Lee only)

27th October - Snowdonia Marathon, Wales DONE

18th November - Sundon Saunter DONE

23rd December - Portsmouth Coastal Marathon