Back in 2016 my good friend Steve Holbrook sadly passed away following his extremely brave battle against a brain tumour.

Prior to diagnosis of the brain tumour in 2015, Steve got himself into running and as a ‘keen’ runner myself we took on a couple of challenges together…..the Paris Marathon in 2013 (despite advice from our respective doctors warning us not to run due to ongoing injuries/health issues) and the Milton Keynes Half Marathon in 2016 a year after his diagnosis and numerous treatments throughout that time. As Steve’s health deteriorated, he remained as upbeat and positive as he could, along with his amazing wife Carrie, children Emma and Mason and all their family and friends raising well over £100,000 to support the work of Brain tumour charities. I wanted to keep this trend going and came up with possibly one of the most STUPID ideas of my life……which unbelievably Steve was on board with!! I planned for us to run together from Paris to London! Unfortunately, Steve’s health deteriorated and he passed away on 30th November 2016, prior to even getting together to talk through such stupidity over a beer!!

Anyway, to cut a very long story short, I told Steve prior to him passing away that I would still do the Paris to London run and keep his fundraising/running legacy going. As time ticked on, I got older, put on some timber and had numerous health issues of my own including extremely frustrating patellar tendonitis. Paris to London seemed too big a hurdle for me. So, in October 2023 my wife Kat came up with a solution to still run for Steve and Brain Tumour Research by taking on what we are now 'lovingly' calling the 395 Challenge - 395 being the collar number Steve had throughout his Police Career – a collar number that was retired following his passing. So throughout the next year (injuries permitting) my 395 Challenge in memory of Steve is going to involve me running:

3 x Marathons

9 x 10k

5 x Half Marathons

(that's 200 miles in total! 😱)

I will be starting the challenge with The Rome Marathon in March 2024 and on to the London Landmarks Half Marathon in April (so yes that’s 15 more races to book). Whilst I am not expecting to win any of these races 😊 the way in which I will win will be by raising as much money as I possibly can through the blood, sweat and tears that this challenge is likely to bring in the memory of a true Legend, an amazing friend who was taken way too soon from all of our lives.

Please dig deep and chuck anything you can afford to support me in raising money for Brain Tumour Research who are the only national charity in the UK focused on finding a cure for all types of brain tumours through campaigning to increase the national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million per year, while fundraising to create a network of seven sustainable Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence across the UK.

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer… yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. This is unacceptable!

Together we will find a cure.