Phil is running the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon for the National Autistic Society on 7^th October

 Yes, just three days before my 40^th birthday I'll be puffing and panting 26.2 miles along the shores of Loch Ness in an effort to raise at least £1000 for the National Autistic Society.

So, please dig deep…the deeper the better…and sponsor me online.  

Will I see Nessie?

Will Granny Baxter be cheering me on & handing out mugs of soup?

Why the National Autistic Society?  

I can’t answer the first two questions, but the third is simple: two years ago our son Andrew who is now 5, was diagnosed with autism. This fundraising effort is a small thank you for the fantastic support we have received from the National Autistic Society and for the brilliant resources, covering everything from diet to education, that are available on their website: www.nas.org.uk  

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: National Autistic Society will receive your money faster and, if you are a taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor me now!

Many thanks for all  your support.  

Phil

Update 1 (20th May): Hi folks - ran in the Loch Leven Half Marathon yesterday and managed a time of 1:35:05 which I was incredibly chuffed with given the windy conditions which meant the second half of the race was a major effort. The time was also an improvement on my Inverness Half Marathon time of 1:37. Thank you so much to all those who have contributed so far. Cheers, Phil.

Update 2 (27th June): Well, I just about managed to survive Tim's stag weekend at The Outsider Festival near Aviemore - wild partying I can just about handle, it was the triple assault of rain, mud and chemical toilets that nearly finished me off. Somehow managed a 12k trail run on the Sunday morning in 53 minutes which put me 50th out of 400 runners....so I can't have been that bad!

Update 3 (2nd September): Did the Moray Half Marathon today in a time of 1:37. Having set off like the proverbial whippet out of a trap I was knackered by the three mile mark and the old legs felt like lead for the rest of the race. Lovely day and a great course, though. Only a month to go until the BIG ONE!!

Update 4 (10th September): Due to everyone being so incredibly generous, I've revised the target from £1000 to £1310. This may seem like an odd figure, but over the length of the marathon works out at £50 per mile - a good psychological target to keep me plodding along on the day! Thanks again, Phil.

Update 5 (1st October): Less than a week to go and all the training is just about done! To cope with all my amazingly generous friends I've raised the target once again, this time  to £1500. Thanks again and I'll let you know how sore my legs are next week, Phil.

Update 6 (4th October): Sod it...let's aim for £2000!

Update 7 (8th October): What a fantastic day weather-wise and run-wise - managed to finish in 3:29:25...all of 35 seconds inside my target time. The best part,of course, is that with your help we've managed to raise around £2100 for the National Autistic Society. A huge THANK YOU to you all!!