"What's this event?"
Brathay 10 in 10 is an ultra-endurance running event organized and hosted by the Brathay Trust in Ambleside. The event consists of 10 full marathons in 10 days, around Lake Windermere in the English Lake District. For the fifth edition of the event, starting 11th May 2012, I will be one of 20 runners (some would say nut-cases) attempting to run 262 miles and finish in one piece.

"Are you crazy?"
Yes.

I started running in 2009, and discovered I loved it after 43 years of being convinced I hated it. Two years later I have completed 2 marathons (of which one under 4 hours), burned off 20lbs of unnecessary body mass, and run a total of 1,800 miles. The training for this event alone will probably double that mileage over the next ten months...

"Why are you asking me for money?"
My real reason for participating in this event is to raise funds in support of the Brathay Trust. Running 10 marathons may seem difficult. But it is not as difficult as the insurmountable challenges faced by young people who are trapped in a spiral of abuse, drugs and crime.

I consider myself extremely fortunate to have an education, a job, self-esteem, and the opportunity to make choices about my life. Such things are definitively out of reach for millions of young people throughout the world, even in so-called "developed" countries.

I believe that when we have these advantages, it is our social responsibility to share them whenever possible. An event like this is an opportunity for all of us to make a gesture of solidarity towards those who are in dire need.

"What is Brathay Trust?"
Brathay Trust is a charity that improves outcomes for thousands of young people across the UK. They work primarily with those under 25 who are most disadvantaged or vulnerable, and who have suffered abuse or neglect, social exclusion or who are outside employment, education and training.

Brathay’s vision is of a society where all children and young people have access to formal and informal education enabling them to fulfil their potential.

"How will my money be used?"
Your donation will be used to fund programmes targeting the following: 
1. Youth leadership
2. Youth advocacy
3. Reducing the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET)
4. Reducing offending and anti-social behaviour by young people
5. Raising attainment in schools

"How much do I have to give?"
It does not matter whether you can afford pennies or hundreds of pounds. Any donation, however large or small, is better than no donation at all! My fund-raising goal is £5,000. So please, dig deep and donate now.

"Can I join in?"
Yes and no. Registration for the 10 in 10 is already closed. But you will soon be able to register for the annual Windermere Marathon, which takes place on 20th May 2012. Keep an eye on this page for details.

That will be the tenth and final day of the 10-in-10. The 20 nut-cases are given an hour or so head start, but at that point we'll be hurting so much, you should be able to catch up fairly easily...

"How are you doing so far?"

You can follow my progress through training (and the event once it starts) by checking my Facebook page or my personal web site.

"Can I make a donation from the US or Europe?"
Yes.

JustGiving.com will accept donations from any country. Your donation will be made in GBP (pounds sterling) and converted automatically to your local currency by your bank or credit card provider. In some countries you may be charged a small international transaction fee (typically 2-3% of the total transaction amount).

The Small Print

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on, or send you unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity, and they will make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.