Thanks for opening my charity page, and please be so kind as to read to the end...

In the past 10 years I have sponsored many many people for various different sporting events, from 5km races to marathons to serious adventure stuff to probably weddings and birthdays alike for all I know, but more importantly, all in the name of different charities. So I have decided at long last do a sporting event for charity as well, and I have a very good reason for doing this.

From diagnosis to Steve’s final day was a very short period of time and it just goes to show how powerful and tragic this disease can be. Steve left behind a wife and two young daughters. I therefore want to run the marathon to raise money for the Macmillan Cancer Support in memory of Steve.

(I am no Haile Gebrselassie and am nearer to 40 than 35, but I am aiming to put in a very decent effort and hopefully a decent time and am training a fair bit in that regard. (aka, please be realistic, I am nearly old...)

To give you a brief overview of a marathon:

There are normally tens of thousands of crazy people wanting to run a marathon for the sake of pain, self redemption, mid life crisis or for a charitable cause, hence the start is normally pretty chaotic.

The first 2 to 3 kms - you just try to get pass the masses and establish a rhythm according to your predetermined pace needed to finish in the time you set yourself. This means bumping people, getting bumped out of the way, heels stepped upon and shoes accidentally taken off.

From 4 to 10 kms - you settle down in your pace, cruising along, wave to the crowds and feel generally pretty good. After about 10kms it is time for a quick stop to get rid of some unwanted water and then it is time to focus on the job at hand.

From 10 to 21 kms - this flashes by before you know it and you feel pretty fresh when you go through the halfway line which is quite funny, because normally if you only do a 21km run you are pretty tired…so one of those mind game things…

At around 26 kms - your legs send you a message… hey bro, we have just run 3 times our normal training distance…what’s up, when are we stopping.….?  An eye on the pacemaker indicates that the pace is dropping although it feels like you are still doing your best… and you know the camel back breakers are coming up.

From 28 to 34 kms - this is generally regarded as the back breakers; if you struggle here you will have a painful last 8 to 10kms and a pretty unpleasant marathon experience.

As you cruise or suffer past these 4 to 6 kms you start thinking; swimming or drowning!!! But as they pass to the wayside your strength starts to come back, because you know, 34 done … only 8 to go, an easy Sunday morning run in the park… just keep focussing and think of glory days and simply the best….

It is so so easy to lose focus at this stage and lose the race. With marathon running, as with every other endurance, sport a very strong mental state is a pre-requisite, even more so when you are under prepared…

Come km 40 and you are still feeling good you now you are there… and start to pick up the pace, that is if your legs are playing ball…. it is very easy at this stage to get over exited and burn yourself out and have to walk and crawl the last km and miss the cut, so pick up the speed, but be sensible and focus, focus, focus!!!

The second best feeling of the day is when you pass the 41km marker and see the finish line, 1.2km to go….

And then for the best part of the race and the day… when you cross the finish line… drop a tear, look at your watch… and hopefully the display reads…. 2h59:59

I would really really like it and be so thankful if you all could choose a kilometre and sponsor me according to how difficult and important you think that kilometre will be.

If you are still reading, just click on the link and sponsor generously, and please state which km you are sponsoring so people can see which ones are left. These kms are going to sell out real quick (so I hear) so don’t be left disappointed without a kilometre, click the link and get sponsoring.

http://www.justgiving.com/Conrad-runs-to-the-beat-in-Berlin

Thank you :-)

Conrad

PS - I am paying for all my own travel and personal expenses to , so whatever you sponsor will go straight to Macmillan.

Running a marathon in a foreign country is normally a pretty expensive exercise as is, hence an even better reason for you to contribute to the Macmillan cause.

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

So please dig deep and donate now.