In April 2024, just a few days after a milestone birthday, I will be taking part in The TCS London Marathon to raise money for MS-UK!   

A repeat of the effort in the hottest London Marathon on record  in 2018 !!

MS-UK is a national charity dedicated to empowering people affected by multiple sclerosis to live happier and healthier lives.

Ouch! Why am I sucker for punishment??

Imagine the painful challenge of running for 4 hours, covering 26.2 miles...

Imagine the painful challenge of NOT being able to walk a couple of steps and battling fatigue, muscle spasms, stiffness, numbness and tingling sensations!

I will soon be doing the former, whilst my wife experiences the latter on a daily basis!

Six months after our wedding, my wife was shocked to learn that she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. 

Initially, she experienced mild to moderate 'relapsing remitting' symptoms. However, in recent years this has moved to a more advanced 'secondary progressive' stage, from hobbling, to stick use to everyday wheelchair use.

We are the proud parents of a boy who has grown into a handsome caring witty intelligent teenager.

Way back when he was learning to walk, unfortunately my wife's walking was deteriorating. As he was too young to remember, he is often astonished that 'mum used to walk and swim with him' when we tell him past anecdotes and show him toddler pictures of the two of them together!

Two summers ago, amid a heatwave mid-pandemic, she suffered a further setback with an infection resulting in a 2 week hospital stay, severely affecting muscle strength. With high spirits and strong determination, she has only just recently regained some of her core strength and ability to do some things she could do a couple of years ago.

A plethora of disease modifying drugs have been used over the years, unfortunately none of the current treatments available are now effective at her advanced stage of the disease and so the focus now is more on symptom management and quality of life.

I am running the marathon again, whilst I have the fortune of good health, to help support people like my inspirational wife, living with multiple sclerosis.

Every donation is hugely appreciated!

I really hope I am able to chat to you all about something other than: 

• personal bests/worsts
• gels/fuelling strategies 
• ankle/knee/hip/back niggles
• ‘maranoia’ madness!

over the course of the next year but I can’t promise! Sorry!