I’m having a midlife crisis so have rather stupidly agreed to run (just about) 40 miles at (just over) the age of 40! 

I have now completed stage one which was the The Great North Run, which ended up being an utterly painful 13 miles (I’m blaming a bug the children had!), but the big’un is over in Nice where I hope to complete the full Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes on 4/11. 

I have chosen three charities all close very to me, The British Red Cross for their immense work in the UK and Overseas, The Doddie Weir Foundation to aid research into Motor Neurone Disease and the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society - who are 'the voice' of people who are affected by Rheumatoid Arthritis. 

Although many of you will be constantly bombarded with these types of requests, please do help me continue to support their fantastic work and my mid-life crisis! Many thanks, Simon