Dear friends -- I'm running my annual charity marathon, raising money for the charity Mind, in memory of my friend Andrew Soares who tragically died in 2011.

I'm afraid there are no fancy dress  gimmicks this year as I still have the scars (literally) from my world record-setting exploits in my pencil costume last year. I NEVER WANT TO WEAR IT AGAIN.

But it's in aid of a great charity, which does lots of amazing work on mental health. So please give whatever you can afford: My employer will match it, and if you're a U.K. taxpayer and tick the appropriate boxes, the taxman will give back 25p in the pound too. So even £1 of sponsorship translates into £2.25 for Mind.