In the last three years, three people I knew and loved passed away, taken prematurely by cancer. All of them were young, and each event was an appalling tragedy.

My talented, hilarious, dear friend Chris Isaac died suddenly in the summer of 2014, after a short battle with duodenal cancer. In May 2016, the gorgeous and brilliant Beth Foreman, the younger sister of my schoolfriend who I had known since she was a small girl, was taken from us equally shockingly. Just this month Elaine Cully, my girlfriend's step-mum, one of the loveliest, funniest and warmest ladies I will ever know, also passed away after a longer struggle.

Each of them deserves a book. They were all much-loved, and for each the memory is still raw. So I will write no more other than to ask that you sponsor me and help me make a small contribution to combat this disease, that without warning enters and so devastatingly rearranges our lives forever. 

Admittedly it is only a half marathon. But for a 39 year old man with a paunch that still means a lot.