Before I say anything else, I want you to take a good look at the picture on this page. Do you see those chafed, bleeding nipples? Do you understand how much I don't want that to be me? Do you understand how much I hate cancer to be prepared for that to be me? Good.

As many of you know by now, we lost my brother to brain cancer several years ago, at the age of 20. Since then, I've tried to do one stupid, horrible thing each year to raise money for the charities that helped us, and continue to help cancer sufferers and their loved ones. Last year it was the CN Tower - to improve on that I knew I'd have to do something truly disgusting. And, for all of you who've seen me *run*, it was obvious that only a marathon would do.

Why Milton Keynes? Because it falls on the day that my brother would have turned 26. And, because we were like that, 'Milton Keynes' was part of a longstanding in-joke...and I couldn't think of a better final punchline than using all that long simmering rage and misery to propel me through a marathon. Laughing and crying and, most likely, vomiting all the way. 

So, if you like the idea of beating cancer AND making me suffer, reach for your wallets now.