My second marathon of the year was actually the first that I signed up to. It is perhaps telling that as a virgin marathon runner, I chose Loch Ness because it sounded wonderfully romantic. I could saunter over the Scottish hills, a cheeky sighting of Nessie along the way, perhaps even a wee dram of Lagavulin offered from the hand of a cheery bystander. It all sounded so... easy.

Which is why I accidentally signed up to a second one. And then when registration fees had been paid and I finally came round to writing this pitch, I had a minor panic attack and realised just how unnecessarily hard I had made my life. What on earth was I thinking?!

Yet as I am dragging myself kicking and screaming around the park in the darkest depths of a Great British winter, I hope that I will remember that I am still incredibly lucky and to keep on running.  I am incredibly lucky to have all my healthy organs in place. I have a beautiful friend who many of you will know. She suffers from CF, that most wretched of diseases, and has had a double lung transplant. Twice. 

Oh and before Emily had her second lung transplant, she and a group of other transplantees climbed the largest active volcano in the world, Mt Cotopaxi in Ecuador. Just like that. If they can do that, what's a few miles around Loch Ness eh...

This is why I am running my second marathon for the Royal Brompton & Harefield hospitals. They saved her life. Twice. They don't get the publicity of some of the larger charities, but they work miracles every day.

Please dig deep and donate as much as you can for this wonderful charity. I have never done this before, so think of all of those years I haven't asked you for charitable donations! 2017 is going to be my year of changing all that. Once you have donated, please share my link with your friends and spread the word as far as you can.

Also follow me on Strava if you want the satisfaction of watching my pain as I muddle through my early morning runs around South London in the dark, cold, rain & sleet!

Thank you all,
Dickon
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