The picture above was taken of my actual rescue. It is the St Agnes lifeboat just after launch and heading out to the open sea, before turning west towards Chapel Porth.

I'm sure most of my friends know how incredibly lucky I was last year on 25th May 2020, when I was found unconscious, face down in the sea, after having been surfing. I have absolutely no recollection of anything that day.

I was first saved by the incredibly fast and experienced actions from a crew of brilliant surfers and friends who spotted me floating in the water. (You know who you all are.) They dragged me about 150 metres through the sea, handling rips, a big set of waves and multiple surfboards all banging around - to the shore. Giving me vital mouth-to-mouth breaths, in very challenging conditions. I can only imagine how utterly exhausted they must have been by the time they got me to the beach.

Once on the beach, the support was extended by another group of highly experienced off duty life-guards, friends and other surfers. The coastguard were called, two lifeboats launched (I think) - with the St Agnes lifeboat arriving on the scene, followed by the Coastguard rescue helicopter and three ambulances at Chapel Porth. It doesn't get much bigger than that in terms of emergency response.

Everyone was giving me incredible support, which kept me alive - but I know that most people thought it was 50/50 that I would pull through, or at the very least have some sort of trauma / brain damage etc.

I was airlifted to Treliske hospital, placed in an induced coma for 24 hours, but came round the next day. After 10 days in hospital, I came home to my beautiful family and all the support of our wonderful community.

This rescue was much bigger than just the RNLI and the first people on the scene were excellent surfers helping out another fellow surfer, in exceptional trouble. I owe everyone who was there that day, my life and there is no doubt without the first surfers on the scene, I would not be here today.

I am running the London Marathon for the fifth time, in aid of the RNLI - as they played their part in saving me on that day. I know all the crew of the boat as friends and by having the chance to run 26.2 miles, is just my way of saying a BIG thank you to EVERYONE. The RNLI is the obvious focus in this instance and I am a massive supporter of them (not to state the bloody obvious here....)

I started 2020 with the ambition to run 1,000 miles in 1 year and I am already well ahead of target. I am running about 30 miles per week and really paying my dues in terms of marathon preparation. I know how bloody tough it is to (a) train for a marathon and (b) to then go and run the silly distance of 26.2 miles. But this one is going to be extra extra special. I simply would not be here without all the people who did such an incredible job rescuing me that day and the RNLI were an important part of that.

Please help me give a little back. Thank you for reading this far!

Jonathan