Well I did it!

In the end it took me 4 hours and 3 minutes. This did include a 15 minute interlude where a “fan” (I know, I know…they are spectators!) ran into me. He broke my Garmin GPS watch; I dislocated his shoulder…a fair swap really!

It was an amazing weekend. The weather was glorious, I had loads of friends and family come up to support me and I had the un-nerving support of Cliff the crocodile who is now famous!

I would like to sincerely thank ALL the people who sponsored me; I have raised £1300.30 so far and this amount is still rising. Gift aid adds an extra 28% on top of this so it looks like I might make £2000 for the Rowans Hospice.

And as if this wasn’t enough, I also managed to bag myself a fiancé as Marie agreed to marry me on the Saturday before the big race!

What a weekend!

Many Thanks

Matthew

I have wanted to run in the London Marathon since I was fourteen years old. Some people may think it is a strange ambition; to want to run for 26.2 miles, to actually choose to push your body to its limits and even stranger to enjoy doing so, but I was fascinated by this Marathon and loved watching it on television each year and felt sure that one day it would be me.

Nine years ago I broke my left Fibula and Tibia playing football and I was told that I may not be able to walk again. It is hard to describe the emotions I felt that day and it is something that I try not to think about but I do remember feeling absolutely gutted that I might not ever be able to run in the London Marathon.

Nine years on and I am fine. I have good strong legs that have run over 750 miles since January, over 1,000 miles since finding out in October that I had secured my place and over 10,000 miles since breaking my leg nine years ago.

This was the easy part!

It has taken me 6 long years to get a place for this year's Marathon. Every April I have entered into the ballot system, hopeful with both fingers crossed and every October I have been informed that I was unsuccessful. On your sixth application you are guaranteed a place so this year I knew I would be accepted.

Hmm not quite.

In October I received my sixth rejection letter. I couldn't understand it...It couldn't be true...They had to let me run....They just had to.

After a very tense week filled with a few heartfelt telephone conversations and emails I was told that there had been a mistake and promptly received in the post my welcome pack and confirmation letter! Joy!

It wasn't hard choosing the Rowans Hospice as my charity to raise money for. Marie asked me if I would donate my sponsorship money to them as they had done such an amazing job looking after and caring for her friend's Mum at the Hospice when she had died of lung cancer. This would have been reason enough for me to choose this charity but towards the end of last year one of my ex PE Students was diagnosed with cancer. He was only 19 years old when he died and going to visit him in the Hospice and seeing for myself what Marie had already told me made me feel so glad that I had chosen this remarkable charity.

 

Please donate whatever you can and let me know if you are going to be there on the day - I will look out for you and look forward to hearing your cheers as I run past. Marie is going to be there to cheer me on with a green Crocodile called Cliff as are my parents and the rest of Team Fleet!

 

I am hoping to finish the Marathon in 3 hrs and 45 mins and I'll let you know if I do!

 

p.s Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.