Hi!

Thanks for coming to my JustGiving page. After a few years away from distance running, I'm once again waging war on my joints and my feet by doing the Great North Run. I grew up in Northumberland and have dreamt of running over the Tyne Bridge in this event since I was a bairn. Unfortunately that bit only accounts for a few hundred metres of the 13 mile distance, so I've had to do a bunch more training than I might have anticipated back then. But I'm excited, fit and raring to go.

Someone who is also fit and raring to go is my Dad, but he's had a different fitness challenge altogether. A year ago he underwent major surgery to replace a defective heart valve. 30 years ago when I was first dreaming of doing the Great North Run, this operation (and even the technology to diagnose the condition itself) was barely possible and carried enormous risk for the patient. Now, if such a thing as open heart surgery can be called "routine", it's routine. These advances have meant my Dad, and many thousands of others have been able to overcome a life threatening condition to lead full and active lives. These advances and many others in the field have also only been possible thanks to the continuing support and funding of charities like the British Heart Foundation. Because of this, I'm proud to be representing the British Heart Foundation when I run. Please help the cause by donating whatever you can. From personal experience I can vouch for how well your money will be spent.

 

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. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the British Heart Foundation.

 

Thanks for your donation and I’ll see you at the finish line!

 

Neil