At the beginning of the year, me and my good friend Dave were sitting in the pub thinking about what challenge we could take on in the year ahead! We Googled the history of the Marathon and up popped up the Original Athens Marathon...running from Marathon to Athens, finishing in the Panathinaikon Stadium, the venue of the very first modern Olympic games in 1896.

So, here we are, flights and hotel booked and training well under way! To add a bit of fun to it, Dave had the bright idea that if we both raise our target donation of £500 for our chosen charities then we will run in Zeus costumes! So, if you would like to see me running in Athens dressed as Zeus then please dig deep!

The charity that I have chosen to support is Starlight Children's Foundation after hearing about their work at a recent charity event that I attended with work and feeling in awe of the difference they can make. Starlight brightens the lives of seriously and terminally ill children by wish granting and also by providing fun, entertainment, laughter and distraction for children in every children's hospital ward and hospice throughout the UK.

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 charity.