Hi there,

I've completed the NY marathon in 3hrs 43 and it was bl@@dy hard but what an amazing experience.

You can all feel rest assured that the money you donated was very well earned.

Just about able to walk downstairs now.

Will update when I return home

Byeeee!

I am running the New York marathon on November 2nd for the charity 'Help The Hospices'.

I can't think of a more worthwhile way to celebrate my 50th   birthday which is on the 24th October.

Running for the Hospice is a perfect way for me to thank the charity for caring and supporting  my schoolfriend Mark Smith and his family through his final years.

I started my schedule training at the beginning of July. I expected to sweat buckets with 16 weeks of pounding the streets of Leeds in the warm summer weather. Was I the only person In England not wanting a heatwave?

I have just completed my longest run of 22 miles and I am now less that 3 weeks away from the big day. Dated: 12th October.

I am now 1 week from the big day. I have run a 10 miler and I've decided not to do another run this week so that I can rest my aching knees. Dated: 26th November

My exhaustive training is coming to an end and I desperately want your support and encouragement.  I have given it my best efforts both in my training and fundraising and feeling every bit of my 50 years of age.

Please make my efforts worthwhile by donating as much as you can afford.
 
All donations go directly to Help the Hospices. 
My trip to New York is fully funded by myself.

My employers Arcadia (Topshop, Topman, Burtons, Dorothy Perkins, Burton, Miss Selfridge, Wallis) have generously donated £500.00.

In addition, I have raised alot of money by organising a raffle.
Gift contributions have been made by the following local companies:

Hospices donated a framed and signed picture of Legends of English football
Martin Jones MD of CoolBlueITSolutions has generously donated a 17" LCD TV with Freeview
Leeds Playhouse 4 tickets to see Peter Pan
Grand Theatre 2 tickets to see Cabaret
Leeds Rhinos 2  tickets
M&S have donated a £20 voucher
David Lloyds provided a free day pass for 2 people
Yorkshire Bank donated a book - Gardens of England (bit of a booby prize)
 
The raffle results are as follows:

688 (Blue) - Framed and signed picture of Legends of English football
064 (Blue) - 17" LCD TV with Freeview
275 (Blue) - Leeds Playhouse 4 tickets to see Peter Pan
300 (Blue) - Grand Theatre 2 tickets to see Cabaret
555 (Blue) - Leeds Rhinos 2  tickets
441 (Orange) - M&S have donated a £20 voucher
099 (Blue) - David Lloyds provided a free day pass for 2 people
870 (Pink) - Gardens of England

Thank you for helping raise £514.00 in the raffle

M&S have also allowed me to raise money in the Leeds store on 19th October by helping customers fill the bags at the checkouts. If you are around that day, do pop in and show some support.
Update: £564.25 raised thanks to the generous public of Leeds!

Many thanks to you all for your support.