Tom ‘the Karavan of Love’ Karavla and Megan ‘Geordie Paula Radcliffe’ Ellis are running 26 and a bit miles for Age UK.

Fortunately they both quit drinking the demon juice booze over four months ago, so the likelihood of Megan going “full Radcliffe” by the roadside is substantially diminished.

If you can, please donate. If you need some convincing, please read below.

Reasons why they’re running 26 and a bit miles

Well, the 26.2 miles is because a Greek chap once ran from the Battle of Marathon to Athens, and that was the distance. Lovely bit of trivia.

Unlike the Greek chap, neither Tom nor Meg will die at the end from exhaustion. Although, in homage to his Greek icon, Tom will be running in nothing but a pair of sandals.

The London Marathon is on the same day as they’re doing it, and they both have a race number, so that’s all worked out
well.

Another reason is that Meg’s dad used to run for Wales. His fastest marathon time is 2 hours and 13 minutes.

Neither Tom nor Megan will be beating that time.

Who they’re doing it for

Themselves, obviously. Bit selfish but you have to respect self-improvement.

More importantly, they’re running for Age UK.

A couple of years ago, Meg’s brother got hospitalised for a bit of light concussion. Aside from half an hour where he was genuinely convinced he was notable 13^th century Mongolian warlord Genghis Khan, he was fine.

What was less fine were the number of elderly gentlemen Meg saw spending time in hospital alone. Distant from their families, they were confused, without conversation and, worst of all, lonely.  

Spending time on your own is pretty naff. When you’re a bit older and there are simple challenges to overcome, like climbing the stairs or nipping to the shops, doing it on your own is a pretty dull and depressing state of affairs.

Age UK do utterly remarkable work at connecting communities. They assign volunteers to people looking for a bit of support. They give advice, help people stay independent and, in short, give elderly people a companion to get through all those naff things in life that
are infinitely better with friends.

Meg is an Age UK volunteer and has a wonderful lady she sees once a week. She sorts out things like her phone/printer/online orders/bills,  and books her onto Age UK trips where she can meet other isolated people and go on visits and trips.

In return, they sit down, have a cuppa, and put the world to rights.

The running is all well and good, but if you fling Tom and Meg a few quid, you’ll make a massive contribution to Age UK, helping them tackle people who feel lonely and isolated.

And that’d be an absolutely ace thing to do.

To read more about Age UK, click here: http://www.ageuk.org.uk/

Love and kisses.

Tom & Meg