I wanted to add an update to this story; I completed the marathon on Christmas Day in 4 hours 4 minutes and 44 seconds. It was an incredible experience and made all the better by good friends who helped me along the way. I want to express my thanks to everyone who donated and those who helped me run. THANK YOU AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Many people will be on their own this Christmas, kept apart by the cruelty of the pandemic or because of the complications of the modern family. So, on Christmas Day, I have decided to do something that I love and to try to help two amazing charities at the same time. I will be running my own private marathon, hopefully with your support, while raising money for causes I believe in. Both need our help but you can choose to donate to one or share a wee bit with both.

Links to both pages can be found below. They look the same but each link to a different charity so take the time to choose the one that you want to support.

Sport in Mind does fantastic work using sport to improve the lives of people experiencing mental health problems. This is more important than ever, especially at Christmas.

The Rory Peck Trust is also close to my heart. We at CBS News have supported this charity for many years, since we lost two friends, Paul Douglas and James Brolan to a roadside bomb in Baghdad 14 years ago. The Trust is the only charity of its kind which helps support freelance journalists and their families across the globe.

So do without that second box of mince pies and instead give the money to these fantastic organisations.

Take a look at my planned route here: Route Map