A Heart-Warming Letter from Lily

Running 42.2km is no easy feat. It requires, on average, 4 months of gruelling preparation consisting of long post-work runs, even longer weekend runs, a strict diet and bags of willpower. And then, there is a small matter of actually running the marathon. Add to that, the hottest temperature ever recorded during the London Marathon (24.1C), and you are guaranteed a run you'll remember for the rest of your life.

Even with an early morning start, the runners quickly started suffering from the heat, and by noon, the medical tents were full and the water stations were struggling to replenish their supplies. I was no exception to the rule, having dropped off my 5:20/km target pace by half-way mark, and continued to slow down, right up until the end. In the end, the heat was too much for 748 runners, who did not finish and missed out on the coveted finisher's medal.

The medal, however, was not my greatest reward. A week later, this letter came in the post and made all the gruesome effort worthwhile. The £6,000 that we've raised is enough to put a child like Lily through the full 7-year Honeypot Children's Charity programme, from ages 5-12. This letter is addressed not only to myself but to all the friends and supporters who have contributed to this wonderful cause. So thank you, from myself and Lily, for your continued support.