LONDON MARATHONS

I HAVE RUN THE LONDON MARATHON A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES, THE FIRST BACK IN 1990 WHEN OUT OF THE BLUE I DESIDED TO TRY AND RUN A MARATHON... AND WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET AN ENTRY. YOU CAN READ MY LOG ABOUT THIS WHICH I HOPE WILL GIVE YOU THE ODD CHUCKLE OR TWO BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW


IN 1998 FLORA SPONSORED THE LONDON MARATHON, THIS BEING PART OF THE COMPANY I WORKED FOR I MANAGED TO GET AN ENTRY... SO I AGAIN STARTED RUNNING. THIS TIME THOUGHT I PLANNED TO ENJOY THE EVENT MORE. I RAN DRESSED AS A GIANT TEA BAG, GIVING OUT FREE TEA BAGS AS I WENT AROUND THE COURSE, TELLING PEOPLE TO "HAVE A DRINK ON ME". IT WAS GREAT FUN, AND I MANAGED AS IN 1990 TO RAISE A LARGE SUM OF MONEY FOR CHARITIES.
DURING THE BUILD UP TO THIS MARATHON I WAS IN MANY LOCAL PAPERS, ON THE FRONT PAGE OF SOME, AS WELL AS BEING INTERVIEWED BY RADIO WHILE RUNNING THE EVENT.



IN 1999 AGAIN I WANTED TO HAVE FUN, SO THIS TIME I MANAGED GO AS A MR PEPERANI (SORT OF A SLIM JIM FOR THE USA FOLK). AGAIN I RAISED SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF POUNDS, AND THIS TIME GAVE OUT FREE PEPERAMI STICKS AS I RAN.




SO WHAT ABOUT THE YEAR 2000? IT HAD TO BE SOMETHING SPECIAL... SO IT PROVED




IN 2000 I WAS
MILLENIUM BEANIE BABY

AS IN OTHER YEARS I WAS RUNNING FOR MAINLY CHILDRENS CHARATIES, ONE OF WHICH WAS CHHUGS (Children's Hospice Hugs): WHO PROVIDE TOYS FOR CHILDREN IN HOSPICES ALSO RAISING A LOT OF MONEY BY HAVING FAMOUS PEOPLE AUTOGRAPH BEANY BABIES AND AUCTIONING THEM OFF.

WITH THIS IN MIND, PLUS OF COURSE IT BEING A SPECIAL YEAR THE COSTUME DESIDED ON.

IT TOOK A LOT OF HARD WORK TO MAKE IT, AND WAS VERY HOT TO WARE, LET ALONE TO RUN IN. THE MEMBERS OF THE UK BEANIES PLUS LOTS OF FRIENDS HELPED ME GATHER TWO SACKFULLS ON TINI BEANIES (FROM McDONALD'S) WHICH I WAS ABLE TO HAND OUT TO THE CHILDREN AROUND THE COURSE

FIRST FITTING OF THE COSTUME

BEFORE THE START OF THE RACE

AND AT THE END       

IT AGAIN WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT THE CROWDS WERE THERE ALL THE WAY CHEERING ME, AND DESPITE THE COSTUME MAKING IT TOUGH GOING, I COMPLETED IT ONCE AGAIN
IN DOING SO, OVER THOSE LAST THREE LONDON MARATHONS ALL COMPLETED IN MY VERY LATE FORTIES I HAVE RAISED OVER 5,OOO POUNDS ($7000) OF WHICH I AM VERY PROUD OF.

IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU GET AROUND IN UNDER THREE HOURS OR UNDER EIGHT HOURS, IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOUR THE FASTEST OR THE SLOWEST. ENJOY THE EVENT, DO YOUR BEST, AND IF YOU CAN HELP OTHERS AT THE SAME TIME IT MAKES IT ALL WORTH WHILE.






LONDON MARATHON TIMES

1999 4hrs 30mins
1998 5hrs 00mins Teabag Costume
1999 4hrs 26mins 27secs Peperami Costume
2000 4hrs 43mins 30secs Millennium Bear


LINK TO MY OTHER RACE TIMES (ALL IN MY LATE 40's)