Right, HOW is it 1st April already? I'm sure it was only last week I was sat here smugly telling you that I had 5 months and 11 days to go before the London Marathon. It's now 3 weeks to go before the London Marathon.
Errr, crap.
I know that since this is my fourth marathon now some of you are probably thinking this is old news, like so 2009. But I can assure you that this does not make it any less of a challenge... as much as I try to convince myself otherwise. 26.2 miles is still just as long as it was last year. It's still just as painful. And I'm still battling rheumatoid arthritis.
But there's something special about running the London Marathon - whether it's the kids handing out jelly babies and high-fiving you as you run past, or the complete strangers cheering you on and shouting your name, or the unbeatable sense of achievement as you hobble over that finish line in front of Buckingham Palace. The truth is I would be absolutely devastated if one year my body doesn't let me run anymore. People think I'm mad for wanting to put myself through that grueling 26.2 miles over and over again. But crossing that finish line on the Mall reminds me that I have the strength and courage to beat this disease, and that feeling is worth the 26.2 miles of pain every time.
So this is the point when I shamelessly ask you to donate money to Arthritis Research UK. It's thanks to the work done by ARUK that I am able to keep coming back to the London Marathon year after year. Had I been diagnosed even just 10 years earlier my prognosis would have been a lot worse, because the treatments simply weren't available. Not everyone is as lucky as me though. Not everyone responds as well to treatment as I have done. And, as yet, there is no cure. The work done by ARUK is vital so that new treatments and hopefully, one day, a cure can be found. And if you still need more persuading, just watch me attempt to climb stairs in the week following the marathon.
Thank you in advance.
1 comment:
Have you already run it? I think I'm a bit late: I just stumbled upon your blog looking for mine! I have arthritis too (Juvenile Psoriatic Arthritis). Anyway, great job in running the marathons: I get winded climbing the stairs!
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