I am delighted to be running in the London Marathon this year having been chosen by the Hertfordshire Community Foundation to run in aid of them. They are one of the school’s charities and one which does such fantastic work supporting so many groups and individuals across the county. My target is £1,500 which will make such a difference to the charity’s work. I am very hopeful to get the support of the Edge Grove community to help me to reach my target. If you feel that you would be happy to sponsor me I would really appreciate any donation, no matter how small. My fundraising page can be found here: Virgin Money Giving - Brian McManus
Hertfordshire Community Foundation (HCF) is a county wide charity which seeks to tackle need and deprivation by providing grants to vital small charities, community organisations and to families and children living in crisis in Hertfordshire. The county is perceived to be affluent and yet there are pockets of deprivation in every district. HCF encourages local charitable giving to help make Hertfordshire a better place to live, for everyone. Every penny raised stays within Hertfordshire.
Although I have run a marathon before in Durban, South Africa it was 15 years ago! I took up running again 2 and a half years ago and at that stage a 20 minute run was all I could manage. Having completed the Hampton Court Half Marathon last year the thought of doing another "lap” was so daunting that I really thought my marathon days were over. However, nothing comes to those without a lot of hard work and I fully intend to enjoy my day on Sunday 26th April. As such I have not set a target for myself in terms of finishing time so that I can enjoy it and soak up the atmosphere.
I must remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint and I need to follow my 17 week training plan and not over-do it. I have already had smiles and waves of support and encouragement when parents have passed me on some of my initial training runs and I look forward to this continuing.