Ian is running the London Marathon for the charity Balloons

On 26th April 2015, I will be running the London Marathon. I will be raising funds for local charity Balloons. I chose Balloons because having gained my place through Sidmouth Running Club and being a parent and someone who works with children and families through my work, it seemed the right thing to do to run for a local charity which works with children.

Balloons

Balloons works with pre and post-bereaved children, young people and their families in Exeter, Mid and East Devon.  The charity provides free one-to-one support for children and young people who have experienced or are preparing for the death of someone significant in their lives. Find out more about Balloons at www.balloonscharity.co.uk.

Please sponsor me

If you would like to sponsor me for this event or make a donation to Balloons please visit www.justgiving.com/IanWalker68/ I am sure that we all know of children who have lost significant love ones during their childhood. Balloons is an excellent organisation and would really benefit from any donations that are received.

I am training now!

Probably not literally, but I will be training for the London Marathon by running Sidmouth Running Clubs “4 Trigs” race  which is a  ‘low-key’ off-road running event around Sidmouth covering a distance of approximately 28km (or 17 miles) with an obscene amount of climb involved which takes place on Sunday, 8 February and then on Sunday 1st March “the Grizzly” which is organised by Axe Valley Runners and which is around 20 miles from Seaton through Beer and Branscombe and which takes in lots of hillclimbing, running through bogs and along pebbly beaches. The Grizzly is the largest race which takes place in East Devon.

Even if you are not running it is well worth coming along to watch.

I do appreciate that the London Marathon is on a course which is flat. Unfortunately it is not very flat around East Devon so I will just have to train as best I can. I am hoping to complete the London Marathon in a time somewhere between 4 hours and 3 hours 30 minutes. In any case I will be much much slower than the likes of Paula Radcliffe. The link to my page on just giving is above, so please do give generously if you can.