My Story

I hate running. I love attention.

Promo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI8qNBK_0JI

My girlfriend's brother had me for Secret Santa and decided it was "funny" to sign me up for the Paris Marathon. Not only did this ruin Christmas Day, it also sabotaged my long-standing pledge that if I ever did a marathon, it would be London, and it would be in ski boots.

Looking to keep some integrity, I’m making that statement half true. Thanks to the amazing team at Children with Cancer UK, they have secured me a place in London as well, occurring just two weekends after Paris. Having never run over 10km before Christmas, I’m now facing my first marathon in Paris followed by a second in ski boots two weeks later. April is set to be… interesting.

Knowing of families affected by this awful disease, I understand the vital support this charity provides. I can’t begin to imagine what these children and their families go through daily. I hope the minor inconvenience I’m putting myself through in comparison can help raise both awareness and support for a charity doing such impactful work.

You may question where this idea came from. My brother is the "serious" runner in the family with several sub-3 marathons; I realised that to make a similar impact, I needed a different take on the event. I have a history of out there fundraising, from cycling a tandem back from Russia to sporting a monk’s haircut for three months. After getting caught running in ski boots on National Canadian News, the seed was firmly planted.

If you happen to spot me clunking along either marathon course, I’ll be happy to receive some sponsorship, support, or even better, a beer.

I appreciate all of your support and generosity. Any donation, no matter how small, will help make a difference.

Follow the journey and my last-minute training at:
Strava: Long Arm-Strong - https://www.strava.com/athletes/37783014
Instagram: @ymsij_nation - https://www.instagram.com/ymsij_nation/

Last minute sponsorship welcome.