Bridge's 2025 Marathon Challenge

2025 is the year that I aim to complete a marathon, my longest distance since I took up running and there are a few reasons why:
It is a personal challenge to prove to myself that, at the age of 56, I am still fit and healthy enough to do it and I know family and friends who didn't make it to this age so I'm doing it for all of them.
  More specifically however, I have been so inspired by Rob Burrow and the value of friendship that him and Kevin Sinfield showed throughout their rugby playing careers and when Rob received his devastating MND diagnosis. Friends are so important in life and I think Rob and Kevin demonstrated that brilliantly. Ironically, I decided that I was going to go for it and signed up for the Rob Burrow marathon in the morning, only for Rob's passing to be announced a few hours later so to me that was a sign that 2025 is the year to run my first ever marathon.
   Continuing the theme of friendship, I am also running in remembrance of Jules Wilkinson who was a treasured friend and a rock to many. Jules passed away suddenly and unexpectedly from Meningitis having recently retired from Saint Thomas' Junior School, Featherstone. To say it was a shock is a total understatement and it still doesn't seem real that someone so caring and generous was taken so quickly. She was a ray of sunshine and her smile and sense of humour were infectious. I am doing this run to show that she will never be forgotten and that her friends are still doing crazy things.  
  I know that there are so many different charities to support but I have thought carefully about which ones i want to raise funds for by running this marathon and I hope that you see why I chose the' Meningitis Research Foundation' and the 'MND Association' for this challenge. 
  I am running this marathon with friendship as my focus and with Rob and Jules in my mind throughout the run. My training is well underway and believe you me it's not fun during the winter nights but I will do it because I have my inspiration to succeed. So if you want to help me keep up the training until May and complete the Rob Burrow Marathon then please donate what you can-it really will keep me going during the training and on the day.
Thank you
Bridge