After completing my 2nd London Marathon in 2011, I decided to attempt a hat-trick of London Marathons and signed up to run again in 2012!

I will again be running for the West Midlands Lupus Group!

The West Midlands Lupus Group is part of LUPUS UK which is the only nationally registered charity supporting people with systemic lupus and assisting those approaching diagnosis.

My top training tips:

• Start slowly! In the early days of my training I was running less than a mile.
• Don’t increase the miles quickly, this is likely to cause injury!
• Listen to your body, don’t be afraid to change the schedule.  If you need an extra rest day, take it!
• Rest days are just as important as running days.
• Record your runs. I use a Garmin 310XT GPS watch to record all my stats. It helps me monitor my fitness and keeps me motivated. It is always a topic of conversation with people to see how many miles I’ve done and it often leads to a sponsor!
• Picture the race during your training runs. Many times I’ve been in tears on the treadmill at the gym as I pictured myself crossing the finish line and seeing my sister!

My top fundraising tips:

• Start fundraising as soon as you can! JustGiving is an integral part of my fundraising and is so easy! I’m addicted to the coin jingle on my JG iPhone app!
• Clearly detail how you are raising money and how the money you raise will be spent. A big seller in my fundraising is that money goes directly to funding a specialist Lupus nurse!
• Use social media sites such as Facebook & Twitter. They are all great ways to reach people. I have a great following of people on Facebook & Twitter who are always sharing my links with their friends, which has resulted in sponsors from as far away as Canada! JustGiving’s Facebook app is great for doing this.
• Create a Blog! People really enjoy following my story to see how I’m getting on. It creates a connection between them and the charity.
• Publicise through your work’s intranet/newsletter.  They may also offer to match your funds!
• Take pictures of your events and send press releases to your local papers.  They are always keen for local stories with a good picture!
• Get out and meet your local community! I hold curry nights, raffles, tombolas and car boot sales and so many people come and offer their support!

Fundraising isn’t hard, it just takes some energy, a little time and a big smile on your face!

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Here is a taste of what I had to say….

Sporting background… When I left school, I gained a placement on a youth training scheme with Crewe Alexandra Football Club. A keen sportsman, I had played cricket at county level and travelled around the UK playing football at with Crewe Alexandra reserves.

At 18, I was diagnosed with arthritis and as a result I had to stop playing the game I loved. A few years ago I began scouting for a number of teams including Blackburn and Liverpool football club. Last year I decided that I needed to channel my energies into my fund raising and stopped scouting.

Time in running… I began running in the summer of 2009 after a gaining a place to run the 2010 London Marathon.

Reason you started… In 2008, my sister was diagnosed with the incurable disease lupus after a nasty few months of illness. I watched as her physical health deteriorated and I decided that I should do something to show my support of her and the charity that has since helped us discover more about lupus. I set about running small distances in the light of my own health limitations but soon set myself the challenge of running the London marathon 2010.

You can read my full interview and also many other great articles here – www.ryding2health.co.uk

Thank you to Melanie at R2H for helping me raise awareness of lupus!


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Every 6 months I attend Cannock Hospital to have a Synvisc One Injection. The Rehumatolgy team at Cannock are fantastic. I cannot thank them enough for all they do. With their support and with this one injection, I have gone from a life where I couldn’t perform any exercise to where I am now, a marathon runner!

Back in 2007, I was in a bad way and spent 2 weeks in Cannock Hospital to have further surgery on my knee. I was taking lots of medication that just wasn’t working including Methotrexate . After leaving hospital, I was taken off all my medication which allowed my body to settle down. My knee continued to be very uncomfortable and swollen. It was at this time the Synvisc injection was suggested, and well, I haven’t looked back!

Synvisc-One is a single injection. It’s a simple procedure that only takes a few minutes. After the injection, you can resume normal day-to-day activities but you should avoid any strenuous activities for about 48 hours. It is a way to treat your osteoarthritis knee pain right at the source. Made from a natural substance that lubricates and cushions your joint, it can provide up to six months of knee pain relief with just one injection.

I no longer take any other medication and only minor swelling occurs after my long runs. I know I’ll never be able to return to football, but being able to run has given me the opportunity to support my sister and regain that sporting buzz!

Please see www.synviscone.com for detailed information on this treatment.

Happy running!

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My training over the past couple of months has been severely hampered with my knee problems, and now not being able to train for the last week due to a back injury I am in no shape to complete the tough 13.1 mile course.

My plan is to now focus on my recovery and prepare for my next two big challenges. In April 2012 I will be aiming to complete a hat trick of London Marathons and two months later in June I will be attempting my toughest challenge yet, cycling 200 miles in a single day between Lupus Way Ellesmere Port and Lupus Street London.

If you’re are interested in supporting me in my cycle challenge then get in touch!

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Previously known as the Birmingham Half Marathon, this event now joins the Bupa Great Run series, the biggest mass participation running events in the World!

So on Sunday 23rd October 2011, I’ll be joining 15,000 runners as I again run to support my sister and raise awareness of lupus.

Entry is still open via www.greatrun.org.

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Juneathon is primarily a running challenge, but if you can’t or don’t want to run every day, you can still join in by cycling, walking, rowing, weights, swimming, building sandcastles or whatever. Just do something every day in June.

I decided to take up the challenge after enjoying a good rest following the London Marathon and liked the idea of sharing the experience & challenge with fellow runners!

Day 1 started for me at 5:45 this morning with a short run!

Distance 2.05 miles | Duration 19.10 mins | Avg. Pace 9.22 min/mi | Calories 337 | Climb 101 ft | Avg. Heart Rate 154 bpm

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After completing our 2nd London Marathon both Kate and I have decided to attempt a hat-trick of London Marathons and have signed up to run the 2012 Marathon!

We will again be running for the West Midlands Lupus Group as we continue our support and work for the group!

The West Midlands Lupus Group is part of LUPUS UK which is the only nationally registered charity supporting people with systemic lupus and assisting those approaching diagnosis.

If you are interested in running the London Marathon 2012 West Midlands Lupus Group has a number of Golden Bond places available. Full details on the their website.

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The public ballot entry system for next year’s Virgin London Marathon will open to all applicants on Tuesday 26th April 2011.

The ballot entry system will close when a total of 125,000 applications have been received. Last year the ballot reached this maximum within 24 hours, so get your application in fast.

The London Marathon is the largest annual fundraising event on the planet – runners have raised over £500 million for good causes since the race began in 1981.

Good luck. And, if you are successful you could always run for the West Midlands Lupus Group!

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The London Marathon is one of the biggest running & fundraising events in the world and takes place on Sunday 17th April 2011.

West Midlands Lupus Group has 12 runners in this year’s event and along with a further 20 runners for LUPUS UK we want to ensure all of our runners get an extra special cheer!

The cheering point will be located at 24.5 miles along the embankment opposite the London Eye.  Just look out for the big LUPUS UK sail banners!

We hope you can come along and enjoy a magical day supporting our Lupus Runners as they take on the challenge of a lifetime!

Join the LUPUS UK/WMLG London Marathon facebook event.

If you require any further information please contact John via email john@lupusrunner.co.uk.

Official Virgin London Marathon website.

Google Map of the cheering point.

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Once you know the type you need, then it’s down to your budget.  In my experience with running shoes you get what you pay for!  Generally the more expensive shoes will have more cushioning, so if you are running the marathon then it is definitely worth spending that little bit more.

I have always been a fan of adidas kit due to its style and quality so when I visited the adidas store I knew exactly what I wanted, adidas adiSTAR Salvation 2.0.  Training for and running the 2010 London Marathon in these was great; they were extremely comfortable and gave me the structured support I needed. They have also been very durable as I continued running throughout the year and again training for London 2011.

So, when it was time for a new pair my decision was easy, same again please!

My London Marathon choice – adidas adiSTAR Salvation 2.0

Supreme comfort comes standard in the adidas adiSTAR® Salvation 2.0 running shoes. They feature an active FORMOTION™ midfoot stretch panel for an adaptive fit, a smooth microsuede upper with an adiPRENE®+ forefoot, rugged heel cushioning, and both a TORSION® midfoot and pro-moderator™ medial support to prevent overpronation.

• Weight: 382 grams
• FORMOTION™ adapts to the ground to ensure the smoothest, most comfortable run possible; Microsuede upper for smooth forefoot fit and support
• adiPRENE®+ in the forefoot maintains propulsion and efficiency; GEOFIT™+ for the ultimate anatomical fit and comfort
• TORSION® provides adaptive midfoot support; Pro-moderator medial support device prevents overpronation; OrthoLite anti-microbial moisture-wicking sockliner
• adiPRENE® under the heel for superior cushioning at impact; miCoach compatible
• adiWEAR® outsole offers the ultimate in high-wear durability

Visit the adidas store.

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