On Monday 27th Sept 2010 at 1pm I took the first step on my epic run/walk from John O’Groats to Land’s End a distance of 1778.4k in aid of Parkinson’s UK. You are probably thinking two things right now, “is he mad” and “where does the virtual come into it”.  Well let me explain. I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2003 aged 48. As you can imagine I was totally unprepared for it.  After recovering from the initial shock I decided I was going to resist this most debilitating disease as much as I possibly could.

I had always been a keen runner and fitness enthusiast, when younger I made a promise that I would never become an overweight middle aged man.  To that end I decided that when I was fifty I would run from John O’Groats to Land’s End to prove that middle age is no excuse for being unfit.  Unfortunately when I was fifty the only thing I had was a decreasing fitness level and a rapidly increasing waistline, I had become everything I didn’t want to be. After a couple of years sitting feeling sorry for myself I decided enough was enough, Parkinson’s or not, I was going to run from John O’Groats to Land’s End. So after three years of the hardest training I have ever had to do and the loss of 20kg, I’m ready.

So at 56 having had Parkinson’s for more than eight years clearly I am “mad”. Now the “virtual” I am not physically capable of either running or walking any distance outside, particularly not on my own. This is due to my poor postural stability and balance and several other Parkinson’s symptoms. However what I can do is run and walk on a treadmill, where I can hold on, hence the “virtual”. I am going to cover the distance of 1773.4km of an actual walking route on a treadmill at Stafford University Health Club. I have set myself the target of completing the run in 200 days, running 5 days per week, it will take me, health and injury permitting, 40 weeks. I am planning to cover 10km per day, allowing a few spare days for when things don’t go quite right.

Now the more observant amongst you have noticed a small discrepancy (5km) in the distances quoted in the previous paragraph and the top of the page, that’s because I hope to go to Lands End and do the last 5km on the road. Of course I will have a lot of support for safety and will be wearing elbow and knee pads and a cycle helmet in case I fall

So my promise to you and myself is that I will, run walk or crawl, from John O’Groats to Land’s End.