Mark Williams

12th marathon, and £1 richer💪🏼.

Thank you to every single person, for every donation, every cheer and every good luck message. For the family and friends out on the course, who battled crowds, tubes  and chaos to make sure I had enough jelly babies, and bananas, thank you for the amazing support, and the boost you gave just when I needed it!

London 2024 update

Ran the kingston breakfast 20 on Sunday, glad to say all went well, apart from some pretty miserable weather🌧but training wise, so far so good.....4 weeks to go😬

Update...21st april 2024🤞🏼

After last year's deferred marathon, due to knee surgery last April, I am currently back in training and feeling positive for London marathon 2024

2024 it is then!🤷‍♂️

Unfortunately, disappointingly, due to injury, I will have to defer running until next year. In January I had noticed some difficulties running any considerable distance, and after physio and rest, I had to take the step to look deeper into the problem. A scan showed a cartilage defect, which the consultant decided needed to be removed or repaired before any further damage occurred. 3 weeks later, and a decision to repair was taken in theatre. With the london marathon 18 days after operation, I will not be able to participate until next year. Although very disappointed, I will be looking forward to recovering, and hopefully completing the challenge elsewhere  before I turn 50, and the 2024 London marathon could well be the 13th, and the lucky one!!

In 2016, after finishing my second London marathon, my Dad made a £1 bet with me, that I couldn't beat his total of 11 marathons. To make it interesting he suggested I finish all 12 by the age of 49, the same age he did his first. I agreed

I entered the Brighton & London 2017 events to make a start on the challenge ahead. Tragically he was involved in a traffic collision where he was hit by a speeding car in the February and died 2 weeks later. Both marathons were run, raising money for the ICU at St.George's hospital, whom along with Londons air ambulance, gave him the utmost care, and a fighting chance of survival. Since then, and with a spell out with a pandemic and knee surgery, I have completed Bournemouth 2018, Manchester 21 & 22, Brighton 21 & 22, London 21 and Milton Keynes 2022. This year I turn 49, and my final marathon, to win the bet, will be in London, where dad did all of his 11. I'm raising money for Londons air ambulance, who were among the 1st on the scene on the evening he was hit by a speeding car. Paramedics had arrived first, shortly followed by an off duty Air Ambulance crew, who had just clocked off, heard about the incident and got a cab to the scene to assist. Soon after, the on duty crew arrived and all worked tirelessly to keep him alive and managed to get him to hospital, and give the ICU a chance to save him. Sadly, despite a brave fight, he died due to the trauma of multiple injuries 13 days later, with the family around him.

London’s Air Ambulance is the charity that delivers an advanced trauma team to London’s most seriously injured patients. Your donation will help save more lives by keeping the helicopter in the air and the rapid response cars on the road, ready for when they are needed most. By providing intervention as quickly as possible after injury, London’s Air Ambulance Charity aims to give patients the best chance of survival, and best quality of life, after trauma.

I will be taking part in the TCS London Marathon 2023 running with the London's Air Ambulance Charity Team. Please give what you can to help save lives in London.