XIT2's Mark Blackwell runs London Marathon in aid of brain tumour charity

Mark Blackwell explained:

“Joseph Foote is a charity close to my heart. The founders are close family friends who lost their little boy to a brain tumour when he was only nine. Only 15% of sufferers survive a brain tumour. The great work The Joseph Foote Trust is doing aims to propel that figure to 80% by 2022. Every little helps, and I want to do my part for a noble cause.”

As it stands, Blackwell is 50% of the way towards his donation target of £2,500. The disclosed list of donors includes mortgage and property industry luminaries Eddie Goldsmith of solicitors Goldsmith Williams, John Malone of PMS, and e.surv’s Richard Sexton.

Mark Blackwell said:

“My wife told me the training would add years to my life. I think she’s right, I feel ten years older already! And I keep getting asked whether my knee brace is a fancy dress item. Sadly it’s not – the guy dressed as Robocop has nothing to fear! It’s been over six years since I last ran the marathon, if the fridge and the TV weren’t so far apart I wouldn’t have had any exercise at all.

"I was aiming to start slowly then taper off, but this time I’m aiming to shave 20 minutes off my personal best and trundle round in 4 hours 15 minutes.”

To sponsor Mark, please visit his donation page.