Letter from MP

A pleasant surprise arrived in the post today. A letter from Greg Mulholland MP [the Member of Parliament for Leeds North West which includes Otley].

Among other things he writes: "I recently read about your planned run from Otley to London to raise money for Orchid. I am writing to wish you luck in this endeavour. I run a little myself and plan to do my first marathon later in the year: I find this a daunting enough prospect so can barely begin to imagine what facing a run of over 200 miles must feel like!"

"I hope that your training proceeds according to plan and that you are successful in beating the previous best time set for this distance. I also applaud your efforts to raise money for so worthy a cause."

But have you made a donation, sir.

Almost recovered from my cold now ... feel much better. Later I'll be trying out a different head torch on a seven mile road loop incorporating the villages of Pool and Farnley - I still need as much practice as possible and I'm grateful to be having people running with me for at least some of the dark hours on the road to London.