Once, a long time ago, in a life I've practically forgotten, I thought it might be a nice thing to run a marathon one day. Specifically, the London marathon. I think the idea came from the fact that the theme tune in those days was a song my mother loved, so while she was busy singing it, I watched several thousand people running through London, often dressed as fairies. Since those days, I've grown older, grown up, had a career, got married and had four children. The only complication has been James' health. He has a rare condition called Wegener's granulomatosis which is not much fun. To try and prevent this condition from ruining too many people's fun, we set up a charity, the Wegener's Trust, to fund much-needed research and provide a starting point for anyone needing to learn about the condition (see www.wegeners.org.uk). It's a London-based charity. We met in London, our first child was born in London, James works there, that's where his consultant is based, it's where the research is happening. And so the London Marathon, which had lain safely neglected at the very back of my mind for over twenty years, ran briskly to the front and announced,
I'd be a good way to launch the Wegener's Trust. 'The London Marathon would be a good way to launch the Wegener's Trust!' I piped up in a meeting with the Guy's and St Thomas' charity, under whose umbrella the Wegener's Trust has been set up. And lo! Before I had time to absorb the implication of my words, I was given one of their charity places for the London Marathon 2011.
Two phrases spring to mind (well, three, actually, but I can't publish the third on a family-accessible blog). One is, be careful what you wish for. The second is, it's happening. To quote Judith in The Life Of Brian, Something's happening, Reg, (and anyone else who might sponsor me), something's actually happening. For so long I have wanted to do something active in the face of this horrible, unpredictable illness that has so much influence over our lives. And now I am. Antonia Hancocks, mother of four, the least athletic person on the planet, has somehow got to get herself to the point where she can run a marathon.
