Let me get some running shoes and lead you through the streets of London!

Last Sunday, one of the most inspirational events in the British sporting calendar, the London Marathon celebrated it's 30th running. 


I can well remember as a 10 year old sports fanatic, being glued to the screen throughout the very first running, as we were taken on a whistle-stop tour round all the great and historic treasures of the city. 


Then at the finale, as they ran through the 385 yards of the Royal Mall, the two leading runners joined hands and crossed the line together. A moment of true sportsmanship to mark the beginning of a very special annual event.


From those 6,000 or so runners who took part in the very first race, its popularity has just grown and grown - this year a record 36,000 runners completed the course, and in total nearly 3/4 of a million runners have completed the gruelling 26 mile event. We


But whilst it remains a serious athletic event, attracting the very best runners from around the globe, its enduring success is founded on the incredible efforts of the masses of runners who take part to help numerous different charities . 


According to race organisers, it is now established as the largest single annual fund raising event in the world. Estimates of the total annual amount raised are between £40 and £50 million and well over 75% of participants do so in support of good causes.


So I think you'll agree a very positive way to start the new week.


Continuing on the theme, one of my fellow online writers, Mr Ivor Reveley, is preparing to face a very special running challenge of his own, starting next weekend in London. As I've written in a previous entry, Ivor is taking part in a gruelling challenge to run the 90 Kilometres from London to Brighton over the May Bank Holiday weekend on behalf of CASPA - Children on the Autistic Spectrum Parents association.


Ivor's 16 year old son Matthew has Autism with complex additional needs. 


Ivor not only helped found the charity which started out as a small parental support group but is fully committed as the chair and trustee of the charity, organising special events and workshops for young people with autism.

You can read much more about how you can get involved and support their efforts at http://fourdaysrunning.blogspot.com/


Also a big thank you to a much more established member of the blogging community, Mandy Southgate, who took the time out to meet with Ivor and highlight his efforts on her own Emm in London blog at http://missus-emm.blogspot.com/2010/03/running-for-autism.html


It really means a lot when people like Mandy take the time out to help us relative minnows in the blogging universe to get much needed publicity and support and she's also been to visit my recent blog entries around the Makomborero Zimbabwe project I highlighted last week. Really, I'd highly recommend to take a look at her work - all of us blogging novices can learn a huge amount from it!


Thanks for reading!