Marathons and I have a chequered past.

You could say I’ve got a 100% success rate, in that I played one, won one.

I also came last.

So last, in fact, that by the time I’d just about reached 20 miles, the rest of the event had packed up. The roads had reopened, the water tables had been dismantled, and even my family had called me to ask for an ETA because they were now in the pub and would pop back out to see me finish, if I ever did.

Some time later, I crossed that line to a capacity crowd of five (mum, dad, cousin, aunty and the poor bloke who had to hang around to give me my medal).

The pride really came with a special mention in our Sports Editor’s column for being the most awful marathon runner ever to attempt such a thing.

There’s caveats to the story, obviously.

This was Wolverhampton Marathon 2006. A 13.1-mile track to be completed twice, a handful of people in the streets shouting support at best. And the fact I’d done no real training, having signed up just four weeks prior, in a “watch me” moment to someone who said I wouldn’t be able to complete it.

Sixteen years have passed since this debut marathon embarrassment and I’m about to do it all again.

The reaction of my friends and family has been heart-warming.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Nash! Mate, really???!!!”

But, being much older, considerably less fit than my 2006 20-something self and with a passionate dislike of running, this time I’m going to smash it.

No, really.

Because this time it really means something.

I’m honoured to have secured a place running for Alzheimer’s Research UK in London Marathon 2023, on behalf of my wonderful grandparents who both lost their lives to dementia. If you’ve ever had the misfortune to experience it in your life, you’ll know that it’s the cruellest of illnesses that takes those you love long before they are physically gone.

I’m running in their honour, and it’s their memory that will keep me going.

And I genuinely do have the backing of the best friends and family in the world to get me over that finish line, before the rest of them have packed up.

Once they’ve stopped laughing.

Look forward to having you all along for the ride until the big day on April 23rd.

Vicky Donate at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/victoria-nash01