A senior editorial colleague is getting his running shoes ready to take on his first ever marathon in aid of charity.
Jon Gripton, Deputy Group Editorial Director, plans to run the London Marathon in April for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Jon, who is based in Plymouth, Devon, is running for his dad, who has dementia.
He explains: “I’ve never run a marathon – but there’s always been a voice in my head urging me to try to run the London Marathon.
“When I was a school kid I was always a sprinter. Then one day our games teacher said, ‘Gripton. You can run. We’re putting you in the cross-country team’!
“I was rubbish then at endurance. But now I’ve definitely got the bug. I do Parkruns every Saturday morning, and you’ll probably see me on Plymouth Hoe or nearby in the morning or evening twilight, getting my training miles in.
Leading charity
“I’m running for my dad. And to raise money to fund Alzheimer’s Research. Dementia touches one in every two lives, so it’s something many of us can relate to, and it’s such a cruel condition.”
Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading Alzheimer’s research charity aiming to find a cure for dementia. The charity’s supporters enable the organisation to fund thousands of dementia researchers based across the UK and the world.
The charity funds research on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, such as vascular dementia, Lewy body disease and frontotemporal dementias.
Jon is no stranger to charity fundraising events. In September, when he had only just developed the bug for distance running, he ran 60 miles for Cancer Research UK. In 2022 Jon also completed a 28-mile sailing challenge for Bowel Cancer West.
To sponsor Jon and help spur him on, go to: https://www.justgiving.com/page/jonrunslondon