It's marathon time again, this time with the added humiliating of writing about and recording my performance in the FT. I've even agreed to before and after pictures. That's got to be good for some sponsorship dosh. Not to mention the heat. 

I'm fundraising for My Canine Companion, an Irish charity that provides service dogs that greatly enhance the lives of children with autism. Some of you in Ireland may have recently heard about their work on the Late Late Show; I've seen it close up with my nephew (who it turns out is not a dog person, but boy did his service puppy try to win him round). For many families, these dogs are lifelines, they enable them to go out and about, without fearing their child is going to run away, they keep their children calm and safe and happy, they are a best buddy to children who find it hard to make human buddies. And they're also incredibly cute.