Three years ago I cycled 1500 miles in 34 days with a friend to Santiago di Compostella, raising money for Routes to Roots as a bonus. This charity works with the homeless in Poole and fills a gap that I notice. For me the ‘pilgrimage’ was a special spiritual and physical experience, as well as being an amazing journey. It had a salutary effect on me, being of no fixed abode and ending each wearying day, along with others, hoping for a bed each night, relying on volunteers running pilgrim refuges for hospitality.

Still feeling energetic, two years ago with my daughter we did our first half marathon, and last year, feeling I needed another challenge, I felt pretty sure I could do a marathon. That idea stopped after the tracks of the same half marathon event because I had injured my Achilles tendon. I felt so disappointed it took three weeks to come to terms with it. I also had a health scare then but started, very gradually, running again before Christmas. I then looked at several training schedules and chose a 16-week one to follow, all the time half expecting to have to stop. 420 miles of training later and a fortnight before the race I was virtually certain I could do it and checked with Routes to Roots about sponsorship for them and started begging.

I chose to run the North Dorset Villages Marathon, it cost only £22 to enter with money back if I cancelled, but importantly, all money I raised went directly to charity (the London Marathon costs about £18 million inc VAT to organise). I know that Routes to Roots works on very low overheads and donations go directly to its work.

That morning I was one of only 350 entries. It was such a friendly gathering of runners and good-natured volunteers. My family support was wonderful. However, I was worried I hadn’t done enough hill work, I didn’t know how fast or slow to run and, of course, as with all first-timers, didn’t know if I could/would finish! I started towards the back and gradually found a pace which was comfortable and realised I could chat easily. It was very sociable for about three hours and I couldn’t believe how good I felt running. My family popped up at three places on the course – brilliant feeling – and at the end. The countryside around the roads we ran was beautiful, I don’t remember hills – except at 22 miles when I told someone it was two miles further than I had ever run – but I was beginning to feel the effort needed.

From 24 miles was bad; from 25 miles was dreadful: I could hardly get one foot off the ground to put it in front of the other. I finished and staggered, with help from St. Johns ambulance people and my son-in-law, to sit on the kerb. I then had severe cramps in my legs and vomiting for an hour and a half. I was driven home, fell into bed for half an hour, had an electrolyte drink which I kept down and got up feeling great! I was on a high for days!

I made it in 4 hours 13 minutes 12 seconds; I was 186th out of 294 finishers; I was 4th out of 12 in the 60-70 age group; I lost 5 pounds (lbs) during the day but gained about 1,080 pounds (£) for Routes to Roots. Thank you all for your generous sponsorship.

Terence St. John