Brian Murray's Edinburgh Marathon Story
 
Sunday 15th June 2003, I stood along side the other 2500 runners on the starting line of my first marathon, in fact my first road race since doing a 10K as a student in the mid eighties, reflecting why I was about to put my body through running 26.2 miles. With the fear of injury, dehydration, humiliation and ultimate failure to the forefront of my mind, I waited nervously near the back of the field and reminded myself why.....

My 3 year old daughter Rachel can be described as a 'lively' toddler! She runs, she climbs, she's cheeky, she laughs, she cries. She's typical for her age. Rachel however has Down's Syndrome. Having Down's Syndrome, Rachel still does not communicate clearly, she is still in nappies and she has constant infections. Rachel has a small hole in her heart and at one  year of age was diagnosed as having Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, this resulted in a six month hospital stay while she underwent 3 courses of chemotherapy. As Rachel ages she will, I'm sure, overcome these problems, however with age other problems may appear as a result of her Down’s Syndrome, for example early Alzheimer's. It was while in hospital caring for Rachel that I watched and was inspired by the competitors in the London Marathon, running and raising money for so many good causes, therefore in October 2002 when I read about the forthcoming Edinburgh marathon I really had no excuses. As for a charity to run for I only had to look as far as Rachel, in remission from leukaemia, smiling, playing, encouraging my whole family, deserving all the chances that she can get from life. Since leaving hospital my wife had been talking about a charity called the Down’s Syndrome Research Foundation, telling me that they are currently one of the few charities actively researching therapies and treatments for Down’s Syndrome. Therefore I had the race, I had a charity, now all I had to do was make the time to train and find a few sponsors!
6 months, 43 training runs later (with the finding of sponsors part delegated to my wife) I started the 2003 Edinburgh Marathon. 3 hours 12 minutes later, exhausted, I finished. I have never felt such a sense of achievement and find it hard to describe the feelings of the day. When I think back to the event I cannot help but remember the encouragement from the other competitors, marshals, and the enthusiastic crowd along the route, the excellent facilities, the sites and landscapes of Edinburgh and the elation of hearing the bagpipes as you approached the finish.

Sunday 15th June is a day I will remember for the rest of my life. Hopefully the £2500 raised by myself, my brother-in-law Paul and my work colleague Kate, both of whom I had managed to convince to join me in the race, will result in some memorable advances in the treatment and cures for Down’s Syndrome and the problems it can cause.

Brian Murray
 

The Down’s Syndrome Research Foundation was formed in 1996 to get medical research into Down’s Syndrome underway and to improve access to medical information for both parents and professionals.

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