Hi, Thanks for stopping by my blog and taking the time to check out my training program as I prepare to run my second marathon.  What you will find on my blog

• ramblings stories about me dragging my middled aged butt through the training program for a marathon;
• details about the training program I am following:
• interesting bits about managing your body during training and for a quick recovery;
• links to some of my favourite (and not so favourite) running trails;
• some bits about Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria who I am running the marathon to raise funds for; and
• generally stuff that amuses or interests me.

This training program is different to last time, because this time I am running the Gold Coast Marathon as part of my commitment to the Fight Dementia campaign to raise awareness and funds for the Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria.

The short video pretty much says it all so please take the time to watch it (believe me it wasn’t easy to record!).

Most of my blogs from this time forward will all be about training, the fundraising will be via the Everyday Hero page listed below.  Please feel free to join in and share your training tips, ideas and stories and if you have any questions – ask away!

A bit about the Fight Dementia Campaign and why I’m raising funds for them..

In Australia today there are well over 250,000 people living with dementia and by 2050 it is expected that this number will be more than 1 million people. It is likely that every person that watches this video will be touched by dementia.   Check out this site http://www.fightdementia.org.au/

In my case its my Mum.

My Mum’s name is Cathy and she’s in her early 70’s and she has been living with dementia for a couple of years now. About six months ago things deteriorated to a point that the Doctors and my father didn’t feel she was able to manage her day to day life at home.

Mum has since moved into a permanent care facility or aged care home while my Dad still lives in the family home that he and Mum have shared for over 40 years. She doesn’t like the facility she has moved into and she doesn’t like being away from her home.

Don’t get me wrong the people at the aged care home are lovely and Mum has made some new friends and she gets regular visitors – but its not her home and its not where she wants to be.

It’s tough when someone close to you is living with dementia and you see them struggling to remember things or complete tasks that were once simple. There appears to be nothing you can do to fix things or help them.

So I’ve decided that raising funds for the Fight Dementia campaign is the best way that I can assist the amazing people at  Alzheimer’s Australia as they raise awareness and provide support to people living with dementia.

And maybe I can do something that will help my Mum while she still remembers me.

Details of how to support me or donate to the Fight Dementia Campaign can found at the following site:  http://www.everydayhero.com.au/graham_plant

Also, don’t forget to check out this link to the Fight Dementia Campaign and Alzheimer’s Australia http://campaign.fightdementia.org.au/.

They really are amazing people who are championing a very important cause.