Supporting us - Mark Ashley's story

Mark Ashley, 51, who has Parkinson's, tells us why running the London Marathon for Parkinson's UK is the best thing he's ever done.

Running the marathon

"I'd never done much running or sport, but decided to sign up to the London Marathon to raise money for Parkinson's UK.

"I did the first half of the London Marathon in 2 and a half hours without stopping, but by 18 miles I was in all sorts of pain. That must be what hitting the wall feels like. I lost 3 or 4 miles – I don't remember them at all – but then I noticed the 22 mile marker and realised I was nearly there.

"People on the Embankment were calling out: 'Come on, you can do it'. That was immense.

"For 2 days afterwards I could barely walk. My muscles ached so much, but otherwise I was OK.

Parkinson's diagnosis

"When I found out I had Parkinson's the diagnosis seemed devastating. In the cold light of day, it's an incurable condition.

"On the other hand, I was relieved to put a label on it. It meant I could get on with life, and start plugging into the local support framework.

"I've been lucky not to have the mobility issues that affect some people with Parkinson's, though it feels like I'm always fighting an uphill battle to keep fit.

"To ease my symptoms I started going along to pilates classes at my local Parkinson's group. I was there when someone brought in an advert for the Peterborough Half Marathon. I raised a total of £1,200 for Parkinson's UK.

"Then I thought, if I can do that, I can do a full marathon too. Running the London Marathon was the best thing I'd ever done.

Dedicated to raising funds and awareness

"The training and fundraising has helped my fitness and gives me something to focus on.

"I'm dedicated to raising funds for vital research while raising awareness of the condition. It helps me make sense of why I've got Parkinson's."

• email
• Share