My name is Marcus Green and welcome to my blog Run for your life.  If you’re looking for an honest and real account from a runner – warts and all – then you’ve come to the right place. I have Crohn’s disease (inflammation of the digestive tract) so life isn’t always easy but I hope I am living proof that, despite what life might throw at you, with determination it is possible to achieve your dreams.

Above anything else, when reading this blog I hope you will think “If he can do it, why can’t I?”.

Whether you haven’t tested those pegs since dreaded school cross-country days, have just started running or are a regular runner, I hope you will benefit from the experiences and advice that I share. I will post everyday accounts, training plans, race advice and views on running psychology, running gear and nutrition to name just a few areas.

So where did it all begin? When I was about five years old, I seem to remember being chucked out of the Jeep we were travelling in, and having to chase it with the family in the back spurring me on. I can’t remember whether this was voluntary or not but even then, I knew I loved running and chasing things.

Aside a few ‘dashes’ on sports days, I didn’t run all that much in my teens. Although I do hold one particular memory of leading for almost the whole of an 800m race, only to be taken out in the final 100m. Clearly a scarring experience as it took another 10 years for me to rekindle my love for running and this came in cross-country at school. I wasn’t brilliant but I was good enough to be one of the best in the school.

The stop-start continued as once again I forgot about running at university. In fact, I dropped most of my hobbies for drinking and other less productive activities. It wasn’t until the beginning of January 2009, when I watched the film Run Fatboy Run, the one with Simon Pegg and Hank Azaria who both run to the front of the London Marathon, battling it out to impress Thandie Newton. Most people quote really inspirational running films like Without Limits or Chariots of Fire. But it was in watching this film that I remembered what I loved about running. And that following year, I registered for my first marathon – the Virgin London Marathon 2010 and I haven’t looked back since! More on this later.

Seven years later and I will be lining up on the Club Championship start line of the London Marathon on Sunday 23^rd April 2017. More on this in my next blog and maybe vlog!

The last seven years have by no means been plain sailing. In this time, I have raced seven marathons, 12 half marathons, got lost in about five lower key races (in two of these, I was in first position and managed to lead the whole race the wrong way!) and have had numerous impromptu toilet stops before, after and during many a race! As I have Crohn’s disease, the symptoms of my dysfunctional digestive system are less than predictable at the best of times!

What I have learnt during this journey is that with planning, hard work and a firm goal in sight, you can achieve what you didn’t think was possible. If somebody had suggested to me seven years ago, I would be where I am now, I would have laughed in their face. And although my future targets may seem equally unachievable, I have already proven myself wrong once.

Most people can run if they put their mind to it. There are few ceilings to what we can achieve, only those that we impose on ourselves. People run to keep fit, indulge in mindfulness, escape stresses and worries and test their limits. There are so many people out there who haven’t experienced what running could offer them.

After seeing so many others share their stories, from which I have learnt so much, I feel duty-bound and motivated to share mine. So, this is my opening blog. I will endeavour to keep you all updated on my progress with an honest account of my training and racing and the trials, tribulations and joys of everyday running. I hope you enjoy reading this and that some of you can relate to my story.