Diabetic And Lovin IT / News Articles / The Sunderland Echo, Wed, April 26th, 2006

The Sunderland Echo

Wednesday, 26th April, 2006

Fab five for marathon man

SUPERMAN Gary Blakie's marathon dream has come true.

The fitness fanatic, who suffers from diabetes, has run five marathons in five different countries in five weeks.

And the 21-year-old says when he crossed the finish line at the London Marathon last weekend he was elated.

"I took up this challenge to prove to people, especially those with diabetes, that anything is possible and that you can do anything you want," he said.

Gary hopes his marathon challenge will raise £5000 for Diabetes UK, to fund research into the condition, and is delighted he saved his best marathon time for his last race in London.

"I'd made a conscious effort to go all out and get a good time since London was the last marathon. The last four miles hurt a lot, but when I reached the mall I was hit with a great sense of achievement.

My time was three hours 20 minutes and it was really exciting to cross the line."

Gary, of South Bents, started his marathon challenge in Barcelona, on March 26, and ran the course in three hours 47 minutes.

The former Monkwearmouth pupil went on to Germany a week later finishing the Deutsche Weinnstrasse marathon in three hours, 53 minutes, then running around Paris Marathon in three hours 51 minutes.

Gary ran the course of the Edinburgh Marathon in three hours 57 minutes on April 13, although the official Edinburgh race is not until June, which didn't fit in his five-by-five schedule.

In total, the Barclays Bank sales advisor has run more than 130 miles - the distance between Sunderland and Sheffield - in just over 18 hours.

Gary was diagnosed as suffering from diabetes when he was 12, and reckons the condition has given him the determination to achieve his goals in life.

He is already back in training and will spend this weekend in Ponteland trying to cycle 17 miles in 45 minutes for a time trial event.

Gary told the Echo "I feel great. For me, there is no sweeter feeling than succeeding in a race and knowing that I have given diabetes another kick in the teeth.

"I hope my efforts will help[ counteract the perception that having diabetes means you have to give up on what you want."

"Now that I am finished, a lot more people will know about it so I am hoping to reach my £5000 target for Diabetes UK."

Gary has set up his own website, www.alwaysdali.co.uk where he posts regular updates about his races and he hopes that through his website he can reach out to other diabetics.