Just to let you know that I completed the Twin Cities Marathon in 
Minneapolis, Minnesota on the 7th October, despite the weather being very  unseasonal,
with temperatures being in the mid 80's on race day!
 
The race started at the impressive Metrodome stadium (David Beckham was 
playing there the same week) in downtown Minneapolis at 8am, and even then  it was
warm so I felt a little nervous. I was able to wave to Tracy and the kids  at
the 1 mile mark, and at that point I felt great.
 
I passed half way feeling fine, and on target for my planned time, but, due 
to the intense heat and lack of shade, had to slow down considerably in the 
second half and take on fluids to give me a chance of finishing. 

Hello everyone, hope you all had a good summer. I’ve just gone back to school and I’m glad to see all my friends again.

We had a really good summer, mom and dad took Max and I to Portugal and I was swimming every day and made lots of new friends. Later on we had a long weekend in Bournemouth so I could see Mark who is making my new legs in Ringwood, Dorset. We’ve been down lots of times to make sure that they will be a good fit and mom says that we should get them very soon. At August Bank holiday we went to Warwick Castle and saw the nights jousting and fighting with swords, it was great.

Jon Hoult and the George brothers completed the Bala half-marathon in September.  Congratulations, and thanks for all your hard work!  Love the shorts!

Nick Hill and Paul Mason climbed Snowdon on 3rd June.  Paul is an experienced walker, but Nick did it for the views:

just to prove it:

and Paul:

Who's going to do it next year? 

Oscar’s newsletter - Easter 2007

Hello again everyone, another holiday! And this one has got chocolate.  My cousin Alfie and I had an Easter egg hunt in the garden, we had to find 4 small chocolate eggs each and some chicks, and the winner got a big egg.  I won the egg but Alfie got one too. Just before Easter lots of things happened, in the middle of March I had an operation on my hand to try and make it a bit better, it’s still bandaged up, and mom puts a sock on it to keep the bandage clean!  Then my little brother Max was one year old and we had a little party for him with balloons, I helped him open his presents.  Just after that we had a proms night for me, dad says that everyone had a great time and really enjoyed the singing and were very generous with my fundraising.  I wish I had been there but it was passed my bed time, I sent a video of me though so everyone could see what a big boy I’m getting. 

Oscar’s newsletter

 Wow what an exciting time I’m having! Lots of great people are helping me, I feel very lucky. 

Mom and dad have told me all about the fundraising, mom, nanny Jane, uncle Terry and lots of their weight watcher friends are doing a sponsored slim, my friend Emma and her friends at the Brownies did a sponsored aerobics, my new friend David Vaughn from Ambelcote Furnishing is helping with lots of things, he even has some posters of me in his shop window.  Dad went to a variety night at Lower Gornal British Legion and people there heard about me and gave me lots and lots of money, then my uncle Reg went to the same place the next week to do some Djing at a soul night and the same thing happened again, mom and dad couldn’t believe it.  Lots of sporting clubs, golf and rugby clubs etc are helping me and there’s a Christmas raffle too!

When you are going to have a baby, it is like you are planning a holiday in Italy. You are excited – you get a lot of guidebooks and you learn a few phrases in Italian so you can get around. When the time comes, you pack your bags and head for the airport to catch your flight to Italy. Only when you land and the stewardess says ‘welcome to Holland’ do you look at one another in disbelief and shock and say ‘Holland’ what are you talking about? I booked for Italy.