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Hi, I'm Nick Birtley, a Leafield resident... and marathon runner (not the only one in the village, I might add!). I'm swapping the country lanes of West Oxfordshire for Central Park and Brooklyn in this year's New York Marathon on November 2.
I've been part of a community effort to open a gym next to the village hall. We've raised about £15,000 so far from grants and some local fundraising, and we need just a little more to finish the project to a high standard that all the community can utilise and enjoy. Donations are matched up to £10 each time, so please donate now and donate often!
In 2006 I started running- a friend persuaded me to enter the Great South Run in Portsmouth (where I lived then). I just about managed to complete the 10-mile course, but I was hooked... I suppose I'm a sucker for a medal and a free T-shirt.
Fast forward to Berlin 2010- my very first marathon. It rained the whole way round but it didn't matter because the the crowds were still out cheering us on and the rain actually kept the runners cool. I finished in 4 hours 3 mins 30 secs. The sense of achievement was fantastic and I had the crazy idea to run another marathon.
That was Paris in 2011, but having underestimated how tough the sport can be on the body, I missed the race through injury... but there was a massive consolation in 2012 with a place in the London Marathon.
It was really special with the Olympics due later in the year and thousands of people supported the runners all the way round. Crossing Tower Bridge was amazing and quite an emotional experience – it will be a lasting memory.
In 2013, I set a personal best time of 3h 48m 35s at the Shakespeare Marathon (Stratford upon Avon).
Even though I'm 50 now, I hope to better that in New York on November 2. My wife Lucy, son James, 15, and daughter Edie, 10 will be watching, and I hope you'll join in the spirit of the event and donate to my chosen beneficiary- the new Leafield Community Gym!
