I have finally run the entire London Underground

Sunday the 5th August - the day I finally completed running the entire London Underground. 9 months of effort, 12 tube lines, 272 stops, around 450 miles of running, 40 runs, 30 half marathons, fractured feet, strained backs, torn muscles. £21,780 raised for one amazing charity.

12 months ago I took lunch and sat on a bench outside my building when I launched Twitter. Harry Moseley's mum had tweeted a picture of Harry - that picture was to shape my life for the next 12 months. Harry, for those who don't know, was, is, an incredible young man. Diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour at the age of 7, Harry decided he wanted to help others to ensure they didn't suffer like him. So despite being gravely ill Harry made bracelets to make money for his campaign 'Help Harry Help Others'. That day in August though was the day Harry had an operation, at just 11, to remove part of a tumour. Harry was to never wake from this operation.

As I sat there and clicked the picture, it opened up to show Harry, an unconscious Harry, hugging a teddy bear. It also showed a hugely swollen head, a cut head, his eyes were shut but he looked in such pain. This picture should not be allowed to exist. An 11 year old should be happy, care free, enjoying his life. Harry looked so battered, so bruised, he looked so very tired. People flanked me left and right on the bench but I could not help my uncontrollable sobbing. I got up and I ran. Whenever I get upset I run. No idea why but it’s always been the same – whenever I get really upset, no matter where I am, I just run. I have cried 4 times as an adult – when my granddad died, when my Nan died, when my friend died and that picture. I ran from Aldgate all the way to Baker Street because I was so upset. No idea why I chose that route. No idea why I stopped at Baker Street. It was 2PM, I was sitting on a step with cut feet (I’d been running in work shoes), I was out of breath, I was upset and it then dawned on me…I was meant to be at work. I quickly got up and jumped on the tube. I got on the Circle line train to Aldgate and the whole way I sat staring at the photo of Harry and knowing I needed to do something. I needed to raise money, raise awareness – I needed to help. I could not look at another photo, of a young person, like that ever again. But what could I do?

I knew it had to be fairly off the wall. I knew I wanted to raise money quickly and I wanted to do it – whatever ‘it’ was quickly so that I could get the money to his charity quickly. Great Portland Street arrived and went. Still thinking. Euston Square been and gone. Still thinking. Kings Cross done and dusted. Still thinking. Then I realised, I was travelling on the tube where I’d just run. I was doing the exact same route. I looked up at the Circle line map that was on the tube. I counted the stops and stood up. It all just clicked. Suddenly I knew. I would run the Circle line. Now that may seem to be a strange epiphany but it felt right. I felt it in my gut. But it had to be made tougher, more ridiculous, for people to donate. So I decided I would run the Circle line on Saturday, August 20. That gave me 6 days. I would set a fundraising target of £1500. It is at this point I should say that my run from Aldgate to Baker Street is the furthest I have ever run – I am not a runner. Still how far could the Circle line be?

I got back to my desk, red faced and bloodied feet, and immediately put the process documents on the floor. I had 4 missed calls on my desk phone and 13 emails. They would wait. I jumped straight on to Google and launched Google Maps. I put all the stations in. It turned out the Circle line was quite far! Scrap that, very far. The Circle line was 19 miles. It’s at moments like this that I ring my dad. I attempt to seek confirmation, reassurance, that I Steven James Henry Whyley can do what I am suggesting. My dad, the oracle, can give me that confirmation.

“You want to do what?”
“It’s how far?”
“You want to raise how much?”
“SATURDAY!”.

My dad was in. I’d persuaded him we could do this. It was settled – I would run all 19 miles of the Circle line on Saturday and I would raise £1500 in the process – all money raised going to Harry’s charity.

Ten minutes later and I had set up a Justgiving site. A Justgiving site is a cool way to collect money – it’s like your own website and saves you from having to go round with a bucket to collect money. My site www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley had a target of £1500 and so far £0 had been raised. I put together an email (at work!) and sent it to my whole department. The email was pretty simple:

Afternoon All,

As you know I am quite a stupid person. It is because I am a stupid person that I have decided to run all 19 miles of the Circle line on Saturday. I have done no training. I am not a runner. Now I know you guys are not stupid people. Look at this photo – let’s help raise money for this boy’s amazing charity and if we do and others like us do then you’ll never have to see this type of photo again.

www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley is the link. I promise to do more work if you sponsor me.

Steve

52 minutes later and I had raised £160.

I put on Facebook a status requesting money and asking if anyone fancied running with me. Three people immediately messaged me – Shaun Purvis, Luke Butler and Martin Chapman. They all messaged me saying ‘Yes, yes they would run’. Two other girls - Chloe Garrard and Becky Eighteen also said they wanted to run.

That was it - 6 of us - would run the circle line. We did run the circle line, it was very, very difficult but we'd done it. I went off to do some travelling and that was the end of the tube running madness.

In October Harry died.

At this point I knew I wanted to do more, to help contribute to the brilliant charity Harry had set up. I said to the original runners that I would try and run every single tube line on the London Underground. All 450 miles of it. I would run every single run and then the guys would help me when they could.

In October I started, without training, and ran all 22 miles of the Bakerloo line, after work. This is the thing that a lot of people do not realise about this challenge - a lot of it happens after work. I, along with my dad and a mate or two, take a tube out to our destination - often an hour away, and then run back as far in as we could. My dad works out the route for me, I run with google maps on my phone in my hand and meet my dad every 3 stops for a water and a Mars. We often didn't get home til 10 or 11 that night and then I'd have to get up for work the next day. It was brutal - more brutal than I could of imagined.

I had set a target of £10,000 that I wanted to raise - hugely ambitious and almost certainly unachievable. But I find, if you set improbable goals then it makes you try that much harder to turn the improbable probable.

So we ran. We ran out to places like Harrow, Heathrow, Uxbridge, Epping, Chesham, Watford, Upminster and ran in all weathers, at all times. Over the 9 months Martin Chapman and Luke Butler must have run 25-30 runs - they've been incredible. Shaun Purvis, Chloe Garrard and Becky Eighteen have all run at least 5 runs but importantly they've all raised massive sums of money for the charity. It's incredible what these people have done.

August 5th 2012, I had just run 6 half marathons in 12 days. Most of those with Luke and Martin - but some with special appearances from friends. The support we've received has been incredible - from Twitter to Facebook, so many have got behind us. We've had over 330 donations. Incredible how generous people are - never give on people because they continue to amaze.

Our final run - Preston Road to Aldgate. One of the most amazing days of my life - I'd got to the end and my dad was here for it. My dad had had a stroke whilst all of this running was going on and for him to be back was all the inspiration I needed to finish. Amazingly we were joined by Mitch Wilson and the UK karate team. We were also joined by tens of friends. By the end of the run there were 30 people running and at the finishing line there were 20 people waiting for us. At least 50 people came up to support us.

I have run in quite a bit of pain but the support I have received has numbed all of that pain - it has been simply incredible.

All that's left for me to say is that we made the improbable probable - we raised £21,780. We ran the entire London Underground. Truth be told I started these runs for Harry, to help Harry and his charity. When I crossed that finishing line though, I realised Harry has helped me. I've made so many friends, fallen in love, forged such a close relationship with my dad that I will be forever grateful for, and realised that I can do anything I want if I want it enough. If I am inspired. And if I surround myself with great people.

Thank you all so much for helping me finish this. £21,780 to Harry's charity - that's a full time salary for a nurse to help families like Harry deal with brain cancer. I may have done some running, but you made the difference.

And as for the London Underground - 150 years old today, you changed my life.

Steve
Please Sponsor - www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley

Another reason to run

After a 5 week break due to a fractured foot I am one week away from returning to running. I will be running from Uxbridge to Acton Town - around a half marathon. I have 9 runs left and we have raised over £11,000 for Help Harry Help Others. When I begin my next run there will be one man missing - my dad.

My dad has joined me for all 24 runs that I have done so far. Whatever the weather, no matter how cold or how wet, he has been there. He lives in Southend and every single week, sometimes twice a week, he pays over £15 to get a train ticket to come and meet me and the guys. He brings with him a bag of treats - Mars bars, waters, glucose gels, spare clothes, a towel - you name it he brings it. He also works out all the routes for us and meets us at the station that we run from. We then dump on to him all of our bags - sometimes my dad has 4-5 bags that he has to lug around London with him. My dad then would meet us every 3 stops to give us a water, a gel or a much needed pep talk to keep us going. This was so, so important when I have been injured - he gave me the strength to carry on. My dad would wait until we finished - sometimes as late as 10 or 11 at night. That means he wouldn't get back to his bed until midnight or later. My friends and I have run 350 miles so far but this would not have been possible without my dad - this is a fact.

Unfortunately my dad suffered a small stroke on Saturday but the great news is that he seems fine and in good health. However his pack horse days are over. We can't ask him to carry 4-5 bags anymore and wait at grotty tube stops handing out waters. He will be there for the last run though, to run over the line with us.

I originally started running to raise money for Harry's charity - I was inspired by Harry to keep going, to run through pain at times and he was my inspiration. Now I have two people who inspire me. I make a promise to you old man - we'll finish the tube together, you may not be able to be there in person but you'll still be the one who is helping me get one foot in front of the other. Get well soon.

Steve
www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley

An unlucky break...

My friends and I have now run 350 miles of the London Underground. We've run the entire Bakerloo, Waterloo & City, Hammsersmith & City, District, Northern, Circle and Central lines. We've almost finished the Piccadilly and Jubilee lines. We only have the Victoria and Metropolitan lines left to begin. We have 100 miles left to run. We've raised £9450 and only have £550 to go before we reach our target.

I have run all 350 miles and have run 18 half marathons, five 18+ mile runs and a marathon. For the last 6 weeks I have been running in a lot of pain in my right foot and unfortunately this morning it was confirmed that I have sustained a stress fracture to my foot and that I have to have 6 weeks complete rest otherwise the fracture of my metatarsel will turn in to a break. Needless to say I am pretty devastated.

No matter what the weather or how I felt I have run and I have run because I really, really wanted to make a difference to Harry Moseley's charity. The only way I knew how to do that was by coming up with a stupid challenge, a challenge that caught people's imagination, and then hope that off the back off this people would donate and money could be raised for Harry's wonderful charity. Amazingly people have donated. Donated an awful lot of money. We've had over 300 donations. Some people have donated more than once. Some have donated more than twice. One person, who I have never met, has donated 8 times. He lives in India and not only has he donated but he has bought bracelets made by Harry, shared Harry's story with friends and family and he has even run part of his rail network to raise money for Harry. He is not an isolated case - people have been amazing. They've donated £100s and £100s of pounds and for that I am so grateful and I guess that is the reason I feel so guilty - I said I'd finish by May and I now can't but I promise that I will finish.

I have ran past awful, awful areas! Dagenham, Neseden, Becontree, Upney, Woodford. The list goes on and on. I've done it in PJ bottoms, often at night, but I've run with friends and every step of the way my dad has been there - this has made this whole process doable. Without these people I'd not of completed 1 line let alone approaching 9.

When I pitched this idea to my mates I'd never done any running. I was unfit but I was inspired by an incredible young boy. A young boy who didn't give up and wanted to raise as much money as he possibly could. The last 6 weeks I've been running in real pain as my mates and dad would testify to. The last 3 runs there have been tears in my eyes such was the pain. Today confirmed what I already knew to be honest. But this is in no way the end of the running. I said, we said, that we would run the tube to raise money for Help Harry Help Others and we will. I have to rest my foot for 6 weeks but the minute that is up I will be back and I will be running back through the grim areas! I will be running with my friends and I will be running to raise money to try and do my little bit to help children with brain cancer. I tried my best to run and to run through the pain but I am afraid my body has given up. I am hoping you'll all continue to amaze me and to keep supporting us even though we will be finishing the challenge a little later than planned.

We'll still be putting on events and you can still sponsor us. Thank you for all your kind words and I promise that we'll finish it. Our new aim is to finish 6 weeks later - so around the middle of July. If any of you plan on doing something like this in the future I would suggest to train for it, to eat properly and to buy proper running shoes! All these things I have not really done and unfortuantely it has come to bite me on the ****. Still, we've raised £9450 and run 350 miles...not bad for some idiots in PJ bottoms.

thanks

Steve

www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley

Want to run with us? Now you can!

Hi guys,

As you know my friends and I are trying to raise £10,000 for Harry Moseley's charity - Help Harry Help Others. We are trying to run all 430 miles of the London Underground in our pyjama bottoms to raise money and awareness. We've had donations from all over the UK and the World and I've received countless messages from people saying if they were in London then they would run with us. Well now you can.

On Saturday March 10th - we are putting on an event. The event is the International Tube Run for Harry Moseley! Do you live somewhere with a tube, subway, tram? If so can you walk or run 2 miles? Wherever you are in the world we want you to get on your Pyjama bottoms, get down to your local tube/subway/tram stop and walk/run 2 miles. We would love for you to get photos and videos of the event and we would love for you to invite friends and family to join you. So far we have runners in London, Delhi, Auckland, New York, Madrid, Sydney, Honk Kong - who else fancies it? If you want to do it we would love for you to get sponsorship - www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley - a lot of you have been amazing and given us your money, now we are asking you for some of your time. Let's create an international awareness of Harry's campaign to rid the world of brain tumours.

Join the cause. Help Harry Help Others.

Thanks

Steve
twitter: sw1205
Facebook: Steve Whyley
Email: stevewhyley@yahoo.com

A new years resolution

Every year I try and set a new years resolution. Every year I fail to keep to it. Some years the resolutions are big, brave and ambitious. Sometimes they are beyond stupid.

Six years ago my new years resolution was to pass my first year at uni without going to a single lecture. I came so very close - I did not attend a lecture but it turns out there is a correlation between attending lectures and passing years. Needless to say I failed uni.

Five years ago I said I would try a new meal every week - I am a horribly fussy eater - five years later I am still living on a diet of milk and cookies (seriously).

4 years ago, my new years resolution was to find a blonde girlfriend. Yep, seriously, that was my new years resolution! I had never had a blonde girlfriend and so for the months of January, February and March I pursued anything blonde with a kind of gusto that would of made my dad proud. Alas, blondes it seems don't like me - so four years later I remain single and without a blonde girl in my life.

3 years ago the resolution was to write a TV script. Easy enough. Except it wasn't easy. I had just broken up with girlfriend, I was pretty down and I found writing hard. I just wanted to go out and get lashed. But for the first time in my life I saw a resolution through, I had written a TV script. Once finished I sent it off places but nothing really materialised. I wasn't to know at the time but seeing that resolution through would have a tremendous impact on my life 2 years later.

2 years ago I read a book (I had read before!) - the book was 'Yes Man' by Danny Wallace. The book is simple in concept - say yes more. Danny took it to a new level, whereby he said yes to everything. If someone asked if he wanted to go out he would say 'yes' no matter how he felt. If someone asked him to go on holiday he would say 'yes' despite having no money. By constantly saying 'Yes' Danny turned his life around and ended up meeting his future wife, the future mother of his child. Before I read that book my default answer to opportunities was 'no'. I read the book in December. My new years resolution was decided. I was to say 'Yes' more. This was the second resolution I had stuck to. It changed my life. That is a big statement but I firmly believe it did. I now have more friends, better friends, I live in London, I've travelled across the United States in an RV, I have travelled the west coast, I have travelled New Zealand, Europe and Australia, I have got promotions at work. I am incredibly happy and the reason for that, I think, is because I now say 'yes'. Try it. It is surprisingly addictive.

1 year ago my new years resolution was to film my own sitcom. I'd written the script, now I wanted to see it on screen. By saying 'Yes' to opportunities I found myself, 13 months ago, at a football reunion with people I hadn't seen for 10 years. I promise to all those reading this blog post that before my new years resolution 2 years ago I would not have attended this reunion. But by making 'yes' my default I found myself at this reunion speaking to a guy called Luke Butler. Luke Butler had quit his job and had created a film production company with his friend Martin Chapman, also at the reunion. I got talking to him and told him I had written a TV script. Over the next year my sitcom - Rules of Life - was made by Luke's production company. It finished filming last month. Through that process Luke and Martin have become life long friends. I have also met some other incredible people during the filming process. All of this wouldn't have been possible without my previous two new years resolutions.

So, I have been thinking, for the last few months, what would my new years resolution be for 2012? Find an attractive blonde? Eat more food? Nope. My new years resolution for 2012 is by far the most important resolution I have ever set myself and unlike years gone by I cannot fail, nor will I.

My new years resolution for 2012 is to raise £100,000 for Help Harry Help Others.

As you guys know I am attempting, with other friends, to run the entire London Underground for Harry Moseley's charity. Harry is incredibly special to me. Someone asked me 'what's the deal with me doing this running thing given I've never met Harry?'. It's a fair question. My answer is pretty simple. I am a heart on your sleeve type of person - I cry at rubbish films, I like awful cheesy music and I get moved by things. But it is incredibly rare for me to get genuinely upset about real things, about real life. There have been four times in my life where my tears were real and where I could not stop myself. My granddad dying, my Nan dying, my friend dying - made up 3 of these moments. The 4th was when I saw a picture of Harry Moseley just after an operation he had had to remove part of a tumour that had grown in his brain. I vividly remember where I was. I was sitting on a bench, at a park, when I logged in to Twitter and saw Harry's mum had uploaded a picture. Harry's hair was missing, he looked in pain, he looked tired - he looked like he had cancer. He was only 11..

I had been following Harry's story for a year and was utterly overwhelmed by how someone so young, who was so ill, could be so utterly selfless. In quite a cynical world it is rare for someone to be selfless. Someone who doesn't do something for their own good but instead someone who just wants to help others. This was amazing to me but what made it more amazing was that Harry was suffering from terminal brain cancer at the time. Someone so ill was still so kind. I knew Harry had had his operation that night and it is rare for me to pray but that night I did. I prayed he wouldn't be in pain. And then I saw the picture.

I couldn't understand, and I still don't and I never will, why what happened happened to Harry. All I can do is try and learn from him. He started an incredible campaign that has raised £500,000 for Brain Cancer Research. To me it is simple - the more awareness, the more money that is raised, the fewer children have to suffer like Harry did. There should never be a picture uploaded like that picture I saw that day - I want to help, albeit in a small way, to help ensure that type of picture is never seen again. Sydney Smith once remarked 'It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little - do what you can'.

£100,000 isn't just a finger in the air target. I have researched how I can get the money, I have researched what the money can be used for. I came to the conclusion that £100,000 could make a real difference. I have some big ideas as to how I can get there. New years resolutions are great as they help focus the mind. I have had an interesting history with them but recently they have helped me make my life better. I hope this one can help contribute make someone else's life a little better.

My friends and I have 290 miles of the London Underground left to run. If I haven't hit £100,000 by the end of those runs I will find another tube line to run, another city, another country. If you saw the picture, you would understand why we have to kill cancer. Do your bit. Sponsor at www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley

Have a great new year...I will be running the tube and trying to find a blonde girlfriend :)

Steve

I can't walk up stairs...but I finished the Northern line!

Good Morning everyone. Here is my blog update as promised. As many of you know we are trying to run the whole of the London Underground to raise money and awareness for Harry Moseley's charity, help Harry help others.

A lot of you have already donated and helped me get to our current total - £2500 in little over 5 weeks. I am hugely appreciative and you have all made a major difference. You have also given me the inspiration I needed to carry on with some of these runs, and I needed that inspiration this weekend...big time.

So I have run all 19 miles of the Circle line with the whole tube team. Then 4 weeks ago I took on all 24 miles of the Bakerloo line, after work, in my monster munch pyjama bottoms (we are trying to raise awareness that children suffer from this horrible disease as well as adults.) with big Jon Myers – a new member of the team. After that run, all 4 and a half hours of it, I got diagnosed with a common foot injury called Plantar Fasicits. I bought some much needed running trainers and ran from Edgware to Waterloo with my friend Luke – the life and soul of the team. 17 miles later and we had completed it. Next up was High Barnet to Kings Cross - 19 miles. After 8 miles I felt something in my knee 'go' and for the last 10 miles I was almost running in tears such was the pain (I am a bit of a weak guy!). I went to see the physio who had confirmed I had a probable tear of my meniscus (my cartillage) and that I need a period of rest and then a probable operation to repair it. I explained about the runs and she agreed to an intense course of physiotherapy, which she would give me for free, to help me try and get through the run on Saturday. The run on Saturday was vital because I had planned it for over a month and there would be 7 of us. The 6 of them would run it no matter what and I had to finish the Northern Line. I can't really explain it properly but I just had to run it and I just had to finish it. I’d run 40 miles of it anyway, I just had to finish it. After that run it was agreed I would have a months rest and would go to the hospital to see a consultant about my knee and he would then decide if I needed the operation.

So the scene has been set! I went for a practice run Thursday night and lasted 0.7 miles before breaking down in pain. I was gutted. Absolutely gutted. I rang the support crew (my dad!) and told him. It was decided I would turn up Saturday with the guys and just do as much as I could do.

I had a bath every night last week (I have never been so clean!) full to the brim with Radox. I iced my knee everynight. I had a set of physio. I didn't even go out drinking...I was maturing! Friday night came and I was in bed for 10. I got up Saturday and had 3 Nurofen tables, put my knee support on, got into my monster munch PJ's and met the guys and the support crew at Morden. I had 13 miles, and around 16 stops to negotiate. As I got to Morden I saw all the guys, all there in PJ bottoms, all wearing Harry bracelets. They'd given up their Saturday for this. 2 girls, 5 boys, all pretty unfit. My dad had given up his Saturday. They'd all come up from Southend and was on the 8AM train. I looked at them and instantly knew I would complete this; friends can give you strength you never knew you had. I realised if I wanted this badly enough that I could do it and man did I want it. This was a big run for many reasons - it was the first time all 7 of us had run together since deciding we’d do the whole tube, it would be another line complete, it would bring up the 25% complete mark and it would prove to me, no matter how hard things are, that I can do anything - if I wanted it bad enough.

So we started running.

We ran to South Wimbledon, we met the support crew at Colliers Wood. I was doing ok. On we went, Tooting Broadway, Bec and Balham. The pain was beginning to build. Clapham South and my knee went. It was at this point that my mates came into their own. We slowed the pace and they just talked to me, they talked to me and we hit Clapham Common. They talked me through to Clapham North where the support crew was waiting with a mars bar and a glucose gel! I was just focusing on getting one leg in front of the other. The way I was running meant I was putting huge pressure on my feet and they began to hurt! I was falling apart! We managed to get through Stockwell, Oval, Kennington and then got to Elephant and Castle. It was at this point that I almost threw in the towel, I was in such a lot of pain but my mate Luke just shouted out 'Remember why you are doing this' and so we carried on. Borough, London Bridge, Bank, Moorgate. Luke Butler’s knee was in bits – he was barely able to carry on but somehow he did. This inspired me so much that I just had to carry on. We’d help each other get to the end. The other guys, Martin and Shaun helped us. Chloe and Becky, just slightly behind, were sending us texts of encouragement and even Nick Kindred – running by himself (an unenviable task) dropped in with a text.

We were 2 from home! Old Street and then Angel. Got to Old Street and then was faced with a pretty big hill up to Angel. This hill is the single most difficult thing I have ever done. But as a team, we got there! We had got to Angel. We then just sat in a heap outside the tube absolutely exhausted. Luke was overcome with pain, so much so that he had tears in his eyes. Shaun was out on his feet. Martin looked as though he hadn’t even been running (the fittest one of the group!) and I just sat there feeling immense pride of everyone. Nick and then the girls came round the corner shortly after and 7 unfit set of people had completed the Northern line, together, bound together by an amazing young man – Harry.

We limped to the pub where the support crew bought us all lunch and then we made our way home to Southend. Luke having to get a piggy back to help him get up and down stairs!

So the Circle Line, Bakerloo Line and now all 52 miles of the Northern line are complete. We've 300 miles to go but after a small break I will be raring to go! I learnt this weekend that if you want something bad enough you can get it. I originally started running this challenge to help others but to be honest it is helping me. I am learning how awesome people can be and I am learning the true value of friends. My knee and feet sting a bit but it is totally worth it - £2500 raised and a realisation anything is possible.

This run just got a lot tougher...

As some of you know - I am trying to run all 406 miles of the London Underground for Harry Moseley's charity - www.helpharryhelpothers.com - so far I have run around 80 miles and more importantly I have raised £2440 (www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley).

I hurt my foot a couple of weeks ago when running the 24 miles of the Bakerloo line. I was diagnosed with a common foot injury called Plantar Fascitis. Whilst uncomfortable it wasn't the end of the world, I just needed to adapt the way I ran. After the diagnosis I ran 17 miles of the Northern Line and then last Thursday I was attempting 20+ miles of the other half of the Northern Line. After 8 miles I broke down - my knee had completely given way. I battled round a further 10 miles before having to throw in the towel. I booked an appointment with the physio and Sunday was Dday - what had I done?

It is worth pointing out my knee had calmed right down and the pain was now manageable. Weirdly though every time I bent my knee it gave out an almighty click. Anyway I went to see her and got up on to her bed (she asked me to...I'm not weird!) and she began pulling me about. She asked me to do various things, all of which were pretty painful. She asked me if my knee normally clicks - I said it had never done so before Thursday but now it won't stop.

She sat me down and told me what she thought I had done. It turns out I have torn my meniscus

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tear_of_meniscus) basically - torn cartillage. Now she knows how important these runs are to me and so she admitted "It's pointless me telling you not to run isn't it?" to which I nodded. So she said I have to have physiotherapy each week, which would include ultrasound, and that I have to do 4 exercises 3 times a day. She also told me that when I ran I HAD to stop if I feel the pain is getting greater. She said to me that whilst I was stupid she understood why I wanted to do it. She then made one final comment, a real hammer blow. She told me when the running is complete that I probably have to book an appointment to see an orthapedic surgeon as I will need an operation to repair the torn meniscus. When I have that op, I wouldn't be able to play sport for 6-8 weeks. I was absolutely gutted.

But then she did something that made me realise why I'm doing this and reminded me how great people can be. A normal private physio session is normally £30-50+ a session add in ultrasound and we are talking big money (big money for me...I am very low down the RBS food chain!). She told me that as I was doing it for charity, so would she. That I could come and see her midweek back in Southend. I was totally overcome, she was giving me 4-5 months of physio, for free. Even though I argue with her, even though I am an AWFUL patient, she was willing to do this for me. This reminded me of two things - Harry and his cause is so inspirational that people, who don't know me, want to help. They want to help others. That was his campaign and he may have died but his message lives on - every single day. People are capable of brilliant kindness and she epitomised that so amazingly on Sunday.

So the runs continue. Starting this Saturday. I hope to run from Morden to Angel but I’ll run as far as I can before it hurts. I figure I need to start listening to her.

If I have learnt anything from this pretty horrendous set of runs that I can share with you it is to never give up on people. They constantly surprise, they are capable of great acts of kindness and it is only when you embark on a challenge like this that you are reminded of this on a daily basis. The news reports on a daily basis what acts of evil we carry out on each other. The news doesn't report the great things people do - if they did then newspapers would be 1000s of pages long as opposed to 60.

As far as my knee goes, my dad shared a quote with me - "The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." No one faced a tougher battle than Harry Moseley and no one triumphed more gloriously than him - £500,000 for Cancer Research. Roll on Saturday...

The northern line bites back...and defeats the man in pyjamas

So many of you have donated to my 406 mile suicide mission that I feel compelled to keep blogging and to keep telling you all how I'm doing. However today's blog post is a difficult one to write.

As many of you are now aware we are attempting to run all 406 miles of the London Underground, 12 lines - passing through 272 tube stops. We are doing this to try and raise money for Harry Moseley's charity (www.helpharryhelpothers.com). Harry's goal was to rid the world of brain tumours and to ensure no one suffered like he had suffered. Sadly, Harry died when he was 11 and so was unable to continue his quest himself. However, many were inspired by this amazingly selfless 11 year old and were determined to help make his dream come true. My friends and I decided to run the entire London Underground to try and raise money for Harry's charity. So far, thanks to the incredibly generous donations of friends, family, colleagues and even strangers we have raised £2350 - we want to raise £10000.

So far my 6 friends and I have run the Circle Line - all 19 miles of it. Then 3 Thursday's ago my friend Jon and I ran 24 miles, the whole of the Bakerloo line, after work. Last Thursday I completed around 16 miles of the Northern line with my friend Luke - we ran from Edgware to Waterloo. All of these runs we run in kids pyjama bottoms to highlight that Harry was a child and this is a disease that kills children. During the Bakerloo line I hurt my foot and was subsequently diagnosed with Plantar Fascitis - a common runner's injury. A months rest was advised. Whilst I liked my doctor, in fact I think I fancied my doctor (she was worth getting an injury for), I decided to ignore her. I ran last week and struggled round, but I completed it. It's also worth pointing out my legendary old man (also known as my dad/support crew) comes up for each run to hand out water's and Mars bars at various stops - it is a real professional operation!

Last night I met my mate Jon and Martin (another one of the team) at Bank and then traveled up to High Barnet with them, along with the support crew (the old man). We were on the tube for 40 minutes, 40 minutes! We had to run from high Barnet, via Mill Hill East, along the Bank branch all the way to Kennington. I hadn't had as much time as usual so I worked out what I thought the distance was - I thought it was 20 miles, working it out this morning it turned out to be 26.4! Longer than a marathon!

A couple of stretches and a team photo and we were ready to roll. We were running at a real pace and for the first time ever we didn't get lost! We got to Totteridge and Whetstone, West Finchley, Mill Hill East and Finchley Central where we met the support crew. The run had been very hilly and pretty tough but I was in good spirits, we'd completed 7.4 miles and even my monster munch PJ's looked proud of me. Tune after tune was appearing on my iPod - Neil Diamond, Westlife, Lionel (ha!) - if you can't get inspired by 'Hello' you can't call yourself human! A couple of photos later and we were to embark on the epic 2.4 mile journey to East Finchley.

As we ran, and almost saw a drunkard get knocked down by a car, I began to feel a slight pain in my left knee. I continued, I was used to random pain's - I had the body of an old man (ladies I am still available!). The pain was getting slightly worse when all of a sudden I felt my knee completely 'go'. It gave way. I got to the road that we had to cross and stopped for around 30 seconds. The guys asked if I was ok and I thought I would be, I thought I just needed to run it off (I am also slightly thick...why I'm single I don't know). I tried to run over the road and I was in real pain. I managed to run to East Finchley, I say run - it was a run that was a limp. I was limp running! It took me about 30 minutes to get to East Finchley and I can honestly say that it was the toughest thing I have ever done...the toughest thing I have ever done was about to get tougher.

We assessed the situation at East Finchley and I said I had to continue, that I couldn't give up. The pain after stopping was really bad. I said to the guys that we couldn't stop anymore - that if we stopped I wasn't sure I could continue. We managed to get to Highgate, Archway, Tuffnell Park - each stop a huge victory but each stop more and more pain. We had agreed we would meet the support crew at Kentish Town. My dad saw me limp run round the corner and gave me a look which I knew to mean he was really worried. We'd stopped for too long, I tried to get going again and whilst I cry at crappy films like Armageddon (ladies...) I thought I was honestly going to cry for the first time due to pain! I managed to just about get going again. We'd reached Camden, we passed Euston. All the time I was just focusing on just getting one foot in front of the other. Sounds pretty basic but that's what it boiled down to for me. Jon knew I was in agony and we passed a 'Boots' at Kings Cross. We popped in to buy a knee support. We were probably in there for two minutes. I put the support on and went to push off but that was it. Game Over. I couldn't do it. I couldn't carry on any longer. I was gutted.

After 18.3 miles and 3 hours 26 minutes of running I had quit. I'd felt like I'd let everyone down. All the team. I felt like I had let Harry down. My dad came to meet us and he and the guys explained that it was another 18.3 miles towards the total and we could finish the run off next week. I saw their point but for some reason I still felt I'd failed.

I was basically unable to walk and eventually got home at 11 last night. Today I am still in a load of pain but the guilt is beginning to go and is being replaced with a massive determination. Providing I am fit, next Saturday I will run from Morden to Angel and that will be the Northern Line complete.

In 4 weeks I have run 80 miles, without training, 20% of the London Underground. Last night my body told me that this is going to be the biggest challenge I have ever faced. I will not give up though. If I have to limp round, I have to limp round. Harry Moseley on a daily basis showed what can be done with enormous self determination. Harry was the inspiration for these runs, he is the biggest reason I have to complete these runs and to make sure I raise as much money as possible for his charity. But after last night I have another reason to complete this, I need to prove to myself that I can complete this - because if I do it will prove to me that I can do anything.

The Northen Line may have beaten me last night but I will destroy it next Saturday.

For anyone who wants to donate feel free - www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley for those who have done so, I would just like to say a HUGE thank you. You got me through the worst 2 hours of my life last night!

The Northern line is no match for a man in pyjama bottoms..

As promised I thought I would I give you an update on the latest run. It was savage!

So for those of you who don't know I am trying to run all 406 miles of the London Underground for an amazing young man's charity - Harry Moseley, who sadly died recently. His campaign - www.helpharryhelpothers.com aims to find a cure for brain cancer. Harry died when he was just 11 but his amazing work continues and I am trying to raise £10,000 for his charity.

So we have completed all 19 miles of the Circle line, we’ve run 24 miles of the Bakerloo line last Thursday and last night I was facing around 17-18 miles of the Northern Line. Luke, one of the team of tube runners, and I were running from Edgware down to Waterloo. It is worth pointing out I have done no training, and running scares me! So 17 miles of running, after work, in the dark and cold feels me with dread but last night was even worse. I have been diagnosed with a common foot injury known as Plantar Fasicitis - basically you have a ligament type thing running along the arch of your foot and I had strained it. The doctor advised one month of complete rest. I explained I had 17 miles of running to do. She asked me when this was, I informed her it was in 3 days time. She was not impressed. A four minute argument later and agreed to help put together a plan for me which would enable me to try and manage the injury. This involved taping up of the injury, regular foot exercies, deep massage and she also insisted I buy some actual running trainers - I am a bit of an idiot and so have been doing these runs in what can only be generously described as passable trainers.

So at half 5 - not the day to be staying late at work - I met the support crew, also known as my dad, big Steve Whyley (my mum and dad ran out of names by the time they had me so opted to call me Steve as well...cheers for that Mum and Dad!). The rain was falling and I was wearing my pyjama bottoms. I was wearing my ridiculous Monster Munch PJ's because 256 kids get diagnosed with terminal brain cancer each year. The kids PJ's are my way of highlighting that kids suffer from this awful disease.

At 5.50 we met my mate Luke who was running with me. He was also in PJ's. We boarded the sardine carrier (the tube) and got it all the way to Edgware. Again I was ill prepared, I needed the toilet and Edgware station didn't have one. Brilliant. My foot was uncomfortable and Luke and I were dreading the next 3 hours of our life! I had the route mapped out - I knew where I was going (I hoped) and we agreed we would meet the support crew (dad) at Brent Cross. My music kicked in and the immense Lionel Richie came on at just the right time! We were flying through the stations - Burnt Oak - done, Collindale - easy, Hendon Central - getting more difficult and then Hendon Central to Brent Cross was where my foot really began to hurt. The support crew came to the rescue though with a much needed Mars bar and Water! On we went - Golders Green safely negotiated. We then climbed what seemed like one of the steepest hill's I have ever come across! Luke's knee had gone and I was really beginning to suffer with my foot and this hill never seemed to end but sure enough after what seemed a lifetime it did end, just in time for me to nearly get knocked down by a car! Ha! I don't know if the driver was more shaken up by the fact she almost mowed me down or by more stupid PJ bottoms. She wound down her window, I said it was fine provided she sponsored us. She took down the link, I am expecting a sizeable donation :)

Hampstead - as far removed from North Wembley as you can imagine. Think Park Avenue vs the Bronx. Then Belsize Park followed by Chalk farm and another meet up with the support crew. We were well on our way now. My foot was now just numb and I was ready to complete this. Luke and I were getting on great and were really helping each other. We powered through Camden, where I think they see men in pyjama bottoms most evenings as we didn't seem to get much of a reaction! We passed the questionable Mornington Crescent and flew past Euston, Warren Street and met the old man at Goodge Street. We were just 6 stops away from home! Tottenham Court Rd, Leicester Square, Charing Cross, Embankment and then the final destination – Waterloo.

We had made it! 17 miles in 2 hours 52 minutes! One of us had a bad knee, the other a bad foot. But we had made it. I then proceeded to ring half the girls in my phonebook, who I fancy, but who haven't reciprocated the feeling, hoping my tale of woe would in someway weaken them! They seemed proud of me but alas I think that first date is still some way off! I checked my phone to see we had gone past the £2000 raised figure during the run, so whilst I had not secured a date and whilst I was in a bit of pain the over whelming feeling was one of happiness - we had raised £2000. £2000 for an amazing cause and this is just the beginning. We will hit £10,000, we will help make a difference, if only a small difference and we will complete all 406 miles. Starting next Thursday where we run the other half of the Northern Line - the doctor is annoyed at me but I don't care because we have hit £2000 and the doctor is fit!

Cheers!

Steve (www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley)

The Bakerloo line...all 24 miles of it (we got lost!)

I thought I would give you a quick update on the run I had done as some of you have been incredibly generous and sponsored us. This is in relation to my previous blog post.

So last Thursday, 4 days ago, I finished work at 5 past 5 (and yes I have claimed the 5 minutes overtime). I strolled out of RBS Aldgate Union in my pyjama bottoms (I am doing all the runs in PJ's to highlight that Harry was only a child when he died) and being a bank located in London everyone's reaction in the building was very British! Not one person asked me why I was wearing Monster Munch Pyjama bottoms! Whilst I am known to be slightly out there and quirky this was on a whole different level! Yet there I was, in the lift, and I knew people were looking, I knew they wanted to ask, but their Britishness prevented them from doing so. Next time you see me (in my PJ's) talk to me - I don't bite!

I met my dad outside, who questioned the wisdom of strolling outside a corporate company in Monster Munch PJ's - my dad is part of the old school. This was a new RBS, time to rip up the rulebook! My dad, also known as the support crew, walked down to Bank Station with me to meet my mate Jon who was taking on the challenge with me. The other 7 guys would join me on runs when they could.

We jumped on the tube from Bank to Embankment and then got on the Bakerloo line (my nemisis) and rode the tube for 45 minutes to Harrow & Wheldstone. 45 minutes! On a tube! It was at this point I realised what I had done. I had not trained, yes I had ran the Circle line, but this was a different level. It was 18:30, we were literally in the middle of no where - me, Jon and the support crew (my dad). We got a photo, my dad jumped back on the tube and we were to meet him at Harlesdon - 8 miles away.

After 2 miles it was a clear we had done a left when we needed to of done a right! That was a big blow! Anyway we rattled through Kenton, South Kenton and then ran 2.6 miles to Wembley north - which should be renamed 'The end of the World'. We then met it's little brother - Wembley Central, again an awful place. Another tube stop down then Stoenbridge Park - we had been running for an hour and a half and because we got lost a couple of times had already rattled up 10.3 miles by the time we met the support crew.

I was cold, my foot was hurting, people were not being complimentary on the PJ's, we were running through 'Gangland Britain'. By the time I met the support crew I was in an awful way, I had turned my ankle, I was blowing out of my arse and I'd had enough of the Westlife album I was listening to to inspire me! Still we had to carry on, people had sponsored us after all and if Harry had taught me anything it was to never give up, no matter how desperately low you felt.

We would meet the support crew at Baker Street. Harlesdon to Wilesdown Junction to Kensal Green, past a crime scene investigation and on to Queens Park, through a horrific housing estate to get to Kilburn Park. Then Maida Vale, ah Maida Vale - where nice people live and men are free to run in PJ bottoms without fear of being knifed down. Warwick Avenue, Paddington, Edgware Rd, Marylebone - The Suport Crew and Baker Street! At this point my foot was killing me, absolutely killing me. We had done 18.8 miles, it was fast approaching 10PM. The support crew did it's job - he gave out the waters and a questionable Glucose Gel.

We would do this. We would finish this.

Baker Street, Regents Park, Oxford Circus and a lot of requests for photos - for that moment I felt like a member of TOWIE. On to the bright lights of Picadilly, Charing Cross, Embankment - all the time taking wrong turns! Over the bridge, the phone finally dies - no more Westlife for me. Completely running on empty, my foot has caused me to adapt the way I run which is placing huge pressure on my groin and my left knee. Waterloo, Lambeth North...24 miles, 4.5 hours and we had hit Elephant and Castle. I almost broke down! I just couldn't believe I had done it. Unable to stand anymore, Jon and I - in PJ bottoms, hugged in front of concerned looking people. I struggled on to the tube and got in to my bed at 11:45 ready for an exciting day (!) at work tomorrow!

2 lines done. Next up is 17 miles of the Northern line - Edgware to Waterloo. Who fancies it?! I went to the docs about my foot, I have got a common runners injury known as Plantar Fasicitis - he advises a month's rest. I have already booked in an appointment for Friday! Bring it on...17 miles - should be easy :) sponsor us at www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley or at least don't ignore me in the lift!

A sincere thanks to everyone who has sponsored me - what you have done is made a huge difference. Kids die everyday of brain cancer, that ain't right. With your help the guys at Cancer Research can help makes Harry's campaign - a campaign to cure brain cancer - a reality rather than just a dream. Stay tuned for Friday's blog and look out for us on the Northern Line!

Rest in Peace Harry

Abraham Lincoln said it best when he said “And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years”. Harry Moseley, sadly died in his mothers arms last night at 11PM.

Four years ago Harry complained with a problem in his eye. A routine MRI scan was going to change his and his family’s life immeasurably. The routine MRI scan showed that Harry had an inoperable brain tumour. One cannot begin to understand the anguish and the pain that the family must have felt. At the age of 7 Harry was mid way through Primary school.

The reason that childhood is often considered the best time of your life is because for those few years life is at its very purest. For those few years you are completely free. There is no need to worry about the things that you worry about as an adult – exams, money, jobs, relationships and death. Life as a child is full of fun and full of dreams however when you become an adult the fun seems to stop and the dreams seem impossible to achieve, for they are laced with fear of failure. A child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood.

Harry Moseley appeared to have his childhood taken away from him. At the age of 7 he was told he was going to die. At the age of 7 he was catapulted into an adult world. When he was 9, he lost his hair as a result of treatment he was receiving for his cancer. At the same time he met a man named Robert, who also tragically had an inoperable brain tumour. Harry wanted to help Robert, Harry wanted to make his friend better. So, despite being pumped with poison and being gravely ill – Harry started to make beaded bracelets for his friend. He would sell these in the hope he could make enough money to cure Robert. Robert was not cured, Robert died 6 weeks after Harry’s campaign began.

Any person is formed and moulded by their thoughts. Harry’s mind, as proven by his campaign to help Robert, was shaped by selfless thoughts. This mindset gave him joy when he spoke or when he acted. Joy followed him like a shadow that never left him.

Harry realised that whilst he could not help Robert he could prevent others from having to experience what he and his friend had experienced. So he began fundraising. He started a campaign – helpharryhelpothers (http://helpharryhelpothers.com). Harry was dealing with an ‘adult’ problem in a ‘child’ like way. By that I mean if you are a child then you don’t let the facts get in the way of your imagination. Harry was dealing with a crippling illness that made him tired, that made him weak. As an adult presented with these facts we would think that we should lay in bed, and we should rest. However Harry attended functions, he met the England football team who donated massive amounts for his charity, he became great friends with the ‘Dragons’ from Dragons Den who in turn have greatly helped Harry’s campaign. He joined Twitter and Facebook and promoted his charity – so much so that strangers up and down the country were doing great things, fun things, to raise money for this awesome campaign. Harry, who has had tens of operations, who has had two lots of chemotherapy, who has had radiotherapy, who has suffered the heartache of losing his friend has raised £500,000 for Brain Cancer Research.

Harry Moseley has now died but what a life he has lived. He has left a greater legacy in his short time than most of us can dream of in a lifetime. More importantly though, he has shown whilst you only live once, if you do it right, once is enough. His mum is with Harry, who is sleeping peacefully and he is ‘still wearing a smile’. It is amazing what you can learn from a child. I now know what Joseph Heller means when he says ‘When I grow up I want to be a little boy’.

Sleep well Harry.