The London Marathon 2012: who, why, when, how and other questions

My name is Roxana Bratu and I am a runner and a blogger (as of this moment). This is my first blog, my first post, my first marathon. As you can see there are quite a few 'firsts' in my life at this moment. I have been a member of Goodenough College for the past three years, while doing my PhD in Sociology at the LSE. As I am now reaching the end of my studies (I really do need to submit my thesis soon!), I thought it would be a good idea to combine writing with running.

As most of my friends from Goodenough know, I am not much of a runner. However, the intention is to train hard and finish the marathon in less than five hours. This is a great challenge for me and my skills at this point in time. So, the purpose of this blog is to keep everyone updated with my training schedule, the level of fundraising and the timeframe. It is also a nice tool to seek support, find people to train with, have fun and make new friends.

 I chose to run for Goodenough because this is the most wonderful place to live in while you are a student in London. The support that I have received from this community throughout the years has made me feel less lonely in this big city. So, I thought it was about time to give something back and bring my contribution to the life in the College. I hope that the money raised would go for bursaries to support other people in need. I have received three bursaries during my stay here and this money made a significant contribution to my studies. Also, the College has a very vibrant social life, with port-talks, social events and cultural evenings. It would be wonderful if a part of money would be directed to the social and cultural activities.