CRY representative Martin “The Hips” Appleby and his friend Billy “The KitKat Kid”, walked a marathon on Saturday 24th October 2009 to raise awareness and funds for Cardiac Risk in the Young.

They set off from the Cross Keys Pub, Hammersmith, in heavy rain, just before 8am and continued along the South bank of the Thames to Kingston, stopping off for lunch at the White Hart Pub in Kingston, where they were met by their friend and CRY supporter, Nick Bond. Martin’s daughter, Nicky, and partner Colm, joined them in Twickenham for the final 10 miles of their walk.

They attracted attention from several passers-by, including a CRY supporter from Twickenham, wearing their eye-catching CRY T-shirts and sweatshirts, and with CRY balloons tied onto their rucksacks. They distributed CRY leaflets to anyone who had a young family.

On the return leg of their walk, they stopped for their first pint at the Bell and Crown, Strand on the Green, where they were met and encouraged by more friends, Jerome and Janie. They reached the Cross Keys Pub just before 5pm for another well earned pint.

It was one of Martin’s ambitions to run the London Marathon but having had four hip replacements, he has never been able to able to achieve this. This walk was his opportunity to fulfill his ambition, albeit at a more leisurely pace.

Martin and Billy said “The last 5 miles were the hardest, but it gave us a real sense of achievement!”

Although the purpose of the walk was to raise awareness, Martin and Billy also managed to raise £1292.00 from friends, family and regulars at the Cross Keys.