A BLACK Country custody sergeant will be taking on the first Birmingham International Marathon but he has already decided it will be his last 26-miler.
Sergeant Johnny Norgrove, based at Oldbury, will be putting his best foot forward in the inaugural event on Sunday October 15.
Having already completed the London Marathon two years ago and about 20 half marathons over the last decade - the 48-year-old father-of-four says he decided to take on one last 26-mile event to help raise money for Cure Leukaemia - having heard about Wolves FC goalkeeper Carl Ikeme’s recent diagnosis with the disease.
Sgt Norgrove, who has worked at Stourbridge and Brierley Hill Police Stations, got the running bug after he stopped playing football - having been a player with Langley Town FC for 22 years.
To date he has raised more than £300 on online donation page JustGiving.com but he is hoping to raise a few more pounds before the big day.
He still plans to do a little running in future, he said, but this Sunday’s Birmingham International Marathon will be his last big race.
He told the News: “It’s the first one - it seemed like a good way to finish."
Anyone wishing to boost his sponsorship total can do so by going to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/john-mary-norgrove5
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