In 2005, I ran the London marathon for Amnesty International dressed in an orange Guantanamo outfit and raised over £3000 for charity.(http://www.justgiving.com/running4justice) Anyhow I want to get fit again, and I plan ahead!

So, all being well, I will be running the Austin, Texas marathon in February 2008- same outfit, different campaign. Why?

As a Christian, it has always amazed me how the religious right in the US are pro-death penalty when there is no scriptual basis in the New Testament (please correct me if I'm wrong) thus it seemed a good idea to run a marathon in a death row outfit for at least 10 reasons:

1. Feb 2008 as it is a US Presidential election year
2. In Texas (they execute more people than anywhere else in the US)
3. In Austin, Texas so I have the opportunity to literally run rings around politicians (due to the course) and this appeals to my sense of humour. Besides, Austin's motto is "Keep Austin weird" .........I intend to live up to that motto!! http://www.austintexas.org/home/
4. 69% of Texans support the death penalty so the odds are overwhelmingly against me....so it just HAS to be done.http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/state/
5 They have big churches in Texas- I fancy taking them on on the death penalty- if the religious right in Texas can be convinced to abolish the death penalty, then the rest of the US will follow, and if the US does it, then even China could have its arms twisted(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5386720.stm).
6 Clive Stafford-Smith (legal director for Reprieve http://www.reprieve.org.uk/staff_clivestaffordsmith.htm) says that "Lunatics- Running Marathons- Very glad you're doing this running business not me. I'll stick to darts." Of course, Clive is right- It is a completely mad idea, but a great way to show up the insanity of the death penalty!
7. Linda Carty (British citizen) is on death row in Texas and Reprieve are acting for her (further information about her case is at http://www.reprieve.org.uk/casework_lindacarty.htm. Get your MP to sign the Early Day motion on her case at http://www.reprieve.org.uk/press_lindacarty_early_day_motion.htm
8 I've just forked out cash for the web address http://www.deathrowrunner.com/ so I'd better do the race in 2008 (I'm tight with cash) [there is nothing on this web page yet- it will be launched Spring 2007]
9 I met that very nice Geordie girl from Reprieve today (whose name I've forgotten) and she is up for running the Austin marathon.
10 "Live man running" as opposed to "dead man walking" has a nice ring to it & I've just set up this blog so I can't back out now, but I'm sure I'll think of another few reasons between now and 2008!!

Over the coming months, much more will appear here about my marathon training, how to sponsor me (and raise money for my nominated charities- Amnesty International (http://www.amnesty.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=78) & Reprieve (www.reprieve.org.uk) as well as a petition which I will deliver to end the death penalty to the Governor of Texas.

Yours sincerely

Dr David Nicholl (aka the Death Row Runner)

(You can read how I and many others have raised money for many charities in this book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Sweat-Charity-Ultimate-Challenge/dp/1903070414/ref=sr_11_1/203-8305883-3981511 (Blood, Sweat and Charity: The Ultimate Charity Challenge Handbook by Nick Stanhope).