THE AMERICAN obsession with health and physical fitness has spread, to a certain degree, to this country in recent years, resulting in the popularity of jogging as a sport for growing numbers of people.

Members of Parliament to shop assistants, septuagenarians to teenagers— they can all be seen jogging purposefully to work and back or panting sweatily past the more leisurely Sunday afternoon strollers in park or woodlands.

For most joggers, though, when the initial satisfaction of achievement and fitness has been reached, there is a need for further incentive, which has led to an increasing number of marathons, mini marathons and fun runs being organised throughout the country by sports clubs, local authorities and individual groups. These, in turn, have led to runners seeking sponsorship for their favourite charities, and the RNLI has been one, of many, to benefit substantially.

In fact, last February when the Institution became aware of considerable donations being received from such sources, it decided to put itself even more in the running for sponsorship by circulating all marathon organisers on the Road Runners Club 1982 fixture list, making sponsorship forms available to entrants and by placing an RNLI advertisement, with special coupon, in the magazines Running and Marathon Runner. As a result nearly 5,000 sponsor forms have been sent out by head office and the Institution's funds have been swelled by more than £4,600.

Bredon, Cambridge, Bournemouth, London, Plymouth, Manchester, Sheffield and Welwyn were just some of the venues for marathons and fun runs benefiting the RNLI and there must, of course, be many more where money has been paid directly into local branch accounts. Some 'runs' are organised specifically for one charity, but mainly participants choose their own.

Surely the most unusual marathon took place aboard HP's tanker British Trent in June, on the last morning of her ten-day passage from the Falkland Islands to Ascension Island carrying on board survivors from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Sir Tristram, one of the casualties of the South Atlantic conflict.

A 13-mile half-marathon, consisting of 182 laps of the catwalk which extends the length of British Trent's tank deck. was undertaken by Lt Cdr Keith Richardson, RN, and Lt Clive Grant of the Royal Marines. The unique course, rocking and rolling in an Atlantic swell, required the athletes to work out a technique for moving forward rather than sideways. As was only to be expected, the runners were undaunted and their efforts resulted in £100 sponsorship from their shipmates, for the RNLI.

The London Marathon receives the most publicity and justifiably so, for in the second Gillette London Marathon, which took place on Sunday May 9, 1982, the 16,350 runners were ' the largest number ever assembled to run a marathon race anywhere in the world, and over 96 per cent of them finished the race! Participants agree that the organisation of the event could hardly be improved upon and the course, which passes some of London's most historic landmarks, is thickly lined with the cheeriest, most vociferous and uplifting of crowds. There was good RNLI representation in this race, with Shoreline members and supporters from Ireland. Scotland and Wales as well as the home counties competing, and although all the names cannot be mentioned here, four who between them raised over £2,000 deserve special thanks: Mr T. O'Brien of London, Cdr Mike Gilbert of Denmead, Cdr John Clarke of Newtown and Andy Anderson of Bangor, Northern Ireland. The following extracts from Andy's letter to head office give a vivid description of the event and may be of encouragement to those intending to enter next year's London Marathon: 'Several people have asked me, why run 26 mfles 385 yards for fun, not counting the hundreds of miles run in training? . . . I needed . . . something really worth running for and something likely to keep me running, and I decided to run to raise money for the RNLI.

'All along the way I was encouraged b - shouts of "Come on the lifeboats!". Pain inevitably plays some part in marathon running and by the 20 mile mark m knees began to get sore and m feet began to blister. At one point I decided to allow myself a 50-yard walk but the roar of protest and encouragement from the crowd persuaded me to start running again. The noise was quite deafening; it was just continuous encouragement over the last few miles. Finallv I turned the corner and saw Westminster Bridge ahead and the finish line. It seemed as if all mv aches and pains disappeared and I was sprinting—I'd made it!' It is not only the runners we thank, but all those who have supported them with sponsorship and encouragement, and those who have provided, when required, sympathy, time checks, liniment and pasta meals.

News is still coming in of the results of 1982 runs. We have always known RNLI supporters are among the most dedicated. Could it also be that they are also among the fittest? If any reader decides to run a marathon for the RNLI, please send off 'at the double' for sponsorship forms; the Appeals Office, RNLI, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HZ, will be happy to supply them..