A casual remark to a customer has led a local café owner to take on the challenge of the Virgin London Marathon this April.

Paul Colairo, owner of ‘Coffee Bay’ in Station Avenue, Caterham Valley said: “Chatting to a customer, I mentioned how much I admire those who run the marathon. A week later the customer came back into the café and said that I was in!”

The customer, Mike Callanan, worked for ‘Housing Justice', a charity for the homeless that Paul will now be raising funds for. Unfortunately, Mike passed away on a business trip some weeks later of a heart attack but has continued to be the inspiration behind Paul’s challenge.

“I now have an even greater goal to complete the challenge in Mike’s memory and most of all for all the hard work he has done for the charity,” said Paul.

Paul’s training has meant a change in lifestyle and reflects how seriously he is taking the challenge:  “Since I started to train I have lost a stone, another reason to keep going,” he said.  “My diet has completely changed…cakes have gone out the window!”

Paul, who hopes to finish around the five-hour mark said: “I’m not a professional runner, I just want to make sure I finish for such a worthwhile cause.”

Paul needs to raise a minimum of £1,000 and a generous donation from Catax Taxis has helped to kick start his sponsorship fund.

For more information about the charity Paul is supporting visit: http://www.housingjustice.org.uk/

Sponsorship donations for Paul can be made at:
http://www.justgiving.com/paulcolairo