Already fighting fit, and accepted as a celebrity trainer, Lee has now gone
one step further by signing up for the big race to help raise funds for The
Outward Bound Trust. Read more as our own Editor, Ann Mather, interviews Lee as he starts to prepare for this big event.

Why have you decided to go in for the Marathon?

To me the Marathon is like a sky dive, or cage diving with a great white
shark! It’s one of those things I want to tick off my list of life. I have wanted to run a marathon for many years but have never really had the time to prepare both physically and mentally.

Earlier this year, I took part in the London BUPA 10,000. I ran it in a time of
45minutes! This was a great achievement for me as I'm not much of a runner and I only had 5 weeks of preparation.

I think it was this that gave me 'the bug' for running and I thought what bigger challenge than the London Marathon.

What do you feel will be the biggest challenges in preparing for this great event?

Obviously, preparation is the key to achieving your goal in running the
Marathon, and I know that a minimum of a six month training routine is essential, especially as I have never done this before.

So the first challenge, I suppose, will be finding time to train. Setting out more of a structure in my life will probably be the hardest thing! My life doesn't have structure and everyday is different and pulls me in different directions.

As people know I'm an actor, singer and fully qualified personal trainer. I
own a free online Celebrity & Expert Health and Fitness Magazine – www.famouslyfit.com – and have just been performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. I am always on the go.

I know that I will need to change my diet and nutrition and will be thinking more about food as an energy source and fuel for my body, rather than just eating anything when I want to.

I may have to hire my own trainer to keep me in line which will be a change
for me from training my clients.

I also tend to be a little accident prone when starting a new sport or
training regime. I remember starting kickboxing for the first time and I
injured my knee, so I better be careful – doh!

Why have you linked with The Outward Bound Trust charity?

To me, the Outward Bound Trust is a real “feel good” charity and it raises the
spirits of young individuals that lack confidence in themselves and what they might achieve. The Trust provides encouragement, help and inspiration – with a gentle push on the road of self belief.

I am lucky, I guess, because I have always very much been a 'the glass is half full' kind of guy. I come from a small working class family with no money and had to work hard for all I achieved from a young age. I didn't have a lot of opportunities but I made the most of what I had. The thing that made a ten fold difference was that I had (and still do) a very supportive family. Many young people do not have this kind of support at home, for many different reasons, but they can find it with the Outward Bound Trust.

I believe challenges do you good – which are what the Outward Bound Trust provides to young people. Challenges make you realise your potential and with the Outward Bound trust you get to achieve this with other young people who are all facing similar challenges. You make can build new friendships and from that also draw further strength and determination to succeed.

I'm also a very sporting and active person. I have played football and studied Martial Arts from a young age. I am now a fully qualified personal Trainer and everyday help people with their own challenges of becoming fit, healthy and therefore gaining more self-belief. Perhaps this is why I can relate so well to the mission and values of the Outward Bound Trust.

I'm delighted to be associated with the Outward Bound Trust.

If people want to support you in your fundraising efforts for the Trust, what can they do?

Every single penny that anyone wants to donate will go to the Trust. I would encourage readers to go onto their web site to see what great things they do - http://www.theoutwardboundtrust.org.uk. If anyone wishes to support me and donate, they can do this by going onto the following link: (http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LeeLatchfordEvans). The more money that is donated, the greater the motivation there will be for me to achieve! So thanks in advance to everyone.