A Dundee father-of-four is determined to defy the volcanic disruption and get to London to compete in Sunday”s marathon.
Approaching 40 and with just one previous marathon to his credit, Colin McNally should have been concentrating on his training schedule to ensure he is in peak condition for the event.
Instead, his run-up to the race has been spent arranging alternative transport, given the uncertainty over air travel.
He bought his plane ticket and booked his seat six months ago, but that will count for nothing if the ash cloud continues to hover over Britain.
Colin has already been pledged over £1600 for Kidney Research UK if he goes the distance on Sunday.
The Irishman was brought up by his grandmother after his mother died of kidney failure when he was just nine, so the charity is very close to his heart.
“I don’t want to let everyone down by not turning up to do the race,” said Colin, capital projects and development manager in Dundee University’s estates and buildings department.
“We will get there one way or another even if I have to drive all the way to London and back.”
Sleeper trains between Scotland and the capital this weekend are fully booked but he and his running mate, Montrose Academy teacher Gerry Austin, hope to squeeze on the train that leaves Dundee at 5.55am on Saturday.
With four young children, Colin is used to getting up early and regularly runs at dawn to fit his training around family life, so the planned early start on Saturday does not faze him.
His first marathon was the last Edinburgh Marathon, where he finished in the creditable time of three hours 28 minutes.
Anyone wishing to support Colin can visit www.kidneyresearchukevents.org/cmcnally.