"EVERY year I watch the marathon on the TV and think, I should do this."

How many times have I heard this? Too many to mention but it makes it all worthwhile when someone says it and actually does it.

It is especially warming when the runner in question has to break the pain barrier to succeed and can be held up as a natural inspiration to others.

Fraser Beastall entered the Paris Marathon last year but because his damaged knees were so painful, he had to run/walk his way round.

However, now the 46-year-old dad of two is ready to run the full 26.2 miles of the London Marathon, pain or no pain.

He said: "I had to give up football and cricket at an early age because I dislocated both shoulders playing football and running is the only thing I can do with any degree of safety.

"However, I have to wear big knee braces to keep them in place and stop the kneecaps moving around too much.

"They tend to bang on the cartilage and rough it up. After about 40 minutes I'd get a dull ache and then I'd have to stop because it was agony."

Fraser, who lives on Barnmead Road, Beckenham, is running for Children with Leukaemia with his mind on what could happen rather than what has happened.

He said: "It is a horrendous illness and it is a good charity to raise money for.

"If you have little kids it is always in the back of your mind all the time, you hope everything is going to be alright with them and I dread to think the impact it would have if it wasn't. It would wreck your life.

"There are plenty of good charities out there, but this is the one which just appealed to me."

And it is clear Fraser, who works at a Spanish bank in London, is a family man as he stresses over the amount of family-life his training is eating into.

He said: "I getting a little worked up about it because it does take a toll on your family life and your social life - if you have a young family you tend to put yourself before them which is not always the nicest thing to do or what is expected of you.

"Fortunately my family have been very good about it. They will be coming to London to watch and probably moving around on the DLR and Jubilee Line to catch me in a few places which would be great because it is the kind of thing which inspires you."

And he is fully aware of the importance of the crowds lining the route, the sights of London and a sense of humour.

Fraser said: "From what I have read, once you get past the 20 mile stage the crowd carry and cheer you through.

"No matter how bad you feel, the emotion of it and the adrenaline really kicks in and you know you're on the downward slope to the finish line."

He added: "I think you take in the sights because you're focussing on things as the next point to get to and in my experience, it is focussing on the next lamppost and once you get there, you focus on the next one."

Let's hope counting the lampposts is not like counting sheep!

If you want to sponsor Fraser, visit www.bmycharity.com/V2/beast