Shadow chancellor, running for two children's charities, will be first cabinet or opposition cabinet member to compete in race
Shadow chancellor Ed Balls is to run the London marathon. The MP for Morley and Outwood told the Guardian Open Weekend he had been bounced into running the 26-mile-and-285-yard course on 22 April by the disabled children's charity Whizz-Kidz and has been training in Regent's Park.
Balls said he had been at a charity event for Whizz-Kidz 18 months ago when the head of the charity told the audience that the 45-year-old MP had agreed to do the marathon. "It was total news to me," said Balls.
He said he is hoping "just to finish" and has so far completed 18 miles in three hours 45 minutes in training runs.
Current cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith ran the London marathon in 2004 after he quit as Tory leader.
Balls is running not only for Whizz-Kidz but for Action for Stammering Children. The MP has said he fights a stammer by memorising speeches because he cannot read from notes.
"Fingers crossed it will be OK," he said, revealing that he started running in October after six months of other physical exercise.
When pounding London's streets and parks, Balls risks bumping into fellow runners chancellor George Osborne and prime minister David Cameron, who ran for Sport Relief on Saturday.
He might also turn to Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's former spin doctor, for advice. Campbell completed the London Marathon in 2003.
Ruth Owen, chief executive of Whizz-Kidz said: "Ed is a strong champion of disabled children, and their right to an accessible education and active childhood ? In taking on this challenge, Ed will be helping many more young disabled people get the right mobility equipment they need to live independently.".
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/mar/25/ed-balls-first-minister-london-marathon
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