I almost "chickened out" with the excuse that my knee has been acting up. But looking back there is a lot at stake - my honor:-) and determination to accomplish this great feat; but more importantly the opportunity to use this as a vehicle to get some much needed help for my war ravished homeland of Sierra Leone. While the knee nags from time to time, I am employing alternative training methods and body conditioning. I am excited and ready for my 26.2 miles through the streets of the greatest city in the world, New York!

In my heart, I will be carrying the torch of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone - the world's third-lowest-ranked country on the Human Development Index and eighth-lowest on the Human Poverty Index. Two thirds of the adult population of the country is illiterate. As a result of the 11-year civil war that was waged in Sierra Leone from 1991-2002, 1,270 primary schools were destroyed (one of which is pictured here); and as of 2001, 67 percent of all school-age children were out of school. It is my will and that of the Sierra Leone diaspora to help rebuild our nation into an educated, self-sufficient society that will posses the basic tools needed to tap into the many natural resources of the land and effectively manage their own destiny. It is my hope that Sierra Leone will again be a nation of prestige and honor; a nation that once boasted of having the first university in West Africa, Fourah Bay College (http://fbcusl.8k.com/history.htm), known then worldwide as the "The Athens of West Africa."

On November 7th 2010, on the streets of NY, I will give my sweat and all my body can take. I humbly ask that you join me by making whatever donation you can to help rebuild and restore education in Sierra Leone.

Let's be a team and together let's rally to get to a target of $2500 that will go towards the funding of a school currently being constructed in Freetown.

Donations will go to the Shine on Sierra Leone Organization to support its direct on-the-ground work for educational development in Sierra Leone. For more information on this organization please visit http://www.shineonsierraleone.org/#350286/Education.

THANK YOU!