Tom's Washington marathon

MARATHON man Tom Crossett is to run round the Pentagon and other parts of Washington DC on Sunday to raise funds for the Lewes Railway Land Wildlife Trust.

Tom, aged 63, is no stranger to the marathon ordeal.

The Lewes man, an adviser in environmental protection, has completed no less than 14 of them in the past 19 years, the last being the Seven Sisters Marathon last year in a time of 4hrs 44mins.

Tom is taking part in the 26th US Marine Corps Marathon and hopes to raise 500 for the Wildlife Trust.

Right now the US is understandably jittery, he said. However the Marine Corps is determined that the event should go ahead, especially since both the army and air force cancelled the runs that they sponsor after September 11.

In exchange for a donation, Tom is offering to buy membership of the Wildlife Trust for the person who predicts most accurately his finishing time or the time that he retires at, should that misfortune befall him.

He decided to take part in the Marine marathon because his elder son Joe (Malling, Ringmer and Priory schools) is married to an American and lives in Washington. Donations should be sent to 1 Riverdale, Lewes BN7 2JL.