?Keep on running? were Alan Edness? last words to friend and neighbour Gerard Fitzpatrick before Mr. Edness was tragically lost at sea last January.

So, Mr. Fitzpatrick took to the streets of Manhattan and ran the New York Marathon in memory of his comrade.

To make it a meaningful effort he used the event to raise money for one of Mr. Edness? favourite organisations, The Bermuda Audubon Society.

In addition to his love of the sea Mr. Edness was a keen environmentalist and had a particular fondness for birdlife.

?It?s over! I finished the New York marathon on Sunday, November 2,? said Mr. Fitzpatrick of his generousn run.

?The day itself was fantastic and will be so memorable for the rest of my life.?

The race was not without its challenges for the novice long-distance runner.

?After a very fresh and relatively easy first 12 miles, my calves started to cramp up, making the last 14.2 miles even more challenging,? Mr. Fitzpatrick said.

?Crossing the Queensboro bridge into Manhattan at mile 15 was the toughest part of the race. It was uphill for a whole mile, no cheering crowd, just pure pain.?

But Mr. Fitzpatrick found a way to concentrate on the fun rather than the pain.

?The sound systems and live bands kept the mood very inspirational,? he said. ?I even did some ?Rocky Running? to ?Eye of the Tiger?, through the streets of Brooklyn.?

Crossing the finish line was ?bliss?, he said but: ?A few minutes after finishing, I started feeling sick with a swirling stomach, then I started feeling faint.

?I tried to collapse into a comfortable corner on the edge of Central Park, but even that was difficult, given my legs were cramping up.?

But the run was well worth it.

?No pain, no gain,? he said, philosophically. ?With my time of 5.02, I don?t think the Kenyans will be dancing in the streets of Nairobi and Mombassa if I announce my retirement from marathon running, but I certainly enjoyed the achievement of crossing that finishing line after months of hard training and knowing that I?ve raised money for a worthy cause.?

Thanks to the ecological passion seeded deeply within Mr. Edness? soul, matching funds from the Bank of Bermuda Foundation and the tremendous efforts of Mr. Fitzpatrick, a good neighbour and friend, the Bermuda Audubon Society was pleased to accept a donation of over $2,500.