A friend and colleague, Donna, started a fight against cancer for the second time last year. The dignity and strength she showed gave me the inspiration and motivation to do something I didn't think I could do and I completed last year's Great North Swim. It also inspired a group of us from Sage to complete The Relay for Life in Jarrow. #DoingitforDonna had started.

This year I wanted to try a few more things, keep that motivation going and push myself while Donna kept up her fight. 12 challenges in 12 months was an idea I had seen a group of friends use to raise money in the past and the thought was, I'm lucky to be healthy enough to try these things,  I'll raise money for Cancer Research in the process!  

Just before Christmas the news was positive, after a significant fight, with extensive surgery and six months of chemo, it looked like Donna had beaten cancer for a second time.  Unfortunately in April 2015 Donna started to feel unwell and sadly on Monday May 4th Donna passed away at home surrounded by her family.

What's planned? I want to be able to say I've completed a marathon and now is the right time to try.  I've completed the Great North Run twice in the past but I need to walk before I can run. I haven't ran since the last GNR in 2012 and while the Kielder Marathon in October's the goal the plan is to complete the 12 challenges along the way with some of them working towards it. 

I don't know if it's an important thing to mention or not but with the exception of the Great North Run place which is through Sage and Cancer Research none of these entries are through charity places. I've paid my way into everything else.

My apologies too that this page is a bit of a mess.  I've added updates, changed some of the text and generally faffed around trying to keep it so it makes sense.  It's not perfect but I hope it conveys my intentions to keep Donna's inspiration going, show some satisfaction as I complete the challenges and that it raises valuable money for a cause that was important to Donna.

Final update? Thought long and hard about what to do for the 12th Challenge and decided to do something very much for me! Through all of these challenges I was a smoker.  I'd previously smoked and had stopped for 2 years, stupidly back in August 2014 I'd started again. Keeping fit and fundraising for Cancer Research it seemed to be a rather stupid combination so on Christmas Day 2015 I stopped again. Month and a bit in I'm happy to say I'm still stopped, on the last stage of the patches I'm using to quit.

Thanks to each and every person that supported me at various times over the year.  Special mention to Gary for the company completing various runs! 

Roll on 2016 and a whole new set of challenges.

March 21st, I'll be completing my first organised run of the year, the Cragside 10k. As a fair weather runner I'll keep my fingers crossed it's dry, whatever the weather there's a fair few hills to make it challenging. 

Update 1, Cragside's done! 55 minutes 51 seconds, far hillier than I was expecting, good fun though and a beautiful location.  First few km is downhill and then it's just a slog up (and up and up and up) to the 8.5km mark.  Just over 7 minutes for the last (downhill) mile which i'm rather chuffed with.

April 5th, it's time to scare myself silly.  First Bungee Jump, off the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge.  It's booked, paid for and far enough away that I'm not too terrified yet! That will come I imagine.

Update 2, Bungee Jump done! That was class, slightly scary shuffling to the edge but I want to do it again and again! 

April 19th, it will be a trip to Edinburgh to complete the Great Edinburgh Run, this one is 10 miles, definitely more of a challenge. Hear the course is another hilly one.

Update 3, 10 miles done and dusted! 1 hour, 35 minutes and 36 seconds.  Definitely not a flat course, quite twisty but plenty to look at.  Another quick downhill finish and it's looking like 2 hours might just be do-able, if not for Sunderland then definitely for the Great North Run and the "Beat the CEO" challenge.

May 3rd, the distance goes up again with the Sunderland Half Marathon, 13 miles.  This was going be the decider to see if I can be brave enough to make the commitment to push on and train for a full marathon later in the year. Well I made that decision today. (24th April)

Update 4, first Half Marathon in 3 years completed.  Didn't beat 2 hours, round in 2.05 but happy with that.  Weather was awful, wet, windy and just downright grim so to do my fastest time yet feels like a result.

May 17th, little bit shorter this one but fun as it's the Children's Cancer Run and I can share this one with Ollie.  5 miles around Newcastle Racecourse with an option on the day to take a short cut and drop it to 3.

Update 5, a lovely sunny day and a real pleasure to share a run with Ollie.  Few ups and downs on the way round but the little star did the full course and his face was a picture of satisfaction when he put his finishers medal around his neck.

June 6th, not too sure this one counts as a challenge but it fits the ethos of an "Interesting Year"  Looks like fun (to my possibly warped sense of fun), we're heading over to the Lakes to do the Via Ferrata Extreme at Honister Slate Mine.

Update 6, well that was a bit of a giggle to be honest.  After a quick safety brief and being told the importance of keeping one clip on the line at all times we were off walking up the side of the hill, only to start of going back down a vertical ladder of iron bars hammered into the cliff face. Not looking down's not an option when you're going in that direction.

June 13th, it's time to get wet again with a second attempt at the Great North Swim.  I'm a lot more confident in the water now and if I can shave some time off the 49 minutes it took to complete the mile last year I'll be rather pleased with myself.

Update 7, not quite as much sun as last year and there seemed to be a lot more comments about the temperature of the water.  Maybe I was just tuned into them a bit more this year but it didn't seem too bad.  It was certainly a lot warmer than the lake at Woodhorn felt when I started training at the beginning of May.  Round in 41 minutes and 8 minutes quicker than last years attempt.  Really pleased and looking to shave a bit more off in Scotland in August.

July 11th, sleep deprivation time.  Cancer never sleeps so it's a repeat of the Relay for Life in Jarrow with many of the fantastic group of colleagues we completed it with last year and a few new faces too. Circulating a running track for 22 hours as a team is definitely a challenge.

Update 8, slightly sore now, slightly grumpy too but rather proud of what we did.  2 teams this year and I wanted to spend as much time on track as possible.  Between us we kept at least one person, usually two and much of the time far more, moving on the track.  Rough guess but I think I managed to spend about 19 hours walking.  Toes have seen better days, my left knee's a bit tight but they'll be fine in a few days. Emotionally this was the hardest event, Donna joined us last year and sadly this event which looked like we would be celebrating Donna being a survivor when we signed up, was very different.   Quite a few opportunities particularly during the night to reflect on why I'm doing this and remember Donna.

Update 9,  11th August, slight dose of realism needed this week, since the Sunderland Half Marathon I've had some niggling issues with my ankles and back.  Neither particularly severe but enough to hamper my training somewhat and stop me putting in the miles a marathon needs and about 6 weeks behind on my training plan.  Doesn't feel great but I've changed my entry for Kielder from the full to the half marathon.

August 29th, back in the water and up to Scotland for the Great Scottish Swim.  Same distance as Windermere but in the picturesque Loch Lomond,  think this one might be slightly chillier.

Update 10, thought it was going to be cold and it pretty much was. 15 degrees apparently so marginally warmer than the first training swims back in April up at Woodhorn but still rather chilly.  Wasn't very quick (50 minutes so actually my slowest open water mile yet) but with my training limited I was pleased to get round.  Sight of the day? Watching the Sea Planes manoeuvring around from in the water.

September 13th, The Great North Run, time to try and beat the CEO.  Will be amazing to take the start line with over 200 friends and colleagues.  I first ran this in 2008 and then again in 2012.  2 hours should see me #BeattheCEO and knock 20+ minutes of my best GNR time. Getting round safely is the priority though.

Update 11, didn't beat the CEO, didn't do 2 hours but considering the issues with training and being full of cold, getting round safely and having a ball in doing so I'd call it a result.  Confirmed time was 2 hours 32.  Rather warm day, sun was out and lining up with 57,000 other people over 200 of which were from #TeamSage was a bit special.  Plan was to start and finish with Gary, somehow we ended up towards the back of the pink wave, could even see the very back of the runners and it took 45 minutes to cross the line.  Leisurely start for the first few miles just going with the flow and then from Heworth we picked our way through the crowds.

October 4th, Kielder Half Marathon.  It's not the full marathon I was aiming for at the beginning of the year but still one to look forward to doing.  Picturesque, not flat and the weather could be interesting. Trying to be positive about it but at the moment it's kind of the one that should have been a marathon.

Update 12, slight tweak to the plans and I'm on the lookout for another event.  Not a secret but since splitting up with Helen I see Ollie a couple of times a week and like any parent I will always put him first.  At the beginning of September he decided he wanted to start playing Rugby and after two training sessions he was invited to play for the team. On the 4th, same day as the run was his first tournament and I couldn't miss it.  Disappointed not to do the run but I can't express how proud I was watching him play. Gave it his everything and from the looks of it he loved every minute.  Time to find another two events then....

Boxing Day, while feeling the effects of the previous day's over-indulgence and a 5 and a bit hour drive from Newcastle to Mum's in Essex on Christmas Day, it'll be good to get out in the fresh air. All my previous runs (pretty much since school) have been on-roads. My big sister Jo runs on a Tuesday with a group at Thorndon Country Park near Brentwood in Essex. Jo's invited me to come and join her, her husband Robert and two of my nephews for a 10k with a bit of a difference. Been told it might be muddy!

Update 13, well I was expecting mud, wasn't quite expecting the hills! So slippery it was a struggle to stay upright at times. After a nice downhill first mile it was two figure of 8 loops that took in a couple of short, sharp and very slippy hills. First loop ran with Oscar the youngest nephew, Ben the eldest was challenging the leaders and Robert was just about in sight. Lost them at the beginning of the second and managed to get completely lost at the end of the loop. A slightly different route back it was great to get out on a bright sunny Boxing Day! Enjoyed this one! One challenge to go!

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