Yes, those are my legs in a rather deep puddle from my first run of 2018. It's OK though, it washed off the mud from when I fell over the stile.

In just a few months I will be running the London Marathon to fundraise for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, a cause that is very close to my heart. I apologise now for the red-faced, sweaty, never-looked-hotter photos that will be filling your newsfeeds but I promise you it will all be worth it.

On the 22nd April I'll be running 26.2 miles of London's streets for three very special people who I am utterly in awe of...

Firstly, my beautiful and impossibly noisy cousin Sarah. We're only two months apart but she's already fought brain cancer twice, lost her hair (a few times), lost a large chunk of her vision and simply uses time in her hospital bed to revise for her law exams and pilfer chocolate off her cousins. Sarah, you're incredible.

Secondly, for my gorgeous and gutsy auntie, Fiona. Since beating breast cancer five years ago, she's only gone and completed four marathon moonwalks (three in 5 weeks alone), is currently walking 1,000 miles in 2018 and became the most rebellious family member with a rather effective tattoo. Enough said. 

And finally, for my uncle, Andy, who I sadly never met and lost his ongoing battle with leukaemia the week of my parents' wedding. Motivational thanks go especially to my grandmother who thrust the below photo into my hand and reminded me that Andy ran a marathon in under four hours whilst still undergoing treatment. It's fine. There's no pressure...

Any donations big or small are hugely appreciated. Apparently running a marathon is quite hard, but it's nothing compared to what so many people battling this deadly disease are going through. If you want to find out more about The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity then click here: https://www.royalmarsden.org 

Thanks for your support!

Charlotte x

The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity raises money solely to support The Royal Marsden, a world-leading cancer centre. We ensure our nurses, doctors and research teams can provide the very best care and develop life-saving treatments, which are used across the UK and around the world. From funding state-of-the-art equipment and groundbreaking research, to creating the very best patient environments, we will never stop looking for ways to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.