I was at a BBQ recently and my friends politely asked “what are you doing this week?” I told them I am flying to the Alps to run 8 peaks in 8 days. Around a marathon a day in the TransAlpine-Run Challenge.

“Have you trained?”

“I did a 10k in April”, I shiftily replied.

“Why are you doing this?!”

“I got the trip half price. The girl before me got injured.”

The looks on their faces in that moment made me think:

a) This is quite stupid, isn’t it?

b) F***.

So now I’m panicking and wondering if I can make it through the first day (48km, 1539m ascent), let alone the other 7.

I’m also thinking “wouldn’t my Dad be proud, if I did manage it?”

With all the ice being chucked around for ALS, I have been thinking about him a lot recently. He passed away in 2011 after a very brave and very harrowing struggle with Motor Nuerone Disease (ALS).

Watching someone you love’s body waste away until they cannot even breathe is completely shattering and absolutely life-changing. Since then I have been acutely aware of both my mortality and the amazing capabilities of my body. If I’m honest perhaps that’s the real reason I signed up. Because I live every day in the knowledge that many people can’t go for a run or even get out of bed. And we could be some of them, one day.

If anything can motivate me through the nightmare that is the TransAlpine, it is the thought of raising money for those going through that now, and those who will in the future.

If you would like to support me and donate to MNDA, please donate. If I raise over £300 I have promised to share all the photos, not just the fake ones of me pretending to smile. Microsoft has also agreed to match all donations I get!

I am, quite honestly, petrified. And off to buy some extra insurance.

Check out the route: http://en.transalpine-run.com/Route/Stage1.aspx