This will be a long read but please I urge you to stick with it until the end..

On the March the 8th I will be taking part in the Steve Prescott St Helens 10k race. I only started running in June of last year and I have done no physical exercise since becoming pregnant with my first child in 2007. 

This isn't the biggest challenge I have set myself this year but it's my first and it's taking place in my hometown.Anyone who lives here will understand the significance of this race but this is the only challenge I'm doing in which I  want to raise money from, but for very personal reasons to me. 

On the 23rd of June 2011 I took the very brave and very big steps to end my marriage. On that day my children aged just two and three witnessed their Daddy hurting their Mummy for the first time.  They watched their Mummy picked up by the throat and shook and choked in front of them. Two children screaming hysterically for their Mummy. Once he had finished he just went upstairs and sulked. I'm left trying to comfort two children, I've never once cried in front of my children, I didn't that day and I never will. I will always be strong for them. 

I knew then it had to stop, I didn't want my children growing up witnessing that until it eventually becomes a normal part of home life for them. Even now my son aged seven still has memories of that day. 

This wasn't the first time though, I had been physically and emotionally abused by my ex partner throughout our relationship but it was my secret. None knew, no one had any idea what went on in our home, I couldn't tell anyone because I felt ashamed. 

But I don't feel that shame anymore and I want to be as open and as honest as I can possibly be in the hope that I can help other women who are now in that same situation. 

I have been slapped, kicked, choked, shook like a rag doll, thrown from one side of a room to the other. Thrown against walls, floors and furniture. Had objects thrown at me, been whipped with a towel, called names, been told I'm the worst mistake he's ever made in his life and belittled in public. 

The only time he has ever stopped himself was when I was heavily pregnant with my first child and he went to hit me in the stomach with the sky tv box and he stopped just short of my bump. 

These incidents would be over nothing, I know people say "but you must have done something to provoke him?"  But I can honestly say I haven't. He has never once apologised, never once agreed to seek help when I asked him to. To him it wasn't a problem, I was the problem.

My ex is 6ft 3" and 18 stone and I've only ever once tried to fight back, I took the worst beating ever standing up for myself. It was easier just to let him get on with it till the moment had past. 

The last incident was after I had filed for divorce but he was still in the marital home. He returned home very drunk and very angry. I was threatened with a large wooden pick ax handle, waving it I'm my face and holding it against my head. Both our children lay fast asleep in their beds next door.

 I'd never rang the police before, always scared that it wouldn't be taken as a serious matter. This time I did, the control room officer stayed on the line with me the whole time till the police arrived, she could hear him shouting in the background. She told me I had done the right thing, she explained that it only takes one fatal blow and it's game over. The police arrived, took him to the police car, questioned me, went into my children's rooms and shone torches in their faces to check they were ok. Remarkably they slept through the whole thing. They detained my ex overnight and released him the next day straight back to the family home. 

It's easy to say, "why did you put with it for so long?" Or "if it was me I'd be gone after the first punch" or "he wouldn't get the chance to do that with me" unfortunately it isn't a black and white as that. 

There are many factors that keep a woman in an abusive relationship...

The thought that it will never happen again.

Trying to keep a family together. 

Financial reasons. 

Having absolutely nowhere else to go. 

The shame of having to explain. 

And simply love for that man. 

I'm lucky, I confided in my best friend the last time it happened and she gave me the strength to tell my family.  From that day on with the amazing support of my family and friends my life began to change for the better and here I am. Almost four year later,  a single Mum raising two beautiful children, working, supporting myself, my children and paying for our home and I'm a million miles away from the woman that walked away from that abusive relationship. 

I've now gotten to the point where I desperately want to give something back. I now want to help others who are still in the same situation I was, in some cases experiencing a whole lot worse than I did. 

I'm running  the 10k to raise money for The Carly fund through victim support. 

Carly Fairhurst was a bright, beautiful girl who was tragically killed by her abusive partner aged just 19. Carly had suffered a series of abuse at the hands of her partner but was too scared to confide in her family. The last incident which lead to her death almost nine years ago, she was struck at the the top of the stairs by her partner which caused her to fall to the bottom. Her partner left her there for eight hours until he decided to return and call an ambulance. Carly was taken to hospital, she had suffered massive brain trauma and swelling and the doctors tried desperately to save her life. A few days later Carly's parents had to make the heart breaking decision to turn off the machines that had been keeping their daughter alive.

Carly's parents Trevor Fairhurst and Sheila Fairhurst set up The Carly fund to help raise money and awareness of domestic violence and work directly with Wigan Victim Support helping others like they were helped.  

The fund was set up in the hope that something good would come of their beautiful daughters tragic and senseless death. Both Trevor and Sheila do a remarkable job helping both men and woman and also the families of domestic abuse. 

And now I want to help them by raising as much money as possible for The Carly Fund. Just twenty pounds can provide one counselling session for a victim. The fund goes to provide basics like kettles and clothing for women and children that have left their homes with absolutely nothing. 

I thank you for staying with me and reaching the end of my page but please can I ask you make a donation. It doesn't matter how big or small, I understand that not everyone has cash to spare but any amount given will go directly towards helping the victims of this local charity and helping me to help others reach the happy ending I achieved. 

Thank you..