Back in December, I decided to sign up for my first marathon. Although I've been running for years, the marathon distance has always scared me and I felt like now was the time to go after this elusive goal. 

During the long slog of a winter in lockdown, my training gave me something to aim for. It structured my week, and provided a source of motivation. When I found out the marathon had been cancelled due to Covid, I toyed with the idea of waiting till next year, but decided I shouldn't let a good thing go to waste. On 30th May, I will be running a 'virtual marathon' - i.e., 26.2 miles round the streets of South London where I live. 

We've all had a tough year with Covid. But I'm running this marathon for Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network because these are people who've had a tougher year than most. It's been a year in which our existing circumstances are magnified - those with secure accommodation, home life and employment status have had something to anchor them, whereas those who were living in precarious circumstances anyway have seen their challenges mount up. (I won't go into my personal feelings about Priti Patel here, but perhaps some of that rage will give me an extra boost at mile 23!)

I'm hoping to raise £262, or £10 for every mile. Any support you can give would be hugely appreciated, and will make a very real difference to these people's lives. Many thanks to anyone who's read this far!