Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I have never run further than 2KM before and that was when I was 13, running Cross Country races in the depths of winter with my Mum and Dad always cheering me on and waiting for me, soaking wet and covered in mud, on the finish line with blankets and hot soup. 

Last year, I watched other women far older than me complete the Half Marathon and questioned why I had not attempted this at least once in my life, and so I registered for this year. My Mum smiled when I told her and said, "That's so you! Dad would be proud." We lost my Dad on May 9th 2020 at the beginning of Covid, when he caught the virus while on an isolation ward for something completely different. Losing him rocked all our worlds and I was determined to run this race in his memory, while at the same time raising money for The Samaritans. This is a charity close to my heart having been a volunteer myself as well as being in need of their support at various times in my life. In both roles I learnt to lean into my vulnerability and work with it.

My training program for this race began well in January this year and by March 20th I had gone from running 5KM to running the first 18KM of the route. However, as luck (or chance) would have it, I broke my wrist in a freak accident, while dog walking and had to endure an enforced break from training for a month while I had surgery. Then on Easter Sunday, my Mum was taken into hospital and a week later diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. The past two weeks have been spent flying back and forth to the UK to be with Mum, to be there for her as she has always been for me. As I write this she is in her final days and maybe hours. She sponsored me a month ago and was keen to hear how I got on after each training session and at the end of the race itself. I will never be able to have that conversation now. So now, I run in memory of my Mum and Dad and will forever be grateful that I had them in my life for as long as I did, always loving me, always encouraging me. 

UPDATE: Mum passed away on Sunday 30th April. Finally at peace and reunited with my Dad, so now I am running in memory of them both.

I would be equally grateful if you would sponsor me also. A single £1 goes such a long way in supporting the work of The Samaritans and who knows, maybe you, or someone you know, anywhere in the world, will need to dial their number one day.