After a successful 10K at this year's Edinburgh Marathon Festival, I've decided to take on the half-marathon. I only started running last year, and am in no way an athlete, but I love a good challenge and this is one that I look forward to smashing!

I've decided to fundraise for ME Research UK because I've known people with this invisible illness and it is so misunderstood and often dismissed. This is why I want to raise awareness to it, and raise money to help the amazing work that ME Research UK is doing in terms of biomedical research. Their research is aimed at finding the causes of ME/CFS, improving diagnosis and treatment, and, ultimately, arrive at a cure. 

Quick facts about ME: 

• ME stands for myalgic encephalomyelitis.
  
• It is a long-term (chronic) neurological condition that affects the nervous and immune systems.
  
• It is characterised by debilitating pain, fatigue and other symptoms associated with post-exertional malaise.
  
• It affects around 200,000 people in the UK.
• Women are more likely to be affected than men.
• It affects people of all social groups and ages, including children.
• Most patients are unable to work full-time and up to a 1/4 are housebound or bed-bound. 

You can learn more about ME here: http://www.meresearch.org.uk/what-is-me/

By donating and supporting me, you're really supporting this amazing initiative, which aims to improve the life of those affected by this invisible illness. It's worth it! And I'll do my very best to be worth it too.