In my 40-something years on earth, I'd never run anywhere. Not even for a bus. My nickname at school was Lazy D. I remember doing a cross country in my wellies and walking the entire thing. But all that has recently changed! In August 2021, I started running. Oddly, I really enjoyed it!

On 3 April 2022, I am running the London Landmarks Half Marathon to raise money for the Anaphylaxis Campaign. Obviously, I've never run that far before. But I've been training hard and I aim to do it in under 2 hours. Check me out on Strava for my progress (https://www.strava.com/athletes/90436614).

The Anaphylaxis Campaign is the only UK-wide charity solely focused on supporting people at risk of severe allergic reactions. Anaphylaxis (pronounced ana-fill-ax-is) is a severe and life-threatening allergic reaction that can be fatal. 

My 13 year old son, Zac, has serious food allergies that result in anaphylaxis. He suffers severe symptoms such as hives, difficulty breathing or becoming unconscious, often within minutes, after being exposed to an allergy trigger. In his case, that's wheat, nuts, oats and rye. He carries an epi-pen wherever he goes and needs to be rushed to the hospital if he eats the wrong thing. Think about trying to completely avoid wheat in your diet. It's really tough. Especially if you like eating out. There is a very high risk of cross-contamination in busy kitchens and we suffer anxiety every time we go to a restaurant.

The fact I am running a half marathon is all the more surprising for me because in 2021 I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. It's a horrible illness that gives you constant chronic pain and fatigue.  But I'm being successfully treated for it and it is largely in remission. Sometimes, life has a way of forcing you to change your lifestyle. That's what the illness did for me; in a good way. 

Running a half marathon is going to be a real challenge, but with your support, I believe I can do it.

Kudos to Aon, which is matching 25% of my sponsorship up to a total of £500. #Aonunited