Thanks for your support with my London Marathon JustGiving challenge!
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The Long Run Up -  I started running 10 years ago & have run 5kms to Half Marathons here & overseas. In 2020  I trained for the London Marathon as a big 50th birthday challenge & I was super excited to be picked to run for the MS Society.  All was going well, training was good & then... Covid - it was cancelled!!  I chose to use those months of training to run the virtual London  Marathon on the streets in Oct 2020 - socially distanced!  That was tough, running 26.2 miles with no crowd to lift you!  The heavens opened,  but still a memorable experience that I shared with a fabulous friend ! So many kind people had donated I just had to run the distance!

So the Covid 2020 runners were given another chance to run the London Marathon course...(yay!) I chose the 2023 event but I've been plagued with  injuries for the past two years, having to pull out just last year with achilles tendonitis. Ugggh !

My wonderful charity are letting me have one final go at this. I still have injuries, I still do daily physio, I'm older & less  fit...eek !   But am determined to do this & when things get tough which they will, I'll remind myself of the reason I started out on this journey !  Sorry for the long read but this is 4 years in the making x There's just a little more reading - my motivation! xx

Why the MS Society?  My motivation!  - My Dad, John was diagnosed with MS in his mid- thirties when my mum was pregnant with me. 

Dad had primary progressive MS where symptoms gradually get worse over time.  MS affected all parts of his life & his physical health slowly deteriorated.   As a young man he started to have uncontrollable tremors & problems with balance & focus, forcing him to retire from his career at the National Physical Laboratory.  Dad slowly over time became unable to walk & he needed 24 hour care for all his basic hygiene care, movement &  day to day tasks  that most of us take for granted.

As children, for me & my sisters MS was normal, Mum became the breadwinner & worked hard, we did chores, helping where we could & spending time as a family when we were able. There were visits to hospital &  visits to the care home to see Dad, Mum ensured we didn’t miss out &  gave us the same opportunities as our friends.  

In February 1986 Dad’s condition deteriorated again &  he sadly passed away, aged just 49, leaving me (15) my sisters (18 and 19) & my Mum, a young widow (46) - probably the strongest woman I know.

So coming up to aged 54  &  almost 4 years on from when  I  intended  to run the London Marathon I am running  in memory of my Dad & to raise money for the MS Society so they can continue with their essential research &  to support people who suffer from MS & their families.  By raising money for MS I hope to continue to raise awareness . With this in mind please help me to raise as much as I can, all donations of any size are very welcome.   

The marathon is going to be a massive challenge,  knowing that I have support will give me the   determination to keep going & cross that iconic finish line on the Mall.   Thank you so much x

What is MS? - Multiple Sclerosis is a condition that affects your brain ,spinal cord and optic nerves and damages the central nervous system which controls everything we do. MS research continues to aim to stop disease progression, restore what has been lost and end MS forever.