On May 6, 2012, I am running a half-marathon (12 Trollinger Half-Marathon) in Heilbronn, Germany. As many of you already know, I am definitely not a “keen” runner and it has been hard work to get so near to my goal. Running for a worthwhile cause makes it easier and motivates me to carry on.

I have been training hard and want to take this opportunity to thank my three friends, Deirdre, Lorna & Tracey, who are going to be running with me and, of course, my husband, who has supported me in training too (he`s not running – he has to baby-sit the kids). They motivate me to go out running early in the morning, in the snow, in -11 degrees, in the rain, even when I am on holiday and it`s 30 degrees in the shade. They have pushed me so far out of my comfort zone ………I wouldn`t be doing this if it wasn`t for you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

So, why I am doing this? The charity I intend to collect money for is Alzheimer's Research UK, the UK’s leading dementia research charity specialising in finding preventions, treatments and a cure for dementia. Anybody who has a friend or relative with Alzheimer`s Disease will know just how important it is to find a cure for this awful disease. Being part of a family affected by this disease makes you realise that more research has to be done. The more money raised the better.

I really appreciate any donation, however small, and will do my very, very best to run over the finish-line on May 6. THANK YOU !

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.