Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

In May 2022 I will be attempting to run Britain's most demanding and picturesque marathon 10 days in a row. The Lake District is a special place to me - I was married at the church in Bowness - and it is a place I come to as often as I can for relaxation so it only seems logical to come here to suffer in aid of such a fabulous cause!

Just 3 years ago, I would never have imagined that I would be writing this. My only previous running experience was as a school athlete in Ireland, where I specialised in running (and winning) 100 meter races. My events were over in less than the time it takes to swallow an energy gel - so the idea of running for four or five hours on end was unimaginable.

Over the past few years I started running more and more as a means to stay fit. 5ks became 10ks. 10ks became half marathons, and eventually I decided to see what all of the fuss was about and ran the  2021 Windermere Marathon. During the event I was amazed and inspired to see the 10 in 10 participants, and wondered what level of physical, mental and emotional suffering they must go through to subject their body to 262 miles of running in just 10 days.

Fast forward a couple of months, and the reality that I will soon find out is starting to dawn on me. It will be tough. It will be rewarding. It will be emotional. It will push me to my limits and beyond. It will be fun. The last part may just be wishful thinking!!!

The Brathay Trust is an amazing charity which aims to improve the lives of children, young adults and families by giving them a way to engage with their communities in a positive way, and to develop the skills, attitudes, reslilience and behaviours that will give them the platform for a better life in which they can grow and flourish and become a positive influence for those around them.

I think that now more than ever this is incredibly important. For more than a year, young people have been deprived of the social interaction, support and stimulus that they need to grow into well developed, balanced adults. The Brathay Trust will give these children and young adults a means of reconnecting with society and fulfilling their potential.

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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.