Whilst running the Great North Run last year I decided that would be the last time I ever run a half marathon and this became an even stronger certainty just before I crossed the finish line when everything hurt - my legs were wobbly, tired and sore, my knee was giving me a lot of grief, my feet were blistered and I ached all over.  I was exhausted.

Yet here I am 4 months later training for the Brighton Half Marathon, having persuaded 12 people from work to join me in this madness, and wondering what the hell I'm doing all over again!  My plan was to train early to prepare as much as I could, but then travelling around South East Asia for a month sounded more appealing than pounding the streets of North London training for a half marathon in between working!  I'm now back, over the jet lag and with only four and a half weeks to go until the event, I'm quite scared!

I've signed up to some gym deals for the next 5 weeks so I'll be putting plenty of hard work and effort in to get fit and be able to get round the 13.1 miles.  Don't worry I'm not going to persuade you to do something this crazy (I think inflicting this on 12 people is enough for now!).  All I'm asking is if you could spare any change to help beat blood cancers, no matter how small.  If every one of my facebook friends and twitter followers sponsored me just £1 (which would make the world of difference to someone affected by a blood cancer and their family by providing them with an information leaflet to explain their diagnosis and treatment), that would equal an amazing £631, which really could help save lives of babies, children, teenagers and adults affected by a blood cancer. These cancers are the most common cause of cancer death in the under 35s, but can affect anyone of any age.  It is heatbreaking when I hear about parents losing their 2 year old son or daughter, four year olds going through gruelling chemotherapy and treatments, teenagers missing out on being with their friends at school because they have to stay in hospital.  When the stories are about people my age and younger, it makes me realise how lucky I am to be here and be able to train for a half marathon, that I have my parents and that I do not have to go through what so many people, friends and families have to.  That is what is getting me out of my warm, cosy bed extra early on these cold winter mornings to do a run before work.
 

P.S. I will post some photos to prove I did it! 

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