For years I have wanted to run a marathon, but I never thought it would be under circumstances like these.

A few days before Christmas 2022, my Dad was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer and went straight into chemo in January.  Having always been much fitter than anyone else in the family we were confident he'd beat it.

However, by late February, he was struggling with mobility in his arm and hand - we all assumed it was a side effect of chemo, but in April he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). 

A progressive disease that attacks the nerves in the brain and spinal cordIt leads to severe muscle wastage, affecting how you walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe. Unfortunately, there isn't a cure for MND and it seems that Dad's is particularly aggressive; fast forward to end of July (at the time of writing) and he now has no use of his arms or legs.

I wanted to do something in support of MND and floated the idea of running the marathon with my brother, Olly. We both applied as first time applicants and to our amazement were successful, running together in support of MNDA. It's a truly amazing charity that have been so helpful and supportive as we try to process and navigate this awful time.

UPDATE September 2023: Just four months after diagnosis Dad passed away on 31st August. This huge sadness will also provide strength during training and on the day.