SHORT VERSION:

This is quite simply the best industry in the world, and the feeling of being part of the £33,000 (!!!!!) raised last year was just phenomenal.

I have extended my fundraising amount this year so hopefully that is the targe I can focus on as I'm certainly not going to be breaking any PBs in the race due to DISLOCATING MY KNEE CAP at the gym earlier this summer.

I need all the help I can get to keep going after that massive set back - I keep nearly pulling out, but if you lovely lot have sponsored me, I've got no excuse!

LONG VERSION (if you can be bothered):

After becoming a mum and trying to go back to work full time, my mental health took a real battering and I needed to take a step back and reconsider how my life was working out.

After a couple of years of intense work on myself, I had a 2nd baby, left my Head of Events role and set up Brightspace Events on my own.

I also started running :-)

I was inspired by a friend who'd been through a similar journey and was running not 1 but 2 marathons back to back; dressed as the Mona Lisa!! I started Couch 2 5k and joined her virtual challenge to raise money for Cancer Research.

SInce then, running has become an essential part of my mental heatlh toolkit - you can tell I'm on the edge when my husband says carefully "Are you going to get out for a run in the morning??"!!

However, I've always shyed away from what I saw as the pressure and stress of fundraising as I guess I've always doubted myself and never can quite believe I am in a fact, "A Runner".

This team is the BEST; so supportive, so inclusive, very welcoming and they have had my back every step of the way.

All donations will go directly to Meeting Needs charity which supports a huge range of different, valuable projects so dig deep please and we will all be eternally grateful.

https://www.meetingneeds.org.uk/projects/

I will post lots of obligatory sweaty selfies as I train and can everyone please pray for my dodgy hip / knee / right big toe and that they can carry me, creaking, over the finish line in October!