On Sunday 20th September I will be taking part in the Great North Run - a half marathon (13.1 miles) in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Sunderland and South Shields. I don't particularly enjoy running but I do enjoy a challenge and hope I will make it round in one piece!
It's my second half marathon, Paul and I ran the Great North Run together in 2006 and I swore I would never do it again. After watching the 2008 event coverage I got inspired to give it another go and entered the 2009 ballot. I 'won' a place amongst the 50,000 runners but Paul missed out!
This time I have decided to run for a charity called TinyLife who are a small charity who have worked in Northern Ireland for the past 21 years supporting premature and vulnerable babies and their parents. I was at an event recently when one of their volunteers talked about the experience of having a premature baby and what great support this small charity is to them, it really stuck with me that when some prem babies are born they are so small and fragile that a male wedding ring would fit over their hand and go right up to their tiny shoulder. So thats why I decided to 'do it for the kids'!
Last year 24,500 babies were born in Northern Ireland 1805 were born too soon. TinyLife is dedicated to reducing premature birth, illness, disability and death in babies through research and providing a range of support services for parents of premature and vulnerable babies.
Please consider sponsoring me a small amount of money to give to this really worthwhile cause.
Thanks
Kathryn
(All of the money raised goes directly to TinyLife, I have covered the cost of my entry and flights and accommodation is free thanks to kind Danielle in Newcastle.)
P.S A massive thank you to the staff of Belfast Metropolitan College for their donations of £180 during the 'Great North Bun' fundraiser and to everyone who has sponsored me in person.
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