Hello everyone again.

Last year, in April 2012 I ran the Greater Manchester Marathon to raise money for Myeloma UK.

Devastatingly, only 6 weeks after I had completed the Marathon, my husband Mark, passed away following an 8 year battle against Multiple Myeloma, a type of blood cancer which attacks the immune system.

I wanted to do something slightly different to raise money this year and mulled various options such as falling out of aeroplanes with a parachute or bungee jumping off something high. But it didn't really inspire me.

We're in the year 2013 now and I decided to focus on that.

This year is all about challenges around the number 13.

I am going to run 13 Half-Marathons during the year. All will be organised events and all will be the measured 13.1 miles.

In honour of all the 0.1 miles which seem to fall outside the '13' and the fact that the first weekend I met Mark I was running in the Stockport 10 (mile) race - I'll be participating in the 2013 Stockport 10.

I will be taking part in the Manchester to Blackpool cycle ride. It's about 65 miles (there may be a bit of poetic license on the exact distance!) and therefore as a multiple of 13, it fits nicely!

Even my age this year fits the challenge - I'll be 39 in June!

And, by adding in an additional 10k race in Bangor, the total distance covered is 247 miles, itself divisible by 13.

As I go through the year, I'm going to update the page to let you know how things are going, and include race results as I complete them.

Myeloma is gradually coming onto the radar and more people are aware of it. Despite this it is still a  rare cancer and it is still incurable. Therefore the more money I can raise the better the chances of the research successfully finding that elusive cure.

I can't do any more to help Mark - I only have the comfort that he no longer is in pain, no longer taking 30+ tablets each day just to function and no longer finding the things he took for granted - like shopping, gardening, dancing - were impossible any more. It is a cold comfort.

This is a year-long challenge with the final planned race being in early December - the Stockport 10. Please dig deep, and if you can get along to any of the races, you'll see me in my orange MyelomaUK top somewhere in the field of runners!

Here's the photo album of the year.

Many thanks

Simeon

 

Races Entered:

North West Half-Marathon - 24 February  - official time 1h38m23s

The Island Race (Anglesey) - 3 March - official time 1h35m49s

Wilmslow Half-Marathon - 24 March - official time 1h40m18s

Blackpool Half-Marathon - 7 April - official time 1h36m02s

Snowdonia Half-Marathon - 28 April - watch time 1h43m54s

Chester Half-Marathon - 12 May - official time 1h35m51s

Buxton Half-Marathon - 26 May - official time 1h46m28s

North Wales Half-Marathon - 4 August - official time 1h46m48s

Macclesfield Half-Marathon - 29 September - official time  1h38m28s

Congleton Half-Marathon - 6 October - official time 1h38m16s

Oxford Half-Marathon - 13 October - official time 1h36m30s

Capesthorne Half-Marathon - 3 November - official time 1h35m24s

Conwy Half-Marathon - 24 November - official time 1h41m19s

 

With the Stockport East 'Sevenses Society' Bike ride team

Manchester-Blackpool Bike Ride - 14 July - 4h30m (ish!)

 

Cheeky extra 10k race to get the total mileage divisible by 13!!!

Bangor 10k - 2 June - 41m04s

 

and finally

Stockport 10 - 8 December - 73m31s