I'm running the BatHalf and the Weston Super Half to help my dear friend Louise and her family enjoy the time they have together.

I first met Lou and her partner Shaff on an NCT course, when I was pregnant with my eldest child. They are incredibly endearing and genuine people who I clicked with immediately. Lou was the first of our gang to have a baby, and I remember her showing up to a coffee morning with the new arrival, feeling incredibly overwhelmed by the impending change in circumstances the new arrivals were about to herald.

Molly was born about 3 weeks later, and we saw Lou and her eldest (Alia) regularly through the first year. She definitely kept me sane while adjusting to my new existence, with long walks in the common and her spectacularly Danish ability to have a constant supply of coffee on the go whenever we arrived at her house.

More babies followed, so we again got to spend lots of time together when the new ones arrived - this time Felix was the first to arrive on round #2, followed in quick succession by Lou's second girl a few months later. more coffee, more walks around the common, and Molly and Alia became best of friends.

Fast forward a few years... We both have amazing 8 and 6 year olds, full of life and spunk and all a long life ahead of them. Louise, however, was unfortunately diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour towards the end of last year, and has been given about a year to live. She's lost most of her sight, and is becoming increasingly disoriented and confused because of this. Shaff has had to leave his work in order to look after her full time, as well as being a full time dad to the girls. I can't help but think of the emptiness that her girls (and Shaff) are going to experience once she's gone, and want to do what I can to help.

To that end, I'm running the two races to raise funds for Louise and the girls. This will go towards a variety of things. Firstly, Shaff is trying to do as much with the girls and Lou in the short time they have together - trips to the theatre, days out, little holidays, and so on. Once Lou is gone, these memories will be all the girls, and Shaff, have.