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Yes we're mad...2 very unfit mum's have decided to get off their bottoms and do something really positive for charity...and hopefully get a little fitter in the process!!

This half marathon is only the start of a deep passion to raise 'loads -a- money' for two very important and personal charities:

My big sister Lisa Durham lost her very short battle with cancer in November 2007, age 38. She left behind a distraught family, which included her 2 beautiful children, William and Gwen. They are now age 5 and 4 and do not really understand where Mummy has gone. In her memory, and for hundreds of others like her, I am running this half marathon to raise enough money to renovate the delapitated garden at Velindre Hospital. I hope, along with my family, to give the people of Velindre Hospital a garden they deserve; a multi-sensory environment; somewhere to sit away from all the medical interventions and somewhere that Will and Gwen (and other children affected by cancer) can plant a tree in their mother's memory. Lisa loved her garden at home - even if the cows ate all her bedding plants and my grandad "watered" her wisteria in an unconventional manner!!! She never had the chance to use the outside space in Velindre but thousands of others will be able to in her name if we pull this off!

Money donated through this site will go directly to Velindre Hospital fundraising team and will be set aside specifically for 'the garden'.

We're also raising money for Diabetes UK in the name of Caroline's friend, a very brave little 6 year old girl called Maddie. She is insulin dependent and has to endure a daily ritual of food weighing and 4 injections just to survive. Any research into this horrible disease could find a cure for someone like Maddie so that she can live a "normal" life. You can donate to this cause by logging onto our other site .....justgiving.com/carolineharries

So for these 2 charities please dig deep and think what it would be like if it was you or your child affected by either cancer or diabetes, what would you give for a cure? ...........

So, the story so far......

In the merry month of May, Born-Rat-Caroline and Rat-Friendly-Sam were having a pleasant neighbourly chat when one of them decided it was time they got fit after 15 years of inactivity...why not run the Cardiff Half Marathon in October?  Despite protestations of baby weight, not enough time, and 'I was only joking', they duly entered.  Their first training run-walk lasted a FULL 11 minutes! 13.1 miles would be a doddle.

Pappa-Ratty the older and 'wiser' athletic rat was informed of the unfit mother's intentions and immediately took on the role of mentor.  He soon had them running 3 miles whithout stopping!  Despite recent knee surgery and general old-age, Pappa-Ratty would not let this opportunity pass him by and, after receiving the exact amount of entry fee as a Father's Day present, he entered too.

It was now the turn of Associate-Rat-Degs to decide that he would like a trip to Wales as well, and, although having run the London Marathon in April and therefore considered a 'pro' by Born-Rat-Caroline and Rat-Friendly-Sam, he joined the ranks of Rats running.

Not to let Pro Runners outnumber the Unfit Mothers, Born-Rat-Liz decided to wear trainers and wait for inspiration to strike.  It soon did, and before you could say 'But Liz, you've NEVER run in your life', she was pounding the streets in all weathers. 

And so, 6am starts and throwing up in the garden upon their return became the order of the day.  A successful run was classed as one where nobody was sick and they had at least one beep of encouragement from a passing car.  Time passed, storms were run through, trainers bought...4 miles...5 miles...baths soaked in, hamstrings pulled, water bottles carried...6 miles...7 miles...encouragement sought, friends shocked, charities contacted...8 miles...9 miles...colds caught, illnesses battled, blisters soothed...10 miles...11 miles...Brother-Rat returned from France and ...entered the Cardiff Half Marathon!

That's the story so far...prompted by a desire to raise money for these two important causes. We hope that you will take these causes to your hearts too and give generously.

Many thanks...we'll see you at the finish line on October 18th!!