Yes,I know we said 'never again' last year, but together with my running mate Ali Bradbury, I am attempting the Great North Run for the third time, hopefully raising lots of money in the process.

Obviously most of you will be aware that my Dad is living with this horrible illness, so being able to help to make a difference to other families coping with this situation in the future is a real motivator and makes the aches, pains and blisters bearable!

We have engaged the service of Mick Sheehan as our personal trainer. A former fitness professional, Mick now runs Home Instead, Uppermill, caring for elderly people some of whom have the disease, so the link is very fitting.

So please dig deep and donate even the smallest amount.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.