Well on a very cold and rainy day, we did manage to complete the Big Fun run, at Crystal Palace.  It was a tougher run than usual, not least because of the weather, but also because it is a hillier course than I normally run, so my time was a little slower than I would usually expect to achieve.  But the main thing was that we all completed it!  

I'm overwhelmed by the generosity that people have shown, and can't believe that I have exceeded what I had thought was an ambitious target by over 50%!  Some of my donations have come from people I have never even met, which is amazing.

I'm so pleased to have been able to raise so much money for World Child Cancer, and I would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Along with Woolly Hugs, http://beta.woollyhugs.com/, this means we have now raised over £3,500.  And even better, the lovely and very generous people from http://www.mumsnet.com have pledged to double the amount raised on the Woolly Hugs' Just Giving site.  Meaning that taken altogether, the total will now be over £6,000.

Background to the fundraising

As part of the Mumsnet community I have been involved in knitting squares for blankets that are donated to families who have been bereaved.  (This is no mean feat for me as I sometimes question whether or not I was born with opposable thumbs.)  Have a look at some of the fabulous blankets that have been made so far.  They are all made with love:

http://www.woollyhugs.com/

We also make blankets for World Child Cancer, and they get sent to children in the poorest countries, who are suffering from cancer.  This fabulous charity has little in the way of funding, and therefore this was the charity that was chosen by Billie's mum, in Billie's memory.  Billie died aged only 14 from leukaemia.

As part of the Mumsnet Woolly Hugs team, I was asked if I wanted to help raise money for World Child Cancer by taking part in a 5K run.  

When the call came for runners, my first reaction was 'don't be stupid, I don't do running!'  but then I realised that for the first time in my adult life I really was fit enough to do it, having been working out seriously in the gym for over a year now.  

So I started the C25K programme earlier this year, in preparation for the race in October.  Although I reached the 5K mark relatively quickly, injury prevented me from training for a while, but I am delighted to report that I am now back up to running 5K.  Here's my last run:

http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/384824805

I started training early as I thought it would take me forever to reach 5K, so I was delighted (and not a little surprised!) that I reached this distance quickly.

And before you ask - no, I won't be doing 10K.  And no, I'm not going to be entering for the next London marathon ...

Thank you for visiting my page, and if you are able to make a donation I will be forever grateful.

 

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. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

I have set myself an ambitious target - but having already achieved one ambitious target, I thought I should try another!

 

many thanks

Alison

xxx