Well,  how did I get to this point where I am creating a just giving page and talking about doing a 10 mile run around Portsmouth?  It all started with an email advertising the run and a conversation with my son along the lines of - I have just had this email - maybe we could do this next year, what's wrong with this year? He asks. He had his on line form completed and ready to send in moments, I on the other hand took such a long time to decide he was logged out twice!  But in a moment of madness I agreed and before you could say Great South Run, he had us both signed up.   

After the initial OMG, what have I done moment? I soon realised I had two great opportunities firstly to get fit but secondly and more importantly to raise funds for charity.  The decision wasn't difficult we as a family like so many have been affected by cancer, hence the decision to run for Macmillan.

Macmillan Cancer Support are an amazing charity which provides support and advice to the patient and their families at a very difficult time in their lives.  I strongly believe in Macmillan and hope you agree and will help me to raise much needed funds to enable them to carry on with their amazing work.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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.

So please dig deep and donate now.

WHOOOOO HOOOOO I did it I am so happy.  We travelled to Portsmouth on the Saturday and the weather was dreadful so much so there were indications of canceling the run or changing the route.  However, we awoke on Sunday to a very windy but beautiful sunny day.  After filling up on a scrummy cooked breakfast at the B&B we had a short walk to the start line.  It was an amazing atmosphere and the whole thing made even more enjoyable as I was running it with my eldest son.  The time shot by and before we knew it the klazon started and we were off.  Ryan went off like a whippet and soon disappeared into the distance.  The first mile is run by the sea and to be honest as the wind was so strong doubts crept in almost straight away as to wether I would be able to complete the run and the weather coupled with a problem with my knee (something I had been experiencing lots of pain in during training) started to hurt and my doubts were doubled.  However, at 2 miles I heard a voice shouting out - "Babs - go girl you are doing brilliantly" it was one of my friends whose fiance and son were running too.  It was a tremendous boost - so thanks Marissa and with a renewed surge of energy and a quick reality check as to why I was doing this run a normal service was resumed and I picked up my pace.  We were warned about the last 1.5 miles of the Great South again run by the sea - it can be very windy - that was most definitely the understatement of the year! The wind was apparently the worst it had ever been - I guess the build up to the predicted storm had started, and running became an almost crab like movement as the wind swept in from the sea and pushed me over to the right.  At 9.5 miles - a very welcome sight was that of my husband and youngest son cheering loudly with the other Macmillan support team members, the sight of the finish line and loud cheers from the spectators brought a surge of energy and I sprinted over the finish line completing my first ever Great South Run in 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Would I do it again - you bet ya the sense of achievement I felt in being able to finish and in raising funds for such an important and fabulous cause is definitely an incentive to do so.  In closing I want to say thankyou to everyone for sponsoring me and supporting me through my training.  And a very special huge thanks to my fabulous family for all the support you have given me.