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This week I received some incredibly sad and heartbreaking news. One of my sister's dearest friends has passed away.

Laura was an amazing person. She always made me laugh and I know that her and my sister shared many fantastic memories. Laura was a mental health nurse and dedicated a large part of her life helping those who were affected by mental health, like her.

After this heartbreaking news, it's reminded me of why I'm a supporter of Mind and why I am doing this.

So this year I will have Laura in my memory for every mile that I run, for every pound that I raise.

I was already fundraising for Mind but I am privileged to be able to continue to do this to honour Laura and her memory. 

My best wishes go out to Laura's family and friend's and all those who were touched by her beautiful smile and personality.

*****

For those who know me, you know that running isn't exactly the easiest thing in the world. With knees that crack and ankles that sprain this is going to be a huge challenge but one that I'm not taking lightly.

My challenge is to run a marathon by the time 2017 is through. In the process, I will be running a few other races to train myself up. The ones I'm booked to run in are:

1. Superhero Run; 15 May; 5k
2. Kew Gardens; 18 September; 10k
3. Royal Parks Half Marathon; 9 October, half marathon
4. Marathon = TBC!!

I'm running all of these races for Mind because mental health support matters. I have known many people who have suffered from mental health conditions and I want to ensure that they and my friends and family of the future have the support and respect they deserve.

One of my favourite authors, Matt Haig, has been speaking out about his own depression and anxiety. He's done so much to raise awareness. One of my favourite quotes from his book 'Reasons to Stay Alive':

Self-help

• How to stop time: kiss.
• How to travel in time: read.
• How to escape time: music.
• How to feel time: write.
• How to release time: breathe.

I'm going to start with a target of £500 with the hope of smashing that and raising even more - especially when marathon training begins.

Dig deep and feel good knowing that you're helping thousands of thousands of people through your donation.

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