POST RUN UPDATE: Despite some decidedly unGlaswegian temperatures rising to 24 degrees on race day, I finished in a plodworthy 3 hours 1 minute 6 seconds! Very pleased with this because it was incredibly hard work in the sun/heat- I knew there was a reason I moved north.

Also a quick update from my cause, the Abortion Support Network, about what they will be doing if the 8th amendment is indeed repealed at the end of May: 

• if the referendum is successful, abortion access will not be immediately available - until the service infrastructure is put in place (which could take some time) ASN will still need to support people travelling to England
• the referendum only affects the Republic of Ireland - abortion is still illegal in the North and ASN will still need to support people travelling to access safe abortion services from Northern Ireland until that situation changes

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Hi pals

Those of you interested in human rights/Ireland/people with uteruses having some say over what happens in them will already be aware of the upcoming referendum to repeal the 8th amendment to the Irish constitution. 

Those of you who aren't, a few key things:

• The 8th amendment massively restricts access to abortion for women in Ireland. This includes no access to abortion for women who are pregnant from rape or incest; or if the foetus has been diagnosed with a fatal condition.
• The Irish Constitution does allow women to access abortion in other countries. Nine people a day travel from Ireland to the UK for an abortion. They do this, often without telling anyone and with no support. They also have to raise the money to pay for travel and abortion care, as well as making other family and work arrangements.
  
• Many women are unable to afford the costs involved (e.g. you must register as a private patient in the UK) or face other barriers to accessing abortion overseas - such being in poor physical health.
• So in practice, abortion for women in Ireland is an option - but only for women with access to these resources and the ability to travel.

The Abortion Support Network (ASN) https://www.asn.org.uk is a charity that supports women to travel to access abortion with financial assistance and accommodation, taking into account their financial need, addressing this inequality of access.

I will be getting beetroot pink (see photographic evidence) and sweaty on the 7th May, taking in some of the sights of MK on the half marathon (a handful of roundabouts but no concrete cows, boo). I won't be quick, but I will finish (by no means certain when I started training). I'd appreciate your sympathies for my waddle be directed towards ASN and their great work.

ASN's average grant is £253, so my target of £1012 could help four women to get support for equal access to abortion. Until proper abortion care legislation is passed in Ireland (assuming the referendum is passed, hopefully soon!), people there will still need to access services for information and help. 

Thank you so much in advance for your support. 

If you want to learn more about the referendum and abortion rights, I'd recommend following the Together for Yes campaign https://www.togetherforyes.ie 

P.S. In case you were wondering, as a non-Irish citizen or permanent resident, I can't donate or fundraise on behalf of anyone involved in supporting the 'Yes' side of the referendum campaign. But if you can vote in Ireland, or offer visibility and support to the Together for Yes folks, please do!