No this isn't a wind up and no there isn't something wrong with your eyes,,, I am running (that's right running) in this years Great North Run ,, all 13.1 miles of it. 

For most of you who know me well enough will know, that until recently the only time I have ever been seen running is for last orders at the bar.  So why now you may ask ? Have I finally lost it??

Well I have decided to do this challenge in aid of raising money for Diabetes UK.  Recently I was informed that my Blood sugar levels where high, and that if I didn't make some big life changes I would most likely (like my father) end up with Type 2 diabetes in the future.

My Dad has suffered from this horrible disease for years now. Recently he was diagnosed with a form of throat cancer, which progressed so quickly he had to have an emergency operation removing his glands and part of his tongue.  As if that wasn't bad enough he then had months of debilitating radiotherapy.  Thankfully he has made a full recovery and is getting stronger by the day. However during the whole time of his treatment it was his Diabetes that caused the most complications throughout.  At one stage near the end of his operation he had heart complications caused by sudden changes to his blood sugar levels which meant the operation being stopped.  In a previous operation he suffered organ failure, again due to diabetes.  There was even parts of his Cancer treatment they could't offer due to this condition.  This really brought it home to me just what a series condition diabetes really is.  No longer do I think that it is just a condition that overweight people get, or it just means giving up sweats and sugary drinks.  Diabetes really is a killer, and often a silent one at that.  In the USA 25 million people have it but 7 million don't even know they have.  Another 79 million are pre-diabetic.

So I have therefore decided to do something about it.  I have never been much of a runner before.  In fact as friend recently pointed out my running schedule normally only consists of pressing R2 on the play station controller pad.  It won't be easy that's for sure, but doing this will not only help myself stay healthy but also help me raise money for those like my Dad who have been affected by this horrible disease.  

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