Well last year was a bumper year of events and with all your support I smashed the £1500 target I set myself. Final total was over £2000!

In the last year there have been some important updates in the treatment of Myeloma some of which are becoming available, others still under consultation. The rates and speed of diagnosis are also improving which is a great benefit for early treatment.

Still, we must go on though to keep that research going and the clinical trials which allow bodies such as NICE to quantitatively analyse the impact of various treatments.

The original plan for 'Challenge 2014' started with the Edinburgh Marathon, followed by a couple of significant cycle challenges.

Unfortunately the human body doesn't always work all of the time and the onset of Sciatica in March 2014 wiped out any chance of running at Edinburgh (as of 21 May, I am mostly out of pain but not quite there yet).

So - PLAN B

I'm cycling around Snowdonia on June 15th - actually the first part of my big-birthday weekend. But rather than partying, I'll be trying to persuade my bike up a big hill. Or something like that.

I've coerced a group from work to return on the Manchester - Blackpool trail on 13 July 2014. A bit further than Snowdonia, but a lot flatter.

All being well, whilst this is going on, my legs will be hopefully declared fit enough to resume marathon training. I'm aiming for Chester Marathon now, on 5th October 2014.

It's already been an eventful year, and not in a good way. But hopefully now I'm off the start line and ready to tackle the country anew, and with it tackle Myeloma again through the fundraising.

So I ask you to join me on this long-distance journey - at least in terms of the fund-raising.

I'll keep you up to date as I go along. Let's see what we can do together to beat Myeloma. I'll make my legs do things they'd rather not do if you can support me with sponsorship!