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In October 2018 I'll be heading out to the Sahara to tackle two marathons over two days in the hot sun and sandy terrain. I'm doing this to raise valuable funds for Coventry and Warwickshire Mind; a local mental health charity affiliated to Mind: the leading mental health charity in England & Wales. They offer a range of support services at their community based wellness hubs as well as drop in sessions and courses to help people to better manage or understand their mental health and wellbeing. Their support comes in a variety of guises too, including an allotment and growing space at their community hubs.

Having access to a range of resources, on your doorstep is key to getting help when you need it most as I've discovered over the years with my own mental health battles. Being equipped with the tools to then help you understand and manage what's going on gives you back the control and allows you to keep on going. Also, if nothing else, the flowers and veg growing outside the local community centre always manage to raise a smile.

So why this challenge?

I'm on the tail end of a particularly bad period of mental health, but after a year of therapy I'll feel better equipped than ever to tackle the challenges life throws at me. I wanted something to give me focus and to give back, as well as a kick up the backside to get back my fitness levels. I don't like running but I'll happily walk all day (day 2 might not be so happy!). I also find this a useful space to reflect on my mood and have some time for me. I've done 26 miles before, so felt I needed to push it further and so I found the Saharan Challenge.

Training started in earnest at the beginning of February and in the first
two weeks I've covered over 50km, usually across very muddy terrain which I'm hoping will serve me well in October when I tackle the sand.

I'm self funding this challenge too, so everything you donate will be put to good use!

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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.