Hello and thank you for taking a moment out of your day to visit my page - welcome!

Now you are here (hopefully sat down with a cuppa or something stronger for some of you!) I'd like to tell you about why getting a very luck place in the 2016 London Marathon means so much to me. 

The past few years have been challenging - physically, mentally and emotionally. Why? Because I became a Mum not just to one beautiful little girl in 2012 but a second in 2014. Evie and Isla mean the world to me but pregnancy and early parenthood took its' toll on me physically. I realised 9 months after giving birth to Evie that I couldn't keep saying "I've just had a baby" and use that as an excuse to not shift the baby weight and get moving again!

In 2013 I joined a local running club. I gradually built up to 5k and before long finished my first 10k in September 2014 whilst being pregnant with Isla. Gaining confidence along the way I got the bug and completed the Bath Half in March this year. Since then I have lost 3 1/2 stone in weight and physically never felt fitter or stronger to take on the challenge of the mighty London Marathon - a journey I didn't ever think I would be on!  

My place means I have also been given a huge opportunity to raise money for a cause very close to my heart. Many of you will know that my amazing husband Mark suffers with Type 1 Diabetes and has done since he was 21 (he is a little older than that now!). I also developed Gestational Diabetes in both pregnancies and so know first-hand what it is like to test your blood sugar levels throughout the day, balance what you eat / drink and inject yourself countless times a day just to survive. It sounds dramatic but the reality is that Diabetes is a life-long condition that should be respected - if you don't there are consequences. 

I believe that awareness and understanding of this illness can be improved greatly; there are 3.9 million people living with Diabetes in the UK and a further 590,000 people have it but don't even know. Furthermore, recent research suggests that more young people are dying from Diabetes in the UK than the rest of Europe - that is just crazy I am sure you will agree. This is why I have selected Diabetes UK as my chosen charity. 

With investment in their pioneering research they can improve lives to help understand the causes of diabetes and bring about life changing breakthroughs in care, treatment and prevention which ultimately will bring them close to a cure which I for one hope Mark will benefit from in the future. And, if you aren't directly affected by Diabetes, you probably know someone who is.

This leaves me to say please, please donate and help me reach my fundraising goal (or go beyond!). Your support is not only going to be a massive motivation for me on the big day but importantly now in these 27 weeks of training and preparation. 

Thanks again for your time and support, it is much appreciated. If you can help me spread the word and share my journey too I might just run a bit faster ;) 

Becky x