Why I'm helping 'Giving to Pink'.

I have never considered myself a runner (and still don't) This time last year I had never run further than 3 miles and had never been able to find enjoyment in it. But I have always wanted to enjoy running, and after trying several times to take it up it seemed as though any long distance would be a challenge I could never fulfil. However, chatting to a friend (who is most definitely a runner) one day I discovered that she wanted to improve her swimming. Having swum competitively for years as a youngster, we hatched a plan to help each other. I would help her to enjoy swimming and she would help me to run (and maybe, even enjoy doing it!). In a surprisingly short space of time I began to enjoy running and I decided to challenge myself to run a marathon in my 40th year (which is not until 2021) I thought that a good start would be to run some 10k races this year and build up slowly. However, I was offered the opportunity to run the Cardiff Half Marathon this year (eeek!) in support of Giving to Pink. They are a charity set up to fund and run a dedicated breast cancer care unit in the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. Never one to shy away from a challenge I decided to give it a go. Fast forward 14 weeks and my training is going well. I have run 12 miles (and survived), managed to run 3/4 times a week around a full time job and 3 children and have absolutely loved it! I would really love it if my personal challenge could help others, and as breast cancer is a cause very close to my heart, I am delighted to be helping this charity. With just over 2 weeks to go, I am focussing on finishing my training and raising as much money as I can. If you are able to help me help 'Giving to Pink' please do. I will be very grateful. I certainly won't be the fastest 'runner' in Cardiff, but I will be putting all I have in to it, and fingers crossed, come October 7th, I'll be one step closer to my marathon challenge.