My story starts in August 2017 when my daughter suffered from a repeated sprained ankle over the course of a few months, causing her to leave the dance school that she had been a part of for 8 years. Not wishing for this to be the end of her sports and exercise, we decided that alongside the various physiotherapy appointments, we would try to run.

We registered for the Mansfield 5k in September 2017 and completed this in a time just over 36 minutes, with little training. We didn’t know what we were doing, stopped to walk a few times and burst into tears as we crossed the finish line. The support and encouragement from the public along the route was amazing.

After this, I started to run on my own. I couldn’t run far or fast but enjoyed it and loved to see the small progress I was making. My partner, who also enjoys running, told me about Parkrun - a free weekly timed event that takes part in parks around the country, and worldwide. Whilst a 5k run at 9am on a Saturday morning may not be everyone’s cup of tea, thousands of people get together every week to run, walk or jog through our local parks.

Parkrun cannot take place without the help of the many volunteers that give up their Saturday mornings to set up the course, cheer you on at every corner, scan your barcodes once you cross the finish line and process the results afterwards.

It has very quickly become my most enjoyable hobby – my ‘home run’ is Brierley Forest in Huthwaite as it is ideal to get my son to his football match straight after, but I have also run at Wetherby, Beeston Marina, Newark, Sherwood Pines and Gedling Country Park amongst others.

When I started out life as a Parkrunner, I would regularly finish in a time of 30-31 minutes. My aim was to get this under 30 minutes, which I did in November finishing with a time of 29:28. March 2018 saw me beat this personal best with a new time of 27:54, a time which I never thought I could beat … until April 2018 when I ran at Beeston Marina in a time of 26:30.

My new-found interest in running led me to watch the London Marathon for the first time - I was gripped to the TV for hours and, rather impulsively, I googled ‘Robin Hood Half Marathon’ … and here we are!!

I am running this half marathon not only for Parkrun, who will use the funds to help set up new events, renew scanning and results processing equipment, and ensure that every Parkrun has a defibrillator; but also, for Fountaindale School, a specialist school for children with complex physical and sensory needs.

I have had the pleasure of working at Fountaindale School since 2011 and I have to say that the students and their families, both past and present, are the most inspirational and courageous people I have ever had the privilege to meet. Fountaindale School are always looking for ways in which to raise funds for new sensory equipment and outdoor areas etc.

Please look at the Parkrun and Fountaindale School websites and donate as much or as little as you can to my Just Giving page to help raise funds for these two very worthy causes … and wish me luck!!

www.fountaindale.notts.sch.uk (Registered Charity Number 1050275)

www.parkrun.org.uk/brierleyforest (click on ‘more’ and ‘about us’ to see donation information)