I am going to run 10k every day, rain or shine, until I have covered the distance from my home in Siberia to where I grew up near Manchester. 

I will mark my progress by following a 7,000km route picked specifically to encompass clubs or places that relate to football and my experiences; if I've done the maths correctly, this will take just under 2 years to complete...

Why? In a nutshell, to give something back after learning so much from football, mental health, and fitness.

A year ago I was unhealthy. A check-up revealed I was 106kg with an overweight BMI and a few niggles caused, in part, by neglect. I found a home workout video on YouTube that just clicked, and decided to see how far it could take me.

A combination of inspiring friends, finding health and exercise apps to prompt me in the right direction, a remarkable online community and a real sense of achievement have seen me lose 23kg so far and maintain a religious exercise routine that has ended up focusing on running.

The first run I did was about a year ago when I managed 5 laps of my house block, or about 1.5km. That tired me out (I know...). Towards the end of June 2022, I accidentally completed my first ever half-marathon distance and was ready for more.

The determination, self-belief, physical and mental fitness, and sense of purpose I have gained from setting - and meeting - personal targets has been indescribable, so I hatched a plan to set an ambitious target that could give back after getting so much from the experience.

Football Beyond Borders was the natural fit with its focus on the incredible power of sport to give people focus, drive and purpose. Their selfless power to transform lives that would otherwise be ignored by society is inspiring.

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