Hello and thank you for dropping by!

My name is Ellie Rees and I've been a type 1 diabetic for 22 years, which means that I do not produce the hormone insulin and so regulating my blood sugars proves difficult. It's a hard condition to live with as everything I eat needs to be calculated, exercise can be hard to manage and at times it can feel like a very a lonely experience.

However, I do my best to control it and I refuse to let it define me! 

I have said for years that I will complete the Cardiff Half Marathon and this year is the year. My dad has run this race countless times and has very kindly (or not so kindly at times!) been my own personal trainer who will be running next to me on October 6th.

I am not a natural runner by any means and training so far has been a huge challenge as not only do I need to closely monitor my blood sugars but as a diabetic we are prone to becoming very fatigued very quickly. Even so, I've been running regularly since November 2018 and I'm determined to cross that finish line in October!

Diabetes UK is a great source for anyone suffering with the condition, whether they're newly diagnosed and need advice or a long timer looking for more resources. They've also been excellent campaigners for new medicines, legislation and technology that greatly help to improve living with diabetes.

This is the biggest physical challenge I have ever undertaken and I would be ridiculously grateful for any donation you are able to make.

Best Wishes,

Ellie (and Andy!)