I'm raising funds for the British Lung Foundation to support their valuable work.  This is being done in memory of my Dad, Michael Illsley, or Mick as he was known to everyone, who suffered with COPD in his last years before he died on December 23rd 2016.  Integrity was his middle name and he was a fantastic example to me of the man I should aspire to be.  He is greatly missed.  I have been lucky enough to have been accepted onto the British lung Foundation Team for this iconic event.

A bit about me. I 'discovered' running in October 2017 - a bit of a mid-life crisis if you like, but seemed like a natural progression on my journey.  A few years ago I weighed in at 24 and a half stones, before deciding I needed to sort myself out.  Here I am now, where I am over 11 stones lighter (the before an after photos are at the top of the page), a runner - something which I never considered I'd be, let alone grow to love!

In addition to the Great North Run, I have undertaken a number of challenges this year:

January 2018: RED (Run Every Day) January (in support of MIND)
6th January: Virtual Runner Live (10k)
24th February: ASICS Race on Track @Oulton Park 2019
10th March: Weston Run (5 mile)
17th March: Kilburn Kilometres 10k
24th March: Canalathon (50km)
7th April: ASICS Greater Manchester Marathon
28th April 2018: The Longhorn (Canicross race with Millie!)
6th May: The Milton Keynes Marathon
19th May: Great Manchester Run (Half Marathon)
27th May: Vitality London 10,000
29th May: Enigma Trains Marathon
9th June: Derby Half Marathon
23rd June: Colshaw Hall 10k
29th/30th June: Mizuno Endure 24 (Leeds)
13th/14th July: Race to the Stones (100km)
21st July: Castle Howard 10k
27th/28th July: Manvers Dusk 'til Dawn Challenge
4th August: York 10k
18th August: The Belper Rover
8th September: Great North Run
22nd September: Sheffield 10k
29th September: Robin Hood Half Marathon
6th October: Shrewsbury Half Marathon
13th October: Manchester Half Marathon
20th October: Yorkshire 10 Mile Race
15th November: Escape from Meriden
24th November: Run Silverstone Half Marathon

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page and reading all of the above.

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