Hello all! I’m a little bit late to the party on the fundraising front, however this is only on the basis I was not 100% sure I would be able to complete the task at hand…..

I am running the London Marathon on 23rd April for Versus Arthritis, a charity who are very close to my heart….and my toes, fingers, sometimes my elbows and occasionally my knees and hips.

I was diagnosed with a form of inflammatory arthritis 6 years ago. As an active 20-something it was a big shock to the system and at the time put an end to many of the things I loved doing most…football, golf, squash and running. Alongside the physical element there was an equally large mental impact, with a sense of ‘that’s it’ I am never going to be able to be active again. I am not alone in this, as arthritis impacts an estimated 300,000 people under the age of 40 in the UK.

Luckily, through various lifestyle adjustments, some pretty incredible immunosuppressant medication (plus some not so incredible steroid injections into my worst joints) and some physio, I am back to ‘normal’ in terms of my ability to get out. ‘Normal’ means regular aches and pains and a sense of dread when a new one occurs in a new area. However, perhaps counterintuitively, regular physical activity is a core element of managing inflammatory arthritis in order to maintain mobility and dexterity. Therefore running has been a hugely significant part of my life to help keep both physically and mentally fit.

With that, I am running the 26 miles/42km for Versus Arthritis for 2 reasons; 

1. To raise money in support of the amazing work they do for 10 million people living with some form of arthritis in the UK

2. To offer hope to anyone early in their inflammatory arthritis journey that things will get better, and to shed light on the hugely important role that being active plays in this 

Whilst the worst of the dark, cold & wet winter training miles are behind me, the aches and pains still persist, so I would hugely appreciate any support you can offer as I push through the final few weeks of ‘long runs’ ahead of the big day. 

https://www.versusarthritis.org/

Thank you

Jack