Running is a huge part of my life, and I want to use it to raise awareness and funds for a local mental health charity. 

The Revival cafe based in Whitstable does fantastic work for the local community. After losing their previous cafe premises last year they have recently secured a new location but need funds to continue to provide their well-being and mental health support and initiatives. They are a self-funded initiative so are responsible for the development, upkeep and ongoing costs of their new premises.  Any money I can raise will go straight towards this fantastic cause to help others who suffer with their mental health. Please check them out at www.revivalkent.co.uk

The 496 challenge will see me run the number of miles that corresponds to each day of the month (1 mile on 1st, 2 miles on 2nd, 3 miles on 3rd and so on), totalling 496 miles in 31 days. This will involve six back-to-back marathons and ultra-marathons, finishing with a 31 mile run on 31st May.

I am a full-time window cleaner and a part-time runner.

After a 15-year corporate career in London, I started to suffer with my mental health. When I left my job in the city, I found myself spiralling into depression with no clear idea of who I was or what I should be doing with my life.

Angry, frustrated and increasingly unhealthy and unhappy, I started to seek help. But it was after receiving a punchbag and boxing gloves as a birthday present from my partner, I started to notice how exercise was improving my physical and mental health.

So I decided to pick up an old love; I put on some trainers and started to jog around my home town of Faversham. After a slow start, not being able to run further than a mile or two, I quickly realised that running gave me the focus that I had been struggling to find.

Understanding that the corporate environment was toxic to my own mental well-being, I started a local window cleaning business and dedicated my spare time to running.

This led to the discovery of the little known world of ultra-running (any race further than a 26.2 mile marathon), and I was hooked. In the last couple of years I have competed in, and achieved top 10 finishes, in trail races ranging from 50km to 108km, as well as various challenges to raise money for charity including running 14 half marathons in 14 days. 

This challenge is the most daunting by far, with no rest days and a build-up of mental and physical fatigue as the month progresses. The volume of miles isn't anything I've come close to before so the toll it will take on my body is a bit of an unknown. With all that said, I'm excited to start and see how much I can raise for Revival!