Background (see below for progress blog)

Hi everyone, thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I'm taking part in the 5x50 challenge where I will run or cycle 5km every day for 50 days starting on the 30th March. 

The challenge is designed to get people up and active, hopefully encouraging them to develop healthy exercise habits that will outlast the challenge and become a long term lifestyle change.

I already enjoy heading out for a run so that's what I'm hoping to do most days, with a couple of cycles a week to avoid fatigue and injury. 

I'll be keeping a mini blog and taking photos every day to capture my journey and so all of you can follow it too.

To clarify, I do like a run, but 50 days is a LONG time! It is going to be tough, especially after a nine hour shift at work but I'm going to give it my all, because I'm also using this as an opportunity to fund raise for such a  worthwhile charity.

I so admire the work that Marie Curie does. For those nearing the end of their lives I think it is so important that they spend that precious time with their loved ones and have the choice to spend that time in their homes or wherever they may want to be. The work of Marie Curie gives people that choice as well as providing excellent care and support to their families. 

However in order to keep providing their services Marie Curie needs to raise £10000 every hour to fund their nurses, hospices and the important work that they do.

I realise I've been quite long winded so I apologise, but thank you for reading all the way to the bottom. It would mean the world to me if you would support me on this journey and donate to Marie Curie Cancer Care. It's so worthwhile, and you can have a good laugh at me being tired and unable to move my legs by day 20! 

Thank you all,

Laura

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Day 1

5k down, 245k to go! Decided to run outside just to liven up the first run but as lovely as Great Western Road is, it doesn't quite compare to the green landscapes of back home! I coped pretty well, though traffic and the fact I haven't been my most active the last month or so hindered my time slightly, clocked in back at the flat at 34.05, plenty of room for improvement for the next 49 days! 
Food for thought: I've walked the same route countless times on my way to placement and never had any form of contact with passers by, why is it suddenly, when I put on my sports gear and run the exact same route, people suddenly decide it's acceptable to beep their car horns, whistle and make comments to me as I pass by? Nevertheless, by the time they reached the punchline of their joke I was long gone!
Timing without cars/roads to throw it off is going to happen tomorrow, back to the gym and the treadmill, joys!
Over and out, please donate :) 

Day 2

10k down, 240k to go. Big push required today, rocked up to the gym absolutely determined to get my 5k time under half an hour. I succeeded. You all knew I was a stubborn one! Very red faced and knackered after but still managed to get myself to hockey training so overall very active day! 
Clocked in at 29.49 for my 5k, which ended up as 34.54 for 5.49k after my cooldown. 
Excited to see how my time will be the next time I'm on the treadmill but for the next week or so it's back to Dollar and I cannot wait to be reunited with my best running buddy....
*apologies for the blurry photo today, had shaky hands post-run!
Much love, please donate :)

Day 3

15k down, 235k to go. First off a huge thank you to Miles for my amazing donation, hope everyone follows his lead and donates too, such a worthwhile cause.
So woke up this morning to very stiff hamstrings as a result of the lunges I was made to do at yesterday's hockey, had to lug a heavy suitcase home and all the while it was pouring with rain in both Glasgow and Dollar, not the most promising start for a run!
However, I was so happy to be reunited with the best running partner in the world, my gorgeous dog Holly :) Had such a good run despite the false start this morning, completed my 5k in just over half an hour, though it was more like hurdles with the amount of puddles on the path...
I'd forgotten how much I loved running in Dollar, it's so much quieter and everything seems to stop once I run. No traffic zooming by, no people always rushing around to be somewhere, attached to their phones, just me, the path ahead, and my dog. 
Perfect.

Day 4

20k down 230k to go! So it didn't rain today... it was FREEZING instead! the perks of running outside, still beats the treadmill though... Pretty satisfied with my time today, back under the half hour mark, the poor dog is quite tired out though.
Reckon I'll cycle tomorrow to give myself a change and to try and avoid injury. That said, I think the last time I rode a bike was three years ago so this may be eventful! Just a short update today, but I can assure you tomorrow's biking escapades may make for some amusing reading!
Stay tuned... (and donate!)

Day 5

25k down 225k to go! Today I cycled! For the first time in about three years, I didn't fall off or get a puncture so I'm going to call it a success! So after some work to actually dig my bike out of the garage and then some more work to get the tires blown up I'd planned a nice leisurely ride along to Tillicoultry (the next town from Dollar) and back. Then Gordon decides to challenge me to do this in under 35 minutes, I clocked back in at 32 minutes, which I'm happy enough with seeing as I really don't cycle.
(The distance to Tilly and back is over 5k but I'm just calling it that for the sake of my countdown)
I did get absolutely COVERED in mud as a result of riding through puddles/slightly useless mudguards, photos will be up on instagram (@lauradoes5x50) for those of you that fancy a good laugh at my misfortune.
I guess I kind of enjoyed it, it was a bit like being ten years old again when you used to cycle everywhere... That said, I will be going back to running for the next few days while my muscles recover from the shock....
Donations welcome!

Day 6

30k down, 220k to go! Back to running today and due to my leggings being in the wash I had to go out in shorts. Thankfully it wasn't too cold, but it's definitely been a while since my legs have seen the sun, at least I got some vitamin D... We've had a couple of rainy days lately so my trainers are steadily getting muddier and muddier... 
I was reminiscing about the first time I ever ran 5k today, I remember I was so exhausted when I got back I was almost too tired to walk back to the house. Today I decided to slow down and just have a fairly relaxed run and still managed under half an hour and only took a minute or so to catch my breath, nice to see how far I've come...
That's all for now, don't forget to donate!

Day 7

35k down 215k to go! Week one is complete! Seeing as I only got home from work at around half past 7 tonight I decided to get back on the bike so I could get my 5k in before dark. Think this cycling thing is growing on me, mainly because I can go down hills fast which is always fun. Also deep down I quite like getting muddy, which is just as well because I was even more covered than last time due to more rain today...
Came back to a very disgruntled dog because I didn't take her with me, better run with her again tomorrow...

Day 8

40k down 210k to go! I'm becoming quite the night blogger, I'm also realising how long this story is going to be by day 50.. hope there's not a limit! Ran my 5k today, but was pretty tired after working all weekend, not to mention we got given ENORMOUS muffins at work today so I was feeling a bit sluggish this time.
I think tomorrow I'm going to take it a bit easier and just walk it, I'm aiming to walk as little as possible but I think I'm going to have to a few times just to give myself a chance to rest and recover, there's still a long way to go! But fear not, to make up for the lower intensity exercise I'll walk beyond my 5k, not sure how far yet, I'll tell you all tomorrow! 
Finally thank you for my latest donation, you're a star :)

Day 9

45k down 205k to go! So today I decided to walk just for a slight break so no injuries start to crop up. Had to wait out the weather for a bit but we finally got some sun. As it turns out, walking 5k takes waaaaay longer than running and cycling it. Also Dollar isn't too big so I kind of went in circles a bit... The map of my route will be appearing on instagram soon enough...
I'm afraid I don't have much chat today, kind of missed the higher intensity exercise, but there we go, have to be responsible on occasion! Back to high intensity tomorrow though fear not!
Much love, please donate!

Day 10

50k down 200k to go! Wow, I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself right now, even though there's still a long way yet, today feels like a bit of a landmark. 
The original plan was to run but Gordon was going on his own cycle and asked if I wanted to join so I did that instead. We cycled out to Tilly and back, and I won't lie, I was well and truly shown up by my 49 year old step-dad, he was so far ahead! Gordon decided a few months ago he was going to get fit and be more active and started cycling several times a week. I'm so impressed at how committed he's been, and at how fast he's gotten! 
Finally a big thank you to Jayne, Morven and Jordan for my latest donations, keep them coming folks! 

Day 11

55k down 195k to go! Back to running! It's only been two days since I last ran but it feels like it's been ages! Had to wait all day for the rain to clear again but eventually it did. I don't have that much chat today I'm afraid, pretty average run, had a go at taking a photograph while on the move, it's a tad blurry but it was always going to be...
Hmm, hopefully something exciting happens on tomorrow's run so I'll have more to talk about but that's all for now I'm afraid!

Day 12

60k down 190k to do! Creeping ever closer to the two week mark... Such a gorgeous day today! Clear bright blue skies, green hills and trees as the backdrop to a red-faced me running along, just picture it... In case you can't I have once again tried my hand at "running photography" (oh dear) so you can all look forward to more blurry photographs popping up on facebook and instagram later, thankfully without me actually in them as even my skills don't extend to an "on-the-run selfie".
Aside from beautiful weather todays run also featured some horses which meant I had to alter my route slightly, and a pair of very misplaced ducks which we ran by at a spot no where near water, hmm... 
Seriously, I apologise for the poor quality of my chat, again, you're all welcome to suggest things to liven it up so you aren't stuck with the weather for 38 more days...
38 more days! plenty of time to donate!

Day 13

65k down 185k to go! Today I went on a hike with Gordon which involved walking to Tillicoultry to climb Ben Cleuch (721m according to google) then walking along the ridge to King's Seat and finally to Dollar Bank Hill and back down Dollar Glen to get home, all in all a 19.8km walk/climb. It took us 5h22min, including a slightly miserable sandwich stop.... 
Despite setting off in decent weather, by the time we were near the top of Ben Cleuch we were treated to horizontal rain being blown in our faces so hard it felt like hail. Then it turned into actual hail. Got to love Scotland... Anyway we finally reached the cairn and hid ourselves behind it for shelter while we ate our lunches, big thank you to my mummy who packed me a Twix in mine, it was much appreciated! 
Despite not running or cycling it was a fairly exhausting walk, though the Ochils aren't the tallest of hills, they are pretty steep! I'll attach the graph of our ascent to today's photos. Despite spending a while inside a cloud I managed to get a few snaps of the view, and I'm sure Gordon has a stunning photograph of me sitting in the cairn, I can just imagine what a happy bunny I look... 
Hopefully since I've done nearly four times today's required distance you'll forgive me for not running or cycling and keep donating! At least I had some slightly more interesting chat!
Though today has had it's challenges it was pretty good to get out on the hills and just get away from everything, nice to have a moment of peace.. There's an advert at work with the caption "The higher I climb, the more I leave behind", it's pretty accurate...
Off for a nap now, night all! 

Day 14

70k down 180k to go! Two weeks in and still going strong. Today I had work until 6 and then had plans immediately after, unfortunately that meant I had to squeeze my 5k in before work.
Needless to say that when my alarm went off at 6.50 and I got outside to see the rain literally bouncing off the ground I was not a happy bunny. Fortunately the first five minutes are always the worst and the cycle turned out only to be slightly unpleasant. This is why you're sponsoring me, so I stay motivated even when it gets a bit tougher...
As ever, please donate!

Day 15

75k down 175k to go! I'll be honest, I did not want to run today, I came home from work absolutely exhausted, it was after half 7 by the time I even got back to my house, and it'd been a busy weekend. But I've made a promise that I will go 5k every day and I will stick to it.
Finally got out on my run and was jogging away quite happily when I suddenly noticed, I wasn't out of breath or challenging myself at all, so from that point I really gave it a good go to improve my time. It's so easy when you're running outside to slow right down and not notice, whereas a treadmill would force you to keep the speed up. Definitely think running outside requires a lot more self discipline... 
Managed to complete today's 5k in 29min37s. Really happy with that, not quite a PB but definitely the best time I've done for a long while... 
The fact that the light was going also helped speed me up, it was basically a moonlit run by the end. So proud of the dog because she is getting a bit older and today was a big push for both of us to get that time.
The weekend on the whole has been quite a challenge but I'm feeling better coming out the other side, please help me reach my target by donating. 
Lots of love to all of you supporting me! 

Day 16

80k down 170k to go! Feeling like such a boss! Managed to get a new personal best today by running my 5k in 26.11. So so pleased! I was aiming to beat yesterday's time but was expecting to be more around the 28 minute mark. Apart from the time the run wasn't very exciting because I was just pretty focused on keeping my pace up and my breathing under control, guess it paid off though! 
Reckon I could've got under 26 if I'd sprinted at the end and not been preoccupied with stopping my timer... Oh well, something new to aim for!
Definitely think I've turned a corner in the last couple of days, really seen a big improvement which is great to keep me motivated. 
As ever, keep donating please :) 

Day 17

85k down 165k to go! Feeling reasonably cheery today, must be the weather... It was so sunny today, for the first time all challenge both my arms and legs saw the light of day as I ventured out on my run in a shorts and t-shirt. Though I daresay it's only a matter of time before The leggings and long sleeves make a reappearance... 
28.23 was today's time, legs feeling a little stiff to start of with but fine by the end thankfully. Genuinely think all I've done all holiday is sleep, eat, study and do 5k's...
Thank you so much for my latest donation which has taken me past my original target, so amazing! However there's still over a month left of me doing this and there are a few of you out there who've made me promises that I intend to hold you to, so my new aim is to double the original target and get to £200. I really believe we can raise more for Marie Curie, it's such a good charity and thinking about that is what keeps me going when my legs really don't want to...
Keep up the support everyone, you're all fantastic! 

Day 18

90k down 160k to go! After three runs in a row I decided to cycle today and give my knees a bit of a break. It's starting to feel fairly routine now, though I'm sure going back to uni next week will shake things up... Pretty uneventful ride really. I did realize today that basically all of my gym clothes are bright pink, to match my face once I finish the day's 5k... 
Sorry for the lack of chat, I'll try harder tomorrow, but don't let that stop you from donating! 

Day 19

95k down 155k to go! Cycled again today, was feeling quite up for a run but wanted to play it safe. Definitely feel like the days are ticking over quite nicely.
Big news for today, I got my "daffodil team" welcome pack in the post from Marie Curie this morning featuring my fantastic yellow running vest, which will be modeled and a photo uploaded later on... I also got a lovely welcome letter, which had some good info on where all of your amazing donations are going:
£20 pays for a Marie Curie nurse to look after someone for one hour in the comfort of their own home
£180 pays for a Marie Curie nurse to look after someone for a full nine-hour shift in the comfort of their own home
£435 pays for someone with a terminal illness to stay in a Marie Curie hospice for 24 hours, so they can receive hands on care they need in their final days
It would be so wonderful to reach £435, I'm not even halfway through so there is plenty of time to get there. I definitely think that we can get to £180 though. It gave me such a boost getting my pack delivered today, it just reminded me how far your donations can go and how important it is that we do our best. Every single donation goes towards the targets I've mentioned above and it makes such a difference. 
So please everyone, feel generous and donate

Day 20

100k down 150k to go! What a day to mark me reaching 100k in the countdown! Definitely the best weather we've had all year, which was good because it meant it was warm enough for me to run in my Marie Curie vest, which is VERY yellow! Think I might go out later on tomorrow though because it was quite warm on my run, I was struggling a bit. Still managed to get under 27 minutes for my 5k, this challenge is getting me very fit. The only other downside of today's glorious weather was that I've been eaten alive by midges, as well as accidentally swallowing one which was very unpleasant... 
Would be lovely to get some more donations now I've hit the 100km milestone, you all know what to do!

Day 21

105k down 145k to go! Three weeks in, definitely starting to feel like habit now... I was feeling pretty exhausted after work today (I fell asleep on the train) so decided to cycle then run again tomorrow... The cycle itself was fine, I did not enjoy being eaten alive AGAIN by thousands of midges... thankfully I'm now competent enough to steer my bike one handed and use the other hand to swat them away... On a cuter note, a baby deer crossed my path, so annoyed I didn't have a chance to take a photo, hopefully next time....
Anyway that's all for now, reliving the midge horror is making me itch all over again... Please donate to make it all worthwhile!

Day 22

110k down 140k to go! Happy Easter everyone! Had a lovely dinner with my family after work today so had to squeeze my 5k in before my train this morning. It's always helpful when I wake up without my alarm at 6.30, clearly I was just too excited to run... or eat lots of chocolate. 
Gorgeous sunny morning as we've been having lately, slightly unimpressed I didn't get my time under 27 minutes though, I blame stiff morning legs... I've definitely seen a change in my running over the last three weeks though, my actually running technique is quite different but I also used to be able to get up in the morning and run before breakfast, or I'd wait ages after food if I ran in the evening, now I'm definitely needing my wheatabix before I go out... It was quite weird spending the day knowing I'd already done my run and although I liked having it out of the way, I think I prefer evening running...
Been a few days since my last donation, please give what you can to keep me motivated, doesn't have to be much but it all goes towards the goal, hope you all had a lovely Easter!

Day 23

115k down 135k to go! Last run in Dollar today and last run with Holly for a few weeks, going to miss her so much! Such a warm sunny day, I was grateful for how light my Marie Curie vest is otherwise I would've boiled! It seemed like everyone was out for a walk or run today, I think the dad teaching his little girl how to ride a bike was my favourite though, very cute. 
Definitely going to miss running in Dollar, the scenery is so beautiful and I've got really used to my route so it's going to be a tough adjustment running somewhere else... I'll need to find somewhere nice in the west end. 
Bittersweet run today, but keep those donations coming!

Day 24

120k down 130k to go! Back in the gym today, using the spinning bike is not nearly as fun as a real bike. It was also only the second day of the challenge that I did my 5k inside, also less fun. I have definitely improved my cycling muscles over the last few weeks though, before the challenge started I found spinning so difficult and it absolutely killed my legs, but today I felt remarkably good. It's pretty nice to see progress, it cheers me up from missing Dollar and the dog.
Halfway tomorrow! and so begins the final stretch...

Day 25

125k down 125k to go! I'M HALFWAY THERE! That's right, by the time I'm finished this page will be twice as long! oh my days... First off thank you so much for the three latest donations, your support means a lot, I feel I've been at this for ages now and there's still a long way to go, so thank you for keeping me motivated and reminding me how worthwhile it all is. 
So to celebrate my halfway mark I hit the treadmill, not as nice as outside, but the gym was really quiet which I liked. Managed to improve my PB again today by doing my 5k in 25.48, really pleased! Feel like crossing into sub-26 minute territory was a big step. 
My last treadmill time back on day two was 29.49, can't believe I've had a four minute improvement!
Again, huge thank you for your donations, keep up the good work everyone!

Day 26

130k down 120k to go! Today's been quite difficult, I cycled my 5k at the gym, which was easy enough in itself so that side of things is fine. I think today has been difficult more because I've had a lot of work to do and also now I'm over the excitement of being halfway  I'm realising I still have a lot left to do which is feeling like a bit of a long haul at the moment. Sorry guys, I usually try to keep it all upbeat to make for nicer reading, but if I'm going to have a dip in the challenge this is probably it. I'm sure I'll be back on form tomorrow though, fear not, and there's absolutely no way I'm giving up now!
Really could use a boost at the moment, please donate, it'll really brighten my day!

Day 27

135k down 115k to go! You'll be glad to hear I'm feeling much better today. I also decided to liven things up and do today's 5k on the rowing machine, despite my legs currently feeling fine, I still think I may regret this decision tomorrow... Oh well, done now, lets hope for the best! As it turns out I run faster than I row, interesting... Beyond that I've very little chat today, tomorrow's plan is to run home from work so stay tuned for that one...
Keep the donations coming folks, it all goes to Marie Curie!

Day 28

140k down 110k to go! Slowly but surely I'm getting there! Decided to take in the urban landscape of Glasgow and run home from work today. Though all it really did was make me jealous of all the people sitting out in the sunshine while I need to stay inside and study, June cannot come quick enough! At least I got to spend a bit of time outside running, even if I did forget my headphones...
Definitely on the up after my momentary dip the other day, I'll keep on smiling, please keep on donating :)

Day 29

145k down 105k to go! Today I was a bit disorganised with my 5k, plan A was to run in to work this morning, except I was bringing in brownies so that didn't happen, plan B was to run at the gym after work, only by the time I got home from work, had something to eat then got back to the gym I didn't have much time before it shut, so onto plan C, cycle at the gym, which was successful. I ran for a bit at the gym when plan B was still in motion and was doing a decent pace, hopefully this means good things for tomorrow's run... 
Over halfway through, you all have 3 weeks left to donate :)

Day 30

150k down 100k to go! Another milestone successfully reached! Got my running PB down again today to 25.16, creeping ever closer to the 25 minute mark. I am absolutely exhausted though, getting that time took a lot out of me! I am at a critical point right now where I've been doing this for quite a while but still have a few weeks left so it's especially important I take care of myself. Not sure what I'll do tomorrow, but think I'll take it fairly easy... 
Time for bed as I'm knackered, goodnight everyone! 

Day 31

155k down 95k to go! Decided to cycle at the gym again after yesterday's big effort. Had a go at one of the pre-set workouts, seriously tired legs once I was done though! I also weighed myself out of interest while I was at the gym, turns out I've put on several kilos of muscle since the challenge started! I blame the cycling...
Tired legs, let's see how tomorrow goes...

Day 32

160k down 90k to go! I feel as if I've done my countdown wrong, surely I can't have that little left to go! The days are definitely going by pretty fast, got to love exam season! On which note, today has been a busy study day so my 5k was done in record time, left the flat, cycled 5k at the gym, and returned to the flat under 30 minutes later. I generally try to cycle over 5k most of the time because otherwise I feel I've not worked particularly hard, but today it had to be done, other things took priority and I really needed a light exercise day.
I've eaten pretty healthily today, scrambled eggs on brown toast for lunch and salmon, sweet potatoes and salad for dinner. I'm definitely feeling a lot better and seeing the benefit from it at the end of the day compared to yesterday where I caved and had pizza for dinner... I should definitely stick to this instead.
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, please donate and support me through the final stretch!

Day 33

165k down 85k to go! Can't believe I've now done 33 5k's in a row! Decided to ease off a bit today and go for a slower run, having a gentle couple of days so that I can have a crack at getting sub-25 min next week.. Apologies for the slow uploading on the photo front, SD card is getting a tad full, hopefully this issue will be sorted soon! 
Bit low on the chat front tonight, will try to do something more interesting tomorrow!

Day 34

170k down 80k to go! Phew this has been a tiring week! Did not want to get up from my nap tonight to go do 5k, but I've come this far, I can hardly quit now! Due to my reluctance in getting out the door today's 5k was in a bit of a time crunch because I had 31 minutes before the gym closed. I decided use the crosstrainer today, because my cycling muscles are still a bit sore, but I didn't particularly want the high impact that comes with running so best of both. However the thing with the crosstrainer is that it's very easy to slow down, which I did not have the time to go! Got it done though, with a whole 2 minutes to spare! 
Thank you to everyone who's taken the time to scroll all the way down the story to read my ramblings, I do appreciate it!

Day 35

175k down 75k to go! I'm tired, my legs are tired, my brain is tired, all of me is tired... On a larger scale, the point I'm at now can be compared to my runs, 15 days to go feels a lot like that point when there's 1.5km left, I've come so far and done the most of it, but it's taking real will power to get it finished. I did have a tasty post-run dinner to look forward to tonight - quinoa burger in a ciabatta roll with cider caramelised onions, cheese and sweet potato fries, healthy and tasty! (sounds weird, but trust me, it's good). Thank you so much for my too latest donations from my lovely mum who's been so supportive of me the whole way through and from Eden who's also busy fundraising for Marie Curie. 

Only two weeks left tomorrow, if your waiting until I'm nearly done to start donating, your time is now!

Day 36

180k down 70k to go! Headed back home for a night so back outside! Cycling on a real bike is much better than cycling at the gym... It's been raining all day so I've come back covered from head to toe in mud! A customer at work today asked me if the midges had come out yet, I can now confirm the answer to that is yes. 

I'm officially two weeks from finishing! Keep up the support! 

Day 37

185k down 65k to go! Had a nice gentle run outside with the dog today. I am so close to the end, better think of something special to do for my last day.. Feeling pretty motivated at the moment, my legs are definitely getting tired though. Really want to get one last PB before the challenge finishes, think that's going to require me to be super focused and disciplined with my eating, sleeping etc. We'll see how it goes, the most important thing right now is finishing and fundraising. 

I really want to reach my target for Marie Curie, I know I've said it before but the care they provide goes so far. Please please donate, no amount is too small and it all adds up!

Day 38

190k down 60k to go! Today I went for a very enjoyable run around the west end with Catherine. According to my app we did our 5k in just over half an hour, which isn't bad considering we had to stop for cars and we chatting the whole way through, having a bit of company definitely made the run go faster though! I'm also feeling a lot better after having a break from the treadmill the last few days, it really does get your knees... I was just having a light jog back to the flat to cool down when I slipped and fell on the corner of our street, mainly because the pavement is made of slippy concrete with no grip whatsoever, a cost cutting idea by Glasgow council perhaps? Don't worry, I'll still be able to complete the challenge, my legs went flying out from under me so there isn't a scratch on them! 

Thank you so much for my latest donations, keep up the good work everyone! 

Day 39

195k down 55k to go! Exam season is looming and work is getting pretty heavy going so today was just a short 5k on the bikes at the gym. My shoulder is pretty sore after yesterdays fall so I've spent a good while stretching that out, I'll probably cycle again tomorrow just to be safe then we should be back to running on Friday all going well! 

The ten day countdown begins tomorrow! 

Day 40

200k down 50k to go! 10 days left folks! Been a busy busy study day so quickly cycled my 5k after my tutorial. My shoulder is feeling a LOT better which is good news for the run I have planned tomorrow! 

A huge thank you for my latest donations, so generous of you, I've gone past my target again! Going to put my target up again because I definitely think we can get more donations in in the next ten days and Marie Curie really deserves it! 

We've now raised enough money for someone to be looked after in their own home for a full nine hours by a Marie Curie nurse, somewhere someone will see a massive benefit from that, so thank you all, please keep donating to help us reach the new target!

Day 41

205k down 45k to go! Over £300 raised! absolutely amazing! put my target up again to encourage you all to keep up the good work! Ran my 5k in 25.00 today, really pleased, even though I lost my breathing rhythm halfway through which made life difficult! I've also got my event up and running for my final 5k next week, going to run it and would really love if as many people as possible came out to to join me! 

You've all been so supportive so far, couldn't have done it without you! Let's keep it up for the last stretch! 

Day 42

210k down 40k to go! Today's run took place outside in the pouring rain, I arrived back at the flat absolutely drenched and looking stunning! I did really enjoy my run though, it was so good to be free from the treadmill and just to enjoy my run, knowing I've already made the time I was aiming to get to at the start of the challenge. Obviously I'd like to get sub-25 mins in the future, but I think for the next eight days I'm just going to relax and enjoy my 5k's. A huge thank you to my lovely flatmate for donating today, still just over a week to get them in folks! 

Tired, soaked and happy, over and out!

Day 43

215k down 35k to go! ONE WEEK LEFT! Please get donating everyone! Today I came back from work and had a power nap before heading to the gym for my cycle. I'd say that one thing this challenge has made me do is get active even when I'm absolutely shattered and would really rather skip it, which I suppose is pretty good. Also spent a bit of time on the foam roller today, interested to see the results tomorrow... 

Again, please please please keep up the donations everyone, really want to get to my latest target! Not that much time left!

Day 44

220k down 30k to go! Today I was back to hockey training so that took up most of my evening and I had to squeeze my 5k in afterwards. I'm currently in the process of deciding where to go on my final 5k on Sunday, if anyone in Glasgow has a good suggestion please let me know!

A big thank you to Alistair for my latest donating, please keep donating everyone, we've done amazingly so far!

Day 45

225k down 25k to go! 5 days left! Exams are getting pretty close now, it was a relief to get outside and run my 5k for a break. Tried out my Nike+ app instead of my usual one, but I cannot get the thing to swap from miles to kilometers, so annoying! Pretty stiff legs today, but never mind, not long left now!

Thank you John and Rosie for my latest donations, you're both stars!

Day 46

230k down 20k to go! 4 DAYS LEFT! Thank you to everyone who bothers to read this, I do appreciate it's a bit of a scroll by this stage! Today I had a lovely run around Kelvingrove with Jayne and managed to help her achieve a PB! I'm getting rather tired now, and though I've enjoyed the challenge I'm looking forward to having a day off come Monday... 

Thank you to Calum for my latest donation, please keep donating everyone it'd be amazing to reach £400!

Day 47

235k down 15k to go! 3 DAYS LEFT! My shins were feeling a bit sore today, probably because I've had an especially active few days so decided to cycle again. The gym was pretty deserted now most people have finished exams, but it meant I had peace and quiet so I was quite happy. I am quite looking forward to getting back to my normal gym routine once this is all done but it's going to be very strange...  

Thank you for my most recent donation, please keep it up everyone, it would be so amazing to get to £400 for Marie Curie, the work they do every day makes such a difference!

Day 48

240k down 10k to go! 2 DAYS LEFT! Today I've been pretty busy with uni/studying so just cycled my 5k again quickly, just as well the challenge is finishing soon because I'm really running out of time to fit it into my day! Hopefully going to run tomorrow, legs permitting... Just a short post today, I'm tired and it's time for bed!

Really into the last push for donations now, only a couple of days left to get them in!

Day 49

245k down 5k to go! 1 DAY LEFT! and I am so glad! I'm exhausted, as are my legs, they were definitely feeling it on my run today! After 49 days I have completely run out of chat about running. I'll make an effort in tomorrow's post for some good reading, but for tonight I'll finish with: Please please donate, Marie Curie is an amazing charity and we're so close to £400! 

See you all on the other side... (of the finish line!)

Day 50

250k down! I AM FINISHED! Hurray! huge thank you to everyone who's supported me and donated, I'll keep the page up for a few days to leave you all a bit more time to donate! 

So, my run - thank you to Emily, Cameron and Kate for tagging alone and shouting encouragement at me when I was tired and near the finish, it really did help me power through when my legs were sore. We had a beautiful run along the Kelvin river and Kelvingrove park, lots of green scenery and sunshine, and I was able to proudly wear my Marie Curie vest. 

Funny looking back, when I'd gone 50k I felt like I'd gone so far, and now that feels like hardly anything! It has been challenging but I'm so glad I've done it, I've raised well over four times my original target, and most importantly, we've raised enough for a patient to spend 24 hours in a Marie Curie hospice which is fantastic. 

For those of you who are interested, 250k is around the distance from Glasgow to Newcastle! 

People keep asking me what's next, honestly I do not know, first off a long sleep, then who knows, a marathon?

Thank you all so much, 

Laura