I have been training hard for the uphill half marathon in Geiranger on the 6th of June in support of Cancer Research who are committed to funding cancer research of the highest international calibre.

1 in 3 people will develop cancer during their lifetime with 910 people diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK. The good news is that death rates for common cancers have reduced by 30% in the last 20 years, due in part to the excellent work that Cancer Research have done in supporting research into effective treatments. However, in March last year my father died from complications caused by pancreatic cancer which has a 10 year survival rate of just 3% partly due to our poor detection of the disease.

Cancer Research is on the forefront of tackling this seemingly intractable issue of early detection by collaborating with other charities and research entities to identify the biomarkers that indicate the presence of pancreatic cancer (read more here: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-us/cancer-news/press-release/2014-12-10-three-new-companies-join-cancer-research-uk-abcodia-collaboration-to-identify-blood-markers-for )

The Geiranger "Fra Fjord Til Fjell" half marathon takes place every year starting at sea level near the ferry terminal in Geiranger and winding through the hairpins of the road up the mountain culminating in a steep gravel path for 5 kilometres to the summit of Dalsnibba 1500 metres higher. The highest point in the British Isles, Ben Nevis stands at 1344 metres above sea level.

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.