This winter, I will be taking part in the Spine Race to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK. The Spine is a non-stop 420 km foot race, along the rugged and often boggy Pennine Way. Being held in January, bad weather is pretty much guaranteed, as well as very few hours of daylight.

The description from the race website: "The Spine Race is a brutal 268 mile, non-stop, winter mountain marathon that encompasses the entire Pennine Way. Competitors must cover some of the most difficult and challenging terrain found in England and winter on the Pennine Way presents its own unique conditions: snow, ice, gale force winds and torrential rain. This along with tiredness, fatigue, sleep deprivation and exposure, mean that to finish the race you must be willing to push yourself harder than ever."

As you can imagine, this challenge is way beyond my comfort zone and your donations will help me to carry on in the hardest moments (and I am sure there will be a lot).

As most of you know, my dad, like his mother before him, is suffering from Alzheimer’s. He was diagnosed in his early sixties, soon after retirement. A few months ago, he had to be placed in a care home and this has been the most upsetting step in the disease. It is impossible to put into words how hard it has been for my mum and my family.

I know this will not save my dad, but the money raised will fund research to understand the disease, and hopefully find treatments for dementia so other families won’t have to go through this.

Many thanks from me and on behalf of Alzheimer’s Research.

Pascale

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