I have decided to run York 10k as a personal challenge and felt like raising money wasn't entirely fair as it was something I wanted to do for me... 

However...

I started running as a way of helping myself when it came to managing anxiety and it became more personal. I am not a natural runner and it does not come easy, but over time, I have become more motivated to run and it gives me something back. I run when I feel I need to give myself a kick up the backside and give my brain some space. And it works. It gives me more than the physical gains and I believe that, although some days I hate it, it helps me. 

Like I say, running does not not come naturally to me. I never thought I would be the kind of person who could run 5k and I've cracked that one, which is an incredible personal achievement for me, but running 10k is going to be one of my biggest challenges. 

So... because my reason for running is to help my mental health, and because I feel strongly that people who struggle with mental health issues should be able to access the help they need, I feel it only right to raise money for York Mind. As a local mental health charity, it feels like that's the right place for any donations to go. 

If you are able to donate anything, please do. They do incredible work and you don't know if you or anyone you know and love will ever need their services or support. 

Thank you so much.