You may / may not believe this… but it’s really happening….

I’ve signed up to take on the Great North Run in September… which happens to be the largest HALF MARATHON in the world. Yes… HALF MARATHON. I must be going mad. 

Many of you will know that I’ve never ran in my life… never been a runner of any sort. You’d be lucky to catch me running for a bus! However, I’ve been inspired by my eldest to take on this challenge, which will be my BIGGEST challenge to date – despite having already abseiled down buildings and leaped from a plane.

I’m running for a charity called Muscular Dystrophy UK, which is a charity that is close to all of our hearts as I’m sure most of you know that my eldest daughter, Kiera, suffers with a condition called Limb Girdle muscular dystrophy.

Kiera was diagnosed in 2005 and I’ll never forget the day. I have never felt devastation like it. We were told that Kiera’s muscles would get weaker over time, that she would be reliant on a wheelchair and that they didn’t know yet if she would have any heart / lung complications. I couldn’t comprehend that my active little 9 year old girl, who constantly played football and cartwheeled around our garden had so much to come, and that life would change for us all forever. 

In fact, I was probably in denial for a while and there wasn’t a week that went by where I didn’t break down over Kiera’s diagnosis and what was to come. It was unknown territory and terrifying for Susan and I at the time, who of course were young parents.

However, fast forward almost 15 years, after a few bumps along the way, Kiera is your typical 23 year old (yes, I have a 23 year old lol!) and is in such a great place with her life. Yes, she is reliant on her scooter to get around and has lost some of her independence due to her condition, but the way she deals with it and they way in which she has overcome so much, especially over the last few years, inspires me every day.

We’re so proud of how far she has come and the least I can do is give myself a challenge in support of such a great cause. I never thought I’d see the day where I’d be preparing to run a half-marathon, but it’s a fraction of what Kiers has to go through.

Let’s all pray that my back keeps itself together lol… either way… I’ll be smashing the Great North Run… running or walking.

Please donate what you can, every little really does help! Let’s kick muscular dystrophy up the a***! 

Xx

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