At 12pm on Saturday 4th July I'll be running the Pretty Muddy Race For Life 5K for Cancer Research with a team of equally wonderful up-for-the-mud friends.

I say run. I might jog bits of it. Or crawl. Let's just say I'm going to start the training soon by slowly walking to the pub, then build up to running to the pub. My kind of incentive.

When you sign up to enter a Race For Life you get posted a pack with your race number in, sponsor forms, fundraising ideas, that kind of thing. There's also a large sticker that you can attach to your back with a section for you to write in the names of friends and family who you are running the race for - friends and family who have had cancer.

I thought I'd complete the sticker as soon as I got the pack to remind me of why I had signed up and to remind me that, even though it was cold and dark outside and even though it was that episode on tonight where Poldark takes his shirt off, I really DID need to get my bum up off the sofa and go out jogging around Sherburn in a highly unflattering manner for the purposes of 'training'. 5Ks don't run themselves. When I started to write the sticker I had a few names at the front of my mind and thought I would be able to add a handful more. When I finished I had 19 names. 19 people I love or once loved have had this unpredictable disease. And the sad thing is, I know that this number will only increase over time.

Events like Race For Life are vital in funding Cancer Research's life-saving work into preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer. If you can sponsor me that would be super smashing great and maybe you would like to come and support me on the day too by pointing and laughing, throwing mud clods at me or perhaps even cheering me on, whatever floats your boat. You can donate via my Just Giving page or by text or if you want to sponsor me with ye olde coins and notes that works too. It doesn't have to be a huge sum, pennies make pounds, after all. Just think of it as buying my sponsor page a drink.

Thank you, thank you, thank you and a BIG, squeezy, virtual hug in advance for any donation that you choose to make.

Sal X 

P.S. Don't forget to add Gift Aid

If you're a UK taxpayer, please remember to tick the Gift Aid box as this will increase your donation by at least 25% at no extra cost to you.