In just over 2 weeks, a very good friend of mine and I will be taking part in Otillo Isles of Scilly.

Otillo, which is Swedish for island to island (O till O), is just that, an island to island race.  In this case 8 islands and 8 sea crossings (we go over one island twice).

With total distances of 7.5km (4.7 miles) swimming and 30km (just over 18 miles) running, I think it warrants raising some money for a worthy cause.

Since I started running 7 years ago, I have really noticed the positive effect exercise has had, not just on my physical, but also mental well being.  Therefore I have chosen to raise money for a charity that puts the benefits of exercise into practice.

The Running Charity believes that running is as good for your mind as it is for your body. Running builds resilience and self-esteem, and we use this to improve the lives of 16-25 year-olds who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Homelessness can happen at any time and to anyone. And when it happens to a young person it can affect them for the rest of their life. We use running to improve fitness and instil a goal-setting mentality that are key tools in helping these vulnerable young people to build healthy, sustainable futures.

I hope you can help me raise some funds for this great cause.  As a bonus Tesco will kindly top up the total I raise by 20%.