I completed the Brathay 10in10 in 2013 and then again in 2015. It was brutal. Emotionally, physically and mentally. In 2013 I had to deal with a ruptured blood vessel in my right calf on Day 2, nearly 6 years later and the mental scars still haven’t healed and I can’t bring myself to allow physio’s to do any heavy massage work in that area. In 2015, I arrived at the event undertrained and not as fit as in 2013 but luckily I suffered no major injuries and ran myself to fitness and by Day 7 was back to full fitness. I dug very deep for each one of those marathons and managed to complete all 10 marathons in under 3 ½ hours for which I was supremely proud. None of which could have been achieved without the amazing support team and physios.

So why am I doing it again? For me, completing the 10in10 each time has been a double-edged sword. It has given me some life changing moments for which I will be eternally grateful for and strengthened my self-belief on what I can achieve but the downside each time is that it has wiped my out again, physically, mentally and emotionally from running and each time it has taken me between 6-12 months to get back to any form or desire to run. It was a similar situation I found myself in before applying for 2019. I had been doing almost all my long runs on my own and was finding it very difficult to keep motivated and to push myself. I could complete a marathon on very limited, poor quality mileage but also my times weren’t great. I knew if I got accepted for 2019 then the motivation would come back and even now, 10 months out from the event, I’m excited by the long, tough journey ahead.

I’m proud of my previous fundraising for Brathay, having already raised over £9,000 from the past two events. The charity, the 10in10 event staff and the people at Brathay are in my blood now and it’s a charity a feel passionate about. I’m hoping to work with a number of local primary and secondary schools in my area, promoting the work of the charity, the 10in10 event itself and for them to organise and fundraise for their own equivalent of the ‘10in10’.

I’m a very competitive person and I have my own goals and targets for 2019. My biggest fear is picking up an injury before or during the event in May 2019, that will prevent me from reaching those targets.

Our charitable work is underpinned by enterprising fundraising and our supporters’ commitment. We know that, enthused by the belief in the transformational power of people working together, you can help us make a positive difference. Work with us to transform the lives of young people. There are so many ways to help and discover the Brathay effect that is at the heart of everything we do.