I entered the London Marathon ballot with absolutely no evidence to support my confidence, telling everyone “I just know I’m going to get in first try”. Delusional? Yes. It was met with a lot of raised eyebrows and frankly no one believed me.

Well…sh*t. Guess who got a place.

I cannot believe I'll be running one of the most notable sporting events in the world. I also can’t quite believe I now have to run that far (what the f was I thinking).

For context, the last time I ran was seven years ago, when I did the Bath Half and then apparently decided I’d completed running. Hadn’t been back since. So this does not come naturally to me, and I am, frankly, sh*tting myself.

But if there’s ever a reason to try, this is it. I’m running 26.2 miles for PrOGress - The Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Support Charity, a small charity that means a lot to my family.

I became aware of PrOGress through my Uncle David, who is currently living with oesophageal cancer and have been fortunate enough to have some incredible conversations with the team. Before his diagnosis, I naïvely knew very little about these cancers or the support available to people affected by them.

Oesophageal and stomach cancers, and the work charities like PrOGress do to support people living with them, deserve so much more attention. This is my very small way of helping, and of doing something for a cause that has become very personal.

For a small charity, keeping that work going takes a huge amount of effort and support. Every single donation, whatever the amount, helps PrOGress continue its work. Anything you can give will realllllly be put to work helping people affected by these cancers.

If you can spare anything, I’d be so grateful, and if donating isn’t possible, I would v much appreciate you sharing this page.

Now, I will obviously be making this my entire personality. Stay tuned for questionable running outfits, long training hours and me desperately trying to work out how I can physically run that far.

Thank you thank you thank you for supporting me and for supporting a charity that are doing just brilliant things.

See you at the finish line with a FAT GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE.

B x