Hello! I am running the London Marathon on 21 April, and then cycling the Ride London on 26 May. These are 2/3 of the London Classics; I would have attempted the Swim Serpentine too, but one of my besties is getting married that day!

If you know me, you'll know that I am not a naturally sporty person, and only really got into fitness in the last few years (and only then because I was forced into signing up to events by family and friends), so this is going to be a pretty big challenge. I have decided to take on these races in order to raise money for the Mental Health Foundation; if I can help even one person by doing this, then all of the early morning long runs, hours of cycling, energy gel consumption, sad toes, aching knees, etc etc, will be worth it.

I first came across the Mental Health Foundation when I attended a workplace mental health first aid course. However, the charity has a much greater outreach than just first aid courses; with prevention at the heart of what they do, the Mental Health Foundation aim to find and address the sources of mental health problems so that people and communities can thrive.

I have seen first hand how devastating poor mental health can be - not just in the workplace, but also in my personal life. The work that the Mental Health Foundation is doing with regards to increasing awareness of mental health issues and the support that is out there, as well as carrying out research, organising projects, and working to move mental health policies in the right direction, is something that I think is extremely important. There is so much more that we could be and should be doing; the world that we live in today - with its constant technological advances, the fall out from the pandemic, the shift in work/life balance, and the various pressures that come with existing in a world which sometimes feels like it's falling apart - isn't always the happiest place to be. Lots of people walk around with a smile on their face, but we need to take the time to check in with the people around us to let them know that if they're not okay then that is okay - there is help out there so that, one day, they will be okay.

I wanted to end by saying thank you so much for taking the time to visit my fundraising page. Any donations you could make would be hugely appreciated and will definitely help me get round those 26.2 miles on 2 feet and 100 miles on 2 wheels....I am going to need all the help I can get!

Charlotte xx