Hello,

I've been running a lot recently, under the motto 'I don't go far, and I don't go fast', because, for me, running is less about staying physically fit than about staying mentally strong in what's been a difficult few years.

There is one exception to this 'not too fast or far' rule: two years ago, I ran the Cambridge Half to raise money for Parkinson's UK, a charity close to my heart. At the time, my mum was living with the condition. I'm a writer, but I don't have the words to describe the impact that this had. There is no cure, and current treatments only 'manage' symptoms. As the disease progresses, those treatments are less effective. I'd like that to change.

It's too late for my Mum now, but maybe it's not too late for some of the 10 million people currently living with PD, including the 50 people diagnosed in the UK every day.

So, on what would have been Mum's 80th birthday, it felt very fitting to try and run another half-marathon and raise a little money for Parkinson's UK, a charity that supports every step of a person's Parkinson's journey.

I hope to go far (13.1 miles, yikes!) and I'll try to go fast (for me, that means I'm aiming to run the whole thing without stopping). If you could donate something small, then that would be fantastic. I'm sure Mum would raise her (large) glass of white wine to thank you.

Cheers,

Gemma x

PS I wish I could remember what we were laughing about in that photo!