I'm running the Berlin Marathon 2026 for Dementia UK!

Dementia UK is the specialist dementia nursing charity that is there for the whole family. Dementia UK's nurses, known as Admiral Nurses, provide free, specialist advice, support and understanding to anyone affected by dementia, whenever it is needed.

Mum was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2020. She didn't ever engage with her diagnosis and continued to live at home and be cared for by dad until 2024.

At points during her illness Dementia UK's Admiral Nurses gave great support, advising on how to manage her condition, the support we could get and then finally helping us find a suitable care home for her and getting her there!

We only ever asked for support at 'crisis' points and they were always there to offer support and advice.

I've run 20+ marathons and coach first timers through my Marathon Club Hub coaching, but after slipping at parkrun Christmas day 2022, I found I could no longer run. After power walking London in 2023 I got a diagnosis that I had osteoarthritis and would need a hip replacement op.

I did what I could to put this off, but autumn that year I made the decision to go under the knife.

February 2024 I had a total hip replacement, days after we took mum for her last birthday meal out, in Henley.

I started running again, just a bit August 2024, but didn't start properly until March 2025. Since that time I've gradually worked to build back my running fitness and strength and ran Basingstoke Half Marathon last October.

This year I'm running Leeds Marathon in May. I had a place to run Leeds in 2023, but had to pull out as I could barely walk at that time. So Leeds (with all it's hills) is my comeback marathon, so I can see how my body fairs.

I'm super-excited to be running Berlin. It's flat and fast, and a wonderful route. I want to run the race to see what my body is capable of in terms of time.

Running Berlin is a way of 'giving back' to Dementia UK for the help and support they provided (whilst I was also rehabbing from my hip op) and for me to 'take back' my love of marathon running.

Whilst I might not run sub 4 or even sub 4:30 in this race, Berlin will be a step in the right direction to see whether I could, some day, get back to running a 'good for age' time.

Please donate to fundraise for a brilliant charity, to help me become 'Cheesecake Runner' once again and to prove to the world that osteoarthritis and a hip replacement doesn't have to mean the end of your marathon running dreams.