Muscles.

We use them to move.

Walk, eat, smile, cry.

Pump blood around our bodies.

To breathe in and out.

Our muscles matter.

This year I’m taking on a series of ultra running challenges to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy UK, a charity that is very close to my heart. MDUK is a charity for over 60 muscle wasting and weakening conditions. Connecting more than 110,000 people affected and those around us.

Muscular Dystrophy has had a devastating impact on my family. Before I was born, we lost my uncle to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). I have since lost two cousins to the same condition — one of them very recently.

DMD is a severe, genetic muscle-wasting condition that mainly affects boys. Symptoms usually appear in early childhood and worsen over time, leading to loss of mobility, heart and breathing complications, and a significantly shortened life expectancy, often into early adulthood. Around 2,500 people in the UK are currently living with DMD, and it places an enormous emotional, physical, and financial strain on families who must provide lifelong, increasing care.

I’m aware that I’m lucky. I’m mobile. I’m able to train. I’m able to push my body voluntarily — something people with DMD never get the choice to do. That’s why I want to use that ability for something positive.

Being honest I’m not an athlete, and I don’t even particularly like running. What draws me to ultra runs isn’t the running itself — it’s the personal challenge behind them. Ultra distances strip everything back. They become about resilience, mindset, and continuing to move forward when things get uncomfortable. I’m fully committed to the training, but what I lack in running ability I try to make up for with grit, stubbornness, and a refusal to quit — unless I’m genuinely injured. These events are as much a mental challenge as a physical one.

🏃‍♂️ The challenges I’m taking on, booked so far:

- 70km from Brecon to Cardiff – March

- 50km along the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path – June

- Lake District Tri: Peddle 34km / Paddle 3km / Hike 17km - July

...and at least two further ultra events later in the year

Every step is run in memory of those we’ve lost, and in support of families still living with this condition every day.

If you’re able to donate — no matter how small — you’ll be helping Muscular Dystrophy UK provide vital support services, fund research, and improve care for people affected by muscle-wasting conditions.

Thank you for reading, sharing, and supporting 💙