I was chatting to a woman recently and asked if she was a runner.

“Well, not much anymore,” she replied. “I only do about 16k on my long runs now.”

ONLY 16K?!

This woman is not me. Although apparently, she will be soon because… I’m running a marathon.

Yes, it’s happening. I’ve signed up for the Great North Run in September 2026 and the Manchester Marathon in April 2027.

Was this carefully planned? Absolutely not.

My best mate signed up for the marathon and asked me to join her, so naturally I said yes before fully considering what running 26.2 miles actually involves. Then someone was injured and offered me their Great North Run place… so I said yes to that too.

There appears to be a theme here.

I am not a runner. Or rather, I wasn’t a runner. Now I’m consistently heading out for training runs, gradually increasing the miles and discovering that my legs are capable of much more than I ever gave them credit for.

It’s going to be a huge personal challenge, but I couldn’t be running for a more special cause.

Bendrigg Trust holds an incredibly important place in my heart.

Bendrigg is a fully accessible and inclusive outdoor activity centre near Kendal, supporting people with disabilities, along with their families and carers, to experience adventures that many of us can easily take for granted.

I was lucky enough to work there before becoming freelance, so I’ve seen first-hand the joy, confidence and independence these experiences can create. I’ve watched children and families having an absolute blast, achieving things they may never have believed were possible.

My own brother included.

That is why running for Bendrigg means so much to me. Every donation will help them continue creating life-changing experiences and making outdoor adventure accessible to more people.

I’m still very much a beginner at this running business, and there will undoubtedly be plenty of cold mornings, tired legs and moments when I question every decision that led me here.

But I’m determined, committed and, much to my surprise, actually a little bit excited to discover what I’m capable of.

Your donations won’t just support an amazing charity. They’ll also give me an extra boost every time the training gets tough and I really, really can’t be bothered to put my trainers on.

Please donate whatever you can and help me turn a slightly impulsive series of decisions into something truly worthwhile.