Last year I had planned to greet my 50th birthday in November, at the pinnacle of health, with a mountain ultramarathon planned in France to celebrate. Sadly I became the sickest I’ve ever been with a severely painful skin lump which eventually required complex surgery. It’s likely things got so bad because my skin condition looked different to the images used in text books to train specialist doctors, because people with darker skin tones don’t feature in those text books or in that training.

Thankfully after a few months out of action I’m returning back to the level of health I hugely value and have set my sights on completing 50 miles at age 50 in a mountain race in the Lake District. However, I know statistically, I will be one of very few Black and Brown trail runners at the start line. It’s rare for me to be at a trail race and see a person of colour participating.

Representation really matters to me, it can make the difference between exclusion and belonging, even the difference between health and sickness. Running in the outdoors should be for everyone, but there are still many barriers that Black people and People of Colour face, in not feeling welcome by event organisers and challenges in accessing what can feel like an elite, exclusive and elaborate sport. These barriers result in missing out on the health and wellbeing benefits of running in nature, discovering the beautiful British landscape and the joy of Community and Competing.

Which brings me to who I’m raising money for and why.

Black Trail Runners is a community and campaigning charity with one mission - to increase the inclusion, participation and representation of Black people and People of Colour in trail running. In the UK 4% of people identify as being from Black ethnic backgrounds, yet less than 0.7% people of Black ethnicity participate in trail running events. Through its charitable initiatives - social runs, trail taster days, kit loan scheme, event entry funding, run leader/coach qualifications, amplification and much more - BTR is creating a thriving community and building belonging.

Please give what you can to help make the outdoors somewhere where we can all feel safe, welcome and joyful 🙏🏽