This year I am taking on the Thames Path 100km which is a non stop ultra marathon from Putney to Henley taking in, you guessed it, the Thames Path. I am not a runner so I will be walking this and aim to complete it in less than 23 hours.

This will be my 4th 100km+ event overall but don't misunderstand that it means that it is easy by any stretch. This is an onslaught on the body and the mind and if my last 100km+ event is anything to go by will take several months to recover from. But I have to admit that the rush to do an event like this makes it all the more rewarding to do and a having a personal challenge like this helps me focus my mind not least when I am raising money for causes and people I care a lot about that gives me an extra boost to get to the finish.

This time around I am raising money for two causes that are very close to my heart - MRKH Connect and Young Epilepsy.

25 years ago I was diagnosed with MRKH Syndrome. It's not been an easy journey, my mental health has suffered significantly at times, my perspective on the future changed but through support (peer and professional) and from family and friends I have found a way to be empowered by, and not defined by my condition. I have the privilege to support MRKH Connect which is volunteer run charity as it's Director and I am raising money to continue to support this charity and the work they do to support MRKHers at all stage of their journey.

My best friend's daughter Darcey was diagnosed with epilepsy about 2 years ago and as a 14 year old having to manage childhood differently and get used to what its like to live with epilepsy is beyond challenging. That being said she is courageous and brave and I am in awe of how she conducts herself despite everything that is going on. She's one of the most amazing young people I know and I know she has found comfort in the resources and support services provided by Young Epilepsy and I would love to help boost that further and recognise their support for a young teen who I care deeply about.

Any donation you can make to either charity will be so appreciated, however large or small. You will find a separate donation page for each as this ensures the fundraising reaches each organisation (and is the only way to raise money for multiple charities on JustGiving).

Thank you for reading my story and for joining me in supporting these amazing causes.

Charlie x

ps. I will continue to be blogging my experiences and training journey over on https://mrkhmakingmymark.wordpress.com/ and on my socials @this_charlie_can