About

Next marathon will be Number 9 Wales. My Mum received the news on my Little Sisters 18th Birthday (15 August 2014) that she had Breast Cancer. It naturally came as a huge shock to both my Mum and the family but as a family remained hopeful for a positive outcome. Sadly, weeks later we were told that my mum had had cancer for sometime and that the Cancer had spread, but the specialist are doing all they can to give my mum the best quality of life. My mum then underwent chemotherapy and in the June 2015 the weekend I ran Edinburgh marathon my mum was admitted to hospital with a suspected stroke this turned out to be metastasis, the cancer had spread to her brain. My Mum was then admitted to hospital to have radiotherapy the week following Liverpool marathon, but unfortunately we lost our mum to metastasis breast cancer on 17 June 2015. As many of you how know me I deal with my problems by going for a run so I decided while running the Blackpool Illuminations Half Marathon at the end of August, I wanted to set myself a difficult and meaningful personal challenge and wanted to raise money and awareness for Blackpool’s Cancer Support Charity Hug in a Bag - Blackpool (Help Understanding and Glamour (HUG) to anyone diagnosed with breast cancer in our local hospital by providing a pamper bag or appropriate gift (for men). The bags are distributed at an appropriate point in the treatment cycle by the breast care nurses) who supported my mum on the day of her diagnosis to offer comfort and support that she was not alone and I know from talking to my mum she was grateful for what they did. So I decided to run 12 marathons in Twelve months starting in October 2014 during Brest Cancer awareness month and finishing next October 2015. In speaking to my three non-running sisters they two are supporting me and they will be taking on their own epic running challenge, going from a non-runner to the three of them relaying alongside me at Blackpool Marathon (Home Run) on 26th April 2015 with the support of the event organisers Fylde Coast Runners. I am overwhelmed with the positive comments and kind offers from running friends to join me on runs over the next twelve months. 12 in Twelve Calendar 1 – Sunday 5 October 2014 – Chester Marathon (Completed in 04:12:45) 2 – Saturday 25 October 2014 – Snowdonia Marathon Will have Running buddy Ali Dewhurst joining me on the run. (Completed it in 4:21:39 (34th FOPEN) and Ali completed in 3:54:54 (10th FOPEN)) 3 – Sunday 2 November 2014- White Rose Ultra (30 mile off Road Run) will be my first Ultra run so way out of my comfort zone (Completed) 4 – Saturday 28 February 2015 - Northumberland coastal trail marathon. Running mates Amanda Bellwood & Ali Dewhurst joining me. (Completed) 5 – Sunday 19 April 2015 – Manchester Marathon. )Complete (04:11:01 PB)) 6 – Sunday 26 April 2015 – Blackpool Marathon the halfway point and the Home Run my three sisters will be relaying the marathon alongside me…it’s going to be the emotional one of the 12. Place booked 7 - 31 May 2015 - Edinburgh marathon. Completed (04:46:05) 8 - 14 June 2015 - Liverpool Marathon. Completed (04:56:46) 9 - 5 July 2015 - Wales Marathon. 10 - Saturday 22 August 2015 - Bad Cow Marathon Day One, Holton Lee Country Park, Dorset. 11 - Sunday 23 August 2015 - Bad Cow Marathon Day Two, Holton Lee Country Park, Dorset. 12 – Sunday 11 October 2015 – York Marathon. The above marathons will be difficult as it is not just about 12 x 26.2 miles it is all the hundreds of miles I will run to train my body to be able to sustain and maintain the endurance required for this running challenge. I plan to hold ‘Run and Eat Cake’ training runs to help top up the fund raising campaign, so I’m going to be busy running and baking cupcakes. Hug in a Bag is a small charity and depends entirely on charitable fundraising and the support of the public and volunteers to be able to do their work. Your donation can help in so many ways; just £50.00 will provide a Hug in a Bag per patient. I am setting a £5,000 target which will provide 100 Hugs to repay the one they gave my mum. Every single pound will help towards giving a much need HUG! Donate on my fundraising page at: https://www.givey.com/running4hugs Follow my progress on Twitter @RunningFairy