My mother entered me for the Royal Parks Half Marathon. It was a ballot and if you didn’t get a place to run you got a Royal Parks hoodie. I have to say, I was really hoping for a hoodie. However, when I received an email confirming that I’d got a place the excitement crept up and the drive to go through with it kicked in.

I have been training hard ever since. Come rain (very, heavy, torrential, underwear soaking rain) or shine I have tried to slip those trainers on and push myself out of the door. Training has been hard – especially after a ten hour day at work, and mostly I have hated it! I can’t breathe, I go red and my muscles ache, but I have also had some great runs that I have really enjoyed. I have run down the canal and seen places I’ve never seen before, I have run in the drizzle in the beautiful Lake District and I have had those moments when I have felt invincible and want to sing eye of the tiger at the top of my lungs.

The pain and the tiredness have been worth it because it has all been for a very worthy cause, Step Forward. As I write this I have raised £577 so far. It is great to see how many people believe in Step Forward and the difference it makes to young people’s lives and it has been very motivating in the past few months; that extra push to get out of bed at 6am for a run.

I am proud that I will be running for Step Forward in just a few days!

I hope to raise even more. If you would like to sponsor me then please visit my Virgin Giving page: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Annie4stepforward

Thanks!

Annie