Operation Fitness.

As I type this, I am eating a chocolate digestive and have never ran for longer than a minute in my life. This may give you a good idea as to how huge this post is going to be.

As you all know, if you've been following my blog since the new year, I set myself the goal of losing 14lb by my graduation in July 2012. Well, I further updated you to say that I lost 14lb in January... so that goal was over and done with. But I decided that it isn't actually the weight I wanted to lose that was most important. I just wanted to get fitter and it's my dream to be able to run. I know it might sound silly to anyone who is fit or active but never in my life have I really ran. I mean, yes, jogged in PE lessons or for a bus... but never ran any considerable distance. So, this summer, I've set myself a challenge.

On June 10th at 6pm, I fly to Paris for a week with a friend from university. But at 10pm the night before (and through the night), I will be doing an 8 mile sponsored walk for Wigan and Leigh Hospice. The walk is called Startrekkers and it's a women only walk to raise funds to keep the hospice open and provide the valuable care that families suffering through the terminal illness of a loved one need. It starts at 10pm and goes on until you finish. I will post a sponsor link if one is made available at a later date.

Last year's Startrekkers walk.

Eight miles in one walk is a bit of a way but it shouldn't be too much of a challenge. But... and this is the big one for me... Two days after I get back from Paris, on Sunday 17th June, (the eight year anniversary of my grandmother's death somewhat aptly), I will be a five kilometer RUN for Cancer Research UK. For those of you not familiar with the Race for Life, it is an annual event held all over the UK where women can either walk, jog or run five or ten kilometers to raise money for Cancer Research. This year, as a personal goal just to prove to myself that I can, I will be RUNNING (bloody running!) the 5k. To sponsor us, even by 50p, please click here.

I am genuinely excited for the challenge of the latter. It's going to be both a big step for me and a little but valued help towards finally finding a cure for cancer. Training for the latter will start on Monday 2nd April and I'll probably let you know how close I am to death throughout the whole experience.  :)