In early 2008, I took part in the BUPA London 10k, raising money for Children with Leukaemia and wearing their fantastic MisterMen vest in the process. Finishing left me with an amazing feeling and from then on running has become a hobby. I ran around 10 more competitive races tin 2008 to keep fit, finishing off in October with the Birmingham Half Marathon.

Running was also perfect training for a trip I had planned to trek in Nepal up to Everest Base Camp in November of last year. I got used to the long trudges uphill with trips up Mam Tor in the Peak District, Tryfan and Crib Goch (before giving up on Snowdon for the 1st of 2 times due to bad weather!) in Snowdonia, Helvellyn and Scafell Pike in the Lake District and finally Ben Nevis in Scotland. But as amazing and fun as the build up was, it couldn’t compare in anyway to what lay ahead in the Himalaya. The trek was hard work but absolutely incredible, even now it’s hard to put into words just how amazing spending time up high in Nepal was, needless to say I came back with a burning desire to get back into the mountains and someday go higher and test myself further at altitude.

Losing my Grandad, raising money for charity and finding activities I loved all came at once. It made sense to bring them all together for 2009, to push myself at the activities I’m enjoying so much to do something positive for charity in memory of my Grandad. And so, to raise money for the Stroke Association I’ll be doing the following this year…

Summit Mount Toubkal (March)

Mount Toubkal (4167m) is the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains and also the tallest in North Africa. I’m climbing in March so that the mountain is covered in snow/ice to make it that bit more difficult/spectacular. At 4167m the mountain is not huge but well over 3000m the air will be thin, altitude sickness will kick in and this will be my first true winter ascent of a sizeable mountain. It’s not going to be easy! All being well I’ll summit around the 11th/12th of March.

Summit Mont Blanc (July/August)

At 4810m, Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in Western Europe. Whilst a lot of people summit each year, this is far from an easy or safe mountain to climb. At close to 5000m, there will be roughly half as much Oxygen in the air, so breathing will be hard, I’ll have altitude sickness and be watching out for avalanches/rock fall more so than on other mountains I’ll have seen before. Again, not easy. A date hasn’t been confirmed yet but late Summer seems the most obvious time for now.

Run the Great North Run (September)

Considered one of the biggest and most important half marathons in the world, I’ll be 1 of 52,000 people running 13.1 miles in Newcastle/Gateshead.

Run the New York Marathon (November)

To finish off the challenge I’ve set myself I’ll run the 26.2 miles the New York Marathon through the 5 boroughs of the city. This will be my first marathon and no doubt will hurt in ways I’ll be unable to explain.

Wanting to get in shape for these, I’ll also be around and about raising awareness of The Stroke Association by doing the following:

• 6th-9th February – Mountaineering Course in Snowdonia
• 22nd February – Brighton Half Marathon (Completed in 2hrs 5mins 3secs)
• 12th April – Belvoir Half Marathon
• 10th May – Run the Hinckley Half Marathon
• 14th June – Run the Potters’ Arf Marathon
• 19th July – Run the Sherwood Pines 10km
• 9th August – Run the Newark Half Marathon
• 11th October – Leicester Half Marathon