Mud, sweat and lots of tears: My 10km challenge

I have signed up for a 10km run. Now there's a sentence I never thought I'd write.
This might not be the longest distance you've ever sponsored someone for but let me be very clear about this - I am not a runner.
Anybody who knows me (or has seen me training in Burnham over the last few weeks) will, I'm sure, unreservedly confirm this fact. So it will come as a surprise to them - as indeed it did to me - that I have signed up for Burnham on Crouch Rotary Club's 10km Run taking place on May 29th.

And why am I taking on this challenge of epic proportions (to me, anyway)? Well, two years ago I met a seven year old boy called Laughlin, his brother Gus and his parents Andrea and John. At the time, Laughlin was in remission from a rare form of leukaemia caused by treatment he'd previously had for a brain tumour. Shortly afterwards, the news came that he had relapsed and in October 2014 Laughlin passed away.

However, his legacy lived on through a charity that he had dreamt up, Unlock a Life for Lockey. Having spent much of his young life in hospital, he wanted to help other children keep busy during treatment by providing boxes full of craft materials and activities. His family and friends vowed to carry on his dream, and the charity continues to provide support to the families of children with cancer, as well as providing Unlock boxes to youngsters.

The charity has gone from strength to strength. It now has its own beach hut, The Happy Shack at Walton on the Naze, which is available free of charge to the families it supports.
It has also recently launched a fundraising appeal to raise £30,000 for a holiday home which will give a much needed opportunity for quality time.

That's why I became involved with the charity and I am so pleased to be a part of something that helps so many children and their families - and I'm especially grateful for the support given to members of my own family in the last year.
I wasn't privileged enough to know Laughlin well, but I am honoured to now be part of the organisation that keeps his name alive.

I wanted to do something to help Unlock a Life for Lockey so I'm hoping this run - which is likely to push me to my fitness limits - will raise some money towards the holiday home fund.

Please donate if you can.
Thank you x