After 5 long years of trying, I was fortunate enough to land a place in the 2021 London Marathon. Like many others, this has been a life goal of mine for a long time and I was elated to see the words I had both dreamed of and dreaded seeing: "You're in". 

The next big decision to make was which charity to raise money for. With so many charities that represented causes close to my heart, the decision was surprisingly easy. It had to be A Better Life Dog Rescue (ABLDR).  They brought me Tess, my saving grace. 

2020 was a hard year for all, in many different ways. A global pandemic threw the world into turmoil, I lost my grandmother at the tail end of 2019, and my boyfriend was diagnosed with cancer in July 2020. There were times when life seemed hopeless, but that's when I turned to Tess. 

She arrived with us in July, and life hasn't been the same since. Even when she's peeing on the carpet, or barking because I'm putting my socks on too slowly,  she is the love of my life. She gives me a reason to get out of bed every day, even in my hardest moments.

I would like to do everything I can to assist ABLDR in the amazing work they do,  which starts with dragging my chubby self 26.2 miles around London and hoping some very kind donors will sponsor me for the opportunity.