As a friend so wisely put it: "Oh wow, you’ve reached that stage in life where you recognize your own mortality and start railing against it by taking up running :P Happens to the best of us."

Guilty as charged. I’m running the Paris Marathon in April 2026. The longest race I’ve completed to date is a half-marathon (21km), and at the finish line, I looked like this:

The terrifying reality? I have to do that twice.

To prepare, I’ve been training extra hard. I chug calories at every opportunity, the house is constantly damp with drying laundry, and I now speak exclusively in "running lingo." All of this is so I don’t look like this at the end...

And it’s working! I’ve gone from friends and family saying I look "tired and drained" to finishing a half-marathon without a single person commenting that I look like I’m dying. I’m on target, training is on track, and I might just look like this when I cross the finish line in Paris:

Why I’m Running

Beyond the personal challenge, I need your help to raise money for Movember and men’s health. They are an incredible charity supporting men facing challenges ranging from prostate cancer to mental health struggles.

My goal is to raise £750. Mental wellbeing is a cause very close to my heart, and with 1 in 8 men being diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, the need for support is urgent.

Please help me support these vital causes and keep me motivated as I take on the streets of Paris!