Tackling 26.2 miles – and a terrible condition…

Kerryanne running the Uttoxeter Half marathon in 2014

Tackling 26.2 miles – and a terrible condition…

Things are starting to get serious…

Here I am now heavily into my marathon training schedule with just weeks to go until I tackle the ASICS Greater Manchester Marathon – and this race is set to be the first of 4 I’ve challenged myself to complete during 2015, not only as a personal challenge to myself, but also to raise awareness of a terrible condition which robs people of their lives trapping them inside a body which will not function.

So every time I complain about my sore knee, aching back and gigantic blisters after a training run, I remind myself that I’m lucky – black toenails can grow back, legs ease with rest and blisters heal, but Parkinson’s is something which never goes away and there’s no cure.

I was inspired to take up this challenge after a friend of mine found himself with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s.

Only in his 30s, it was a stark reminder that Parkinson’s is not a disease of the elderly and it can affect anyone – in fact – one in every 500 people has it.

Since diagnosis his life has changed dramatically. No longer able to drive, he has already had to give up work due to the progress this terrible disease has made devouring the nerve cells in his brain.

And I hope I can help it stop, or at the very least slow it down so he can carry on enjoying life for as long as possible.

If you can help combat this disease or know someone who has Parkinson’s, please support Parkinson’s UK today and make a donation via www.parkinsons.org.uk/content/donate

Help someone else save the person inside and keep their quality of life.