Over 110,000 people in the UK are living with a muscle wasting or weakening condition and raising funds and awareness is crucial so that people can get the help and support they need. Since I was introduced to Muscular Dystrophy UK, what I’ve seen is that the charity really does make a tangible difference to families by offering practical support and advice. And the research they fund is making a huge impact in terms of improving people’s quality of life, with 11 treatments now available to treat specific muscle wasting conditions.
Over the last six years as the charity’s President, I’ve met some incredible people who are truly inspirational. The annual President’s Awards, where we acknowledge some of the people who go above and beyond for the charity, took place recently and hearing more stories from those affected by muscle wasting conditions is what inspired me to run this half marathon for Muscular Dystrophy UK.
At the point of signing up for the London Landmarks Half Marathon, I hadn’t run for a while. I’ve been doing my cycling training, weights and Pilates, but when I went out for my first training run, it all felt a bit alien, as if I were a complete beginner.
I haven’t run a half marathon for about 20 years, so knew I needed a helping hand to get me started again. I’ve been using the Runna app to help bring structure to my training and work up to running longer distances, which has been a game-changer. The endorphins from running are definitely starting to come through now and I’m actually enjoying running again! Knowing that I’m doing it for a worthwhile cause also helps and I’m looking forward to meeting the other runners taking part for Muscular Dystrophy UK on the day.
To support Gabby’s fundraising, visit www.justgiving.com/page/gabbyrunsformduk