I took up running in April 2017 as a way to get fit, starting with a couch to 5km program – and when I started, I could NOT run at all. This April I decided to run the Blackmores Sydney Half Marathon as a way to raise money for Shake It Up and to set a physical goal for myself. I felt that meeting a physical goal would be a small way to pay respect to the incredible way that my mother has had to meet those physical, emotional and psychological challenges every day for 5 years. I commenced a training program and worked up from semi-regular 5km runs in April to the long runs required to get ready for the 21.1km distance of the half. Happily, in spite of being sick in the days leading up to the run, I was able to finish in less than my target time (a slow by half-marathon standards 2:20), coming in at 2 hours 18 minutes 27seconds. More importantly, through the generosity of my colleagues, friends, family and the patrons of my mum and dad’s shop in a country town in NSW, I was able to raise over $3000! My target for fundraising initially was $500, so this was spectacular!