Upward Spiral.

I hit rock bottom. I ran less, weighed more, and I thought I was happy with the way I was, until I realised I wasn't, at which point, I knew it needed to change.

It started with my nails. I thought "I'll just get my nails done. To cheer myself up". And it did. It made me smile, and people commented on how nice they looked. And so I tried making myself a new top. And I had to make it in a size 20.

TWENTY. Something snapped inside me. The biggest I'd made myself before was a size 16. Enough was enough.

So on January 12th this year, I walked in through the doors of my local Slimming World group, weighing in at my heaviest ever - including when I was pregnant. I had no idea what it involved, or what to expect.

Over the past 17 weeks, I have lost a total of 2 stone 4.5lb (32.5lb for those who don't measure in stones), and lost 2 dress sizes in the process. I have 1 stone 2 lb (16lb) to go until I hit my target weight.

I have lost the equivalent bodyweight of my three year old daughter. I hope to lose that of my six year old son.

Now I'm not effectively giving my smallest a piggyback everywhere, I have strapped on my trainers and I am running again. And I'm enjoying it.

In fact, I am enjoying it so much, I entered the ballot for the London Marathon in 2016. Then I thought about how long those odds are, and decided that I have to start training now. If I train from now until October I'll be totally hacked off if I've got no marathon to go to. All dressed up and the party gets cancelled.

So in a fit of pique I applied for a Golden Bond place for the charity Action On Hearing Loss (formerly the RNID). And 9 hours later they called me up and said that they want me to join their team. I cried when I found out. I had sort of semi-resigned myself to not ever being able to do run the London Marathon, but now I really can, and I have every opportunity to do it this year.

So it looks very much like I will be running the London Marathon 2016 for charity.

And I'm excited, and I'm scared, and I'm wondering how the hell I'm going to raise £2000. I know NOTHING about marathons. I am doing a couch to 5k programme at the moment, and I just completed W3D3. Best thing is, I feel like I could run twice that. I've just been out running and it honestly feels like I could do it all again and not be tired or too out of breath.

I am doing something I have said I want to do since I was 18. I didn't realise I had a bucket list until now.

So, if you want to come on this journey with me, I'd love the company!

And if you want to lob any money in my direction, I know a charity who'd really benefit from it.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Run-Rachel-Run

Let's go! x

Miles run: 2.41
Minutes run: 33.06