Yesterday I ran a 10km running race to celebrate my 2nd rebirthday of my bone marrow transplant (well, it's a month early but this race is so much nicer than the July one I ran last year!).
The race went really well, and I truly gave it EVERYTHING I had, running the first 4 kilometers at an astonishingly fast 5min per km pace, and then I tailed back to a bit more realistic 5:30/km pace until the last 200 meters, when I gave an all out sprint for the finish!
My husband was there to take photos and I've posted a few here for you.
Like last year, I ran with the memory of my three departed BMT friends firmly in my mind - this was for Vera, Rob, and David, who fought so so hard, and who even today inspire me to push and fighter even harder on their behalf.
I wasn't quite sure how well I did until I viewed the official chip times on the website last night... 51:21!! That's only 7 seconds off my pre-illness Personal Best! I really was only trying to beat last year's time of 53:38, and I honestly didn't think I'd come anywhere close to that magical 51 minute point for me!
This is a HUGE step for me - for the past two years I've been trying to get my physical stamina back to the point it was before I became ill, and this race time was a big mental milestone for me.
If you'd like to donate to the Anthony Nolan Trust (the UK's bone marrow database charity, the ones who found me my donor!),
you can donate here.