Manchester 10K FOR lltgl

Well I did it, managed to complete it in 1:47:23 and ever mile or Kilometre was hard work but I just focused on the end and had never been so releived when we hit the 1km to go sign. I managed to raise just short of £200 for LLTGL and to say im only 9 months post double lung transplant I think its quite an achievement. I'd like to thank my bestie Leanne Baldwin for doing it with me and Rachael Dennis for staying in Manchester and watching us cross the finish line all in all was a great day.

I've now re-commenced trainning as I'm taking part in the BUPA Great North Run on Sept 16th. This one is 13.2 miles and I'm aiming for a time of 3hours 10. I didn't give my self a time to aim for in the recent 10k as i thought perhaps it would be too much pressure, but i'm really hoping to complete the GNR in the time thats been set.
It's quite a grueling trainning schedual, well I think it is. but perhaps thats because during the run up to transplant I wasn't physically able to take part in regular exercise so its taken 9 long months to build up my fitness & staminia and it's only now that i'm starting to feel a real difference.

My fundraising target for the GNR is £500 and i'm almost there but I would love to smash through this target and raise as much money for the CF Trust as I can and also as much awarness as I can. So if you have a spare £1 or even just a 50p then please visit www.justgiving.com/living-the-impossible-dream

I spoke to a journalist from the Times paper on Monday. He wanted my views on the emotional and practicle side of recieving lungs from a donor who smoked. I told him that I remembered been concerned that I was giving up my own lungs which were damaged beyond repair for another pair that may also be damaged due to smoking, however, I also remembered what It was like to be ready to go to theatre and then be told that the lungs were not suitable and then been sent home to again wait for the phone to ring. So on the night when I was told that the lungs were good but they were from a smoker I had to weigh it up... what if this is my only chance, what if i say no thankyou i'll wait and that call never comes and then it hit me the realisation of it all, because in actual fact when you cant breathe you cant do anything, put a straw in your mouth, hold your nose & breathe.. Hard right? well thats what everyday was like for me so when it came down to it, it was a no brainer any lungs had to be better than my lungs and I completely trusted my surgeon and TX team. Nine months on and i've already completed 10k and I'll complete the GNR too, I've returned to teaching PE and Dance and I can Breathe there's no better feeling, so should lungs be used for transplant even though they've come from a donor who smoked? Of course they should!!