Postman Ade Mills and girlfriend Rachael Nichols to run London Landmarks Half Marathon for The ME Association

A postman is preparing to take on a new round... at the London Landmarks Half Marathon.

Ade Mills and partner Rachael Nichols, a teaching assistant from Wisbech, are planning to deliver some first class news to The ME Association as they take on the 13.1-mile trek around the capital to raise much-needed charity funds.

Mother-of-one Rachael, who regularly takes part in local club runs, has been diagnosed with ME.

She said: “I’m forever grateful for the treatment and therapy I received through the NHS. My diagnosis helped me to understand how my body works and how to face and manage a chronic illness that day in day out, also has great repercussions on my mental health.

“I continue with living life to the best level that I can, without ME actually being my life. It’s something I have…it must never become who I am!

“For me, running can be a treatment in itself, improving my cardiovascular fitness alongside my mental health. On the flip side, it can and regularly does aggravate the ME. However, in the long run (pardon the pun), I know that the exercise, socialising with other runners, feeling part of something and the sense of achievement is vital for my overall health.

“When I crash, I often wake up and see that my beautiful, caring son, Santiago has covered me with a blanket, put lavender drops on a tissue or my teddy bear and left a drink beside me for when I come to.

“My wonderful partner, Ade, is my rock and keeps all the plates spinning when I'm out of it. He regularly reminds me to rest and pace and never complains when having to hold the reins when I'm ill. “Just be kind to yourself” are words I regularly hear."

The duo have taken on the challenge twice before, and Ade is no stranger to fundraising.

Starting young, he remembers doing a 20-mile charity walk with his parents on his ninth birthday and also raised £12,000 for a cancer foundation he set up in memory of a former colleague.

Ade, - who has been a postie for 18 years and can currently be spotted on his round in Gosberton - also took part in the London Marathon to raise money for a local hospice last year.

“But nothing means more to me than this year's London Landmarks event for The ME Association," said Ade, who lives in Spalding.

“Rachael, my beautiful, amazing girlfriend, was officially diagnosed with ME in 2020 a couple of months before we became a couple.

"For those people who are lucky to know her, she is beautiful, warm , kind , caring lady – with a wicked sense of humour.

“She makes me immensely proud of her each and every day.”

This year's event will be staged on Sunday, April 2 when the route carries entrants from Pall Mall to Downing Street, taking in views of Nelson’s Column, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Bank of England, Monument, the Gherkin, the Shard, The Tower of London and the London Eye.

Both Ade and Rachael have set up Justgiving pages. You can sponsor Ade by visiting www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ademills2022 or Rachael at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rachaelnichols2022

Rachael concluded: "With Ade running beside me in London. It's going to be an amazing, challenging, emotional (and hopefully) successful 13.1 miles.”