Charity starts at home, whether it be running, dog walking or cycling - Sue Smith

I am running 100k in May for the foundation set up by former Bradford City footballer Stephen Darby and his friend Chris Rimmer, a former serviceman.

Stephen and Chris suffer from Motor Neurone Disease, and set up the Darby Rimmer Foundation to raise awareness of MND, fund research and try to find a cure.

The 100k in May started as a small group of friends and family looking to raise £50,000, but in its first week it has grown to more than 350 people who have already raised over £100,000.

I know Stephen through his wife, Steph Houghton, a team-mate of mine at Leeds United.

Steph joined us in 2007 as a great central midfielder back then who could really ping a pass with her right foot, and she made her England debut that year 
too.

Steph and Stephen are such amazing people, and I cannot help but think their background as footballers might have something to do with it.

Whenever I speak to them there is never any negativity or feeling sorry for themselves. They look on the bright side of everything.

Fellow MND sufferers, like former Leeds Rhinos and Great Britain rugby league player Rob Burrow and ex-rugby union international Doddie Weir, seem to be the same and I wonder if their drive comes from sporting backgrounds which have taught them to turn horrendous situations into positives.

Football teams are tight-knit groups, even long after they break up, and when Stephen was diagnosed with MND and forced to retire aged 29, we all wanted to support Steph. All you can really do most of the time is send messages of support but you always get a “thank you” back.

When I found out about the 100k in May I said I would like to help and so did some of my other ex-team-mates. It is the same with some of the guys who played alongside Stephen, like Stephen Warnock and Jay Spearing.

When I originally spoke to Steph, the plan was for about 20 people to do it. Now the WhatsApp group is so huge my phone never stops bleeping. If you did not know better you would think I was super-popular!

One of the people in the group sells coffee and is giving all the money from every online order to the Foundation, so a lot of people I know have started to buy coffee from there. A physio in the group has a massage gun and is going to put everyone’s name in the hat so one of us will get that.

Earlier in the week I was walking home from my 5k run when a neighbour asked what I was running for. When I told her, she went back into her house, got her purse and pulled out a fiver because she really wanted to do something to help.

One of the most inspirational stories has come from Archie O’Donnell, the son of Bradford goalkeeper Richard.

Archie is six years-old and only learnt to cycle without stabilisers four weeks ago but is cycling the 100k. I watched a TV interview with them and it just inspired me even more.

As well as raising as much money as possible for a really important cause, I hope we can also raise awareness. England forward Ellen White and her husband have been making videos about MND this month.

These are really difficult times to raise money and with no London Marathon this year, smaller charities in particular are really suffering.

Some friends who donated apologised for the amount but it is not about that.

Two pounds is just as good as £100 from someone who can afford it.

If you cannot donate, you might want to take part. You do not have to run it.

Chris is in a wheelchair and needs oxygen but is doing 100k in his chair.

One of my neighbours has bought a FitBit and is going to walk her dog for 100k.

I plan to run 25k each week, and it is now a case of figuring out what works best for me.

Some days I do not go far and concentrate on speed or something a bit different, other days I will go on a longer run.

For those not working in lockdown it gives us a focus and makes you feel you are helping.

If you would like to donate, you can do so at tinyurl.com/Sue100k