There's something wonderful about running at this time of year. It's not so cold that you have to layer up like an Arctic explorer, but not so hot that you're carrying litres of water like a backpacking camel. But you do have to contend with the rain. And lots of it. 

I can't think of anything better than hitting the mud-engulfed trails with the feeling of rain against my face. The smell of the damp air, the luscious green that surrounds me, with just a tinge of orange and yellow starting to peek through the canopy above me. 

We runners, especially those who hit the trails, are so connected to nature that we feel the changes throughout the year. Even those who aren't such a fan of Mother Earth as me, must still be aware of the seasons and all they bring. 

That close link is one of the reasons I care so much about what we're doing to the planet. 'The environment' is a scalding hot potato of a topic. Wherever you lie on the spectrum between deniers and rebellions, most of us are lost in a sea of knowing what we should or shouldn't do – and even whether anything we do could make a difference anyway. 

That's why I launched Earth Runs, and more recently, the 1% Club initiative. I became fed up with recycling my plastic, doing a bit of plogging and hoping that someone would do something somehow. I needed to know if I was really helping in some way. I needed something tangible. Something positive. Something that was real, solid and that you could depend upon and measure. I came to realise that the answer had been growing all around me on my runs - trees!

One tree doesn't seem like a lot when you've been told that you've planted it, but when you know what one tree does, you realise that you can change the world for good every day you run. Research shows that an average tree will grow to create 14% of a person's oxygen, will offset over 10kg of CO2 each year, sequester 17 bath loads of water, and help support over 300 animals, birds and reptiles, and millions of insects, grubs and crawly things. 

I know I can't solve all the environmental issues we face. I'm just a trail-runner, with a deep passion for our planet. So, knowing that I've done something positive with my run gives me a sense of purpose. I've done something to give back to nature, which, in my book, is always better than doing nothing. 

We're excited to be helping Runners Need with their 10,000 tree challenge. 10,000 trees will create magic in the world. Knowing that you're a part of that makes even the wettest, soggiest run special. Come and join us this October. Do 10k, and you'll plant 10 trees. Plus, we'll show you the impact you'll make with your own impact report. 

For every challenge you take on with Earth Runs, we plant trees, or if you're a part of the 1% Club, we plant a tree for every day you're active.