At school sporting success never graced my path and I was regularly found towards the back of the pack no matter whether it was a cross-country, track or team event. So when in 2009 I donned a pair of trainers and began slowly jogging the short distance around the block a couple of times a week I was just as surprised as my friends and family. However, as the metres slowly turned into miles I became hooked and if I didn’t go for a run, for whatever reason, I felt the excess energy building up.
After watching with great admiration the London Marathon fun runners for years with the dream that one day I would actually take part, I suddenly felt that this is something I could do, well maybe not the full marathon, not yet anyway. So I signed up for The Great Bupa South Run 2010 – 10 miles running through the streets of Portsmouth. Raising about £500 for the MS Society, I thoroughly enjoyed the event and as soon as I returned home I began looking for my next challenge - queue The Bath Half Marathon 2011.
I thoroughly enjoyed training for The Bath Half and when, two weeks before the event, I managed to run the 13.1 mile distance I felt ready and prepared. Now, I know Bath is not the flattest of places and I had incorporated steep hills into my training plan, however those hills in Bath were tough! Although my pace was not great (not that I have a great pace anyway) I got round in 2 hours 25 minutes without walking! Again I raised money about £500 for charity, this time WaterAid, a charity which I was becoming increasingly involved with.
Exhausted following The Bath Half 2011
Due to the support I have given WaterAid through my work I was selected to visit Zambia with the charity in 2012 which was an amazing and eye opening experience. You can read my blog of the trip here.
On my return, with the people I met in Zambia my inspiration, I ran the 2012 Paddock Wood Half Marathon, again raising about £500 for charity (there is a fundraising theme here). This course is fairly flat and I got round in 2 hours 15 minutes. I felt really good at the end and even ended up going to the gym after!
Feeling good following the Paddock Wood Half Marathon
I do really enjoy running, unfortunately I have lost my running fitness now, but I really want to get back into my trainers and start again. Watching those amazing fun runners today conquer the London Marathon 2013 is a huge inspiration once again.
I’ve applied to run the London Marathon through both the ballot and through charity places for the past three years and been unsuccessful in winning a place, fingers crossed 2014 will be a winning year!
Although I’m not training to run at the moment, I am training to take on the 100km NightRider through the streets of London with my husband in just 48 days with both of us raising funds for WaterAid.
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