So with the final run in my sights after nearly a whole year
of daily running under my belt, I sit here incredulous. I can be quite an
impulsive person but the decision to complete the 5kaday challenge for
Nottinghamshire Hospice was perhaps the peak of it. Have I actually ran every
day for a year? Well not quite but there are only a few days left!
Having decided to complete it at the end of 2013, I sent an
email to the Hospice almost within the day. The thought process being that if I
don’t do that, I’ll be backing out, so the sooner everyone knew I was planning
it the more official it was. I was offered lots of advice not to do it and to
just try it for a week or even a month, some even topping it off by saying It
couldn’t be done and I would have to have at least one day off. Well I can only
say thank you so very much to those people, the doubters, because that was the
switch, the push that I needed.
Injury wise I’ve been extremely lucky although Its not been
plain sailing, having moments (weeks) of pain in my legs, at times I couldn’t
really walk properly or very far at least but I still ran. I have sweated more
from the pain of physio sessions than some of the running and I’ve sat in more
ice baths last year than hot ones. It was a 5kaday a challenge but I’ve
completed 10k’s, 15k’s a half marathon, and lots of various distances in
between. I’ve ran in the morning, daytime, evening, the dead of night,
sometimes only just getting finished with minutes to spare before midnight only
to watch the clock tick over to the next day and then run back. I’ve ran in
wind, rain, snow, ice, hail, midday summer sun, thunder storms never one
running on a treadmill indoors. Most of my routes have been in and around the
Nottingham area; Stapleford, Bramcote, Ilkeston, Beeston, West Bridgford,
Toton, even a few run s through the city centre.
I have had some fantastic opportunities along the way like
being a guest on BBC radio Nottingham’s Morning show a few times with Mark
Dennison, even running with one of the show’s producers. Not only that but runs
have taken place with TSB, the FA at St Georges Park we organised a 100th
run and a half way run. I have met some amazing folk along the way
too, I can’t put in to words just how much support I have had, people have
really got behind this and for that I am truly grateful. I seem to have
inspired a few of you to get out there too and that is incredible.
I’ve entered some organised events along the way to make it
a little more interesting like; The Erewash 5k, the Wollaton Hall 10k, The Robin
Hood Half marathon and the Matthew walker 10k where you are handed a giant
Christmas Pudding as you cross the line. I’ve run a few parkruns at Rushcliffe
country park and joined Nottingham’s Sweatshop Running community. Often finding
myself included in the regular newsletter.
There are a handful of people that have really gone the
extra mile (pun alert) and have agreed willingly to turn up to all sorts of
stuff, from general weekly runs with me or late night runs over Christmas, the
100th and half way events. Thank you to all those people, because it
turns out that running with others is what it’s all about. Running alone is
when I come up with my best and sometimes worst ideas, but running with company
brings out the best conversations and a lot of the world’s issues have been
fixed at these times.
My body currently fits well in sizes of clothing I haven’t
been anywhere near since I was in my early 20s, due to that fact that I’m 3
stone lighter. Unfortunately I can now shop in 'Topman' because I’m the right
shape, I say “unfortunately” because now I fear I’m too old to do so.
Lots planned for 2015 and although I’m not on the charity
push as I have been in 2014, all the events I’m going to be taking part in will
be benefitting the Hospice, so expect the odd reminder on face book.
When first taking the challenge on I was running a 5k in about
28 minutes and the fastest I have completed the same distance as of now is 23
minutes 23 seconds, a big improvement. While on the subject of times, my 10k
time is under 50 minutes and I managed to limp round the Robin Hood Half
Marathon in September in under 2 hours, that’s a 40 minute improvement on the
only other 13.1 miles I have ever completed.
The final run is going to be a half marathon distance from
my house in Stapleford to the Hospice premises in Nottingham and will be taking
place on Monday 26th January. Setting off at 9.30 am you can follow
my progress on my Facebook page as I will be sharing photos as I go and also
more excitingly BBC Radio Nottingham will be checking in with me as I wind my
way in to town.
This won’t be the last blog so I will be summing up a bit
better after the 26th Jan, but I thought I would make an effort to
put you all in the picture beforehand.
I am still £1000 from my target of £5000 ( I dropped it from
£10,000) so there is still lots of time to donate at www.justgiving.com/5kaday
See you on the other side!
