If anyone has been following my blog for the last couple of weeks you'll know that I was due to run a treadmill marathon on Valentines day for two great charities, The Bradford Crocus Cancer Appeal & Disability Sports & Leisure Services. Please follow these links for more information on these wonderful charities, and the work that they do!
So this Valentines day, I put on on my kit and my running trainers and just after 12:00 I started my marathon. My glorious team mates were out in force, hassling people around the university to donate, explaining that I was running 26.2 miles. They were also there supporting me through the miles, along with my lovely dad who supported me the last 5 miles of the run!
The run started off brilliantly, I was feeling great, my heart rate started a little high as I was nervous, but by 6 miles I felt like I'd hardly ran and my heart rate was a steady 162. I was completely in control, and I felt great! I got to 13.1 miles. This was hard, originally I wanted to run a half marathon on the treadmill, but I decided to really challenge myself and run a full one in the hope that it would raise more money! So at 13.1 miles I had a bit of a mental battle going on. A little voice inside my head was saying 'why did you say you'd do double this distance?! Are you crazy?!' My team mates arrived at 15.4 miles and I really needed a toilet stop, after taking on all my fluid. I had to stop. Then it was almost impossible to get going again! I had to look at each mile individually and just get to the end of that mile. An old hip injury was bothering me, and it was getting painfully boring. I was delighted when my dad surprised me and turned up on my 21st mile! He chatted to keep my mind from counting the minutes, and miles. The last five miles I dedicated to a different person. my 21st to my team mates for helping me, supporting me, and organising so much of this event so I could concentrate on training. My 22nd was for my Grandfather who died of cancer almost 8 years ago, running to hopefully help find a cure to this disease was a massive motivator. My 23rd mile was for all the people who are unable to run, and raising money for disability services helped me to train when I really didn't want to because I am grateful that I can run. my 24th was for my family who sponsored me a generous amount, and supported me the whole way through. And the last 1.2 miles was for my wonderful boyfriend, who makes me delicious pasta to carb-load on, drops me off in the middle of no where to get my miles in, who helps me in and out of ice baths, and who doesn't mind his girlfriend running a marathon on valentines day. I couldn't have done it without any of these incentives. Four and a half hours later, I finished!
I have so far raised £62 of off-line sponsorship, £290 on my just giving page & my wonderful team mates collected £103.73 on the day of the marathon!
£455.73! Only £44.27 off my target!
So if you've read this blog, and can spare any amount I would greatly, greatly appreciate your donations, two marvellous charities and four and a half hours of hard work!
No comments:
Post a Comment