Everyone has something that they do which they love.  One of my main passions is running.  Not everyone understands this so let me try to explain.  When I run, I feel  peaceful and calm.  I am able to centre myself and escape from all of the stresses and petty worries of day to day life and just ‘be’.  I can relax and just focus on feeling my body getting stronger and on pushing myself through physical and mental barriers.  It’s a fight that only I am in, against myself, and one I always win because I always become stronger; be it through success or failure.  

In my longer runs, I often find myself experiencing and contemplating things which  generally I don’t have time to; things which are important and which matter…like the beauty of a sunrise or sunset, the feeling of the air on my face, the shadow by my side. And I think about people in my life. Nothing specific, more feelings, which flit in and out
of my mind… but which make me smile and re-focus me on what life is truly all about.

Last year, Sophie was taken from us.  Her departure was sudden and left a hole in
the lives of all who were lucky enough to be touched by her beauty.  Since she left, she has been with me on many of my runs, and like a ripple in a pond, her presence  continues to touch so many.  Sophie was a gentle girl who simply ‘gave’.  She always had time for you. When she smiled, she meant it. She was never too busy to listen, and she
loved; her friends and family, her colleagues, her teachers….they all knew they mattered to her.

I want to honour Sophie because this type of beauty is rare, and I see the difference she was planning to make. The world needs more of that, so I asked her family if I could  represent her in this challenge, and if there was a charity that Sophie would have liked for me to support.  The response was an immediate yes, and the charity I have been asked to represent is Crohns and Colitis UK.  This is because Sophie’s close friend has
Crohns, so it is something which was very close to her heart, and if the money
I raise can move towards helping her friend, among all the other best friends
who have this, then I’m guessing that would make Sophie happy.

The whole point of honouring Sophie and ‘making a difference’ is to challenge myself. The challenge that I originally set for myself was to complete my first 100 mile ultra Marathon which I will be running on 16^th July.  Since then, i have decided to expand this challenge meaning that this one race will be 1/10th of it.  I am going to attempt to run a total of 1000 miles this year.

I have no idea if I will be able to do it…if I am strong enough, mentally or physically.  But I’m going to give it literally everything I have.  And I am honoured to do it in Sophie’s name and to know that every step I take is going to allow some more good to come into the world…and possibly even find a cure for these diseases which affect so many. 

I know that many of you knew and loved Sophie, but even if you didn’t, I hope that you know someone like her, someone who is bright and who is simply Joyous.  Let us make sure that those ripples continue, and the differences continue to touch others.

 If you would like to contribute to my challenge and make a donation, Thank you. 

For Sophie; I see you in every white feather, and feel you on every run.