Story
This year I will be running 5 Half Marathons in 5 months in an attempt to break 5 Guinness World Records. Essentially this will be 65.5 miles of utter madness in order to raise money for Diabetes UK and Birmingham-based charity LoveBrum.
I will be attempting to set a new World Record for the Fastest Half Marathon in five different fancy dress categories (the fifth record is still TBC but there are quite a few interesting options available!).
Full Graduation Attire at Liverpool Rock n Roll Marathon (14 June)
Current Record: 1hr 57m 40sec
MY TIME: 1hr 40m 19sec
Dressed as a TV Character at the Great North Run (13 September)
Current Record: 1hr 33m 46sec
Dressed as a Fruit at Cardiff Half Marathon (4 October)
Current Record: 1hr 25m 45sec
Wearing a 3 Piece Suit at Great Birmingham Run (18 October)
Current Record: 1hr 39m 50sec
I first conjured up this crazy idea for charity when I decided to run my very first 26 miles at the Madrid Rock n Roll Marathon in April 2014. Like all good ideas it came after a few glasses of wine (the night before the run) and after many more glasses of wine here we are!!
· 2014 was the first time I had run more than 10k in over a decade.
· It was the first time I had ever been to a gym in my entire life.
· I have also never been part of a running club… ever.
· I am still partial to the occasional (frequent) kebab and wine will always be a part of my life.
Stepping it up from being a casual runner to a multiple world record holder is going to be tough.......
Why Diabetes UK
My little brother has recently been diagnosed with Diabetes and it made me realise how life changing it actually is (he knows I would make a good back up and would happily stab him in the leg with his needle if it was ever called for!). When I made the decision to raise money for charity it was an easy choice to include Diabetes UK.
Diabetes UK is the leading charity that cares for, connects with and campaigns on behalf of every person affected by or at risk of diabetes. They provide information, help and peer support, so people with diabetes can manage their condition effectively. We are one of the largest funders of diabetes research in the UK.
And what is LoveBrum?
LoveBrum is a charity. But not any normal charity. Across Birmingham, there are great people and organisations working hard to make Birmingham better. But, not all of these amazing causes receive the funding they need to have maximum impact. LoveBrum exists to bridge that gap. LoveBrum finds hard-to-reach projects doing great things for Birmingham, and then asks its members to vote for the causes they believe ought to be helped.
The projects that LoveBrum will support will be local and deliver specific projects that in turn make the city better.
LoveBrum will be directed by its members; their supporters will have their say; all money raised in Brum will stay in Brum; and LoveBrum will support a number of different projects every year. Nice, eh?
You'll also be glad to know that 100% of all fundraising monies will go towards the supported projects.
I really hope you can dig deep to help me on this journey. Every penny counts and thanks in advance.