26/9/10

just a note to say a big thank-you to everybody who has wished us well.  We had a wonderful day, it wasn't easy but what a wonderful experience and quite emotional at times.  The people of Newcastle were great supporters, cheering even us stragglers on!  Well Alec wasn't exactly a straggler, completing it in just over 1.40min but his long legs gave him a head start on the rest of us!!  We were very pleased with our time of 2.25mins, not bad for and old couple! 

Probably the highlight being, as we reached the summit of the final steep hill somebody shouted 'I can see the sea', wow, it was just awesome to be there and a relief as our wobbly legs took us down the other side to the last mile along the sea front.

The pain already forgotten, we are talking about next year.......  Anybody like to join us?

Hi,

ohhh nooo I can hear you groan even as I click send!!  Yes I know, we are all constantly being bombarded by worthy causes all clambering for our hard earned cash, there are so many and non of us have a limitless supply of dosh.   I wouldn't ask but.........
Well, its like this, Iain, Alec and I have decided to run a half marathon on behalf of the Royal National Institute for the Blind.  This is a charity that really enhances the lives of so many people both young and old who due to no fault of their own are either partially sighted or blind.  For a very small amount of money a lot of people can benefit from the practical support and training provided by the charity and this small amount of help can really change peoples lives in a very big way.

We are not a very 'fit family' it doesn't come easily to any of us but we have found that running is something that we can do although as the dreaded day draws nearer I'm loosing confidence in my ability to run 13.1miles!!!  So if you feel that you can give us some encouragement we will be eternally grateful and if you feel that you can make a donation no mater how small a lot of people will be grateful.
 
Below is a short history as to why we chose the RNIB and why we chose to run.  Maybe next year you would like to run with us, we'd love you to come along, it'll be a blast.

Why did I start running?  Following a year of extreme 'illness', I found myself with 3 young children, a workaholic husband and struggling to cope with everyday things.  Undiagnosed but feeling that I had to either do something positive to improve my condition or just curl up and die, I decided to do the only thing that I could and that was to start running.  This was about 19 years ago and when I started I was running 100 yards and sleeping for 2 hours, it was extremely difficult but I quite quickly started to see an improvement in my stamina however it still took me 2 years before I was able to run 2 miles.  I now regularly run 4, 5 or 6 miles and occasionally do an 8 mile run.  I can't pretend its easy because it isn't, I often say I why do I feel that I'm always running up hill and into the wind!  (no mater which way I'm running up the beach!)

Why the RNIB?  Following a 10 year battle to save my own eyesight I realise how precious sight is and how difficult it is when suffering from visual impairment, not only for the sufferer but for all of the family.  I have been extremely lucky, I have an extremely supportive husband and children, they have been wonderful and I can never repay them for their patience, kindness and emotional support.  However, there are many people who aren’t as lucky as me and there are many people who benefit from the practical and emotional support that the RNIB give. 

This is why we are running as a family group for a charity that is very dear to our hearts, we would like to give back a little of what we have received and give thanks for our good fortune.  Wish us luck, we'll need it, non of us have ever run 13.1 miles before..........

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