Emma Challis
#ChallisChallenge
Fundraising for Mind
Story
Firstly thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. Whether you donate a £1 or nothing, I appreciate the time you've taken just to click the link and get here :).
What is the #ChallisChallenge?
The #ChallisChallenge is a challenge that I have set myself to achieve for 2017. The original goal of the challenge was to complete 10 competitive 10k races and the Great North Run. However, due to pure determination - by the end of 2017 I will have achieved the following:
- completed 10 competitive 10k races [ACHIEVED]
- completed 3 half marathons [ACHIEVED]
- completed 3 10 mile races [ACHIEVED]
Total mileage: 125 miles
I hope to achieve the following:
- Complete a 10k in less than 50 minutes (maybe too ambitious)
- Complete a half marathon in less than 2 hours 30 minutes [ACHIEVED]
The closing date for the #ChallisChallenge is the 31st December 2017 so please, if you can donate, make sure you have done so by this date! Keep checking back for race entry and race completion updates. I'm always changing the #ChallisChallenge goals (usually by signing up to more races) so it's definitely worth seeing my progress. Also don't forget to follow #ChallisChallenge on Twitter for regular training run updates.
List of planned/completed races and times:
Dalton Dash 10K - 1 of 10 10k
19th March 2017
[Time: 58:35]
Lincoln 10K (Run For All) - 2 of 10 10k
2nd April 2017
[Time: 59:33]
The Vale of York 10 Mile - 1 of 3 10 Mile
9th April 2017
[Time: 01:40:22]
North Lincs Half Marathon - 1 of 3 Half Marathons
7th May 2017
[Time: 02:10:15]
Great Manchester Run Half Marathon - 2 of 3 Half Marathons
28th May 2017
[Time: 02:31:46]
Hull 10k (Run For All) - 3 of 10 10k
19th June 2017
[Time: 01:01:09]
Leeds 10K (Run For All) - 4 of 10 10k
9th July 2017
[Time: 59:00:00]
Scunthorpe 10k - 5 of 10 10k
19th July 2017
[Time: 1:04:32]
Grimsby 10K (Run For All) - 6 of 10 10k
30th July 2017
[Time: 1:01:56]
York 10K (Run For All) - 7 of 10 10k
6th August 2017
[Time: 58:16]
Gilberdyke 10 Mile - 2 of 3 10 mile
27th August 2017
[Time: 1:46:37] - very, very hot conditions
The Great North Run Half Marathon - 3 of 3 Half Marathon
10th September 2017
[Time: 2:14:32]
Sheffield 10K (Run For All) - 8 of 10 10k
24th September 2017
[Time: 01:00:06]
Yorkshire 10 Mile - 3 of 3 10 mile
8th October 2017
[Time: 01:41:39]
Haltemprice 10k
29th October 2017
[Time: 01:00:22]
Skegness 10k - 9 of 10 10k
19th November 2017
[Time: 00:58:54]
Doncaster 10K - 10 of 10 10k
26th November 2017
[Time: 00:56:00]
SANTA STRIDE 4k
17th December 2017
Running History
I've been running on and off in effort to lose weight since 2013 but never seriously and more than 5k. Last year, I took to the streets of Hull and began running in an effort to get fit. To stay motivated, I entered my first competitive event - the Hull 10k and set a fantastic PB of 55:57. The pride I felt in completing the event led me to enter the Grimsby 10k, York 10k and Sheffield 10k. Completing all under the hour with an overall PB of 54:13.
Why Mind?
I have chosen Mind as the charity to support after being diagnosed with anxiety in 2016.
I lost my mother when I was 18 (2009) to alcoholism after her battle with it for 6 years. Her alcoholism was her way of handling depression and if the stigma that is attached to mental health was as weak as it is today she may still be alive.
I never dealt with the loss and grief, instead I threw myself into my academic studies and although it lead to me being incredibly successful at both college and University (graduating with a First Class degree in Computer Science), in 2016 my world collapsed.
For 13 years, I was strong. I had to be and in 2016; I couldn't be strong anymore. I started worrying irrationally about things, suffering panic attacks almost daily and my life spiralled out of control. My weight dropped two stone within a matter of weeks, eating and keeping food down became a challenge. Anxiety made me fear getting out of bed and as a person who's entire career is based on the principle of thinking logically, to not be able to do so or control my own thoughts was terrifying.
I was lucky enough to have people around me who were strong for me whilst I was not. It was the darkest period in my life and despite feeling at my weakest it was because of these people that I somehow found the strength to seek professional help; which when suffering from a mental condition isn't as easy as it would seem. Although mental health conditions are becoming more and more acceptable (and so they should) there is still a lot of stigma attached. I'm not ashamed and if that's the worst thing that I have to go through after the horrific things I've been through - I consider myself lucky.
From the moment I gained the courage to visit my GP surgery - I have had such impressive support and a majority of that came from mind. From counselling to stress control courses, I took everything that they had to offer and today I can say that I am anxiety free. I have since stopped counselling and I can't recall the last time I had a panic attack.
Although I'm not as strong as the person I used to be, I feel my strength coming back daily and running helps me remind myself that no matter what, whatever I put my mind to - I can do.
What is the #ChallisChallenge?
The #ChallisChallenge is a challenge that I have set myself to achieve for 2017. The original goal of the challenge was to complete 10 competitive 10k races and the Great North Run. However, due to pure determination - by the end of 2017 I will have achieved the following:
- completed 10 competitive 10k races [ACHIEVED]
- completed 3 half marathons [ACHIEVED]
- completed 3 10 mile races [ACHIEVED]
Total mileage: 125 miles
I hope to achieve the following:
- Complete a 10k in less than 50 minutes (maybe too ambitious)
- Complete a half marathon in less than 2 hours 30 minutes [ACHIEVED]
The closing date for the #ChallisChallenge is the 31st December 2017 so please, if you can donate, make sure you have done so by this date! Keep checking back for race entry and race completion updates. I'm always changing the #ChallisChallenge goals (usually by signing up to more races) so it's definitely worth seeing my progress. Also don't forget to follow #ChallisChallenge on Twitter for regular training run updates.
List of planned/completed races and times:
Dalton Dash 10K - 1 of 10 10k
19th March 2017
[Time: 58:35]
Lincoln 10K (Run For All) - 2 of 10 10k
2nd April 2017
[Time: 59:33]
The Vale of York 10 Mile - 1 of 3 10 Mile
9th April 2017
[Time: 01:40:22]
North Lincs Half Marathon - 1 of 3 Half Marathons
7th May 2017
[Time: 02:10:15]
Great Manchester Run Half Marathon - 2 of 3 Half Marathons
28th May 2017
[Time: 02:31:46]
Hull 10k (Run For All) - 3 of 10 10k
19th June 2017
[Time: 01:01:09]
Leeds 10K (Run For All) - 4 of 10 10k
9th July 2017
[Time: 59:00:00]
Scunthorpe 10k - 5 of 10 10k
19th July 2017
[Time: 1:04:32]
Grimsby 10K (Run For All) - 6 of 10 10k
30th July 2017
[Time: 1:01:56]
York 10K (Run For All) - 7 of 10 10k
6th August 2017
[Time: 58:16]
Gilberdyke 10 Mile - 2 of 3 10 mile
27th August 2017
[Time: 1:46:37] - very, very hot conditions
The Great North Run Half Marathon - 3 of 3 Half Marathon
10th September 2017
[Time: 2:14:32]
Sheffield 10K (Run For All) - 8 of 10 10k
24th September 2017
[Time: 01:00:06]
Yorkshire 10 Mile - 3 of 3 10 mile
8th October 2017
[Time: 01:41:39]
Haltemprice 10k
29th October 2017
[Time: 01:00:22]
Skegness 10k - 9 of 10 10k
19th November 2017
[Time: 00:58:54]
Doncaster 10K - 10 of 10 10k
26th November 2017
[Time: 00:56:00]
SANTA STRIDE 4k
17th December 2017
Running History
I've been running on and off in effort to lose weight since 2013 but never seriously and more than 5k. Last year, I took to the streets of Hull and began running in an effort to get fit. To stay motivated, I entered my first competitive event - the Hull 10k and set a fantastic PB of 55:57. The pride I felt in completing the event led me to enter the Grimsby 10k, York 10k and Sheffield 10k. Completing all under the hour with an overall PB of 54:13.
Why Mind?
I have chosen Mind as the charity to support after being diagnosed with anxiety in 2016.
I lost my mother when I was 18 (2009) to alcoholism after her battle with it for 6 years. Her alcoholism was her way of handling depression and if the stigma that is attached to mental health was as weak as it is today she may still be alive.
I never dealt with the loss and grief, instead I threw myself into my academic studies and although it lead to me being incredibly successful at both college and University (graduating with a First Class degree in Computer Science), in 2016 my world collapsed.
For 13 years, I was strong. I had to be and in 2016; I couldn't be strong anymore. I started worrying irrationally about things, suffering panic attacks almost daily and my life spiralled out of control. My weight dropped two stone within a matter of weeks, eating and keeping food down became a challenge. Anxiety made me fear getting out of bed and as a person who's entire career is based on the principle of thinking logically, to not be able to do so or control my own thoughts was terrifying.
I was lucky enough to have people around me who were strong for me whilst I was not. It was the darkest period in my life and despite feeling at my weakest it was because of these people that I somehow found the strength to seek professional help; which when suffering from a mental condition isn't as easy as it would seem. Although mental health conditions are becoming more and more acceptable (and so they should) there is still a lot of stigma attached. I'm not ashamed and if that's the worst thing that I have to go through after the horrific things I've been through - I consider myself lucky.
From the moment I gained the courage to visit my GP surgery - I have had such impressive support and a majority of that came from mind. From counselling to stress control courses, I took everything that they had to offer and today I can say that I am anxiety free. I have since stopped counselling and I can't recall the last time I had a panic attack.
Although I'm not as strong as the person I used to be, I feel my strength coming back daily and running helps me remind myself that no matter what, whatever I put my mind to - I can do.