Jo Stocker
2 Halves, a 10k & NO CHOCOLATE for the whole of 2019 - why not, right?!!!!!
Fundraising for Sobell House Hospice Charity
Story
My Dad was diagnosed with cancer in February 2017.....
I only started running in May 2017 to do a 5k for Race for Life Pretty Muddy in September 2017 in Oxford. I started off by not being able to run to the end of the road! I wanted to show Dad that since being asked to join my friends in doing a Pretty Muddy and raise some money for Cancer Research that a positive can come out of the negatives with being diagnosed with Cancer. So, I started to 'learn' to run! I hated it to begin with - I wont lie, but the more I did it the more people started to sponsor me to do it. So I had to keep going....
Then my friends changed to the date to July from September so we could do the Pretty Muddy in Reading - eek! So I started to take it more seriously!! I wanted to Run the Pretty Muddy - the whole 5k! As the days went past and the more I ran the better I felt and the better I got. Once I had cracked the 1 mile mark, I began not to hate running as much and started to enjoy it. I would also tell Dad about my progress, even he was surprised I was still doing it! I did it though - I ran the whole 5k in July 2017 and raised over £800 for Cancer Research!
But seeing I was suppose to run in Oxford's Pretty Muddy, I decided, I had to do - I wanted to do it all over again in September. So I did - I did it again! But the one in September, I did it with a different group of friends. This run was for raising money for a dear friend called Dom Hill who lived in Grove who is a mum from Millbrook Primary school and had terminal Cancer. We decided to do a Crown Funding page for her. We managed to raise £500 for her bucket list. Dom also met my Dad at the Churchill Hospital when they were both there having Chemo at the same time. I was telling Dad about Dom whilst he was having his treatment. I was trying to make Dad laugh and take his mind off things when I spotted Dom in the next bay. Dad was inspired by Dom's battle with Cancer. I think it encouraged him to keep fighting.
After the Pretty Muddy races, I signed myself up for my first 10k for the October in Blenheim Palace. I was nervous, but again, I wanted to do it to show Dad - you can do anything if you put your mind to it! My Mum always said 'there's no such word as cant'. So....I did it and it was great fun. A hard course with the hills, I won't lie but good fun. Dad thought I was going completely mad at this point! "It will ruin your knee's he said"
I signed up to do the White Horse Half Marathon on the 8th April in Grove. This was perfect. Right on my doorstep and Dad could come and see me. Well... so I thought...
I trained really hard for it over the winter months. I upped my miles and pace. I was flying!!! The Race was looming and I kept going. Dad however started to deteriorate so I pushed harder and harder. I think I probably pushed too much too soon and I picked up and injury right before the race in March! I was completely gutted! Runners Knee!!!!!!! It was awful! I had gone from running 11 miles on a Sunday morning and feeling on top of the world to being barely able to run 2 miles without agonising pain with in a few days!
As the race arrived - I knew there was no way I was not going to do this - I was doing it! I am stubborn and I really wanted to show Dad 'I could do it'. Don't let the pain show! I had trained so hard and wanted to prove that going from a couch potato to being able to run a half marathon in under a year was something I never dreamed of doing in my life and something that little old me would never ever ever had done if it wasn't for Dad being diagnosed with Cancer and being asked to join in on a Pretty Muddy run. I would have been someone who would have liked to have done it but I wasn't a runner and I was unfit and would never be able to do it but I had changed. Dad getting cancer has changed me in more ways than one.
As the morning arrived.... I was ready - I had to be! I said I was going to do it and I am. I would walk it if I had to. I knew I could probably manage 6 miles pain free. My physio friend came over my house in the morning and strapped my knee up. I took a load of ibroprofen and was ready!! I set off and felt ok. My knee kicked off around the 2 miles mark but I had a gel and carried on and on and on and on! By 8 miles my knee was screaming! But I carried on through gritted teeth and as mile 12 loomed I powered through over the finish line! My goodness, I could barely walk but I did it. I did it for Dad! I had a little cry well a big cry because he wasn't able to come and see me after all like I had hoped. Unfortunately, he had deteriorated since having an operation on 3rd April and he was up at the Churchill. But he did text me that morning which I still have and it spurred me on 'I will Run with you'.
After the race - I drove (just about) to the Churchill to see him and I took him my 'cup' I had received from the race! He thought I meant a cup as in a trophy cup but..... nope - it was a cup! His face was a sight! He saw me hobbling about at the end of his bed but I said to him not to worry - I'm fine - let me do the worrying!
Dad died in the early hours of Thursday 17th May 2018 at 01:20am. I was there holding his hands with my darling Mum. I have promised him that I will look after Mum and I will continue to run. Purely because I'm stubborn and I know he would tut at me and say 'you'll ruin your knees' but because its my way to deal with what has happened over the last 2 years and for me to still show people that you CAN do something if you put your mind to it and there are some positive that do come out of all the negatives. Cancer is a horrid horrid disease that has effected me, my family and loved ones.
If I can help raise some money to help others to be at Sobell House Hospice to ease their and their families pains then I want to be involved.
On New Years Day 2018, I made a bet with my Dad that I wouldn’t drink alcohol for a whole year in which he said I wouldn’t be able to do it & bet me 100 pounds in which I will now donate to Sobell House. A Bets A Bet Dad!! I would have love to have seen his face & see him try & wriggle out of it!!! I told you I’d do it Dad & I did!!!! Last year, I also signed up for the Bournemouth Supersonic 10k on 6th Oct 2018 in which I set myself a target of a sub hour 10k. I did it in 58 mins! I’ll take that!!!
But.....it’s never going to be enough, never, never - never enough.....so I signed up to do the White Horse Half again in April 2019 & the Oxford Town & Gown. I’m delighted to be in Team Sobell for the Oxford Half in October this year.
My friend Dom, passed away on the 5th December at Sobell House. Fly high beautiful lady. Say hi to Pops for me. We have lost you both too soon but heaven has gained two beautiful souls with a wicked sense of humour. I will miss you dearly.
I couldn't wait to see the back of 2018 - I won’t lie! No matter how many miles I run, I will never get Dad back but I will help raise money for other families to benefit from Sobell House. I’d run a million miles to get Dad back for a split second if I could. But I can’t....
After the no booze in 2018, I’ve now done the White Horse Half again (2nd and final time), the Oxford Town and Gown as I didn't get to do it last year because of my blinking knee and the Oxford Half all for Sobell House and if that isn enough, Ive decided to live without Chocolate for a Whole Year.....
I completed the White Horse half again and its fair to say that it does bring it all back which isn't very nice at times but at the same time I wanted to do it again as you have to go there to come back - right??!! and I won't be doing this race again I've decided. Once bitten, Twice shy.
I know I'm stubborn and never listen and..... always have to get the last word but I hate to think my Dad was actually right when he said, "it'll ruin your knee's....",why is it they always know best.......
It’s been tough lately to get my mojo back after the white horse half & town & gown. I feel there is always this brick wall that just when I think I’m alright, I can get over it, it comes back again, taller & wider to get up & over it!!!!
I know the October half is around the corner. I’d hope to be putting in the miles & getting good times. It’s hard not to put pressure on yourself when you have so much going on in your head..... but..... I will find my mojo - even if I have to run after it!!!!!!
Thank you to every one of you who has taken the time to read this (sorry!) and who has sponsored me. I really can't thank you enough from the bottom of my heart. You truly are amazing!!!!
You're Fabulous xxxxx
I only started running in May 2017 to do a 5k for Race for Life Pretty Muddy in September 2017 in Oxford. I started off by not being able to run to the end of the road! I wanted to show Dad that since being asked to join my friends in doing a Pretty Muddy and raise some money for Cancer Research that a positive can come out of the negatives with being diagnosed with Cancer. So, I started to 'learn' to run! I hated it to begin with - I wont lie, but the more I did it the more people started to sponsor me to do it. So I had to keep going....
Then my friends changed to the date to July from September so we could do the Pretty Muddy in Reading - eek! So I started to take it more seriously!! I wanted to Run the Pretty Muddy - the whole 5k! As the days went past and the more I ran the better I felt and the better I got. Once I had cracked the 1 mile mark, I began not to hate running as much and started to enjoy it. I would also tell Dad about my progress, even he was surprised I was still doing it! I did it though - I ran the whole 5k in July 2017 and raised over £800 for Cancer Research!
But seeing I was suppose to run in Oxford's Pretty Muddy, I decided, I had to do - I wanted to do it all over again in September. So I did - I did it again! But the one in September, I did it with a different group of friends. This run was for raising money for a dear friend called Dom Hill who lived in Grove who is a mum from Millbrook Primary school and had terminal Cancer. We decided to do a Crown Funding page for her. We managed to raise £500 for her bucket list. Dom also met my Dad at the Churchill Hospital when they were both there having Chemo at the same time. I was telling Dad about Dom whilst he was having his treatment. I was trying to make Dad laugh and take his mind off things when I spotted Dom in the next bay. Dad was inspired by Dom's battle with Cancer. I think it encouraged him to keep fighting.
After the Pretty Muddy races, I signed myself up for my first 10k for the October in Blenheim Palace. I was nervous, but again, I wanted to do it to show Dad - you can do anything if you put your mind to it! My Mum always said 'there's no such word as cant'. So....I did it and it was great fun. A hard course with the hills, I won't lie but good fun. Dad thought I was going completely mad at this point! "It will ruin your knee's he said"
I signed up to do the White Horse Half Marathon on the 8th April in Grove. This was perfect. Right on my doorstep and Dad could come and see me. Well... so I thought...
I trained really hard for it over the winter months. I upped my miles and pace. I was flying!!! The Race was looming and I kept going. Dad however started to deteriorate so I pushed harder and harder. I think I probably pushed too much too soon and I picked up and injury right before the race in March! I was completely gutted! Runners Knee!!!!!!! It was awful! I had gone from running 11 miles on a Sunday morning and feeling on top of the world to being barely able to run 2 miles without agonising pain with in a few days!
As the race arrived - I knew there was no way I was not going to do this - I was doing it! I am stubborn and I really wanted to show Dad 'I could do it'. Don't let the pain show! I had trained so hard and wanted to prove that going from a couch potato to being able to run a half marathon in under a year was something I never dreamed of doing in my life and something that little old me would never ever ever had done if it wasn't for Dad being diagnosed with Cancer and being asked to join in on a Pretty Muddy run. I would have been someone who would have liked to have done it but I wasn't a runner and I was unfit and would never be able to do it but I had changed. Dad getting cancer has changed me in more ways than one.
As the morning arrived.... I was ready - I had to be! I said I was going to do it and I am. I would walk it if I had to. I knew I could probably manage 6 miles pain free. My physio friend came over my house in the morning and strapped my knee up. I took a load of ibroprofen and was ready!! I set off and felt ok. My knee kicked off around the 2 miles mark but I had a gel and carried on and on and on and on! By 8 miles my knee was screaming! But I carried on through gritted teeth and as mile 12 loomed I powered through over the finish line! My goodness, I could barely walk but I did it. I did it for Dad! I had a little cry well a big cry because he wasn't able to come and see me after all like I had hoped. Unfortunately, he had deteriorated since having an operation on 3rd April and he was up at the Churchill. But he did text me that morning which I still have and it spurred me on 'I will Run with you'.
After the race - I drove (just about) to the Churchill to see him and I took him my 'cup' I had received from the race! He thought I meant a cup as in a trophy cup but..... nope - it was a cup! His face was a sight! He saw me hobbling about at the end of his bed but I said to him not to worry - I'm fine - let me do the worrying!
Dad died in the early hours of Thursday 17th May 2018 at 01:20am. I was there holding his hands with my darling Mum. I have promised him that I will look after Mum and I will continue to run. Purely because I'm stubborn and I know he would tut at me and say 'you'll ruin your knees' but because its my way to deal with what has happened over the last 2 years and for me to still show people that you CAN do something if you put your mind to it and there are some positive that do come out of all the negatives. Cancer is a horrid horrid disease that has effected me, my family and loved ones.
If I can help raise some money to help others to be at Sobell House Hospice to ease their and their families pains then I want to be involved.
On New Years Day 2018, I made a bet with my Dad that I wouldn’t drink alcohol for a whole year in which he said I wouldn’t be able to do it & bet me 100 pounds in which I will now donate to Sobell House. A Bets A Bet Dad!! I would have love to have seen his face & see him try & wriggle out of it!!! I told you I’d do it Dad & I did!!!! Last year, I also signed up for the Bournemouth Supersonic 10k on 6th Oct 2018 in which I set myself a target of a sub hour 10k. I did it in 58 mins! I’ll take that!!!
But.....it’s never going to be enough, never, never - never enough.....so I signed up to do the White Horse Half again in April 2019 & the Oxford Town & Gown. I’m delighted to be in Team Sobell for the Oxford Half in October this year.
My friend Dom, passed away on the 5th December at Sobell House. Fly high beautiful lady. Say hi to Pops for me. We have lost you both too soon but heaven has gained two beautiful souls with a wicked sense of humour. I will miss you dearly.
I couldn't wait to see the back of 2018 - I won’t lie! No matter how many miles I run, I will never get Dad back but I will help raise money for other families to benefit from Sobell House. I’d run a million miles to get Dad back for a split second if I could. But I can’t....
After the no booze in 2018, I’ve now done the White Horse Half again (2nd and final time), the Oxford Town and Gown as I didn't get to do it last year because of my blinking knee and the Oxford Half all for Sobell House and if that isn enough, Ive decided to live without Chocolate for a Whole Year.....
I completed the White Horse half again and its fair to say that it does bring it all back which isn't very nice at times but at the same time I wanted to do it again as you have to go there to come back - right??!! and I won't be doing this race again I've decided. Once bitten, Twice shy.
I know I'm stubborn and never listen and..... always have to get the last word but I hate to think my Dad was actually right when he said, "it'll ruin your knee's....",why is it they always know best.......
It’s been tough lately to get my mojo back after the white horse half & town & gown. I feel there is always this brick wall that just when I think I’m alright, I can get over it, it comes back again, taller & wider to get up & over it!!!!
I know the October half is around the corner. I’d hope to be putting in the miles & getting good times. It’s hard not to put pressure on yourself when you have so much going on in your head..... but..... I will find my mojo - even if I have to run after it!!!!!!
Thank you to every one of you who has taken the time to read this (sorry!) and who has sponsored me. I really can't thank you enough from the bottom of my heart. You truly are amazing!!!!
You're Fabulous xxxxx
