Karen Forbes

Karen's page

Fundraising for Help for Heroes
£1,041
raised
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London to Brighton 90k Ultra Run, 5 September 2010
Participants: Karen Forbes-Willis
Help for Heroes

Verified by JustGiving

RCN 1120920 (England & Wales) and SC044984 (Scotland)
We help veterans and their families to live the life they deserve after service

Story

Hello all,

Well, the big day has been and gone. Firstly, a massive thanks to you all for your generous donations....with your support I have raised £860 for Help for Heroes which is just fantastic.

So onto the day itself.....250 entered the run and 150 had shown up on the day, at 5am in Blackheath TA centre I registered my name and signed the non disclaimer...which went something along the lines of it's your own fault if you get lost or die along the way. Mmm. At 6am we gathered at the start line and after some tips from the race organisers (two chaps) we were told to get going. Sat Map in hand off I trotted, and I am please to tell you I did not get lost, unlike some poor souls who never made the finish (they could still be out there living off the forest).

Everything was going well until I took on an injury to the left knee around mile 15 which made the down hills agony, and my cold was beginning to take it's toll by mile 30 and I had a nice blister blowing up under my big toe. Come mile 40 onwards my joints were screaming at me to stop and running became more of a hobble. But 15 hours after leaving Blackheath I finally reached Brighton...exhausted beyond belief I hobbled towards my family who were cheering me on, collected my medal and T-Shirt and fell into the car vowing never to run another Ultra!

4 days later, my cold is clearing up, the blister is gone and the knee is starting to heal. The Great South run looms closer and then the Doyen of the Downs Ultra in December.....,me..addicted? I can give up this running nonsense anytime!

K x

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Ultra Run Countdown - 5 days to go!

Well folks, after a number of attempts to navigate sections of the course (I'll be taking a rain check on my previous reference to map reading and girls)....several weekends on early starts for long training runs (followed by ice packs to various sore muscles) and 1 very expensive ruck sack later (essential kit for carrying my Mars Bars) I am now fully prepped and ready for the London to Brighton Run this Sunday, 5th September. 

For all those who have sponsered me, wished me luck (and also fell about laughing) my heart felt thanks to you for supporting me and making a donation to Help for Heroes.

Next and final update - Monday 6th September - assuming I have found my way out of Ashurst Wood :-)

NB - notes from my training runs....

Lizzie - thanks for the route rekkies, sorry about the navigation...we were only 15 miles out in the end and what is a mere 15 miles between friends.

Terry - thanks for the SAT MAP - huzzah!

To a woman I met in Dormansland - yes, in hindsight I concede that you are better qualified than I to know where your house is on my map and thus my current position in the South East of England

K x

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Hello all - welcome to my Just Giving Page to raise money for Help for Heroes

Unless you are a milkman there is no earthly reason to get up at 4:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning; however, on 5th September this is the time I will be dragging myself out of bed to run, walk, hobble and crawl 90k from London to Brighton in a 13 hour Ultra Run. The course is cross country and there will be a fair amount of orienteering, thus proving that girls can read maps!

Along the way I aim to raise as much money as possible for Help for Heroes and will try not to dwell on the reasons why I should have stayed in bed.

Help for Heroes is an amazing charity providing support to all those who have given their lives recently for this country and to all men and women who have been so horrendously injured or mentally traumatised in Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflicts in which we have been involved.  For every soldier killed in Afghanistan, another five are severely injured and their injuries are beyond our imagination.

So please donate as generously as you can.  I've not put a target on how much I want to raise however I appreciate every penny/pound donated.

NB I'll take some photos along the run and upload onto my JustGiving page - they are not going to be pretty! 

K x

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About the charity

Help for Heroes

Verified by JustGiving

RCN 1120920 (England & Wales) and SC044984 (Scotland)
Veterans & their families face their toughest battles yet. Painful injuries. Mental trauma. Disability. Isolation. Our life-changing services support them. From physical & mental health care, to help with welfare & medical needs. Your fundraising ensures they get this specialist support for life.

Donation summary

Total raised
£1,041.00
+ £273.87 Gift Aid
Online donations
£1,021.00
Offline donations
£20.00

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