Sophie's 50km Ultramarathon page
Fundraising for Guide Dogs
Fundraising for Guide Dogs
In July 2021 I will be running my first (and most likely, last) Ultramarathon. 6 months of training, 1 running coach and 1 strength coach, and many many ‘this is insane’ moments leading up to a 50km (31.6 miles) multi terrain run. I am raising money for the Guide Dogs charity which holds a very special place in my heart.
During the UK's many lockdowns, I had the pleasure of meeting Levi and his lovely guide dog Hugo. Levi lost his sight in 2012 after the structural failure of a barn conversion he was working on caused him to fall. Within 3 days he had lost his sight, and ended up confined in his home as he lost confidence in leaving the house by himself. He enrolled at the Royal National College for the Blind where he learned to rebuild his life and began to carry out daily activities without his sight.
In 2018, Levi was paired with Hugo. He is a lovely yellow Labrador, 4 years old, incredibly responsive and very gentle in nature. Having Hugo by his side has opened up a whole world of opportunities for Levi, and together the pair have helped fundraise thousands of pounds for Guide Dogs. Hugo has given Levi his life back, allowing his independence and confidence to return.
I have been visiting Levi and Hugo 3 times a week throughout lockdown to help around the house and have the pleasure of taking Hugo out for his exercise. To see the difference that a guide dog can make in someone's life is truly incredible and I hope to help another owner find their perfect match.
Almost two million people in the UK are living with sight loss that has a significant impact on their daily lives. Of those, around 180,000 rarely leave their homes alone and lead lonely, isolated lives. Guide Dogs works for a world where people with sight loss are never left out of life, for a world where being blind or partially sighted is not what defines you. A world with enough support to make the challenges of sight loss no barrier to fulfilling hopes and dreams.
Any donation and all support is greatly appreciated xx
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