On Monday 31st October 2022 my Mum was suddenly admitted into Hospital due to Alcoholic cirrhosis. She was given 3 months to live, 2 days later she died.

14 months later, I called an ambulance for my Dad. He had gone into severe shock due to excessive drinking. His resting heart rate was 162, he could not stand, was vomiting and shaking violently. His body simply couldn’t cope anymore.

He spent the next two weeks in hospital detoxing, in and out of consciousness. He was hallucinating, lost all of his bodily functions, and nearly died.

He had been drinking heavily for over 50 years and when he came out of hospital on Feb 27th 2024, he was told he can never drink again.

He has been sober ever since.

He is my hero.

I didn’t know it at the time, but what I witnessed, and the effect on me emotionally, changed my life.

I just couldn’t look at Alcohol in the same way anymore.

It made me question my own relationship with Alcohol, and so I spent 2024 being ‘Sober Curious’.

I read all the books that I could about Alcohol and its effects on the body and mind. I joined an online Group for 6 months, journaled and experimented with long periods of being Alcohol Free. It resulted in more free time and so I started to exercise regularly. I joined Bootcamp, and ultimately started running.

I did my first 10k race in October 2024. I will never forget how great that felt.

In the Summer of 2027 I will turn 50 years old. I want to raise Alcohol awareness and so I am challenging myself to run 50 x 10km runs.

Starting 1/1/25, hoping to do it in 12 months. Approx 1 per week. That's 310.5 miles.

My aim is to raise a minimum of £5,000 for Alcohol Change.

Alcohol doesn’t just affect the person that is drinking it, it has an impact on everyone around them too. I have been so fortunate to have amazing friends and family who have all been there to support me.

Now I want to help support other people and help them understand Alcohol harm, to be Sober Curious, help a family member or stop, by supporting the charity ‘Alcohol Change’.

Please will you donate and help me reach my target.

(Dates of all of my races will be listed below, and will be added continually, I will also be doing local runs and runs on the running machine)

I welcome anyone who wants to join any runs with me!

Follow me on instagram - alcoholawarerunwithclaire. I will be posting updates on Instagra and Strava.

1 = 5/1/25 - 10km completed on treadmill ✔️ (time 67:31)

2 = 12/1/25 10km completed with Lisa at Bradgate Park ✔️( time 62:02)

3 = 19/1/25 10km Bradgate Park ✔️ (time. 63)

16/2/25 - Nottingham

13/4/25 - Leic Big 10

13/7/25 - Leicester Race for Life