FUNDRAISING IN PICTURES

After months of training and blogging every moment of this journey—the trials, the tribulations, and countless references to my “whys”—it all came down to this one day. Arriving at the park, with the sun shining and the tannoy blaring, it was hard not to get caught up in the electric atmosphere. All I could think at that moment was, “How on earth am I going to do this?” 

But hey, Paula Radcliffe started us off, and I swear I saw a mischievous twinkle in her eye as we set off. It is the look of someone who knows exactly what kind of pain we are all about to endure. My knees have always been a bit touchy, especially during training. So, with extra strapping, supports, and enough painkillers to tranquilize an elephant, knee care was at the forefront of my mind as we kicked off. The first couple of miles were rough, with my left knee protesting like a teenager told to clean their room. But then, like magic, the twinges stopped, and I found my stride. Suddenly, the sunshine was a blessing rather than a nuisance. It was as if the pain gave up out of sheer boredom.

As you trudge through a marathon, you realize that you are always trailing behind someone. Amidst the sea of charity runners and photos of loved ones, it dawned on me that we were all running for love—love for a cause, love for a lost one. Love was our fuel, each of us on our own personal odyssey, running and remembering why we embarked on this crazy journey in the first place. It was a beautiful moment of solidarity.

I met incredible people along the way. There was Paul, on a mission to complete his challenge of a 100 marathons, his enthusiasm contagious enough to make even my blistered feet want to dance. And then there was Vee from Sri Lanka, with whom I shared the struggle between miles 18 and 22. I spotted her hobbling away from the paramedics, and despite our pain, we bonded over our shared goal: just to finish! These moments of camaraderie were like little pockets of gold in a sea of sweat and exhaustion. 

But most importantly, at the 25k point, Mariusz was sustained by the care box brought by my wonderful brother and support team. It really did give us both the lift we needed at that point, spurring us on with renewed vigour and enthusiasm.

Life is like the route of a marathon—full of ups and downs, twists and turns. Sure, there are times when you feel like collapsing at the bottom of a hill and never getting up again. But you must keep pushing, because when our time is up, all we have is the memories of how far we have come and the blisters to prove it.

Crossing the finish line was a moment of pure euphoria. But the real tearjerker? Seeing “The Veteran” with his crutches, the cheering, well talk about inspirational! Jahvon, who was with me every step of the way, albeit in spirit. His courage in pursuing the WAKO K1 Kickboxing British Champion title was a constant source of motivation for me. 

Jahvon, you are a legend. Thank you for inspiring me to keep putting one foot in front of the other, even when my feet felt like they belonged to someone else.

So, here is to crossing the finish line, to the blisters, the laughter, and the tears. And here is to Jahvon, who continues to inspire us all to chase our dreams, one marathon at a time. 🖤💚🖤

"Virtue in not knowing, but doing" -Japanese Proverb-