I’m not sure why but this weekend feels like a half way
point, for me. We’ve got 8 Weeks (!) until our ‘Mile for Muscles’ and yet I
started to plan this in September last year. I have no reasoning for feeling like
this but it feels good.
As you’ve seen I have been asking people two questions and
posted their participant profiles online. Who are you? Why are you taking part
in mile for muscles? As I’ve said before now, these are entirely up to that
individual and the answers are unedited (as you would have seen from Phil’s).
I’ve been so impressed with so many friends and family and I
feel very humbled by some of the things that have been said. I just want people
to know about these conditions and try to help a little, that’s all.
Michelle is now part of a running club and I couldn’t be
prouder, as I said already, it doesn’t matter how slow she runs, she’s faster
than the Michelle from one month ago. Our friend Marie started to text me last
weekend to tell me that she wanted to organise a raffle and take all the hassle
of it away from me. Marie posted about that on social media, said who and what
it was for and had gifts at her feet within minutes. Paul Adams is cracking on
with the music element for ‘Music for Muscles’ and Val, the landlady of the
Aristocrat is always asking what she can do for us and if I’m ok with
everything. My father-in-law, John, will be making sandwiches and more to keep
everyone fed on the day and with all this I’m starting to feel a sense of
unity. This really hit home with me after I posted a profile last weekend of my
friend Hayley and Nathan Still put the comment ‘Welcome on board’, something so
simple but kept me smiling for ages! I really enjoy seeing things like that. We
are a team and everyone should be celebrated for what they are doing, that
means now and on the day, so I second what Nathan said and I say it to all of
you with gratitude and heartfelt thanks.
One thing I must put some emphasis on and forgot to last
week was the fact that people are travelling to do this and not from just round
the corner either. Last weekend I also did profiles on Gray and Jo. Gray will
be coming from Lancashire to run his mile and Jo will be coming from West
Yorkshire to run her mile, with family in tow too. I think that’s massive and I
apologise for not mentioning it before now.
 |
| Runners from all over the UK, incl the fantastic Jo! |
Since doing these profiles I’ve had two people get in touch
with me that wanted to raise the bar even more, to challenge themselves, to
help us. Dean Murray was going to originally cycle a mile on his bike but has
now decided to cycle the whole 26 miles and he also wants to try to do this in less
than 90 minutes. I’m speaking to MD UK at this minute to get you a cycling
shirt, Dean. Thank you!
You may also remember Mark Sammon who I introduced as one of
our elite runners. Mark was moved by BBC newsnight this week which featured the
story about Translarna, a drug which needs funding for boys with Duchenne. Mark
commented on Facebook, “I watched this
tonight and it really brings home the anguish of the parents – we must do more!
I have an idea and I’ll message you about it tomorrow.”
 |
| Mark, The Marathon Man, with wife, Lou |
Like Dean, Mark has challenged himself because he can (his
own words), Mark has decided to run a marathon that day. Mark will run 26.2
miles as if he was in London doing it officially and as far as I know, nobody
has ever run a marathon for charity in Aylesbury before. Also, Mark wants to
add an element of fun and competitiveness to this, he would like to ‘Race the
Relay’. Who will be fastest, us or Mark?
All this information will be added to
and adjusted on our team Just Giving page.
So we have a few more elements added to what I hope is a
great day and people are really overwhelming me with support and care.
Mark will set off at 11:00 or 12:30 depending on the
weather. My daughter, Lucie will start the relay at 12:00 and Dean will set off
at 14:00, so we will all, hopefully, finish near the same time.
The hardest part of any charity event, for me, is asking
people for donations and money. I must say this has been a little different;
I’m arranging lots of different parts of this marathon and that’s great, busy
but productive and full of positivity. The problem I have is actually walking
but I’m told not to worry as we have a wheelbarrow ready to get me to the
finish if needs must. I won’t let that happen.
I’m like the rest of you, I’m in training for a very special
day and it bloody hurts. I am trying to walk the last mile of this marathon and
it might not seem like much but it is when you can hardly walk at all. A great
runner once said to me ‘A challenge is a
challenge because it’s relative to that person’. If anyone could add any
money or share our page and our story with others then that would be greatly
appreciated. The target is set to what it is because that equates to one full week
of research paid for by us and I think we can raise that much.
Imagine if a scientist had a 'eureka' moment and that was
financed by something we did, together?
“Remember that day in 2015 when we raised that cash and funded
that research, which found that treatment, fantastic wasn’t it!”
Thank you all, for everything.
30/08/15
#MileForMuscles
#CountMeIn
TEXT:- MMFM92
£5, £10, £20 (or any amount)
To:- 70070
£5, £10, £20 (or any amount)
To:- 70070
No comments:
Post a Comment