Catherine Simpson is running The Virgin London Marathon
Event: Virgin London Marathon 2012 on 22/04/2012
£1,610.00 raised of £1,000.00 target
56 donations
My Target:
£1,000.00
£1,610.00 raised so far
How to make a donation
Donate online at - www.justgiving.com/Catherine-Simpson2
By mobile internet Scan this code on your smartphone to go straight to Catherine Simpson's page.
By text message to donate £10 Text LYDL94 £10
to 70070
My story
Updated on Apr 19th 2012 at 1:19 PM from the JustGiving API
I'm good for the miles and come Hell or high water I'll cross that finish. Money well spent I'd say! Xx
Updated on Apr 17th 2012 at 7:16 PM from the JustGiving API
Well I've reached my fundraising target. However, there's still a few bodies out there that said they would sponsor me but haven't yet. It would be lovely to give the folks at the NSPCC more than they were expecting so don't be shy: pledge your support and I promise I'll be thinking of you between miles 24-26 on Sunday and all the way home on Monday. Thanks guys. You are bright shining stars xxx
Updated on Apr 3rd 2012 at 8:18 AM from the JustGiving API
Some fantastic donations and fundraising ideas at my Slimming World group last night. Thank you everyone xxx
Updated on Mar 28th 2012 at 8:02 PM from the JustGiving API
Well, it's the last payday before I do the big one. Time's running out to sponsor me if you haven't already. It doesn't matter if it's 10p: anything you give will go to the NSPCC who will use the money to keep Childline running. Please pledge your support: you never know when a child you know may need someone to turn to. All my love, Simpson xxx
Updated on Mar 22nd 2012 at 6:26 PM from the JustGiving API
Just got my race number through: look for 47812 on the telly. That's me!!!!
Updated on Mar 17th 2012 at 2:32 PM from the JustGiving API
Another 20 mile run in the bag today. Five weeks to go....
Updated on Feb 19th 2012 at 5:55 PM from the JustGiving API
First twenty mile run completed today. Still can't believe I can run 15 even. Tired but happy :-D
ALL MONIES RAISED ARE GOING TO THE NSPCC
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I’ve battled with food all my life. I love it. I love cheese (boards in particular) and chocolate (‘finest’ moment: scoffing 2kg of Quality Street in one go in front of the TV) and pick ‘n’ mix and crisps (big bags of onion rings) and ICE CREAM. None of this Mr Whippy nonsense though: the best ice cream comes in a 2ltr tub and is dense, custard-based, home-made vanilla. Feeds one: me. So it’s no surprise I tipped the scales at 25st 2.5lbs when I joined a local Slimming World group in January 2009.
I joined Slimming World with a friend, fully expecting to stick with it for a few weeks then give up and instantly regain any weight I’d lost. However, I left that first group buzzing with excitement at the possibilities. I went home and read my new member’s pack from cover to cover and didn’t sleep a wink. I was planning meals in my head for the rest of the week. I got to grips with the plan pretty quickly (I’m vegetarian so only had to grasp the Green plan at the time) and in my first week I lost six pounds. After four weeks I’d lost a stone and although my initial plan had been to ‘coast’ for a bit and just stick to the plan I was itching to hit the gym. So I did.
Joining a gym when you are completely unfit and weigh 24 stones is daunting; no matter how friendly the gym claims to be. Most people in that situation would feel conspicuous. I knew the lay of the land: I’d done the whole gym thing before and enjoyed it, but I did feel like I had to swallow my pride, ignore all the athletic-types in their Lycra, and just get on with being red-faced and sweaty in my own corner.
I became a total gym-bunny that year and over Christmas my colleagues started to discuss the BUPA Great Manchester 10k as the charity we work for had places. I agreed to run. Then I panicked. I hadn’t run since school and six miles seemed like an awfully long way. Failure wasn’t an option, especially when my amazing friends started pledging cold hard cash for my efforts. The first time I ran was on the treadmill; I managed ninety seconds and thought I was going to die. I was purple-faced and wheezing like an asthmatic bulldog. January to May 2010 was spent in a heady routine of panicking, wheezing and interval training. The first time I ran outside it was -4°. I managed ⅓ of a mile and my lungs BURNED. The first time I ran a complete mile I thought my legs would give way. But they didn’t, and I realised that I was capable of focusing on a goal and pushing myself to achieve it.
I’d not really thought much about what would happen after the 10k. Once it was done and dusted it felt as if I’d be going backwards if I stopped running, so I just kept things ticking over on the treadmill. I’d only really been able to run for a maximum of about fifteen minutes indoors because I was a clock-watcher who imposed her own restrictions: ‘You’re struggling. You can’t do this.’ One day something just clicked and I knocked out an hour. I’d found my ‘place’ where you hit your rhythm, your stride feels relaxed, and you completely zone out. I ran the Wilmslow Half Marathon in March 2011, completed the Total Warrior 10K assault course in August 2011, and shortly afterwards I applied for a Marathon place.
At the beginning of December 2011 I reached my weight loss target. I've lost a total of 12st 2.5lbs and no longer recognise myself. I've gone from being a defeatist couch potato to someone who will put her fear to the back of her mind and give pretty much anything a go.
I want to run the marathon because I’ve watched it on TV and thought ‘It must be amazing to be able to do that’. What better way to celebrate losing 12 stones than by running VLM 2012? I’ve got a fabulous opportunity to challenge myself and raise money for the NSPCC. I’ve pledged to raise £1000 and it would mean so much to me if you would support the NSPCC by sponsoring me. Anything you can give will be appreciated and I can guarantee that thinking of your generosity when I’m fifteen miles into a cold and wet training run will keep me going.
Many of you will have already supported me through my weight loss with words of encouragement, the patience to listen to me rant when I’ve had a bad week and with good old-fashioned love. I’m so grateful and really do thank you from the bottom of my fully-functioning cardiovascular system.
With all my love,
Cath x
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My gallery 7
My charity
SMILES
Charity Registration No. 1061429
SMILES stands for Slimmers Making It a Little Easier for Someone, and each year the SMILES committee chooses a special charity to benefit from the amazing generosity of Slimming World Consultants’ and members’. In 2012 SMILES is raising funds for the NSPCC and the ISPCC.
Donations 56
Well Done. I can only just manage 10k. Very impressive.
Donation by Jennifer Delaney on 04/05/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
From Heather Pointer's SW group, Carol Hagues's SW Group, the customers of Running Bear and staff of David Lewis.
Donation by Anonymous on 26/04/12
£406.33
+ £101.58 Gift Aid
Go Cath, fantastic weather, brilliant day, you're amazing!!! x
Donation by Jennifer Hurd on 22/04/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
All the best Cath. Words can't describe what an inspirational lady you really are. Will be cheering you on! Love the Francis family.x
Donation by Ceri Francis on 21/04/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
All the best foe sunday Cath ... u should be very very proud of yourself love nicole xx
Donation by nicole williams on 20/04/12
£5.00
+ £1.25 Gift Aid
WE KNOW YOU WILL DO IT ALL THE BEST EL PAPA & MAMA
Donation by JOHN GOODMAN on 20/04/12
Saw your achievements in the Express - inspirational that you have achieved so much
Donation by anon. on 20/04/12
£20.00
+ £5.00 Gift Aid
Good luck for Sunday! You truly are an inspiration!!! Well done you. Love Adele and Simon xx
Donation by Adele Williams on 20/04/12
£5.00
+ £1.25 Gift Aid
Catherine, good luck for Sunday. I'm sure you won't need it though! You are such an inspiration and already you've done brilliantly xx
Donation by Susan Donnan on 19/04/12
£26.00
+ £6.50 Gift Aid
Well done Cath, I hope all goes well for you x
Donation by Samantha Warner on 19/04/12
£5.00
+ £1.25 Gift Aid
Good Luck Auntie Cath!! We will be cheering you on. Cant wait to see you! You will be briliant just like always. Lots of love Harrison and Jo xxx
Donation by Jo Whitehouse on 18/04/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
A quick message to help you through the pain barrier.....I've donated now so stop mithering me!
Donation by Martin Day on 18/04/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
good on ya, keep up the fight david
Donation by david pendleton on 17/04/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
I think what you have achieved is amazing - you give me hope with my own personal battle with the bulge!!! well done, and all the best for Sunday x
Donation by Ameera McQueen on 16/04/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
I bet those 10k training days feel like a lifetime ago! You've come so far and I'm sure I don't need to tell you how proud you should feel x
Donation by Linda on 16/04/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
All those pennies in the pot really do add up!. We'll all be cheering you on every step of the way. You're amazing x
Donation by Your Slimming World Family on 16/04/12
£110.45
Best of luck Kath and well done for doing this for this charity
Donation by Alan Hayter on 03/04/12
Well done for all you have achieved . (I attended Slimming World when you first began, to see you now is so inspirational) Good Luck!
Donation by Debbie Shipp on 13/03/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
Literally inspirational; my paltry 13.1 miles seems utterly insignificant!!
Donation by Matt Larkin on 13/03/12
£26.22
+ £6.56 Gift Aid
Go for it Cath. I'm massively proud of everything you have achieved. Your an inspiration and a great friend. Love you loads xxxxx
Donation by Francesca Hall on 26/02/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
Cath so proud of you and willing you on to the finish line Run like the wind on the day love Tina and The Girls
Donation by Tina Panayi on 19/02/12
£30.00
+ £7.50 Gift Aid
You have achieved so much already and now this! Very proud of you Cath and very happy to sponsor you and a great cause xx
Donation by Alison White on 11/02/12
£75.00
+ £18.75 Gift Aid
A -Maze-ING! You should be so proud
Donation by Eileen Byrne on 31/01/12
£10.00
+ £2.50 Gift Aid
You are an inspiration to all of us who are on the slimming world journey. A big well done to you catherine and keep up the good work. x
Donation by Michelle Byram on 29/01/12
£5.00
+ £1.25 Gift Aid
Wishing you all the luck with the London Marathon, will be thinking about you on the day. Amanda xxx
Donation by amanda Brierley on 27/01/12
£20.00
+ £5.00 Gift Aid
Donation summary
- * Online donations£1,610.00
- Offline donations£0.00
- Text donations£0.00
- Total raised£1,610.00
- Gift Aid£306.14
* Charities pay a small fee for our service. Find out how much it is and what we do for it.
