I’m running a (half) marathon!

On the 26th May, I will be taking part in my first ever competitive sports event by running in the Great Manchester Run’s Half Marathon: 13.1 miles across Manchester, in memory of my brother William, who died suddenly at the age of 22 on the 1st July 2023 as a result of his Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a genetic disorder that is characterised by progressive muscular degeneration and weakness due to deletions on the dystrophin gene, which generates an important protein responsible for keeping your muscles intact. It is a serious condition that essentially causes your muscles to waste away, and most people with Duchenne are completely dependent on a wheelchair by the time they become a teenager. Ultimately, Duchenne is a life-shortening condition, affecting the heart and the respiratory system.

I was in the process of moving house in Stoke when I received the phone call saying that something was wrong: William had been found unresponsive. Despite the efforts of my Mum and Sister, and the phenomenal Norfolk Air Ambulance crew, William did not survive.

I last saw William in April 2023, when I’d been home to Norwich for Easter. He had just finished his degree, and was excited to see how he’d done. He had started at Essex in 2019, completing his Sociology Foundation Year during the lockdowns of 2020 with a Distinction, and a mention in the Dean’s Book of Excellence. He transferred to the UEA so he could study from home, and spent two years following a degree in Art History, Anthropology and Archaeology, but had to transfer a second time when he couldn’t arrange for carers to take him on campus. He finished his final year with the Open University, and had applied to do his Masters in Japanese Studies at the UEA. He was working with Norfolk Social Services to finalise a care package so that he could go on campus. We found out on the day of his funeral that he had passed his degree with honours, and we announced this at his funeral.

So, in his memory, I have decided to enter The Manchester Half Marathon to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy UK, having never run a day in my life outside of secondary school (nearly 10 years ago, which even then I did my best to get out of any kind of PE). I will be starting from scratch, working over the next 17 weeks to prepare for the most physically and mentally demanding challenge of my life. I will be following a strict training regime, including weekly park runs, and I have even joined a gym (something I thought I would never do)! All the money raised will go to Muscular Dystrophy UK, the leading Muscular Dystrophy charity in the UK: supporting families, funding groundbreaking research into new treatments (and hopefully one day, a cure), and campaigning for people’s rights, better understanding of the disease, accessibility in everyday life, and access to treatments. William benefitted from the support of Muscular Dystrophy UK Family workers throughout his school and university career, so it’s a natural choice to try to raise funds for their work. No disability should pose a barrier to someone living a normal, healthy, and happy life.

Any and all donations you are able to make will make a huge difference to people’s lives, and help motivate me as I train over the next 17 weeks. You’ll be able to track my progress on Strava (https://strava.app.link/xjnRkpcZkIb) and Instagram (@th0m_runs) too! Please share this page as widely as you can, and spare a thought for me as I start running!