WHY!?

Anyone who knows me knows the love-hate relationship I've had with running since I started, well into my 40's, in 2016.  I'm clearly not a natural sportswoman but have loved the friends I've made through this hobby and the wonderful club I've been a part of since then - the awesome NRC.

One person who has really inspired and who's story and support continues to help me to this day is the wonderful Ben Smith - you may know him better as 401 Ben since he ran 401 back-to-back Marathons in 2015/16, a venture that earned him the Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason award in 2016... more on that later.

I worked for 9 straight years from 2011 at the Great North Run and in latter years desperately wanted to be able to take part, but was unable as was needed there for work.  Then, Covid.  Last year could have been an option but it was a leap for someone who had been locked away hiding from a virus for a year, so into the 2022 ballot I went.

As a child I was raised, not least, by my wonderful grandmother.  With her proud London roots, she frequently took me on holidays to London and loved showing me all the sights and haunts of her youth.  Since her passing in 2013, whenever I go to the city I think of her.  As a child, we would watch the Marathon in awe every year as she reeled off the landmarks with the slick knowledge of a London black cab driver. I have always vowed that if I ever did tackle the epic 26.2 then London Marathon would have to be it.  So into the 2022 ballot I went.

HOW?

We all know that no-one gets a place in either of these events with a ballot entry... don't we!?  So imagine my flabbergast at landing a place for this year in not one, but both these epic, world-leading runs.  So, this year I will be taking on the World's greatest Half Marathon, the Great North Run on 11th September.  And just 3 weeks later I'll be headed to the big smoke for the one and only London Marathon, surely the greatest Marathon in the world, on 3rd October. Honestly, how lucky am I!?!

It's worth noting that at the time of bagging this ultimate prize in the lottery of running, I was still taking part in couch-to-5k with my beloved club for the eleventieth (and last!) time... so this is indeed going to be a mahoosive leap for me. But it is a chance that tens of thousands of others would kill for, so I totally appreciate how blessed I am for this opportunity.

So, here I am.  doing what I have only ever envied others for doing and fully committing the rest of my year to training for these events.  As someone with an intense anxiety about races, I'm fairly certain this will be the first and only time I do these, and I am going to give it my everything.  And this is more about why...

THE 401 FOUNDATION

When Ben took on his own epic challenge in 2015, it was in order to raise money for mental health and anti-bullying charities for his own very personal reasons.

Since then, his renown and his foundation have grown and flourished.  And when you know Ben, it's easy to see why.  His drive and passion are totally infectious, and the work his wonderful foundation is doing to fund mental health projects on a grass-roots level in all our local communities is just incredible.

https://www.the401foundation.co.uk/ 

Quite apart from my admiration for Ben, as someone with first-hand experience of mental health struggles, it's a cause that is very close to my heart.  They've been working tirelessly since 2017 to  empower people and their local communities to build confidence, self esteem and improve mental health through providing financial grants.

Throughout a lot of my training this year, Ben will be tackling his next epic challenge in support of the foundation - the USA Challenge.  An unrelenting mission to run a marathon in every single US state, then cycle between each, in less than 104 days.  Unbelievable right!?  But he's been training for this for years and has the most tenacious, resilient attitude I've ever seen, and he will smash it.  

https://www.the401challenge.co.uk/theusachallenge

So my own tiny effort will be small-fry in relation to the scale of his challenge, but every bit as life-changing for me as his two challenges have been for him, I'm fairly certain.

That's why there would only ever be one cause for me to support on my journey this year, and I am so very grateful to you all for reading this and for supporting me in trying to contribute to Ben's goal of raising £104k in the process.

In tough times of rising prices and financial hardship, I am so very thankful to each and every one of you who can sponsor me even a small amount for this once in a lifetime challenge.  

Thank you, so very much, I won't let you down!

Donna x

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.