Why am I supporting St Catherine’s Hospice?

A dear family friend, Chris Rooke, came into my life when I was about 10 years old.   For more than thirty years, Chris was a constant influence on our lives, bringing her energy, enthusiasm and down-to-earth practicality to bear in every situation.  Although as a teenager, I didn’t always welcome it, looking back, I can clearly see the effort she made to be a positive influence on her friend’s stroppy children.  For more than three years, she struggled against Motor Neurone Disease before passing away this summer.  In the last days, she was cared for at St Catherine’s and her family couldn’t speak highly enough of the care and compassion with which she was treated there. 

The family requested that, instead of flowers, we should make contributions to the Hospice and I am very pleased to be able to raise funds for them so that others going through the same situation can receive the same kind of assistance that was extended to Chris.

 

What’s the challenge?

For more than 25 years, I’ve been a couch vegetable.  Last summer I started to walk to work , no matter the weather.  In November, I started to jog a little as well and as a side benefit even started to lose weight. 

Over dinner, a friend asked if I would be going to try a Marathon (Thanks, Malcolm.) and I decided to give it a go.  So the challenge is to see if I can go from Couch Potato to Marathon Finisher in just 10 months.

 

Marathon du Médoc?  What’s that, then?

The Médoc is an area near Bordeaux, France which produces many of the greatest wines in the world.  For more than 25 years, the local chateaux open their doors in support of the annual Marathon, creating a unique 26 mile long festival of wine and gastronomy.

Described as the Longest Marathon in the World, the Médoc is, nevertheless, the standard 42.2 kilometres in length.  It’s an intimidating distance to attempt but I will making every effort to complete the full distance.

 

Links:

St Catherine’s Hospice

Marathon du Médoc