Jim is running a marathon! (That’s 26.2 miles!)

My name is Jim Currie. In 2024 I turn 60 and decided that to celebrate I’d like to complete a couple of running challenges. I hope that you will help me celebrate this by supporting me and donating some money to support Aberdeen Blueberry Wellness.

Aberdeen Blueberry Wellness

Aberdeen Blueberry Wellness exists to work with communities to improve key health and fitness concerns, via education and employment. It does so by providing Fitness Classes and Healthy Eating advice in local communities where these opportunities may not be available. Blueberry also provides education to people to allow them to become fitness professionals who will lead these classes. I qualified as an instructor with them and lead a fitness class in Tillydrone Community Campus.

Your donations will help to bring more classes to Tillydrone and other communities within the city.

A little about me

I can very much identify with the goals of Blueberry Wellness in creating health and fitness opportunities in the community. There have been times in my life when I have been very far removed from health and fitness. I have also had times when I was very overweight and unfit. Around 18 months ago I decided that I needed to get fit once and for all. I successfully lost half of my bodyweight and have managed to maintain this. As my weight fluctuated, so too did my participation as a runner. I was a late starter and didn’t take up running until I was in my 40s. I have run on and off ever since, although often more off than on! As you can imagine, when my body size was as shown in my cover pic, my running was slow and infrequent if at all. When I decided to lose weight, it was also time to dust off the running shoes. Taking up running again as I approach 60 does have its advantages. Whereas for most 60-year-old runners, their best times are behind them, I know that I still have my best times ahead of me. I have already recorded new personal bests at various distances

With this in mind, I thought that I might be able to use my running to help others. Hopefully you will identify with what I’m doing and be willing to support me in my challenges.

Challenge 1

Back during my earlier running years my time for 10km was around 60 minutes. On one occasion I managed to get below this. As I restarted running, my most recent best time was 68 minutes around four years ago. The plan is to go “60 under 60”, celebrating my 60th birthday by getting back under 60 minutes. Well, it seems that speed sessions and losing a lot of excess weight pays dividends. I have managed to get below 60 minutes on a few occasions in training, with a best time of 53 minutes. Obviously to complete the challenge, I will have to record this time after my 60th birthday, but I’m confident that I have this one in the bag. So, this led me to start working on a 2nd challenge.

CHALLENGE COMPLETED on 24/4/24 (see updates section below)

Challenge 2

I’m going to be running the Loch Ness Marathon on 29th September 2024. This will be the first time that I have completed this distance. I trained for the marathon back in 2007, but had to stop due to an injury. I ran on and off after this, but never got anywhere near it again. My longest training run had been 20 miles and I held on to this as at least being more than most people could manage! When I took up running again. Initially, I only had my “60 under 60” challenge in mind. However, I begun to get close to that standard quite quickly and thought “Well, what next?” The undone marathon must have been on my mind as this jumped out as being the next thing for me to target. Catching the one that got away, 17 years later! So, I’m now pursuing both challenges at the same time.

UPDATE: I'm now also running The Mount Marathon in Aberdeen on 25th August (see details in the updates section at the foot of the page)

I won’t lie, running a marathon is tough and there is no guarantee that I will get it done this time! I hope though that you will support me, and in doing so support Blueberry Wellness. They have helped to inspire me in my journey to fitness and with the funds that you donate, they can help many more.

One final word, I hope that you will donate in recognition of my efforts, rather than my success. I cannot guarantee that I will complete my challenges, but you can be assured of 100% effort in my attempts.

Article from “The Tilly Tattle” outlining some of my story and my involvement with Blueberry Wellness

You can read the article on page 6 at this link

Recent Feature in The Press and Journal

Online version here https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/lifestyle/health-and-wellbeing/6391794/chocolate-every-day-runner-tillydrone-11-stone/

Please check back on this page and I'll update you on my progress (see below)