Oh gosh, where do I start with this?

I suppose, really, I should start by introducing myself. I'm Col, I'm 52 and I'm not much of a runner. I only started my on/off relationship with running again in July 2021 after a 4 year break.  However, I do like a challenge, it keeps me motivated and stops me sitting on the sofa binge watching boxsets. So, I came up with this little project to keep me out and about during 2022 - over the course of 12 months I am aiming to run:

100 x 5ks

50 x 10ks

25 x Half Marathons

Just to put this into perspective, in my entire life I've only ever run 3 slow half marathons, a couple of dozen 10ks and maybe 4 or 5 Parkruns.

Anyway, if you add all those runs up then you get a total of 1525km which is, more or less, the distance from home to Barcelona - hence the name of the challenge, Col's Run to the Sun. A virtual run down the UK, through France and into Spain sounds like a really nice way of keeping track of how I'm doing and keeps me motivated. The thought of virtually running through the south of France or The Pyrenees Mountains when its actually a cold, wet day in February as I plod along the pavements of East Manchester may well help keep me going. 

***UPDATE***

As well as the running to Barcelona thing (as if that wasn't enough) I have now been persuaded to do something else. 

My day job is as a mountain guide and I am going to lead a group around a 95km (60mile), 40 summit route in The Lake District in 24 hours on the 9th July. I think its the toughest pure hiking route in England. It will start and finish in Keswick and pass through the North Western fells to Buttermere. Climb more summits on the way to Scafell Pike and Great Gable before crossing the pass of Dunmail Raise and the ridge that includes Helvellyn and back to Keswick. It is seriously tough but I'm still more scared by the 25 half marathons 😁

That kind of gets me to why am I doing this? I'm sure that's a question I will be asking myself many times over the course of the year!  Well, there are a few reasons but, mainly, having had my own issues with mental health in the past I really wanted to do something that supported a charity dealing with mental illness. My own personal way of dealing with these issues is usually through the great outdoors and exercise and so I wanted to do something to promote getting outside as a positive way of combatting some of the stresses and strains of the lives we live and as a way of raising funds for a local charity, The Anthony Seddon Fund. As part of the challenge I am going to set up a Facebook page where I can document all these runs, not only as a way of people being able to see how I am getting along but also to act as a kind of reflective journal almost and hopefully inspire one or two people to get off the sofa and leave the boxsets for a while. You can find the Facebook page here - 

Col's Run to the Sun | Facebook

The Anthony Seddon Fund are a small mental health charity, passionate about helping local people who are living with mental illness and its effects. We aim to advance awareness and educate the general public, in particular children and young people, in all areas relating to mental health and well-being. We also wish to improve the quality of life of people affected by mental health issues, their families, friends and carers, in Tameside and surround areas by promoting and protecting their physical and mental health through practical support, education and advice.