What do you do when you finally get to achieve your dream to run the London Marathon and have a chance to raise more money for the Hospice who provide such comfort and kindness in people’s last days?

You decide to turn your efforts into a MAMMOTH MONTH OF RUNNING! 

Yep! I have gone a bit mental! I am now not just running the London Marathon 2022, I am now book ending that with the Great North Run and Royal Parks Half either side. 

Why? I can’t thank people enough for supporting me during the London Marathon 2020 when I ended up running it virtually during the pandemic - but I want to do more. Rennie Grove Hospice Care, like hospices across the UK, need our support after a challenging couple of years of fundraising during a pandemic.

And so I not only go again, I make it more of a challenge, where I will have to dig even deeper physically and mentally, and equally to recognise what I am asking people to do which is sponsor me again. I committed to the additional fundraising as I know how much it is needed. 

So watch out for some of my fundraising ideas and plans; hopefully we can have some fun along the way!

My story below…

When out of the blue you receive the news you had hoped would never come, your wonderful Mum is given her final prognosis and her ovarian cancer is no longer treatable.

Your planning mode kicks in - she wants to die at home. A hospital bed is delivered and you move her downstairs; you have finally become the carer - after years of her caring for you.

You spend a lot of time together; you laugh, you remember, you chat about anything and you theorise about the future. 

But far quicker than you ever imagined, the brutality of her end days comes to light. She is strong, but the end is near and you know you are out of your depth. And you are so very very scared.

That is exactly the point that Rennie Grove Hospice Care stepped in. 

Rennie Grove’s unique Hospice at Home service were there to support my Mum and give her a choice about how and where she would be cared for in her final days. The understanding they showed my sister and I made every moment together matter. The nurses were by our side whenever we needed them, and gave us the space to be alone together too.

And that’s why I am running the London Marathon, Great North Run AND Royal Parks Half across one month to say thank you to Rennie Grove by raising much needed funds for this amazing charity, and so other families can receive the care and support we did. 

And also in tribute to my Mum, who would have three words for me if she knew I was doing this “Bloody hell Laine”.

Thanks for reading and BIG thanks for your support with my running challenge. My page donations will be sent direct to the charity in a fast and secure way. It’s efficient, saves time and cuts costs for the charity meaning they can carry on caring for those who need it.

So, Laine let’s do this!