***UPDATE*** I finished the Marathon in 3:54:01 - Thank you SO much to all of you who donated and helped to SMASH the target of £1000... 

On Christmas Eve I am running a Marathon around my countryside village Abbots Bromley to raise money for Age UK and to help support the elderly...

through a difficult Winter where, with the impact of Coronavirus, the already unprecedented demand for the support of the elderly is only set to increase over the coming months.

As a 23 year old gym-goer of 2 years, I'd consider myself to be pretty fit on the whole, but I've never taken my running beyond a very steady 15km... So, with a healthy splash of childish optimism and some well placed motivation, I'm going to put my fairly unconditioned legs through 322 miles (515.2km) of village countryside over the course of 12 weeks. Ending with a solo ran Marathon, running 6.5 laps of a 4 mile route on what I imagine will be a frosty Christmas Eve Morning!

Wow 2020... it feels like you never really happened. 

March turned into September like the blink of an eye and we were given a long-overdue reminder of the commodities that many of us take for granted. Seeing friends, hugging loved ones, sharing smiles - All taken from us in a passing of what seems like mere seconds.

Confusion and fear of the real insecurity that we face as we look to our futures. For some, years of training and investment into specialist careers that now are no longer viable or at all realistic. For others, how they are going to put food on the table and provide for themselves, their families, the ones they love.

And for those who are the subject of my fundraiser, the elderly. Our elderly. Those who weathered the decades long before our existence was contemplated, Who have contributed to society in every way possible, Who have lived through phenomenal amounts of cultural, political, technological changes and wear the scars. 

These once young, resilient, members of OUR society whom now are no longer independent and must rely on the good heart of others are facing a reality that pains me to fathom. Winter is always a challenge amongst the elderly and those with mental/physical health conditions - Cold days, shorter days, dark days. Vulnerable days. Often filled with silence, isolation and the depletion of hope.

Now, with the challenge of coronavirus, we must remind ourselves of what it is to be human and to be a part of a community. Through a lack of social interaction it is now easier than ever to turn a blind eye to the unpleasant thoughts of these lone souls. 

Their realities are not forced upon us. And this leaves us with a choice - Whether to offer a hand or not

I would love for you to donate through my fundraiser but if you can't contribute financially then I appeal to you to reach out to your community-

*Respect the social guideline restrictions and contact those neighbours around you, see if they need anything - Do they need any groceries? Anything in their house broken and needs fixing? (They might be overwhelmed with not knowing who to contact) Are they lonely, or would they like to talk on the phone some nights? (Could you help them set up Skype? Maybe you could source them a webcam reach some friends of theirs?) It all starts with a conversation. And I guarantee that you will feel great from it!

A message from Age UK:

Age UK needs your help to support older people during the coronavirus outbreak. We are seeing unprecedented demand for their services and expect this to continue to grow over the coming weeks and months. This is a time of great anxiety for everyone, but especially for older people and their loved ones. Age UK is determined to be there for older people who need our help and especially for those who have no one else to turn to. By donating to Age UK, you will help to reach the older people that need us most.