HISCOX is running for MS-UK “MS-UK is quite a small charity, but MS is a big thing”

 

‘I used to be a jogger – I used to run every night, around 3 miles and dreamed of running ‘the’ marathon, I applied for a place but didn’t get in. I stopped running in my late 20s, as I thought I had damaged my back because I always seemed to have trapped nerves... well I couldn’t feel my legs properly (uh oh)... and started seeing chiropractors, physio’s, and doing Pilates. After a period of great stress in 2005, I could no longer feel my arms and hands properly, and realised it couldn’t be trapped nerves, by 2008 I was diagnosed with MS.  If I broke into a run now I would fall flat on my face because my legs no longer move at the same rate as the rest of my body.  In my dreams I run.’ Hiscox employee.

 

In 2014, Hiscox has the great honor of supporting MS-UK in the Colchester Half Marathon on March 16th. Our team, based in the Hiscox Colchester office, will be running 13 miles. Read on below to see what our runners think of their challenge;

Natalia Child – The half marathon will be a warm up event for me, as I am privileged to be running (crawling) the London Marathon for MS-UK just four weeks after! The rest of the team are likely to still be recovering from the ½ but they will be with me in true Hiscox spirit. I have been in training since last summer with lunch time runs and plenty of 6am starts in the bitter cold! I am really excited but also daunted by the challenge, I went into this blissfully unaware of the struggles, pains and injuries involved. I’ve now realised that this will definitely be the hardest thing I’ve ever done!!

Naomi Aitken – I am not usually the competitive type, but when a group of staff slightly younger than me suggested completing a half marathon, I found myself saying ‘Yeah, I can do that.’  Given that I frequently find myself tripping over my feet when sober, and my running experience was only to the kitchen to get a cake, I was pleasantly surprised when I found just how determined I can be to achieve the (in my mind) unachievable.  I've dusted off my trainers, taught myself how to run effectively and now slowly building up my miles. I have well and truly  improved my phobia of running.      So family and friends.  You know me, you know I’m no natural runner. Get behind me and put some more incentives in front of me so that I know I am benefiting a worthy cause whilst hopefully only doing minimal damage to my body.

Nicola Manuel – I signed up for this event as I wanted a goal to work on to motivate me for running. The reason for choosing MS-UK is that with having a friend suffering with MS, I wanted to do something to support them or their family and others. The motivation is high, the training has been low but I am hoping that over the next few weeks this will improve! The hardest part for me, will be running the distance without my faithful companion Summer (my Siberian Husky and running partner) and any form of music!!

Mark Banks – People who remember me from my younger years will know that I was mad keen on sport, but never the most gifted of runners, not that quick and unable to run any sort of distance – a fine combination ! It may therefore come as a surprise to them, to see my name on a starter’s sheet for a ½ marathon. So it should, as I’m more than a little surprised myself. I signed up for this following a discussion at the staff Xmas party on 23 December, which gave me just over 3 months to get some training done - nothing like a short timescale to motivate an unfit and overweight 38 year old (yes, that’s all!!) to get off his backside and put in the miles. Here’s to avoiding a visit with the lovely folks of St John’s Ambulance!