𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁 58𝗸𝗺 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗿𝗮: 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀

In mid-May, I’m taking on a challenge that is currently making my legs and my common sense question everything: 𝗔 58𝗸𝗺 "𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗳-𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗿𝗮" 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁.

This isn't just a long jog. It’s a gruelling stretch of coastal roads and paths with some seriously unforgiving elevation. I enjoy sports, but I am not a long-distance runner. This will be a test of mental grit, physical endurance, and, most likely, emotional stability somewhere around the 40km mark.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲?

I’m raising money for 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲, a charity that connects young people from less advantaged backgrounds with inspiring mentors. They help students make confident, informed decisions about their futures, using technology to bridge the gap between where a young person is and where they want to be.

I don’t have a direct link to the charity, but their mission hits home for me. Growing up in a single-parent household where money was tight, university felt like a world away.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿

I was lucky. I had mentors who changed the trajectory of my life:

𝗠𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗱: An RAF electrical engineer taught me the value of a tireless work ethic and the pride of a life well-lived

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀: From primary school to college, I had people who pushed me to dream bigger and convinced me that determination, not just background, shapes your future.

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗸𝘆. Brightside ensures that a child's background doesn’t define their potential by putting a mentor in their corner when they need it most.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻" 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁)

I’m a firm believer that we can achieve more than we think if we just commit. To prove it, I’m currently deep in a training plan that involves:

Increasing my long runs by 5𝗸𝗺 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸.

Ensuring 75–80% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 (to mimic the Jurassic Coast).

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 to make sure my knees don’t give up before I do.

𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀: Week two is done. I recently conquered a 15km hill run, stopping only on one incline. There was heavy breathing, some questionable facial expressions, and a lot of "why am I doing this?", but the small victories are adding up.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀

Every pound goes directly toward giving a young person the guidance they deserve:

£5 could fund a mentor to give expert advice on a CV

£10 could fund a video mentoring session

£20 could fund questions and answers in our Ask the Expert forum

£50 could fund a month of life-changing mentoring

𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆

I’ll be posting updates and photos on Facebook. Expect plenty of sweat, stunning coastal views, and the occasional "training fail."

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁. Whether it’s a donation or a kind word, you’re helping me get up those hills and, more importantly, helping Brightside change lives.