In July 2026, we are taking on a huge challenge...

The plan is to run around Kielder Water Reservoir in Northumberland four times, covering around 105 miles in total - the equivalent of four marathons back-to-back.

The route is expected to include around 10,000 feet of elevation gain, making it not just a test of physical but mental strength too.

But this is about far more than running.

We are calling this challenge “The Weight We Carry” because not all weight is measured in kilograms.

Some weight sits on the body.

Some weight sits in the mind.

Some weight comes from the past.

Some weight comes from pressure, grief, regret, addiction around us, family history, loneliness, money worries, self-doubt, and the quiet battles people carry without anyone really seeing.

When this journey started, part of it was about getting fitter, losing weight, and preparing the body for 100 miles.

That still matters.

But the deeper meaning has become clearer.

This run is about mental health awareness. It is about opening conversations. It is about reminding people that they are not alone, even when life feels heavy. It is about proving that we are not finished just because we have struggled, fallen, changed direction, or carried more than people know.

Running 105 miles around Kielder will hurt. There will be tired legs, dark hours, doubt, pain, and moments where stopping would be easier.

But that is part of the point.

Many people live with that kind of weight every day — the invisible kind. The kind you carry while still going to work, smiling, paying bills, looking after others, and pretending you are fine.

We are raising money for CALM - Campaign Against Living Miserably - because their work supports people who are struggling and helps open up conversations around suicide prevention and mental health.

They've got loads of tools and resources to help people find the support they need, including a life-saving helpline for people who can’t see a way forward, have lost someone to suicide, or are worried about their friends or loved ones.

£12.20 is enough to fund one potentially life-saving call.

We know not everyone can donate, and that is completely okay.

If you can donate, thank you.

If you can share this page, thank you.

If this simply reminds you to check in on someone, start a conversation, or speak more honestly about what you are carrying, then this challenge already means something.

105 miles. Four laps of Kielder Water. Around 10,000 feet of climbing. For the weight we carry. For the people still carrying it. For the conversations we need to have.

Thank you for your support

Stephen & Terri

Nobody should Live Miserably!