Last year, some of us thought running an ultra was a good idea.

This year, we decided that clearly wasn’t enough.

Welcome to the Wait For Me Willis page. We are a slightly unhinged group of runners brought together by friendship, stubbornness, and a shared desire to support the Neurosciences and Oxford Major Trauma Centre. Most of us work at the John Radcliffe Hospital, caring for people living with life-changing neurological illnesses and injuries — patients who face extraordinary challenges every day.

The core team is back this year, with Cat and Natalie still apparently unfazed after completing a 58km ultra in 2024, Hannah returning bravely after surviving last year’s 50km, and Kumi — instigator and chief enabler since 2024 — once again saying “yes” before thinking it through. We’ve also somehow persuaded Helen, Liam, and Angelica to join us, proof that friendship is a powerful (and slightly dangerous) thing.

Our first challenge is Endure24 in Reading, a 24-hour relay race where seven of us will take turns running through daylight, darkness, and the point at which snacks become a coping strategy. For extra motivation, we’re in a friendly rivalry with another hospital team, Critical Miles, who are raising money for the paediatric critical care unit. Same heart, same determination — bragging rights firmly on the line.

As if that wasn’t enough, Cat, Hannah, and Kumi are also taking on Race to the Stones, a 100km ultra. It’s the first time any of us have attempted this distance, which feels important to mention for both transparency and sympathy.

While we’re doing this for fun (and a bit of banter, plus lots of snacks), this matters deeply to us. We’re running for patients whose lives have been turned upside down by neurological illness and injury, and for the staff who support them every day. If you’re able to donate, you’ll be helping us turn every tough mile into something that truly matters.

Thank you for supporting our patients and our teams — we’ll carry that with us, step by step, all the way to the finish.