September 2023 update:

The challenge is accomplished!

Back in October last year, I set myself a painful challenge - to run 5 marathons, knowing I don't even like running. I finally reached the point where I can report that this torture is over! I have done it! I'm now a proud owner of 5 marathon medals from different parts of the world - London 2022, Paris, London 2023, Riga, Berlin.

Here is a little poem on the subject:

In London's rain and Riga's embrace,

Berlin's swift pace and Parisian grace,

Five marathons in a year's tight embrace,

Little training, yet I found my space.

Each step a challenge, each mile a feat,

Blistered but bold, I didn't retreat,

Endurance tested, willpower prevailed,

In the face of doubt, I never trailed.

The only thing that kept me going is your support and doing this for a great cause. Thank you! Your generous donations will mean the world to two charities I'm supporting.

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Update: September 2023

So close to the end!

Here we go, I'm about to run my 5th marathon as part of the 5 marathons within a year challenge. This time I'm off to Germany, Berlin.

More than 45,000 runners are expected to participate in the Berlin Marathon on September 24th in Germany’s capital city. It’s one of the six World Marathon Majors races along with races in Chicago, New York, Boston, London and Tokyo. I feel so privileged to actually participate in the two World Marathon Majors.

As before, I will run for two amazing charities - the Alzheimer's society and the British Red Cross. Please provide some support for such great causes. Thank you so much for every penny you've donated.

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Update: May 2023

My 3rd marathon in 5 weeks is done!

Just completed the marathon with a personal best by 4 minutes (4h22min) in my hometown Riga.

Unbelievable experience that was made extra special by my mum and relatives who have never seen me going through this before.

The day was emotional as I was running through the streets where I grew up. The city had put extra effort to make it memorable and special. For example at the main street of the country next to the liberty monument, there must have been a 100 person group in national costumes (as per picture) waiting and cheering us up, with folk songs and traditional latvian dances giving high fives to all runners. Very touching.

As always it was very hard. Despite completing three marathons in a short succession, it does not get easier somehow. I'm always running and thinking... "Why did I commit to this".

This is my 4th marathon as part of the 5 marathons challenge. I'm now taking a summer off and will be preparing for a marathon in Berlin in September.

I just wanted to remind everyone why I'm running. Today my story is about one of the charities I'm supporting - the British Red Cross. This is an amazing organisation that is currently providing a lot of support to people in Ukraine. Why did I decide to support this cause? Because I was inspired by a very brave Ukrainian friend who remained in Ukraine to be with her mum and husband, and who is helping a lot of friends, relatives and simply those in need. Here is what Anna sent me the other day (publishing with Anna's permission):

"I am the simplest, average person from Ukraine who found herself in an extraordinary situation. Just like millions of other ordinary people. On the morning of February 24, in one minute we lost our commonness and the right to live. Now, in order to maintain this right to the most ordinary life, we fight every day, die, endure a lot of pain and grief.

I am writing this note so that someone from a normal peaceful reality will read it and tell me that this is not normal. That it shouldn't be like this, the ordinary life is not like that. I started to forget what it's like to live such life. I really want to recollect the joy of living... "

Anna and I met just over a year ago, just after the war started. Anna lost her father to this war. Every time I hear the news about the war in Ukraine, I'm worried if she is ok and safe, if her dear relatives and friends are still alive. I'm inspired by Anna's bravery and running in support of people like Anna who live very uncertain life in a situation with uncertain duration.

Please be generous and provide some support to people in Ukraine. Here is my justgiving page if you feel kind enough today. Thank you for all your support.

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Update: April 2023

My 3rd marathon is now complete. Just finished the TCS London marathon with time 4 hours 34 minutes.

It was a tough experience despite completing the Paris marathon 3 weeks ago but very memorable. The crowd was insane. It was raining throughout but the public came to cheer us up and provide their support.

I cannot stop going, I got too involved in this now. My next booked challenge is the Riga marathon on 7th May, just two weeks after the London marathon. I hope I recover on time.

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Update: April 2023:

I cannot believe it!

Just finished the Paris marathon with my personal best - 51 minutes faster than the London marathon last year!!! So pleased. My time was 4 hours and 26 minutes.

It was an unforgettable experience. The route was epic and with some training (this time) it was a much "enjoyable experience".

The next thing... The London marathon in 3 weeks time!

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Update January 2023:

Just to keep you updated on my challenge…

I have now signed up to three marathons this year: Paris (2nd April), London (23rd April) and Berlin (24th September). As per my message below, I have already completed the London Marathon 2022, so one more to book!

The training is progressing well. To add more motivation to this, I’ve signed up to a challenge at work where you are encouraged to exercise. This challenge if one-month long event. There are 176 participants in this challenge and I’m currently at number 1 position. Hoping to maintain this position until the end. Got a bit competitive…

While I’m running, I’m also tracking my distance via ‘the Conqueror’ app, which is a virtual challenges app. Another approach to motivate myself. So far I have completed the virtual Berlin Wall run (48.26km) and the virtual Great Wall of China (259.1km). In collaboration with the Eden Project, 10 trees will be planted in my name for those challenges completion.

Finally, and most importantly… Thank you to everyone who supported me on this journey. I’m very grateful for all individual donations I received for two charities of my choice – Alzheimer’s Society and British Red Cross. Thank you to WHSmith who kindly matched all donations I have collected last year and sent my charities a cheque for £485. Also, thank you for everyone involved in helping me to get into those marathons – TCS teams for support with London 2022 and 2023 marathons entry and Alzheimer’s society who helped me to get a place at the Berlin marathon.

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Original message:

The challenge

I'm embarking on the biggest challenge of my life, I will be running 5 marathons between October 2022 and December 2023. I'm doing this for the Alzheimer's Society and British Red Cross as both organisations are close to my heart, any donation from you would be greatly received.

To ensure I actually do some training this time, I'm also planning to complete 5 virtual running challenges which support of the Eden project, 25 trees will be planted.

My story

I'm not a runner as such. Back in 2013 a girl called Rhi who I met on Kilimanjaro trip introduced me to running. My friend Rhi and I completed my first long distance run challenge dressed up as penguins. I remembered it was a hard core experience as with very little training, in outfits that were soaked the rain water, we completed the half marathon in Oxford. Although we completed it, at the time I thought... Never again!

Rhi's introduction to long distance running sparked my 2014 challenge, where I've completed twelve half marathons in support of the Alzheimer's society raising almost £2,000.

In 2022, while working for Santander and looking after the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), I've been asked if I'd like to take part in the London marathon. I was not into running but of course I said yes.

With kind support from TCS, I got a place in the London marathon in October 2022. I went for it with no training as such. It was painful and I would not recommend undertaking such challenges with no training involved. Somehow 5 hours and 17 minutes later, I crossed the finish line. Despite being the most unforgettable and overwhelming experience, I was glad it was over as it was harder than I anticipated. At this point I said to myself "Never again". A week after I concluded I need to turn this experience into something bigger, complete another 4 marathons and do it for a great cause.

Here we go... 4 more to go.

Great cause

I'd like to put myself through this challenge for the great cause.

I have selected three causes that I'd like to support with your help.

Alzheimer's Society

Alzheimer's Society believes that life doesn't end when dementia begins. They are here for anyone affected by dementia, and they do everything they can to keep people with dementia connected to their lives and the people who matter the most.

By 2025, 1 million people will be living with the condition in the UK, and many millions more carers, partners, families and friends are affected.

Lack of treatments and postcode lottery for care means that people with dementia and their families aren’t getting the support they need, when they need it.

Alzheimer's Society supporters ensure that people living with dementia today have the support they deserve, that their rights are protected and enhanced by campaigning, and that they can look to a brighter future thanks to investment in research.

Alzheimer's Society also undertakes research projects. Their research aims to understand the underlying causes of the condition, improve diagnosis and care, identifying ways to prevent dementia and searching for a cure.

My interest in this particular charity was developed while I was working for Anchor - England's largest provider of specialist housing and care for people in later life. Anchor is a company where 9,000 people are tirelessly working to support people in their later life including those who have dementia and the most common form of dementia - Alzheimer's desease. I’m running for people who work at Anchor, for ex Anchor colleagues, for all people with Alzheimer’s condition and for you and I so we can avoid it in the future!

British Red Cross

I’m running in support for Ukraine! I know the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine is on everyone’s mind. I’m deeply concerned about the impact on the Ukraine people, their homes, their wellbeing. Millions of people in the country still have no safe place to call home, and more than 10 million have fled Ukraine completely. Red Cross teams have been working around the clock and with our donations they are there to provide people with essential emergency support, including food, water, medical care and shelter.

This is what British Red Cross will do with our donations:

• £10 could provide a hygiene kit to a family of five, giving them supplies to stay healthy for a month.

• £20 could provide five blankets to families taking shelter.

• £30 could provide 3,600 chlorine tablets to ensure that families have access to clean, safe water.

• £100 could provide sleeping mats for 66 people who have been forced from their homes.

• £210 could provide a fully equipped first aid kit, including supplies, to a first aider treating the wounded

Stop the war and protect the lives, rights and freedoms of all people.

I’m running for British Red Cross who is there to help Ukrainian to rebuild their life. Donations will help someone afford food, medicine – and take back control of their life.

Eden project

Every day Eden community is working in some of the world’s most remote and politically unstable places with commitment to their mission to plant trees and save lives. Eden Reforestation Projects operates in 10 project countries, plant nearly a million trees per day. As they restore the forest canopy, leaf litter, water, and wildlife return, and nature begins to heal.

At the center of Eden Reforestation Projects is their relationships with local communities. They work alongside them to produce, plant, and protect tens of millions of trees every month, thereby creating jobs to support them in restoring their local environment and economy long-term.

There is no donation page for this particular charity. I’m donating to Eden Reforestation Projects directly through the virtual runs I’m doing in preparation to 5 marathons I’m planning to do. My personal contribution to this charity is sponsorship of 25 trees.

I hope you are kind enough to provide some support to my chosen charities and wish me good luck for this lifetime challenge completion.