We’re nearly there! Hopefully by this time tomorrow I will be there. ‘There’ being the finish line of the London Marathon. If I’m not, then I definitely didn’t beat my last time, which was 88 seconds into the six hour family. If I knock 89 seconds off to get 5.59.59 I’ll be more than happy!
I’ve written before about being a slow runner and I’ve written about the legacy of school sport. Running is not about speed for me and sport is not about competing, even with myself (I only thought about looking at my split times from my marathon in 2014 four days ago!). For me, sport is about enjoying moving my body through fresh air or water, the feeling of fitness, and relishing the unique headspace that comes from time spent alone exercising. And it’s often about the money!
Tomorrow I will be running for a charity that funds research into premature birth, stillbirth and miscarriage. Last summer my niece was born three months early weighing just 1lb 12oz (800g). She’s eight months old now and her latest trick is pulling out her oxygen tubes and using them as a teething toy! Since I started training, some 24,000 babies in the UK have been born early, over 900 have been stillborn, and 1 in 4 pregnancies have ended in miscarriage. Which makes me pretty proud that my fundraising total is just shy of £3000 and that many more hours of research will be paid for. It’s also pretty overwhelming that a couple of hundred pounds of that has come from people in this community, most of whom I haven’t met in real life or have known just a year or so. THANK YOU! Trust me, the generosity and goodwill gets you out to train in the cold wet winter and it makes the hard bits on the big day easier to cope with.
My fundraising page is in my real name so I’m not linking to it here, but if you want to donate, drop me a message on Twitter at @exposing40 or in the comments below and I’ll send the link. Xxx
PS. I’m laughing in the photo because my partner in crime for the photo had just quipped, ‘put some effort into it, then!’ Cheeky sod! ?
running out of ways to tell you how fabulous i think you are…but you just are! good luck tomorrow!!!
You do the best pictures and the best endeavours. Good luck and I will help you on your drinking marathon.
Such a great photo!! Your smile is everything. Have a great run!!
So so so excited for you! I hope you have a great race. Can’t wait to read all about it. xxxxM
Completely agree with Maria regarding your smile — It definitely makes the image! ~C
Oh, this is fantastic! Your laugh looks so infectious that I can’t help but smile at this photo. Have fun running tomorrow – hope you make your sub-6hr target!! Xxx
What a wonderfully fun image,
Hope all goes well and you have the same smile when you complete run.
Amazing woman!!!! Fantastic x x x ?
Go you! I am looking at the clock and thinking that you will be soon be at the finishing line. I hope the rain held off and the cool weather actually worked in your favour. I am sooooo proud of you and excited for you. I have always thought running a marathon would be very cool, sadly I don’t think my body is designed for such an activity. Oh and I love the fact you are laughing in this image, because naked and fun is always sexy
Mollyxxx
I love this, especially the laugh on your face. Fabulous! I am so curious to know what your time for the marathon was. That is one thing I will never even get started on… a marathon. I admire you doing it!
Rebel xox
Good luck, and it’s brilliant that you’re not only doing this for yourself but for charity. Awesome. You look fantastic – the laughter makes it sexier! Great shot, and hope you make the time you want! xx
I think that’s how the original Greeks used to run the original marathons.
Running nude would be awesome, just like your pic. 😉
You did amazing! Well done. I’ve always been put off marathon length because I’m a plodder rather than a full out runner. Maybe one day I will be able to cross this goal off my list.
Plodding is fine. Doesn’t matter how long it takes, 26.2 miles is 26.2 miles! Xx
Such a sexy, fun photo! Hope the marathon went well!