Thanks to one of our runners from last year and her inspirational story... Have you signed up yet???? I’m not a runner, me and running don’t mix. Im overweight, round shaped and far too vain to get sweaty in public. Or so I always thought. I tried it when my friend asked me to try the Para Challenge. We didn’t do the Para Challenge. But we had a great chat on our ‘runs’, normally ended up in the pub. But then events unfolded and I found myself running 2 miles a day for the PC Nicola Hughes Memorial Fund. 2 miles a day for 125 days, covering 250 miles in total. PC Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone died doing their job, in their line of duty. They were callously shot and had a grenade thrown at them. It hit every single one of the police family, all around the country, not just Greater Manchester where they, and I were based. Bryn Hughes, Nicola’s dad, had a brainwave one night, ‘Let get some money raised in Nicola’s name, let’s get 10 officers from each force running 2 miles a day. ‘ So that would have been 430 officers in total, but the determination and the sacrifice felt by all the police forces was so great that 1800 signed up. So across the country over 1800 officers came together and started to run 2 miles a day, starting on the 1st December. We had a facebook page, which slowly took over everyone involved. I wasn’t alone in my shin splints, tight muscles, achy feet, in recovery drink tips, in sports bra recommendations, trainer recommendations, and I even found out what men do with their ‘twig and giggleberries’ when running. Nothing was taboo, we talked about dropping our running tights mid run, hiding behind hedges during toilet breaks, we dressed up on themed Sundays, we ran in our underwear, in fancy dress, on Christmas Day, we talked about losing weight, not losing weight but losing inches, how skinny jeans won’t go over our calves. We entered marathons, we entered half marathons, we completed all we entered, not one of us was a DNF. We talked about running in the rain, the snow, the dark early mornings before starting work, the dark late nights when just off a shift. We ran on treadmills, on roads, up and down hills. We posted ridiculous pictures, sweaty faces, toenails hanging off, men wearing tutus, dogs wearing tutus, lots of inspirational quotes and LOTS of maps. We went on the radio, we went on the TV, we were in local papers and police magazines.We met up with other forces and ran together, sharing stories and miles. But most of all we ran. And we ran every day. I was not alone in my running, even though I was alone physically, every step of the 250 miles we were a team. We ran because we could, because we were still here. I now consider myself a runner, and I am very humbled and proud to have been part of the Run to Remember
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 17:52:26 +0000
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