After a couple of months-worth of fundraising and training, the deed is done: as of Sunday (my birthday - don't ask!), I completed my first (and maybe last) half-marathon, in torrential rain, flooding and bone-chilling winds, for the wonderful Jean Thorpe Wildlife Rescue.
It's been an inspiring and (whisper it) enjoyable journey, both regarding the physical challenge and the whipping up of support to bank some substantial reserves for Jean and her work. Re: the former, well I've been running for a few years now, primarily in order to try and counteract genetically high cholesterol (an ongoing challenge), but also - despite osteoarthritis, asthma, dodgy joints, etc. - for the additional physical and mental gains it provides for me. Just a few years ago, I'd have laughed at any suggestion of where I am now, which is as clearer message as I can send to anyone thinking of starting out....
Over these last few years it's been a pleasure to fundraise for a variety of causes close to my heart, from Roseate Terns, to Turtle Doves, to Swifts (and the great people saving them) in Sheffield, my family's home city, to various species endangered on the Mediterranean flyways - and thanks to the generosity of the wider community (that's you), I'm proud to have raised almost £40,000 (with help from my teams!).
The East Yorkshire Half-marathon - no big deal to fitter, healthier folk than I, I know - was nevertheless easily my biggest challenge yet, and one that required some fairly serious training to prepare for (particularly with spring workloads hitting full swing - hiking those moorlands and co-leading a great School of Birding just before included). But the training went really well, with no injuries or other setbacks, and when the yesterday came around, I was as prepped as I could be.
But holy shit, what a day... thanks to my good friends Ana and Owen, and my consistently amazing partner Amity, what could easily have been something of a nightmare was a memorable adventure, as we negotiated comically dire conditions before, during and after.
As accurately predicted on the increasingly alarming forecasts, Sunday morning in this particular corner of East Yorkshire was one of biblical, torrential rain, flash-flooding and biting northerly winds.
But we grinned and bore it (and shivered, laughed, etc), crossed the finish line on two limbs, not all fours, and before too long, we were back at the car, waiting for the tractor to tow us out of the muddy lake that was once something like a car park. Was it a pleasure? With healthy degrees of masochism and good humour, I think it was.
Thanks once again to every last one of you for your amazing donations and support - very, very appreciated, as I hope you know! I'm keeping the fundraising page open for a week or two, just in case I there's anyone out there who wants to provide a late boost - click here:
Just Giving Raptor Run Donation Page
