Can we get Mum running for Sport Relief 2014?

Finishing the Sport Relief 6 miles for #teamhonkrelay with Penny Alexander

She was not a runner. She hated this winter term, when tennis was long-forgotten, and the hockey pitch too wet to play on. Cross-country running: the words struck nausea into her belly, her ribs and shoulder twitching with the learned weekly stitch she knew would develop the minute trainers hit pavement.

She wasn’t a rule-breaker though. She couldn’t follow the short-cut girls through the housing estate; besides the PE teachers varied their lookout points so you’d never know whether you’d been spotted until you returned, red-faced and heaving, to the smelly changing rooms and the sting of hot water on frozen thighs.

So she ran until the stitch kicked in every Friday morning; she ran in an aertex shirt and large red knickers – only the truly uncool wore the crimplene gym skirts for running. And then she walked in pain until she spotted the teacher, glaring into a steaming flask of coffee on a strategic corner. She was always in the last handful to make it back, and swore that as soon as she was free to run when she wanted, she never would.

It wasn’t until she was 43, dragging leftover baby weight around, that she flirted with the idea of running again. She fished her trainers out from under the bed, and took a spin round the park. The stitch remembered and came along for old times sake. But she persevered. For 4 years she walked more than she ran, gradually, almost imperceptibly, feeling a tiny bit less crippled on her return. Couch to 5k took her the best part of 3 Springs to achieve.

Running for Sport Relief.

And then came Team Honk Relay. Sure, she could dress up and make a fool of herself on a scooter. But actually, could she do more? A blogging friend, Penny, was going to run 6 miles at the Olympic Stadium for Sport Relief 2014 – would anyone like to join her? Could she?

Well, run she did. It’s amazing what a bit of motivation can do for your willpower. Knowing that she was raising money, saving lives like those she’d seen on the Sport Relief programme 2 days before (and knowing that if she slowed to her usual walk Penny might overtake her), all made her run. She didn’t stop running for 1 hour and 5 minutes, until all those six miles were under her belt. And as she finished, she swore next time she could do more.

My mum is a runner.

18 thoughts on “Can we get Mum running for Sport Relief 2014?”

    • Well that’s what I thought Siobhan but having ditched the gym for the no time, no money reasons I decided to give it a go, and I’m amazed to find myself bizarrely addicted! After 45 years of hating it!

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  1. Your mum is awesome! I was so glad she ran with me. I was also so glad she brought me gin but that is another story. I was the same at school, hated cross country, now look at us! Thank you for my beautiful card, it was such a lovely gesture x

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  2. Well done ! & welcome to the club. Running is very addictive and the sense of achievement is incredible not to mention all the money that was raised ๐Ÿ™‚ x

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  3. I still can’t get over how you ran 6 miles and without stopping, just amazing. No wonder you had gin to celebrate, I hope you shipped in a whole lorry load. I saw a sign that said bar when we’d finished but it wasn’t that kind of bar unfortunately! Well done lovely x

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    • Ha! I’ve never done it before Charly – it was the fact that I knew Penny was right behind me spurred me on! But you do get more motivation when you’re at an event, don’t you compared to just running alone. Wish we’d been able to catch up on the day.

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  4. your mum is bloomin’ marvellous and has done amazingly! sadly my pelvic floor muscle would let me down on the running front I fear (although no star jumps are involved so i might be ok!) x
    congratualtions on your MADS nomination x

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    • Since we’re talking about Tena ladies on another post right now, I can confirm that they are well worth the investment for a sports day ๐Ÿ˜‰ Thank you Jenny x

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    • Honestly Jaime I never thought I could do it – now I’m itching to get out there every few days. Top tip from me is audiobooks. If I want to find out what happens next in my book I have to go running ๐Ÿ˜‰

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  5. That is amazing. This description of cross country running sounds so familiar, I ran for a while a few years back, averaging 5K and doing a 10K once, I still don’t “get” it, but I don’t hate it as much as I once did. I could possibly even run for Sport Relief in 2016. Possibly. Anyway, hats off to you lady, you did good ๐Ÿ™‚
    #TheGallery

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