When my husband Pete did the Great North Run last year, raising over a thousand pounds for charity to help people whose lives had been devastated by the Nepal earthquake, I felt inspired as I watched the thousands of people crossing the Tyne Bridge, most of them raising money for charity.
I thought that one day I would like to do something like that. It then took me almost twice as long as Pete to get to South Shields on the Metro, which was stretched to its limit by the thousands of spectators and eventually broke down. I jokingly posted on Facebook that it would be quicker to do the run the following year. Then I conveniently forgot about this promise. I would do something like that one day, but not now.
This year, after the sudden death of a friend, I realised that “one day” might never happen unless I made it happen.
So, I’m not a natural athlete, and a half-marathon is twice as far as any run I’ve ever done. It’s a huge challenge for me. I’m raising money for the British Heart Foundation. If anybody would like to sponsor me I have a JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/SueHawkins-GreatNorthRun2016. Donations can also be sent via the Village Voice editor.
I will let you know how I get on.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Sue Hawkins