HELLO HUMANS,

Now that I have calmed down quite a bit, I think I can now find some words to describe just how incredible my experience at the Great North Run 2019 was. I’d like to start by first saying thank you to everyone who sponsored me, there’s still some time to get extra donations in, I really didn’t expect to raise as much as I have and I’m so grateful for every penny. I’m currently on £660, so I smashed my target of £350 and it’s all for an amazing cause which is Bowel Cancer UK. Thank you also to everyone who wished me luck, gave me tips, and supported me in every way possible…I am so grateful for the incredible support system I had.

The story goes that last year I was struggling with a uni assignment, when I say struggling I mean really struggling tempted to drop out and had 374 breakdowns about it (it was statistics), and it got me down so much that when I had finished it I was all “you know what, I can do ANYTHING now” and I probably should have stopped there…but no. When scrolling through Facebook, Lia being Lia saw and advert for the Great North Run and thought “ah, can’t be that difficult” and signed herself up, and instantly regretted it. Then I got the e-mail confirming that I had a place and then realised that I should probably start running.

The silver lining was that it was an amazing way to try and raise some money for charity, I chose Bowel Cancer UK because my Nan had bowel cancer and I saw the devastating impact it had on her and how much her quality of life decreased. When I lost my Nan it was the first time I had ever experienced a loss that would change my life forever and nothing will ever replace her, but I think it was a time where I did grow up a lot and I realised just how short life is and you don’t ever know what is around the corner so now I don’t take my time with people for granted. But I also don’t take my time on earth for granted either, because in the same way that you don’t know when your last conversation with someone will be, you also don’t know when the last time you’re going to wake up. Whilst I can, I want to do as many things as possible. So, although I was dreading the whole half marathon thing, I was also determined to complete it.

We’ll fast forward through the whole training malarkey because I did not enjoy that. I had concluded that I was mad for wanting to do this, running was horrific, people who enjoy running should be feared and the thing that I didn’t want to realise, I was not cut out for this. There was part of me for a long time that thought “it’s just a run” then about a month before the realisation hit that a half marathon is not something that everyone can go out and do…especially me, yet here I was a month away from running one.

Saturday 7^th September came around and last-minute Lia was rushing around trying to get documents together, making sure everything was ready and just being in a general panic. Very typical. My Dad and my boyfriend, Jack, came up to support me there and my Mum stayed with the dog and supported me from Chesterfield – you could track people on the Great Run app and that’s what she did, as well as many family members. We stayed overnight in Darlington and drove to Newcastle in the morning. It wasn’t the most positive experience in the hotel with cold meals galore, but I was far too nervous to worry about any of that.

When Sunday arrived, I was dreading it, I felt stupid for thinking I could do it, I felt like I was going to let everyone down and I just felt like an idiot. I’m not very good at believing in myself, and the words in my head are not kind to Lia so I was a mess. I did not know what to expect and I was sure that I was going to have a terrible day so I might as well get it over with. I said goodbye to my Dad and Jack outside the runner’s assembly areas and then headed to find my zone. I walked past the start line and wondered what everyone was staring at, turns out Steph Houghton and Jill Scott were there and I was gutted that I missed seeing a glimpse of them but I was too short to see over the scaffolding – story of my life. I stood in the queue for the toilet for half an hour before panicking that I was going to miss the cut off point to be in my zone, and giving my bladder a stern talking to and asking it to please hold on (we managed as a team until mile 5 where I had to give in and go to a porta-loo). Then I entered my zone, so there was very much no turning back now. Everyone around me seemed to know everyone, which was probably not the case, but I was too much of a melon to talk to anyone and feeling very nervous by this point so just stood there.

10:40 came and away we went and honestly, it was amazing. As someone who didn’t do as much training as she should have done, I was so impressed with my time of 3 hours and 22 minutes and I was shocked at how much I managed to run. I knew I’d have to walk at some points but made sure I was walking quickly and in big strides to keep going. I pulled my left quad at mile 5 and that was niggling a lot, but I pushed through, until I hit a complete wall at the end of mile 8. When I reached the mile 9 marker, I had to walk it and walked mile 9, 10 and 11 and thankfully my head co-operated, and my mind and body worked together for once and I was determined to finish it. I went past so many signs that said “Can’t make it to the finish line? There’s a bus in 100m to the left that will take you there” and my legs were begging me to get on the bloody bus, but I didn’t. It would have been so easy to do it and I know that everyone would have said “she gave it a good go”, but I wouldn’t have ever forgiven myself for not finishing it. Some people might look at the Great North Run and think “it isn’t a big deal”, but it is probably my proudest achievement to date. I have never been interested in exercise, I hated PE in school and did everything I could to try and avoid it, and I never imagined that I could do a half marathon. I don’t think anyone will understand quite how proud of myself I am for getting through it but that’s okay, because I do.

A few people said to me beforehand “the crowd will get you through it”, and I gathered that there would be some people cheering and shouting good luck and carry on and all that but I could never have expected how incredible the crowds would be. From the kids high fiving, to the absolute strangers who shouted, “go on Lia!” when I needed it and smiled at me like they’d known me for years, from the sweets to the ice pops that were being handed out, from the signs that read “run bitches, run” to “you’re running better than the government”. All of it. All of them. It was phenomenal and pulled me through it so much. Also, a special shout out to the Bowel Cancer UK cheering point, the “go Lia” chant really helped me just as I hit the dreaded wall. Another, special shout out to a fellow runner who came up behind me and said “come on, your Nan would be so proud of you for doing this” …the tears started. When I made it over the line, I cried, I was so overwhelmed that I had finish it and couldn’t tell you what I was feeling because there was such a variety. The buzz lasted all day and I don’t think anything will beat it for a long time.

I was determined that after this year’s Great North Run that I would never run again. But… I think I’ll probably do another Great North Run in a couple of years. All for another challenge, plus I have a time to beat now. The whole experience was out of this world and I recommend it to anyone. I’ve never known a group of strangers like it and I doubt I will again. Once again, thank you to every one who has supported me in whatever way, and a special thanks to my Dad and Jack who used their weekend transporting me up North and driving about 40 miles out of their way to try and get to the finish line because of all the road closures. I couldn’t have asked for a better support system and I want to send hugs and cookies to all of you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

If you’d like to sponsor me, then the link is here.

All my love,

Lia x