You already know that I am a Wife, Mummy of two active munchkins, I’m proud of that and actively encourage it, I also have two cats & this is my beautiful family.
Background
I hated running at school (unless it was break time), on the track, or cross country it didn’t matter. Â A couple of decades later, through work I entered the Bupa Greater Manchester 10k. Â Having a desk job, commuting 70 miles everyday to and from work, leaving me struggling with energy, unfit and not enough strength. Â At age 31 I ran my first race and quite honestly it was a race but, one with myself to get to the finish line. Those 10K felt unreachable and without any training (stupid, I know), it made it all the more difficult. Â Thankfully, I did do walking so, at least my body was used to some form of exercise and I managed to avoid injury.
Time passed
Successfully created two children, ate a little bit too much and struggled to move about due to SPD (it’s very painful, limited my movement and inability to be comfortable in any position sitting, standing, lying down). Â Admittedly, I wasn’t in my prime, my body had housed two 9lb+ babies and we had all survived and that’s how I was functioning, overweight and not very healthy.
Fast forward to April 2016 when I received some shocking news, our friend (Andy Cooper) had tragically died in a car crash on the way to work leaving his wife, Zoe (one of my closest friends) and 3 beautiful children and so many of us were floored (and still are at times) and we know her grief is continuous.  I just didn’t know how to be and what to do.  I set about explaining to my son, he shared a bond with Andy’s eldest child and I wanted to create another support mechanism in case it was needed. Then I decided out of the blue to go for a run, armed in grief and kitted out in active wear from supermarkets, I went for my first run to Keele & back.  Zoe asked if we would form a team in Andy’s honour and take part in #TheJCBMudRun Just as he had from it’s inception (Part of our team – photo above), we agree and formed a group of about 30 something and raised £9K for MIND in honour of Andy so that one day, his children will look back and see us #GettingDirtyForAndy and be able to understand just what an awesome guy he was and the amazing legacy of friendships and fun that he left behind.  He also made me run, now just over a year down the line I’ve completed two trail marathons and even joined Trentham Running Club .  I thought a running club was for the elite athletes, but I fit in nicely 🙂 I wouldn’t have attempted a trail run without them (let alone two)!
My message is, if you are thinking “Can I run?” Pop on your trainers and #ActivelyBeYou  and I know if I can, you can too!
Fi xx
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Actively Be You 