Hi,
Welcome to my latest blog about me running the Ney York Marathon this year. For those that are new to this, I’m doing it in memory of my sister and the charity we’ve founded in her memory. If you’d like to learn more about it all you can find the previous entries of this blog below, or you can visit the charities website www.TheJoannaBrownTrust.org.
Anyway, the most significant thing to happen this month is I’ve officially book my place in the 2012 New York City Marathon! I’ve booked it with Sports Tours International, the company my sister had booked her place with when she was set to do the NYC Marathon in 2008. Going through the website and booking my package was quite scary. For a while now I’ve just been trying to keep my head down, not think about running a marathon and have just been telling myself ‘all I have to do is go for a run today’. However, having to sit there and actually book my flights, hotel etc... really made me think about being in NYC.
Doing a marathon is such a huge thing, I know that. Add to that the reason I’m doing it then it becomes such a massive thing. But I think the element of it that hasn’t hit me until now is actually going to New York and being there with all those other thousands of people. Out of everything it’s that element that scares me the most at the moment.
On the training front, it’s been ok. Probably a bit poor if I’m being honest. At the moment there always seems to be an excuse not to go for a run or to the gym. It’s been a really busy time for The JB Trust at and so I’ve found it hard to not only fit training in, but also having the energy to do it. I’m not too worried at the moment as I’m confident I can get back on it over the next few weeks. What it has done is made me realise how my priorities will have to change over the coming months. There will be a point where training will have to take priority and therefore other things will have to make way.
A few days ago Helen (Jo’s friend & JB Trust Trustee) and I attended the Just Giving Awards. The JB Trust had been nominated for Most Creative Charity of the Year, which considering the size we are and what limited resources we have at our disposal is an incredible achievement. Unfortunately we lost out to Mencap, but again shows how far The JB Trust has come. Even to be in the same room as some of these huge charities and amazing fundraisers was very inspiring. There was some very moving and emotional stories in the room that in some ways puts The JB Trust story in to perspective. To have Jo’s name mentioned in the same room as these people was very special.
The aim for the next month is to try and get a better routine so I can start to push myself more. It is important that I keep my head down and continue to concentrate on one training session at a time, but I can’t lose sight of what in front of me...
Rich
