Trust’s Senior Administrator Running the London Marathon for DRUK
Raising money for Disability Rights UK, Charlotte will be running the London marathon this April
Charlotte's entry for this year's London marathon has been confirmed and she has started her training for the big event. She has been selected to run for Disability Rights UK and will be raising money for the very worthy charity.
To make a donation and follow Charlotte's training progress, click here for her fundraising page.
We spoke to Charlotte about her decision to run for DRUK and her desire to run the the London Marathon:
"I started running quite a few years ago now, a friend of mine wanted to be able to enter a 5km event, so in my naivety, I just tagged along to keep her company. Over the years running has became a bit of a habit and now it's great way for me to stay healthy. I also find it great for my mental health. Despite years of charity events, fun runs and general exercise, I can still safely say I absolutely hate it! I've never been a sporty person and given the choice I'd rather stay indoors with my sewing machine, but I know all too well how important it is to stay fit and healthy.
My 2021 Virtual Marathon
"One day in 2021 my older sister contacted me out of the blue and asked if I wanted to run the Virtual London Marathon in October. Something must have possessed me in that moment because I enthusiastically agreed (at this point 10km was as far as I'd ever run!). An instant sinking feeling of reality hit when our places were confirmed and I was confronted with a fundraising page. We were raising money for Fareshare UK as my sister worked there and what better reason to raise money than to feed the hungry? Being the virtual event, we had the task of running the 26.2 miles locally, in our own time, but on the same day as the actual London Marathon. I plotted a route and started training!
"Race day came, we set off at 10am on the dot and we were supported by friends, family and some of my Trust colleagues on route, meeting us a little pit stops with water, food and most helpfully, Jelly Babies from Cheryl. The hours rolled past, the run got harder and harder and at about 20km I hit "the wall". I hadn't had enough water, my head was pounding and I ended up on the floor in tears. After some gentle encouragement, a much needed chocolate bar and a kick up the bum, I got back up and plodded on. The second half of the route was grueling and I wanted to stop at every opportunity but 6 hours and 16 minutes later I finally reached the make-shift finish line, cheered on by my wonderful support team. We did it. And we managed to raise over £1,500 for Fareshare, which felt even better. What a feeling!
2023 - The Year of London
"18 months later, complete madness has overcome me again because I recently contacted DRUK after they put a call out for marathon runners. Before I knew it, the lovely Bex at DRUK informed me that I have a marathon place, this time in actual London! So here I am again, in that bewildering state of disbelief, with a fundraising page and a serious training plan to undertake between now and April. After the virtual event, I have been saying that I want to do the London Marathon properly, just once in my life. So be careful what you wish for.
"I have chosen to run for Disability Rights UK because I am incredibly passionate about equality and independence for people living with disabilities. I have been privileged enough to work with an amazing team for the last 6 years at the Trust. Disability Rights UK have been there to offer us training and advice that we can pass on to you, helping to us support everyone as best we can. As well as my work life, there are people in my personal life that are living with varying disabilities, so I have seen first hand how much of a challenge it can make things. I very strongly believe that every individual should be able to live with equality and access to the support and services they are entitled to.
"I can't wait to arrive in London on 23 April and soak in the atmosphere. Whether it takes me 6 hours again or even all day, I'll be doing it for an amazing cause."
