My training starts today.
In two months I’m going to run the Saucony Cambridge Half Marathon.
So far, I’ve only run 5K and a 2.8 km relay-race so at 21.4 km, a half marathon is going to be my new longest race.
I’ve given in to the idea, that I, in fact, do enjoy running.
My mind enjoys running. I feel a meditative calm as my feet rhythmically hit the pavement and I am forced to focus on my breathing.
I need to calm my mind. To still the shouting.
Amanda and I used to go out for hour-long walks together, talking about everything and anything we came to think of. It used to calm my mind. She used to calm my mind.
I want to honour her somehow.
I haven’t just lost a person at one point in time.
I’ve lost—
—we’ve lost a presence in every aspect of our lives. Our present and future has changed forever.
I want her death to have as much of a positive impact, as her life did.
Which is why my training starts today.
Which is why, a year after her death I’m going calm my mind by running the Saucony Cambridge Half Marathon and raise money for cancer research.
Because I fucking hate cancer.
Fuck cancer.
Starting today I’m going to do the first of my 32 runs leading up to the big day when I hope to run 21.4 km in 2 hours or less—2:19:45 is my estimated finish time.
I have a fundraising page on Just Giving and as my training and preparation progresses I plan on updating this page frequently.
If all goes well those 32 runs will have amounted to a total of 262 km before my half marathon.
If all goes well, I should be ready to run my half marathon by then.
However it goes, I’m giving this year purpose.
I’m making it count.
And I’m inviting you to follow along as I give this year purpose.