A Journey of Love, Loss, and Hope: Honouring My Sister's Memory
1st March announcement - win up to £500 whilst supporting hospice care!! Enter the Backyard Ultra Sweepstake
Aiming to give
I lost my younger sister to brain cancer on 30 Apr 2021 (within 7 weeks of diagnosis) and being there every day I witnessed first hand how a hospice can make such a massive difference to someone's end of life, including their family and friends. This inspired me to make time available to raise funds for the Prince of Wales Hospice
Aiming to inspire
Things got more challenging 4 months later on 6 Sep 2021. I suffered Pancreatitus, pneumonia and other complications. I lost half my pancreas, I am on enzyme medication for the rest of my life, plus I now have Type 3 Diabetes. I thought my fundraising efforts were over, but I've not given up! I am also hoping my journey can inspire others to make life changing decisions
The Journey So Far
2021
I didn't start running until I was 50.
I joined the Ackworth Road Runners club, with my wife Rachael, the following year.
This is why I thought we could put our new 'hobby' to good use.
Shortly after Anita passed away I decided on my first fundraising challenge...
May 2021 – 10x10x10 : run 10k every day for 10 days 👍
The response was unbelievable, I raised almost £2000. It was at that point I thought this is what I was meant to do, this was my calling. It changed me profoundly!
Aug 2021 – Pontefract 10k 👍
Sep 2021 – Great North Run 👎
I trained like mad for this one, I was probably the fittest I had ever been in my whole life.
Unfortunately, a few days before the race I was rushed into hospital.
I was critically ill with Pancreatitis, pneumonia and other life threatening conditions.
I ended up losing half my pancreas, I now have Type 3c Diabetes (like type 1) and other medical conditions to cope with.
The doctors told me that the fitness from all my running saved my life!! That changed my outlook on life in a way that I cannot describe to you.
Dec 2021 - returned home from hospital
I had to start all over again with my fitness. I could hardly walk let alone run ☹
2022
I spent the first 4 months recovering.
I had lost 4 stone and so much muscle mass.
Mar 2022 - returned to work
Apr 2022 - started "jeffing" (run/walk/run method), combined with light gym/strength work
May 2022 – Pontefract 10k (jeffed) 👍
Jun 2022 – Doncaster Half Marathon (jeffed) 👍
July 2022 – Yorkshire 3 Peaks (walk) : hospice event 👍
Sep 2022 – Great North Run : unfinished business!! 👍🏆
I still regard the GNR in 2022 as my greatest achievement.
I then continued to train like mad and achieved something that I thought was impossible and was never going to happen after what happened to me....
Nov 2022 – First Marathon 26.2 miles 👍💥
2023
I had seriously got the running bug now!
There's a big problem when you run for charity.
The next one has to be a bigger challenge than the previous!
Why would people donate if not?
Mar 2023 – First Ultra Marathon (50km / 31 miles)
May 2023 – Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon (Rachael's first marathon)
Aug 2023 – 12 Hour Endurance event (ran 78km/48 miles, 187 laps around a running track)
Time for a little break and work out how I can up my game!!
2024
This is when my wife, Rachael, joined in. We now call her Ultra Rach 😆
We decided on 12 challenges in 12 months, with at least one massive challenge for me.
We managed to complete 12 challenges, totalling over 400 miles!
The massive challenge - I decided to run 100 miles!!
The furthest I had run was 48 miles so this was a big jump. I had 4 months to get ready for it. I'm proud to say I completed the Chester 100 mile ultra marathon in April. It took me 31 hours, including running through the night (first time I'd done that). Rachael and my daughter Megan were my support crew. We loved it that much we booked again for 2025!
I've created a dedicated page for our 12in12 - click here to see all the challenges we did.
2025
This year we are upping our game (again)....
March - Chester 50 mile
This will be Rachael's first 50 miler!
April - Chester 100 mile
Doing this again, target this time is to finish within 24 hours.
Update: it didn’t go to plan, I fell and managed to run 77 miles!!
May - Pennine Barrier 50 mile
This takes in the Yorkshire 3 Peaks and Malham Tarn. This has 2,593metres of elevation, so it will be a massive test, possibly more than the 100 mile one!
The big one, the signature challenge...
June - Suffolk Backyard Ultra
Attempting to break the UK record of 88 hours (3.7 days). You have 1 hour to run 4.167 miles. You then repeat this on the hour, every hour. Last one standing is the winner!!
You will have a chance to win big money - announcement on 1st March.
July - Manvers Dusk til' Dawn
Start at 6pm, and run 3 miles loops around a lake until 6am next day
Aug - Ring O'Fire, Anglesey
The next big one...run 135 mile along the coastal path all the way round Anglesey, North Wales. This used to be a 3 day event. Rachael is aiming to run the 50 mile event.
The Future
I really don't know where this journey is going to take us.
I know my sister Anita will be proud of what we've achieved so far.
Our current target is £10,000 and we're nearly there! Help us - Donate Now
The support and love I've received along the way has been phenomenal, way beyond my wildest dreams, and this is what keeps me motivated. Making a real difference to people's lives. There truly is no better feeling in my view.
I hope you can join our journey and do your bit to help in some way.
want to help in other ways?
If so, I would love to hear from you...
