Bristol Sands October Virtual Challenge (It's Getting Dark in the Mornings)

Over the last few months I've been getting involved with the Bristol branch of SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death). Every year from 9th - 15th October is 'Baby Loss Awareness Week'. One of the committee members (Abbie) was organising a virtual challenge for anyone who wanted to take part. It was up to everyone what distance they wanted to do - it could be a 5k, 10k, a cumulative distance over the month.

I decided (inspired by a friend from Bristol Sands - Hilary) I was going to run 27 miles. Denise was 27 weeks pregnant when our angel baby Thomas was born sleeping so the distance seemed very apt. 27 miles was also just over 40 kilometres and 2018 is the 40th anniversary of the founding of SANDS which over the last few months has become incredibly important to us.

However over the last couple of months I'd only run a handful of times. Mainly because I'd injured my back at the beginning of July so I knew the first few runs of this challenge might be hard work. I figured to complete the challenge I'd need to run 3 times a week so why not start on the 1st of the month. So I did.

RUN 1 - 1st October 2018 - 3.1 miles of 27 completed.

The more I've run the longer sections I try to run before slowing to a walk for recovery. I've completed a non-stop 5k a couple of times and was going to try and do that this morning. It didn't quite work. I had to slow to a walk a couple of times to recover a bit before carrying on. This mornings turnaround point was the entrance to the Grand Pier. In the end my finish time was 48 minutes and 40 seconds. It wasn't as good a time as I was hoping for but I'd started my challenge.

RUN 2 -  7th October 2018 - 6.82 miles of 27 completed.

I hadn't felt great during the week (I'd had a bit of a cough/cold) so hadn't gone out as much as I'd intended. Initially I wasn't going to go out and had got out of bed and had a bit of breakfast and was watching television before at the last minute deciding to lace them up and go out. I decided before I went out that I was going to do a 'non-stop' run today. As I headed out I had a route in my head but part the way round decided to extend the route (my legs were feeling good) and throw in a lap around Marine Lake. That was positive thinking although as I started my circuit of the lake I quickly realised I had the wrong trainers on as I splashed through ankle deep water on the path. Once or twice I nearly ended up in the sea as the path at the top was a bit slippery under the water and my trainers had no grip. I was glad to make it around Marine Lake without having to call the coast guard!! In the end my run was the longest I'd done continually so was really chuffed about that. 

RUN 3 - 9th October 2018 -  9.92 miles of 27 completed.

This was my first run of 'Baby Loss Awareness Week' (BLAW). The runs over the next week would carry more meaning to me as running for Bristol Sands during this week was part of what it was about for me. I decided to change my route for a bit of a change. I normally run along the promenade in one route or another. Today I went away from the front and towards Hans Price Academy and up Winterstoke Rd. It was a terrible run - well it felt like it. All I felt I was doing was slowing to a walk my legs were so heavy. At one point I looked behind to see if someone was hanging onto me!! In the end the time was only just over 48 minutes so wasn't as bad as it felt. I just hoped the rest of the runs wouldn't feel as awkward as this one!!

RUN 4 - 11th October 2018 - 13.02 miles of 27 completed.

For this run I had some company. Harrison had missed a couple of days off school ill so was making up the work for the lessons that he'd missed. One of those lessons was PE so he came along with me for a run. A nice early start along the front to the pier and back. It was lovely having Harrison along with me. Although there was once or twice when I'm running along and I look at him and he is walking along side me. Told him not to take the p**s and humour me and make it look like he's running!!! In the end we were back home in just over 49 minutes and getting towards the halfway point of my challenge.

RUN 5 - 13th October 2018 - 15.69 miles of 27 completed.

This was totally different to the rest of the runs this month. Far more organised. It was the 'Bradford on Avon Glo-Run' a 5k run around Bradford on Avon in the dark. This was going to fun, not only was it an organised run but I was doing the run with some of the other members of the 'Basic Backrunners' team. Along with Harrison and myself Laurane and Michelle were taking part. The run itself was terrible - it was poorly organised. Harrison ran off at the start and ended up running a totally different route to us. We saw very few marshalls and luckily had a couple of locals who knew the route who ran with us at the back of the course. That said we did have fun - especially turning up in a McDonalds in Bath for a post-run burger with our glow in the dark face paints on!!

RUN 6 - 15th October 2018 - 18.55 miles of 27 completed.

This was the final day of BLAW and in the evening bereaved parents light a candle to create a wave of light all over the world in memory of the babies taken to soon. I was hoping this would be a good run as it would set me up for the day and the evening. In the evening I was going up to Bristol to meet some other members of Bristol Sands to go around and photograph the buildings in Bristol that were lighting up blue and pink. It wasn't to be. It was a terrible run. The weather wasn't great - it was raining and quite windy. It felt like it was the first time I'd ever run. I really struggled to get into any sort of rhythm. During the week I'd been posting daily on social media about BLAW and trying to raise awareness. Maybe that was all getting to me as I thought of little else apart from Thomas as I was running (or trying to). Normally when I run all I'm thinking about is the run and where I'm going to run. My mind was definitely elsewhere. In the end I finished my run and joined my Bristol Sands friends for a mini-tour of Bristol to see the building lit up. They were amazing. Seeing the Wills Memorial Building lit up made me feel quite emotional.

RUN 7 - 20th October 2018 - 21.65 miles of 27 completed.

With one thing and another it was 5 days before I went out again. This time on the Saturday morning before going to work. I knew I was getting close to my target but it still felt a long way off. As the bike races on the beach was in town this weekend I knew I'd have to change my route. So for the first time I did a route that was based on running up and down Drove Rd crossing bridges 4 times for a bit extra effort. This morning was the coolest morning for a little while which I was enjoying. I prefer running in cooler weather - always feel I can run further in the colder air. Being a Saturday I went out a bit later and was out to see the beginning of the sunrise. My time this morning was just over 8 minutes which I was happy with after going 5 days without running. Only another 2 runs to go and I'd reach my target.

RUN 8 - 22nd October 2018 - 24.75 miles of 27 completed.

The penultimate run of my challenge and a good way to start the week. I ran the same route as I had done on Saturday morning and improved my time. Unusually I didn't look at my app until I knew I had roughly half a kilometre to go. When I did I saw that if I'd pushed a bit harder here and there I would have ended up with a sub-46 minute 5k (I average just over 47 minutes). As it was I was going to have to push through the last half a kilometre and aim for under 46 minutes. In the end my time was 46 minutes and 6 seconds - close but no cigar!!

RUN 9 - 24th October 2018 - 27 miles of 27 completed.

My last run of the challenge. During the course of the challenge I'd run with Harrison, and Michelle and Laurane. Tonight I was very much running with Thomas. Unusually before I went out I had a very definite plan of where I was going to run and what I was going to do. I was in a hurry to get out as I was trying to beat the sunset as I wanted part of my run to be on the beach. I headed out and along the front to the beach huts and turned around to come back along to the pier. As I turned towards the pier I had to stop to look at the sunset - it was simply stunning tonight almost like the sea was on fire. After stopping to take a picture I went down on the beach where I'd decided that I would run the outline of 'Thomas' on the beach as my tribute to him during this challenge. This was probably the most emotional part of the challenge for me. In different ways both of my sons inspire me daily. In this part of the challenge Thomas was inspiring me to get to the end of the challenge and tonight's run. With Thomas in my thoughts I came off the beach and back onto the promenade its not as easy running on the sand as other people make it look!!) and towards the pier. As I got to the pier though I had a problem that was starting. I was losing the sight in my right eye - this meant I had a migraine starting and needed to get back home as quick as I could to take some tablets and sleep it off. Although I had to cut my run short what I did that night was enough for me to finish on 27 miles exactly. Challenge over!!

With a week to go I'd achieved my target. At times the running had been difficult and at sometimes emotional. I was so glad I'd chosen this target to run as it inspired me to keep going through the month. 

Thank you to Abbie for organising and for all those who gave me encouragement during the challenge.

'The smallest of feet leave everlasting footprints upon this world'.