twomarathons

Two months on!

2009-06-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

Not wishing to miss a last opportunity for a "two" related topic, I've waited until exactly two months after the marathons for my final post! Yes, this time two months ago I was drinking hot chocolate with three friends (drat, not two - but Helen, Gareth and Steven could not be omitted!) and trying to believe that, in addition to reaching my fundraising targets, I had managed to complete both marathons!

Rather unoriginally, I am compelled to say that it all seems a long time ago now. The post-marathon aches and pains faded weeks ago, and I've started to remember the pleasure of going out for a run with no particular purpose or training goal! Moreover, all the donations have been safely with the charities for quite a while, where I'm sure they will have already been allocated to genuinely life-saving projects. I am still utterly delighted with the final totals of £2,755.90 for WPF Therapy and £2,785.44 for Reaching the Unreached. For that, of course, I can only thank you, and continue to thank you, and continue to thank you!

For myself, I will never forget the twomarathons experience and all that it brought me. It's an achievement I feel very proud of, yet one which would never have been accomplished without the help of so many people in so many ways. It was the struggles and difficulties which really brought that home to me, and showed me (yet again) that by myself I can do nothing. I am enormously glad to have had this opportunity; more "thankyous" all round are needed!

I'm now preparing (gradually) to enter the noviciate with the Sisters of the Assumption, so if I am a bit silent at times, you will realise why. I will certainly be thinking of you, even if I'm not emailing you or updating my facebook status! So, goodbye for now; it's been fun keeping you informed through these posts, and I hope you've enjoyed reading them!

Mission accomplished!

2009-04-29T02:50:00.000-07:00

Well, that's it then! It's done! After all those months of training and fundraising, and the excitement, anxiety, despair and joy that accompanied them, the twomarathons project is officially accomplished! I've run the two marathons and I've reached my fundraising targets. Now there are just the loose ends to tie up, with lots of "thankyous" to send and a few donations still to collect. It's a strange feeling, this mixture of achievement, gratitude, relief, and bereavement.

The London Marathon has a great reputation; everybody says what an amazing thing it is, to the extent that it feels churlish not to agree. Of course, the organisation is impeccable, the support of the crowds is brilliant, and running past (or over) landmarks such as Tower Bridge, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace is an unforgettable experience. However, it isn't only the supporters who are there in crowds. With 35,000 participants, the course itself is pretty packed! Faster runners can escape from this within a few miles, but for me it was a feature of just about the whole marathon. I'd love to know how many miles I actually did cover, including all the dodging and weaving!

All of this pales in significance when compared with the fact that I did finish, all be it in a rather slower time (4:41:29) than Bungay (4:18:24). Passing over the finish line, receiving my medal and goodie bag, and all the other parts of the process which I'd heard and read so much about (having my timing chip taken off my shoe, collecting my kit bag from the lorries...) were quite dream-like. Perhaps when the official photo appears (this is meant to become available later today) I will really believe it all happened!

This week's heartfelt thanks go to Helen, Bella, Simon, Gareth, Steven, WPF Therapy and the Poplar community, for their support at the start, around the course, and at the finish; to all the Kensington community for the hero's welcome on my return; and to the many, many people who supported from a distance! Just imagine, I might be able to talk and think about something else now!

With the last donations trickling in, the totals currently exceed £2,600 for each charity! The Justgiving pages remain live for three months after the events (until 19th and 26th July, in other words), and of course I can forward donations directly to the charities, so if you feel like boosting the figures, naturally I would be delighted! I will post the final totals once I have them, but otherwise, it's goodbye! Most importantly, it's also "thankyou", for your interest, for your generosity, for everything that has made it possible for me to complete this project successfully. THANKYOU!!!

One down, one to go!

2009-04-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

No, it hasn't taken me four days to be fit enough to sit at a computer and type! The silence since Sunday has actually been quite marathon-unconnected, due to being fully occupied as a London tour-guide for Ági and her mum. This was an ideal post-marathon activity, keeping me moving without being too intense. So I am happy to say that walking and bending (and particularly standing up and sitting down!) are now considerably easier than 72 hours ago!

What can I say about the Bungay Black Dog Marathon? That it was great, that it was torture; that it was exciting, that it was tedious; that it was inspiring, that it hurt; that crossing the finish line is a moment I'll never forget? Yes, all of these. But what of this kaleidoscope of images, experiences and emotions can I convey to you in a blog post?

Firstly, staying at All Hallows was a perfect preparation. As well as having every material need fully met, the calming and spiritually nourishing environment really made me ready for the challenge of the big day! Next, I can highly recommend the Bungay Black Dog for anybody considering running a marathon. With 250 participants this year, there was plenty of company and brilliant organisation, but the scale allowed for ingenious systems such as being able to grab your personal bottle of Lucozade from the hand of a marshal at any of the water stations! The route also takes in some exceptionally beautiful Suffolk and Norfolk countryside. Finally, I have to mention that I got round in a shorter time than I ever thought possible, and with no murmurs from that pesky knee problem! This is not to say it was an easy run. For most of the first lap (half the course) I had a tight, painful hamstring. This did eventually go off, but probably only because it was masked by increasing complaints from my quads! I also felt faintly nauseous most of the time, so struggled to take in enough calories (from Lucozade and sweets) to keep my energy levels high. By the end I felt that I was hardly lifting my feet at all - barely running. It's true I did slow down, but not nearly as much as that impression led me to believe; the second lap took me around 20 minutes longer than the first.

It was the support of so many people that enabled me to achieve what I did. A huge "thankyou" must go to John, who popped up on his bike from time to time and pedalled along beside me. The company, as well as the anticipation of it (arriving as it did at unpredictable moments), helped me to keep plodding on when all I wanted to do was stop - or at least walk for a while! And the "welcoming committee" of my mum and Helen had to be seen to be believed. The other spectators were quite taken aback by the volume of the cheers and shouts, if their expressions were anything to go by! Helen was also a complete star in providing me with soothing bath, restorative supper, comfortable bed, and a hundred other pieces of thoughtful attention.

The thoughts of "Oh no, I've got to do that again next Sunday" which nudged my consciousness in the hours following Bungay have faded amazingly quickly; for the first time in months I'm actually looking forward to running! Of course I will be stiffer and more tired, the course will be more crowded and there will be more litter to dodge, but however long it takes me, I think I can be optimistic about finishing.

One final "thankyou" has to be for all the prayers for me in this venture; I have been amazingly blessed in the past week. I don't understand prayer, but I'm sure this shower of blessings must somehow stem from it. I could never have achieved what I did from my own powers.

The countdown continues!

2009-04-16T04:08:00.000-07:00

"This time in two weeks I'll be running" has become "ten days", and now... "three days", accompanied by the stirrings of a rabble of internal butterflies. The internet suggests a surprisingly extensive range of collective nouns for butterflies. I think I like "rabble" best mainly because it seems so incongruous, but also because the description will probably fit my abdominal sensations quite accurately by Sunday morning. Knowing that nerves won't help anything, and that they use much-needed energy, isn't doing a lot to diminish them so far!

Am I ready? That's what I keep asking myself. Well, there are certainly some jobs still to be done before setting off, mainly in terms of assembling the kit, food and information I will need for the 30 hours or so between leaving Kensington and finishing the marathon. I'll stay Saturday night at All Hallows Convent, Ditchingham, which has three retreat/guest houses. This should allow me to prepare physically and mentally, as long as I've remembered everything I need!

Maybe there is just too much guidance available for marathon runners nowadays. It seems every eventuality has to be considered and planned for, whether that concerns nutrition, hydration, temperature, comfort, or 101 other areas. A couple of days ago I found myself watching a video clip telling me how many grammes of carbohydrate I am likely to need for each mile of running, and how this can be translated into the ideal pre-race breakfast. It's very easy to be sucked into that scientific (or quasi-scientific) approach: to feel that any neglect of such matters is a sure route to failure, with only oneself to blame. But then I remember completing the "Cleveland Classic" walk - 56 miles in under 20 hours. The sum total of my preparation was a 28 mile walk a week before. Admittedly I made lots of mistakes and suffered as a result, but I made the distance, despite plenty of moments when I thought it was impossible to walk more than one more stride. Or I think of cycling and walking trips with Mum, when we found ourselves halfway up a mountain and wondered if we'd bitten off more than we could chew, or when we carried on several hours past the point of exhaustion with only an apple turnover to sustain us. The limits of human endurance are constantly surprising. Maybe getting round 26 miles isn't such a big deal after all. Hooray! No more butterflies!

What does RTU do? - 7. Health Programme

2009-04-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

Over the past six months my awareness that health is not something to take for granted has grown sharply, due to Dad's heart attack and my knee problem. In the midst of some stressful and difficult times, I have reflected very often on our good fortune in access to health care. Dad was on the receiving end of a huge amount of clinical expertise; combined with the availability of exceptionally sophisticated equipment, this gave him the best care imaginable. For my very much smaller problem, I had rapid access to a doctor and a physiotherapist. We would be outraged if this were not the case. Yet there are so many places in the world where even the most basic of health care is sparse or absent.

Health care has long been part of RTU's work. Around 150 people visit the main clinic each morning, receiving free consultations and medication. In the afternoon, a mobile clinic serves the more remote areas where there is no other access to medical care. A further 50 people can be treated each day. As well as dealing with illnesses and injuries, the clinics provide immunisation programmes, mother and baby clinics, and dentistry. New cases of leprosy and polio have been completely eradicated from the area as a result of immunisation; those already disabled by these diseases are given the long term care they require. As I have written elsewhere, treatment for HIV and AIDS, including anti-retroviral drug therapy, is an increasingly important part of the work of the clinic. In all, 70,000 people are treated each year through RTU's health programme.

As with all the other areas of RTU's work, local people are fully involved in improving their health and their access to health care. Local women are trained as Village Health Workers, who deal with straight-forward illnesses and injuries, refer more difficult cases to RTU's clinical team, run ante-natal clinics, and weigh young children regularly to check their nutrition is adequate. RTU provides a specially formulated nutritious flour in cases of need. With the availability of health care when it is needed, a better chance of being employed, and vastly improved educational opportunities, the people in this area can move beyond the fight for survival and can develop as individuals and communities. Surely this is a basic right for everyone?

twomarathons: a potted history

2009-04-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

Some of you may be wondering why I'm doing this twomarathons project. (You wouldn't be alone; I've been asking myself that for months now!) With the finish line finally in sight, it seems a good time to reflect on the origin of the idea, and on its evolution.

As most readers will know, I'm a postulant with the Sisters of the Assumption, which is the first stage of formation. I started here (Kensington) in November 2007, and gradually got used to a timetable of prayer, study, and work. It was a big change from my previous lifestyle (renting a one-bedroom flat, juggling my career as a speech and language therapist with a busy social calendar), so it took me a while to settle, but things gradually fell into place. With the arrival of summer 2008 and a review of my first six months, Sister Simon (who is responsible for my formation) and I agreed that I needed something more apostolic in my schedule. Prayer life was reasonably established, community life too, but I didn't have a lot of connection with the world. Simon thought I could look into voluntary activities; I think she suggested charity shops. So I thought, and I prayed, and I investigated. What a huge array of possibilities there seemed to be! Overwhelmed by choice, I proposed the twomarathons project instead.

"Now, what is she talking about," I can hear you ask. "Two marathons? How is jogging in the park a work of outreach?" Needless to say, my immediate response is, "because of the charities!". I may not have had many opportunities to meet people during my training, but then, my training hasn't been what I expected in any respect! The fundraising, on the other hand, has been all about sharing my enthusiasm for these charities. The brilliant thing about enthusiasm is that, when it's shared, each portion doesn't get smaller, but grows, like flames spreading across the kindling in a grate. We are easily dampened, even doused, by the wet blankets of financial crisis, social breakdown, climate chaos, personal and national violence, and all the other struggles we encounter in the media. Yet there is another side to life! Fundamentally, we are all striving for peace, justice, and well-being. We all want to put an end to inequality. We all want to help where we see suffering. I'm in a hugely privileged position, with the time and support needed to make this project a success, to give others the opportunity to be generous and to make a difference. As so often in this blog, I want and need to say "thankyou"! Your interest and involvement have transformed a tentative idea into a spreading fire of enthusiasm. And you have shown me the unquenchable power of good in our world.

Targets reached - thanks to you!

2009-03-25T04:31:00.000-07:00

What a great joy it was on Sunday to count up the takings from the fun morning and to realise that my fundraising targets had been achieved! It was a delightful end to a very happy day. My brilliant community were particularly brilliant in helping with the setting up, the overseeing, and the clearing of the event, while those who attended showed tremendous generosity. Some figures might help as an illustration:

Refreshments: £154.10
Tombola: £141.50
"How long will it take?" game: £42.00
Auction: £187.00
Donations: £570.00
Grand total: £1094.60

It was an amazing experience to stand in the middle of the room watching it all happen. Those who were looking after the different activities were busily occupied, with queues of people keen to have a go at the games. Many were sampling the coffee and cakes (oh, and don't forget the biscuits). Others were looking at the displays about the charities, or seeking me out to hand over a cheque. Everybody was smiling and having fun. We could even spill over into the garden, God having provided a last dose of sunny, settled weather. And what a great outcome: something that people really did seem to experience as a "fun morning", and a huge boost to my fundraising. Lots and lots and LOTS of thanks to everybody who contributed, in whatever way!

Now all I have to worry about is the actual marathons, which are approaching rapidly. Things are definitely going in the right direction with my training at last, but of course I can't possibly catch up to where I had hoped to be. Although I should make some more progress before the big days, by dint of continued physio exercises and very careful increases in the length of my runs, there's no doubt that I'll be slow and that it will be a struggle to cover the distance. It's interesting to think back six months to all the ideas I had about this project and what it would entail. Hardly any of it has turned out how I expected! But, or maybe so, it's been hugely enriching. I hope I'm ready now for whatever unforeseen happenings the final few weeks throw at me!

What does RTU do? - 6. Water Programme

2009-03-20T03:38:00.000-07:00

Think of overseas aid and it probably won't be too long before you think of the provision of clean water through well-drilling programmes. The rains can be unreliable in the area of India covered by RTU, and in times of drought there can be very serious water shortages. Even when the rains don't fail, many people have to go long distances for water. Because it is often children who are given this task, school attendance is inevitably affected. It's no wonder, then, that RTU has an on-going commitment to improving access to clean water. Up to 70 wells are sunk annually, with a current total of over 2000 wells serving 400,000 people.

Two aspects of this work interest me. Firstly, Brother James is a skilled water dowser! Now, I am a highly sceptical person regarding such matters, but it's hard to argue with a 92% success rate in finding water where expected. No doubt this contributes to the remarkably low cost of installing a well of as little as £350. Aware that he won't be able to continue with this indefinitely, Brother James has trained a number of local people to dowse, so the programme won't become dependent on the skills of outsiders.

With a similar focus on empowerment and reducing dependence, the second area of interest for me is that a simple hand pump is usually installed on each well, with villagers given training to maintain it. This seems a perfect example to me of what RTU is so good at - long-distance thinking, rather than the creation of problems for the future through short-term crisis management.

In the offing: twomarathons fun morning!

2009-03-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

I'm a little later in the week than I had intended with this post, but for once I'm not saying "where did the time go?", since I know the answer! Many of you (friends on facebook, for example), could also have a good guess: I've been preparing for the fun morning next Sunday (22nd March). A glance at the clever justgiving widgets on the sidebar will probably show my charity totals still hovering somewhere around the two-thirds mark. Some of this is due to caution on my part; if I included pledges and promises, I'd probably be nearer three-quarters of the way, maybe even more. All the same, there's a gap to be filled. So I came up with the idea of a fun morning!

The event is planned to run from 11am to 12.30, fitting neatly between the end of our Sunday Mass and lunchtime. We have a big community room in the Convent, so there should be space for all the activities. I guess the first port of call for many will be the refreshments table - coffee, tea, pizza bianca, croissants and flapjack should be on the menu, as well as squash and biscuits (following the advice of my friends, these will include both jammie dodgers AND chocolate varieties!). Hopefully that should provide enough energy to have a go on the giant tombola. Last time I counted there were around 100 prizes, and with different coloured tickets for children's and adults' prizes, you will have slightly more chance of winning what you were aiming for! There's another game, too, though for that one you'll have to wait until the end of April to know whether you've won! It's called "How long will it take?", and you have to guess just that - how long it will take me to run the two marathons. Skill, or luck? I'll leave that to you to decide. As well as the games, there'll be a display, leaflets, and a visual presentation about the charities I'm supporting, for those who have somehow missed out on learning about them. And to round off the morning, we'll have a little auction - just a handful of lots - and a mixed bunch they look like being, too!

As far as I'm concerned, the best thing about the fun morning is that every penny and pound put in the collecting pots will go straight to the charities. I've persuaded local businesses to donate prizes for the games as well as food and drink for the refreshments, so there will be no costs to cover. That means those stubborn widgets should show rather higher percentages after the event! At least, they will do if anybody turns up! If you're able to pop in, please do. I would really love to see you. If you can't be there, at least now you'll be able to imagine what you're missing...

WPF Therapy's Grand Opening

2009-03-05T04:11:00.000-08:00

I realise I haven't written anything about the official opening of WPF Therapy's new premises near London Bridge, which took place three weeks ago now, on 11th February. Firstly, I must say that they didn't do a good job of ordering the weather. It was a filthy afternoon/evening, with driving rain and wind. Nevertheless, plenty of people must have thought it was worth the effort of getting there, as the room was quite full. Please, don't ask me to locate that room again! I think the new building is really brilliant. Despite quite limited opportunities to provide natural light, the designers have somehow managed to give the impression of a great luminosity (enough to lift the spirits even before couselling!) as well as spaciousness. However, the general consensus at the opening was that a little time would be needed to work out where things were located. As far as I can gather, there are parallel corridors and two staircases. For me this had the effect that I was constantly finding myself somewhere I didn't expect to be!

The new building certainly has a plethora of treatment rooms, all very clean, tasteful, and welcoming, without being cluttered. As I wandered around, I began to realise just how many people benefit from the services of WPF Therapy, something I hadn't managed to visualise from the bare statistic of over 500 appointments each week. Given that there are also nearly 500 students enrolled on the introductory and professional courses run by WPF Therapy, it must be a busy place at times! Even during the opening, an early-evening event, there were plenty of treatment sessions underway, which we were careful not to disturb as we looked around. Well away from these, however, the opening was accompanied by a fair volume of conversation as staff, trustees, friends, trainees, and people with all sorts of links to WPF Therapy took the opportunity to meet each other. Unusually for such events (at least in my experience), rather than being an enforced break from chatting, the speeches proved quite inspirational in their descriptions of the evolution of WPF Therapy so far, and their energy and excitement about what the future holds. It was particularly touching to hear Benita Kyle, wife of the founder, speak about the very small beginnings of what was then Westminster Pastoral Foundation, and how that original vision has been maintained through all the growth and changes of the last 40 years.

I was sad when WPF Therapy moved out of Kensington Square; for me it brought interest and diversity to the campus. I'm pretty sure they were sad to leave, too, after 30 years in such a beautiful setting. However, in characteristic fashion, what could have been viewed as an unwanted trial has instead been seized as an opportunity. I wish them many more decades of success in their crucial work!

Two months to go!

2009-02-26T03:43:00.000-08:00

Yes, it really is true, in two months my twomarathons project will be over! Probably this is more easily imaginable for you than for me. I've grown accustomed to living with a constant list of people to contact for donations, a constant calculation of when I can fit in my training, and during the last two months a constant anxiety about my knee! The thought that it will come to an end - God willing with the objectives achieved - brings with it a certain lightening of the spirit that fits well with the approach of spring. This is not to suggest that I dislike the project. Through it I've had wonderful opportunities to communicate about some of the things that matter to me, and to experience unexpected generosity. And I've learnt a huge amount about my own (lack of) generosity, and especially about my cultivation of self-reliance as a defence mechanism. Approaching people to ask for help brings the risk of rejection - yet I understand better now how it also brings the hope of communion, the acknowledgement of mutual dependence among the whole human family. I don't find it an exaggeration to say that the continued evolution of humanity hangs on this.

On a more practical plane, there are now 52 days until the Bungay Black Dog Marathon, and 59 until the London Marathon. Donations are approaching two-thirds of the target of £2000 for each charity. Pledges and more vaguely expressed intentions to support the project should help boost those totals significantly, but there is still some way to go, and I'm running out of people to badger! So, put your thinking caps on please, and see if there isn't something you could do to help. I would be delighted to provide you with posters, flyers, sponsorship forms, and literature about the charities, if you have any arena to spread the word!

Things have continued to be less than perfect with my knee, and there have been plenty of times when I've wondered whether all the physio exercises will just be too little too late. However, I'm back to running and at present I'm managing to build up the distance without an increase in pain. This is really encouraging. I'm an extremely determined person (some other adjectives probably come to mind...) so I expect to make it round these marathons, even if not in quite the form I'd envisaged! Maybe you could cheer me on? If you're likely to be in the Bungay area on 19th April or London on 26th, let me know so that I can give you some details of when to expect me where! In my new spirit of acknowledged frailty, I will rejoice in your support!

What does RTU do? - 5. AIDS Programme

2009-02-16T05:38:00.000-08:00

Over the past decade or two we've got quite used to hearing about AIDS and the impact it's having on populations around the world. However, I don't recall reading much in the news about the growing epidemic in India. Reaching the Unreached happens to be situated in one of the most badly affected areas, with an infection rate that is increasing extremely rapidly. Unfortunately, people there haven't had the same chances as us to learn about HIV and AIDS, the means of transmission, the risk of infection, and so on. As a result, the disease carries huge stigma in the area. The story of Pothumani, a 35 year old widow with three children, is not an unusual one. When she and her husband discovered that they were both HIV+, they hid it from the family as long as they could. However, in this man's final days, the nature of his illness became known. Pothumani was chased out of her home with great hatred; she was seen as the bringer of misfortune to the family. She planned to kill her children and commit suicide, but discovered the work of RTU just in time. They helped her to re-gain the land she was entitled to, provided financial assistance and a house, and arranged counselling for the whole family. Now Pothumani can continue to bring up her children with dignity.

In the Children's Villages more than half the children have been orphaned due to AIDS; at present almost every new admission comes from a family affected by AIDS. Many of these children are HIV+ themselves. In-depth training is given to the foster mothers to enable them to integrate HIV+ children fully into the family and the village, and to provide whatever special care is necessary. Medical check-ups take place regularly, with the prescription of anti-retroviral drugs when appropriate. Of course, some of the children eventually become too ill to be cared for at home, in which case they go to a nearby hospice run by the Presentation Sisters. Brother James (the founder of RTU) and the current director Father Antony write frequently in the newsletter of these children. Their dedication to them is so clear from their words, as is their immense grief when a child dies. There can be no doubt that every individual helped by RTU is just that - an individual - given every possible care with unstinting love.

Why not have a look at RTU's website to find out more about their work? You will even see a picture of me on there! But don't let that put you off.

Cold Conditions: Warm Welcome!

2009-02-09T03:48:00.000-08:00

What a week to choose for some more "outreach" publicity! I travelled to Cambridge last Wednesday ready to speak in assembly at the Perse (my old school, as blog followers will know) the following morning. Thursday dawned: snowy... Snowy to the point of school-closure, that is!

This is the point at which I must say a huge and public "THANKYOU" to the school staff. Despite having small and insignificant decisions to make such as whether it was safe for girls to travel to school and whether staffing levels would be adequate for the girls to remain safely at school once they got there, a good deal of effort and flexibility was in evidence so that my presentation could go ahead. This finally happened on Friday, still surrounded by snow, with girls arriving late and others leaving early, yet I really felt that I received the warmest of welcomes. I was particularly delighted to have such an attentive audience in distracting circumstances. Thankyou, everybody!

Hopefully, a few "Perse parents" might be reading this. If so, you daughter has probably heeded my appeal to show you my blog and to encourage you to make a donation! So why should you support this unknown person and these unknown charities? Well, my visit to school last week has certainly convinced me of the existence of a "Perse Girls Community", extending to embrace families and past pupils as well as girls currently attending the school. Within that community I know that there's a real and long-standing commitment to development and progress on a global scale. My two charities contribute to that ideal of development in contrasting yet complementary ways. With Reaching the Unreached, the focus is on solutions to poverty. With WPF Therapy, it's individual emotional well-being that's at stake. Yet in both cases, the charities are working for empowerment, with particular emphasis on the dignity and worth of each individual. These concepts are key values in the educational approach of the Perse, and so I trust that we are "on the same wavelength". As a result, I have the audacity to appeal to you very directly: please make a donation! You can be sure it will help people to turn their lives around.

Training update 3

2009-02-02T02:14:00.000-08:00

It would be more accurate to say "injury update", but the effort I'm putting into overcoming this injury certainly feels like training! The week of rest and anti-inflammatories having done very little other than to leave me feeling unfit, I went to see a physiotherapist, who came up with a totally different diagnosis! Apparently the problem is "iliotibial band friction syndrome". Despite sounding very grand, this is actually an extremely common runners' problem. The pain is due to a long tendon (stretching from the hip to below the knee) rubbing on the end of the thigh bone in the knee area. In my case, this seems to be due to a muscle imbalance in my hip, maybe due to some leg injury I can't even remember. Compensating for the imbalance, I use the wrong muscles to bring my leg forward when I run, and so the tendon scrapes on the bone rather than making a smooth passage past it!

So much for the anatomical explanation; what about the cure? Exercises! And more exercises, followed by some exercises for good measure. Four times a day you will find me in front of the mirror concentrating intently on keeping my pelvis straight as I lunge, bend, and generally contort myself in the interests of waking up those lazy muscles! And they're certainly letting me know about it. I should have impressive quads after this, if nothing else! If I have any time to spare between the muscle-strengthening exercises, I can also cycle (or use the exercise bike as is more likely in this weather), so my cardio-vascular system doesn't need to go into hibernation.

It has to be said that this is entirely not the form I expected my training to be taking at this stage. However, despite the lack of actual running, I know I'm building up all the important aspects of my fitness, and so I'm staying optimistic. After all, if I don't believe I can achieve my aims, who will?

WPF Therapy - A safe place to talk

2009-01-26T07:24:00.000-08:00

Nobody's life runs hiccup-free; times of stress, unhappiness and discouragement are a normal part of existence. But when these feelings persist, and have a negative impact on one's ability to function, it can be very difficult to move beyond them independently. The role of WPF Therapy is to help people experiencing all sorts of emotional, personal or relationship problems, such as anxiety, bereavement, eating disorders, lack of confidence, depression, and loneliness. By talking, exploring and reflecting, clients are helped to develop their awareness of the choices they have in their life and to see their way forward. Problems and distress in the present never stand in splendid isolation; there is always some cause or set of causes. Understanding what underlies one's difficulties can be the first step in personal growth. This is where a trained and non-judgemental counsellor or psychotherapist can help by acting as a catalyst in the process, through active listening and facilitative questioning and commenting.

Because one size doesn't fit all, a variety of treatment approaches are offered at WPF Therapy. These include short-term and open-ended counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (which addresses thinking patterns and styles), group therapy, and more in-depth psychotherapy. A recommendation is made after the initial consultation as to which of these is most appropriate. In all cases, the sliding scale of payment ensures that everybody has access to a safe place to talk. Statistics show that every year in the UK, 91 million working days are lost to mental illness, and 4,000 people take their own lives. WPF Therapy works to reduce this shocking amount of human suffering by acceptance of each individual, empowering them to move forward from their place of struggle. What a great thing to do!

What does RTU do? - 4. Rural Development Programme

2009-01-19T13:39:00.000-08:00

What can a woman do when her husband has died, she has young children to look after, no savings and no income? What alternative does she have to a life of poverty and dependence on charity?

In 26 rural villages in Southern India, she can join a self-help group of women in similar circumstances. Run by local people with the support of RTU, the groups empower the most desperate and needy in these communities to transform their lives. Through micro-finance schemes, women have access to small loans with nominal interest rates. This enables them to set up businesses without becoming entrapped in the cycle of debt associated with borrowing from local money-lenders, who can charge interest rates of 60% or more. The "businesses" I am talking about really are very small - perhaps growing vegetables or making clothes, to sell within the village - yet they can make the difference between misery and dignity.

The women in the self-help groups also meet regularly to offer mutual support. They can talk and share their concerns and successes. There are opportunities to learn about health issues and about women's rights. A very deep need is filled in this way; often for the first time, these women realise that each one is a respected and valued person who has a role in their community and in the world, and whose actions can influence the quality of their life. It is, more than anything, this empowerment which I find inspiring. Everywhere in the world, no-one should be denied the chance to construct a worthwhile and meaningful life for themselves and their families.

The first hurdle - no jumping allowed!

2009-01-12T07:29:00.000-08:00

No jumping, no cycling, no swimming, and more to the point, no running allowed, for at least a week! Well, it just couldn't continue so smoothly really; where would the challenge have been? (Actually I think there might have been enough challenge, but that clearly reflects my lack of grit...)

When I came back from a run on Christmas Eve with some pain behind my knee, I decided to give it a rest for a couple of weeks as is my usual response to niggles. Unfortunately this niggle decided not to go away, so I took it to the doctor today to see if she could give it a good talking to. Happily, since all my ligaments seem to be in good nick and there is no tenderness or external sign of a problem, the probable cause is a simple muscle strain being aggravated by daily activity. That explains the total ban on exercise for the next little while! I've also got some anti-inflammatories to speed the healing process. The timing is not brilliant, with only three months and one week until the first marathon, but it could be worse (three days and one hour before, for example). So I'm being patient and optimistic, knowing that a few weeks' rest now will mean much more rapid progress later. Since my objective is to get round, at least I don't have to worry that I won't reach my target time! Anyone got a spare torch?

Needless to say, I will be shifting my focus to fundraising, fundraising and fundraising for the next little while. Today I have passed the halfway mark for both charities, which is really something to smile about. Hooray!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-03T03:24:00.000-08:00

It's the third day of 2009 and a beautiful sunny one. Seeing a clear blue sky always generates in me a sense of optimism and confidence. Since I will need plenty of both over the next three and a half months, I'm praying for good weather! The countdown is really beginning now, with lots of training and fundraising still to do. I guess the New Year always makes us think about our prospects for the next 12 months, maybe more than ever this year with so many predictions of deep recession at home and abroad. It's not an easy time to be asking people for money. However, the financial insecurity I'm witnessing in so many people around me inspires me more than ever about the charities I've chosen. For the poor of Tamil Nadu served by Reaching the Unreached, need is not a fear but a daily, grinding reality which for most of us can cast a clear light onto our prosperity-based worries. Yet with jobs at risk and the combination of rising prices and falling income making established lifestyles untenable, many people in this country are at risk of crippling anxiety and depression. WPF Therapy's services, and particularly their reduced fees for those on low income, are likely to be more needed than ever.

Perhaps now is a good time to have a look at our own standard of living and whatever challenges we are facing in our lives, and to appreciate how lucky so many of us are. Of course, appreciation in a vacuum won't help the situation - so some redistribution of wealth could be considered! In that context I'd like to express my gratitude once more for the generosity you have all shown. It's wonderful to see the running totals rising - almost half way now! And so many promises and pledges. I'm looking forward, with blue-sky confidence, to seeing those promises being transformed into donations in the coming weeks. And you can look forward to me transforming good intentions into action, as I re-double my efforts to make this project a success.

What does RTU do? - 3. Housing

2008-12-20T06:27:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed that it's nearly Christmas. I wonder where you will be celebrating? Perhaps in your own home; perhaps with your parents or your grown-up children; perhaps somewhere quite different. Wherever you'll be this year though, the chances are that the house will be warm, dry, and safe. So it seemed like a good moment to pause and think about the housing in the area of Southern India covered by Reaching the Unreached. For a long time, the poverty of the villagers has meant that they have lived in inadequate huts. Roughly constructed with mud walls and thatched rooves, these one-room "houses" let in the rain and poisonous snakes, have no sanitary facilities, and are often completely destroyed in strong winds. They need re-construction on an annual basis, at a cost which many families cannot afford. This forces them to go to money-lenders, who charge high interest rates (60% or more), and so the cycle of poverty and debt is reinforced.

Since 1976, RTU have been constructing simple but sturdy houses for the most needy local people. These houses are made of brick, with tiled rooves. They have a living area, sometimes partitioned for privacy, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a veranda. Each house costs approximately £450 to construct. Over 7,500 have been built so far. Villagers apply for an RTU house, and their need is carefully assessed. If they are successful, they are fully involved in the planning and the construction of the house. I particularly appreciate this empowerment of the local people, rather than forcing them into the role of passive receivers of charity. Moreover, the bricks, tiles, window frames and so on are all made in an RTU factory, providing employment for local people, and using local materials which are not harmful to the environment.

Each year, Lasallian Developing World Projects, founded by the De La Salle order, sends teams of young people to developing countries to participate in building projects. Since 2005 this has included the Rural Housing Programme of RTU. One returned volunteer wrote, "There was nothing that we did that could not have been done by the people of the village. We could have just sent a cheque. So what was the point?". This volunteer goes on to describe how each member of the team gained enormous insights into the local culture and the impact of poverty there, and how humbled they were by the generosity of the local people. It seems, also, that the locals were delighted to receive these Westerners; it was evidence that people cared about their situation and were making real efforts to help. The mutual benefits of such projects are obviously manifold. The young people particularly appreciated being invited to the house-warming parties. These involve lighting candles, cracking open a coconut, and sharing warm milk, cake and fruit. Perhaps during the next week we can remember the delight of these people in moving into their new homes, and appreciate our own homes a little more.

Why run for WPF Therapy?

2008-12-10T04:19:00.000-08:00

In the UK, approximately 1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives, and over 4000 people take their own life each year. To me those figures say: 1.) this is common; 2.) this is serious.

At WPF Therapy, over 500 hours of assessment and treatment take place every week. That's a lot of people given a safe place to talk. Because charges are means-tested, people from all backgrounds and standards of living can access the service, giving them the chance to face the difficulties they are experiencing and to move forward.

Although these would be more than adequate reasons to run a marathon for WPF Therapy, I have a personal motivation as well: my own experience of depression.

It's hard to compress a personal story into a paragraph or two, but perhaps you can fill in some of the gaps. I first experienced depression as a teenager, and this recurred several times in subsequent years. For most of this time I was undiagnosed, unsupported, wrongly diagnosed or badly supported. I was ashamed of what I was going through and imagined that nobody would understand what I was feeling. Moreover, I didn't believe that anything could be done to help. When something eventually spurred me to speak more honestly to my GP, he sent me for six sessions of brief counselling and put me on anti-depressants. The drugs helped - they gave me enough energy and positivity to move forward with my life. The counselling didn't - six sessions barely scratched the surface and I wasn't offered more. So why would I be enthusiastic about WPF Therapy, which offers counselling? Simply because they only stop after six sessions if six sessions is enough! Simply because they offer a client-centred approach, empowering each individual to take responsibility for their lives and to make the changes needed. Simply because they are there, de-stigmatising mental health difficulties and respecting their clients. Simply because they are intervening at the level of causes, not of symptoms. Simply because they make a difference.

I'm glad of the experience I've lived through; I wouldn't be the "me" I am without it. But I'm glad of it mostly because I can turn it to good. By speaking out I can help to cut through the taboos and stigma so that other people won't have to negotiate such a mire of isolation and hopelessness. With increased awareness of and openness about mental health problems, resulting in their earlier identification, and with improved availability and affordability of talking therapies, personal suffering could be reduced dramatically. So "thankyou" WPF Therapy for your part in that! And "thankYOU", that's YOU - my supporters - for funding their work.

Training update 2

2008-12-02T08:30:00.000-08:00

It's now just 4½ months until the Bungay Black Dog! With this in mind I have been licking my training schedule into shape over the last little while. That means it's now more interesting, and hopefully more effective, than the "60 minutes steady run round the park" I was doing 2 or 3 times a week. According to the experts there are several important kinds of training, incorporating different speeds and distances; these in combination are meant to build up fitness and endurance, for example by making the muscles more effective in their use of the oxygen in your blood. I find the body's capacity to adapt to exercise (in other words to get fitter) really amazing. I never expect it to work!

At the moment I'm still only managing three runs a week, but they are quite varied. Perhaps the most important one (definitely for my psychological readiness if nothing else) is the "long run", which I'm increasing by 10 minutes (about a mile) a week. I should be at a half-marathon distance next week or the week after, which works out right for this length of time before the marathons. Then I have an "interval run", a very new and challenging discipline for me, which involves (after a warm-up period of gentle running) alternating fast running with jogging to recover. My most recent interval run included eight repetitions of 90 seconds fast and 90 seconds jog. Let's say it was good to stop! The final run is a bit of a hybrid at the moment, as I've tried to compress into it a steady run and a tempo run. Tempo, or threshold, running is even harder for me than intervals - it means running at the limit of your aerobic capacity so that you can keep going, but only just! Finding this whole idea rather scary, I've started by trying to put a bit of this type of running into the middle of an hour's steady run. I'm not sure I'm running fast enough for the "threshold" section of it, but to run any faster than my standard speed for longer than a minute or two is already an achievement!

The great thing is that I can see the evidence that these efforts are working. If I drop back down to something that seemed hard a few weeks ago, it's now noticeably easier. The tiredness of my legs after a run doesn't last as long. I can make a bit more of an effort up a hill or against the wind without gasping for breath. Maybe I will be able to run a marathon! Maybe even two!

Looking back over my posts I see I haven't said a lot so far about WPF Therapy. It's next on the list, so keep an eye out!

What does RTU do? - 2. Education

2008-11-27T07:32:00.000-08:00

The visit to my school last week has inspired me to write about Reaching the Unreached's work in education. Since around a thousand children and young people are cared for within the Children's Villages and teenagers' hostels, it's perhaps unsurprising that there is also a flourishing network of RTU schools in the area. More unexpectedly, though, these schools also provide places for the poorest children in many surrounding villages.

For babies and the youngest children, there are day care centres and infant schools. As well as being given educational stimulation, these children benefit from food, bathing and medical care. If the centres were not available, a parent might have to give up work, with enormous financial implications for the family. The more likely solution would be that an older sibling would look after the young child, thus missing out on their own education.

As the children grow up, they move to one of RTU's three primary schools, and then to the High School. The standard of education is high, with child-friendly teaching methods and a strict anti-corruption policy, factors which are worth mentioning in a country where corporal punishment is common and exam fraud is rife.

Many children drop out of school due to difficult family circumstances, or have learning difficulties and cannot cope with the relatively inflexible teaching methods in state schools. The RTU Open School offers a more personalised education for these children, with bridge courses enabling children to catch up lost years and gain a foundation for further studies or vocational training.

Although there are far too many aspects of RTU's educational work for me to describe here, I can't stop without mentioning the mobile science lab! This van, which has been fitted out with equipment and materials for scientific experiments and demonstrations, tours 43 local schools. As a result, local teachers have access to equipment which is otherwise completely unavailable in their schools, and 20,000 children are helped to follow the national curriculum.

Hello Perse Girls!

2008-11-20T03:20:00.001-08:00

It was such fun going "back to school" on Monday and meeting some of you that I thought I'd post you a message!

Wow, the new dining room and hall are amazing! I love the ceiling that changes colour. Things have certainly changed a bit in the nearly 20 years since I completed my time at the Perse. What's still the same, though, is the enthusiasm and energy of the girls. Thanks so much to all of you who took time out from your muffins and conversations to look at my display! It was great to hear from you what it's like to be a Perse Girl in 2008, and to have the chance to tell you a bit about me and my project.

I hope you've had time to read the leaflets about the charities I'm supporting. But don't worry if you haven't, or if you didn't take any leaflets; there are links to their webpages on the sidebar (just below the "welcome" paragraph). If you have a look at them, I'm sure you will be able to find out everything that you'd like to know about the charities!

Thanks again for letting me introduce my project to you. I hope that you find it interesting, and that you'll be able to follow my blog over the next five months. It makes a big difference to have your support! I hope also that I'll have another chance nearer the "big days" to visit you, so that I can meet more of you, and so that you can find out exactly how my preparations and fundraising are going! Until then, keep smiling...

News and plans

2008-11-13T09:29:00.000-08:00

Training, fundraising and blog posting have taken a back seat over the past 10 days or so while my dad has made it through a heart bypass operation. So apologies for the silence! You will be glad to hear that Dad is recovering quite well.

Now it's "all systems go" for a publicity trip to Norwich! I lived in Norwich for five years before I started as a postulant with the Sisters of the Assumption, and I'm really glad of the opportunity to spend some time there again catching up with old friends and talking about my project. My display will be earning its living in St John's Cathedral after Mass on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, with me beside it to answer questions. After that I will give a couple of talks and meet as many people as I can.

For me this is a wonderful chance to spread the word about the charities I'm supporting; more widespread awareness of their work is perhaps the most important aspect of this whole project. You can help with that by sharing my enthusiasm with your friends, families and acquaintances. Together we can reach many, many people!

What does RTU do? - 1. Children's Villages

2008-10-27T05:08:00.000-07:00

The Children's Villages are perhaps the best known part of the work of RTU, and indeed the foundation of their work. In February 1978 Brother James Kimpton, the wonderful De La Salle brother who led the charity from its conception and is still involved today, was asked by a local priest to look after four orphaned children. With no facilities for them, he apologetically refused and set off home. But halfway back he felt strongly called to return and take the children. From that tiny seed has grown the flourishing, sheltering tree of four Children's Villages and six hostels for teenagers. In the villages, widows and abandoned wives act as "mothers" for six to eight children, living in good quality but simple houses. Brothers and sisters are always kept together in one "family". Each village has play areas and an auditorium where everybody meets each evening, as well as facilities such as a shop and a health clinic. The children go to school nearby. When they are mature enough, they transfer to one of the hostels, to continue their education and progress to training or study for employment. Every child remains the responsibility of RTU until they are settled independently, after which they will be welcome visitors throughout their lives.

For me this is an inspirational system of care for children without homes and families - they are simply provided with homes and families! For some of them it may be the first time they have experienced love, stability and security. The success of the Children's Villages is clear from the number of well-adjusted adults living fruitful lives after their upbringing within RTU. With the rapid increase of HIV and AIDS in the area, there has been an explosion in the number of orphans brought to the project, many of whom are also HIV+. The response of RTU is to continue taking every child who needs placement. This requires constant expansion and development of resources and skills.

Training update 1

2008-10-20T03:57:00.000-07:00

I thought I was going to have nothing (or very little) to report again this week as regards training! Last week I only managed a couple of 30-40 minute runs before getting a sore throat which enforced a few rest days. Fully recovered, yesterday I cycled for two hours. It was pretty intensive, especially the hour at Richmond Park; there and back are slower because of traffic lights and similar. So this morning I set out for a run with rather tired legs and lungs. To my pleasure, I completed the hour I had in mind. What has the last two days taught me? One: that I still have a long way to go to be marathon fit. Two: that I can keep on running even when I'm tired. I knew that already, but it was a good reminder.

It's now six months minus one day until the Bungay Black Dog. That means six months and six days until the London Marathon. Will I be ready? Yes, God willing. Will I have achieved my target sponsorship? My trust is a bit weaker on this one, but I will say "yes, God willing" and keep on doing all I can to spread the word about these charities. I know that every donation will be put to great use - all I need to do is convince other people of that, too! Don't forget that you can be a massive help in publicising what I'm doing. And, again and always, huge thanks for all your support.

A successful launch - thankyou!

2008-10-13T03:20:00.000-07:00

Training has taken a back seat over the last week as I've geared up for the launch of the fundrasising campaign!

Saturday was the big day, and the occasion was the Old Girls and Past Students Reunion of the Assumption schools and training college. I was there with a display and leaflets about the project, particularly focussing on the two charities of course. I also had the chance to introduce myself and to give a brief outline of what I'm doing.

It was really great to experience such interest and generosity - a huge "thankyou" to all who contributed with donations, advice, prayers, encouragement... I can only reiterate how uplifting it was to see people looking at the display, asking questions, and generally responding so positively. You will see from my "justgiving" sites that, simply in immediate contributions, donations to RTU were £82.77, and to WPF Therapy, £138.50. What a great start!

This busy opening day was followed yesterday by another opportunity to show my display, this time at the end of Mass in our chapel. So more "thanks" go to all those in the congregation who found the time to have a look before rushing home, and for all the pledges made. These should bring the totals to roughly £200 for each charity.

Now it's back to the grindstone. I've been out for a 35 minute run this morning. It's bizarre how warm it is for the middle of October. It's good training for April, which could quite easily be equally warm. On the other hand, there was snow for the Bungay Black Dog Marathon last year! I guess it's best to be prepared for all eventualities.

Introductions!

2008-10-07T07:55:00.000-07:00

This is me, Isabel Hill. There's a good chance you know me already, to be reading this. If not, you soon will! There's more about me in my "Profile" section (helpfully titled "about me and my project" - just click on it), and you'll soon find out even more from my posts. But don't worry, I'll try not to bore you with TOO many details!

So here I am, all ready to start this project I'm describing as "two marathons - two charities - two weeks". As with most of life, I feel underskilled and underprepared, but determined to complete the task I've committed myself to. Determination won't be enough. All my efforts will be fruitless without your support! But since I can't expect you to support in a vacuum, intermittent posts will aim to let you know some more about the charities I'm supporting, as well as how my training is going.

For starters, what are these charities?

"RTU" stands for "Reaching the Unreached of Village India". Brother James Kimpton, of the De La Salle Brothers, founded RTU in 1975, and since then he's been working to meet the needs of the poor in part of Tamil Nadu, India's southernmost state. There are children's villages (for orphaned and abandoned children), schools, medical services, a house-building project, drilling of wells, creation of employment opportunities... While Brother James, now in his 80s, gradually reduces his involvement, the very competent local team is gaining confidence in keeping this amazing work viable and effective in the long term. I will tell you a little about all the different aspects of the work of RTU in the coming months. I can't remember how my connection with RTU started, but for several years now I've been reading their newsletters with admiration and interest. I am always captivated by the very personal interest in the people served, which comes through so clearly in the accounts of their work.

WPF Therapy was founded (as the Westminster Pastoral Foundation) in 1969, when "talking therapies" were in their infancy, and since then the vision of providing skilled and affordable therapy has been maintained throughout its evolution into a well-established centre of excellence. High-quality counselling and therapy are provided, using a sliding scale of fees such that nobody is excluded due to low income. In addition, a wide range of professional training is offered, for example in psychotherapy and counselling. I came across WPF Therapy when I moved to Kensington last year, and have been consistently impressed with the dedication and kindness of the staff. I want to use this opportunity to speak out about the difficulty for so many people struggling with mental illness in accessing talking therapies, and the role WPF Therapy can play in filling that gap. Following their move to a new site near London Bridge, I'm sure this is going to be a particularly fruitful period in the development of WPF Therapy.

So, 6 months 12 days until the first marathon, and two wonderful charities to publicise. I hope this is a reasonable beginning! Training has started too; more of that in my next post.

Thanks for your attention!