Hugo’s story: Running For My Sister
2 March 2017
Some people are clearly born runners; their long legs bound gracefully over concrete, one long limbed extension after another, a serene look of ease on their fair, unclammy face. They glide past you on the street as silent and fast as an archer’s release. Sadly for the majority of us this is not the case. The rest of us huff and puff our way across cracked pavement and over ungainly tree roots. Brows sweat profusely and headphones are imperative to block out the slap slap of flipper-flat foot on tarmac and mud.
Haile Gebrselassie I am not. There is no denying that I am firmly ensconced in this second category of runners. My stumpy legs belie my height and my hobbit-like feet make dumbo look like a ballerina.
I can’t pretend that it was my intention to ever compete in the marathon, it was not something that had previously crossed my mind and it was only due to a miscommunication with my over-eager sister that I got mixed up in the whole thing in the first place.
I was naturally tentative to start with, and my mind conjured seemingly watertight excuses as to why I shouldn’t take part: “Shouldn’t you be concentrating on your new job?” “Pounding those concrete streets is going to wreak havoc on your knees.” “Do you even realise how long 26.2 miles is?’’. However, by the end of September, largely thanks to the advice and enthusiasm of Back Up, those excuses had run dry and I filled in my application form.
Hugo taking a pit stop during his training!
Once I had been accepted to run on behalf of the charity the first few weeks were full of encouragement, advice and the occasional ‘you wouldn’t get me doing that’. I filled out the paperwork but my training wasn’t due to start until the first week of January. What better excuse was there than that to make the most of the festive period and eat and drink to my heart’s content? And so it was that on the January 3rd (the 1st and 2nd were bank holidays before you ask) I set off on my first run of the year – full of vim and fervour for the open roads and perhaps a few pounds more Hugo than when I had signed up.
The first few runs didn’t seem too bad, I was following a training regime downloaded from the internet that called itself ‘Running your first Marathon’ which put special emphasis on rest days and eating enough carbohydrates to fuel your body, two things that come very naturally to me. The hardest part of these first sessions was undoubtedly the winter chill that had settled on South West London. The biting cold claws at any uncovered patch of flesh and reminds you every morning how easy it would be to just stay in bed. My brand new, hi-tech running trainers, with their extra breathable flyknit weave fabric and their durable yet malleable polyurethane foam soles, were no match for the nippy gust that freezes toes.
The reason that I am putting myself through all of this is simple: to do what I can to raise money for a charity that I know first hand makes a huge difference. The effect that a spinal cord injury has is devastating.
Six years ago my sister fell from a balcony and broke her back, which left her completely paralysed from the waist down. She spent weeks in a coma, followed by further months in hospital. The moment she was able to put her mind to her future, Back Up was there. They taught her everything there was to know about life in a wheelchair, from the skills that it takes to cover the unprepared high streets to how to educate people about life with a spinal cord injury.
Back Up were there when Sophie finished her rehabilitation, guiding her at every turn. The charity set her up on a trip to Colorado to try sit skiing for the first time and now she is competing to represent Great Britain at the next Paralympics. The work they do is immeasurable. That is why I am so proud to be helping out in my small fashion by lumbering my way around the streets of London.
So the weeks go by and the runs get longer and harder. My fundraising page, that I check daily, sounds out the countdown in its jovial comic sans typeface. At the time of writing the big day is 60 days off and moral is high. The generosity of friends, family and even those who don’t know me but have been kind enough to donate, has blown me away and I am so grateful that they have given me this opportunity to help raise money in order to support those in need of Back Up’s services.
The weather is slowly improving and I no longer finish my pre-work runs under a cloak of darkness. A pesky muscle strain has slowed my progress over the last 5 days but with any luck the cocktail of anti-inflammatories and ice spray will see that it does not tarnish my ambitions. I still have a long way to go and who knows what obstacles will be placed in my path over the next couple of months. One thing is for certain, however, that Back Up will be with me throughout, just as they have been there for so many.
To help Hugo reach his fundraising goal, click here to make a donation. If you would like to register your interest for our London Marathon 2018 team, please contact Alex (Alexandra@backuptrust.org.uk) for more information or click here to see our other running/pushing challenges.
