After having limped and hobbled for the final ten miles
of the London Marathon in April 2014 I questioned whether that would be the
last marathon I would physically be capable of completing.
Nevertheless, I found myself unable to resist the opportunity that arose just a week or two later to enter the ballot for the Paris Marathon. My success in the ballot means the new run (sic) of Run Reece Run lurches off the keyboard amidst my preparations to run for 26.2 miles through the streets of Paris on 12th April 2015.
My third marathon campaign brings with it many feelings
and experiences which are beginning to become familiar. A good one is the opportunity to spend
inordinate amounts of time making and re-making intricate planning arrangements
and a not so good one is the effort involved in putting into effect the
training set out in the plan! This is
particularly the case when so many training runs involve setting off alone on a
cold and dark evening or very early morning!
It does seem that my running efforts over the last couple
of years have had a motivational influence on my daughter Carmella who in the
course of 2014 applied herself to the “Couch to 5K” programme and then went on
to complete the Kew Gardens 10K event in September. This was at the Richmond Running Festival
where I was taking part in the Visit Richmond Half Marathon and therefore we
had a great opportunity for a joint celebration at the end.
Carmella flew out on 30th
December 2014 to commence the latest of the 11 visits she has made to The
Gambia. This is a visit of over 7 weeks
which will continue until 20th February 2015. For the first two weeks of this trip Carmella
is joined by a group of over 30 scouts from Hampshire and in her final week,
during the half term period, she will be joined by a number of staff from All
Saints and also by Lesley and me and our friends Jeanette and Pete. We hope we can make a practical contribution
to the project work being undertaken!
I
made the decision many weeks ago that I would support the work Carmella is associated
with through fundraising linked with my Paris Marathon campaign. The charity I am supporting is Kaira
Konko Scout Active Support, a Hampshire based charity within Hampshire
Scouting. Operating since 1989 the
following are examples of what it has achieved and is currently doing:
*
Built Kaira Konko Scout Lodge.
*
Built 18 classrooms, a library/resource
centre and provided clean drinking water at Soma Lower Basic School.
*
Repairing and rebuilding homes.
*
Distribution of mosquito nets in the
community.
*
Well repairs.
*
Providing rice for the poorest families.
*
Providing tools and fencing for growing
food.
*
Sponsoring children through school and
college.
*
Annual visits from Hampshire teachers and
University students who
work in local schools helping to
raise educational standards.
*
Expeditions of Hampshire Explorer Scouts
who fund and implement
projects in the community.
As I write this post, I find myself reflecting on events
of the last week during which we have seen the horror of terrorist attacks in
Paris by militant Islamists. In marked
contrast to this, I received news from Carmella of how she has been with scouts
from Hampshire and Kaira Konko painting the interior and exterior of the main
Mosque in Soma.
The work, made possible by Kaira Konko Scout Active Support, resonates with me even more
against the backdrop of events in Paris. The feelings generated by the recent events and
my wish to support the work with which Carmella is involved will no doubt be a powerful
motivator for me to run well in Paris.
I have set up a fundraising site through which donations
can be made to Kaira Konko Scout Active Support:
Your support would be greatly appreciated.
Best wishes…
John
