Page 43 - Old Ratcliffian 2020 Edition

Wreake Runners, a local club in Syston, times. Having had a couple of quiet weeks
but this sort of mileage pushed me to my at the end of March as people adjusted
limits. My daily mileage ranged from 3 to 16 to life in lockdown, word of our newly
miles, most of which I did solo, with some adapted takeaway hatch quickly began to
of my Wreake friends joining me on the spread, and it seemed to be the perfect pit
longer runs.” During his challenge, he was stop for those out and about doing their
told by several friends on Facebook that he daily exercise. With so many people, like OR NEWS
was like Forrest Gump, as he just couldn’t us, celebrating their birthdays and special
stop running, so, on day 28, he decided occasions within the new restrictions,
to dress up as the man himself! Ben said: we were kept busy providing takeaway
“I did it as a bit of fun, and as a talking afternoon tea packages, allowing friends
point. It was surprisingly comfy to run in and families to have their very own high tea
chinos, my checked shirt, belt, and cap!” parties in the comfort of their own homes
He added: “I did the challenge because, and gardens, including several fellow Old
throughout 2020, many charities weren’t Ratcliffi ans. Whilst still continuing all of
receiving their normal donations, due our extended takeaway services, we are
to practically all events being cancelled now back open for three days a week,
because of coronavirus. I wanted to use my welcoming people to dine with us, both
running for something good – something inside and outside. We have also just
memorable! I just want to say a huge recruited more staff into the team, which
thank you to everyone who donated and will allow us to extend our opening times from my house. The furthest I had ever run
supported me throughout this challenge. again very soon (most likely by the time prior to that was over two years ago, when
It’s an amazing feeling, knowing that, this reaches print), and to make use of our I completed a half-marathon. I played
together, we’ve contributed to changing newly developed sheltered outside seating hockey at university, but all games fi nished
somebody’s life. Remember, ‘Life is like a area. I hope that no-one is faring too at the beginning of March, and I had done
box of chocolates – you never know what badly this year. Should you fi nd yourself very little fi tness since then.
you’re going to get!’” He also thanks the in the area, please do pop in for a coffee
BCRT for the challenge and for being and a reminisce.” This was, by far, the hardest thing I have
so supportive during the epic month of ever done, both mentally and physically.
August! He said: “Well done to everyone At the end of day two, my body started
who took part – you’re all heroes!” Joey Higham (16): “During lockdown, I struggling, and I had blisters on top of
ran fi ve marathons in fi ve days, with no blisters. While running, there were multiple
training, to raise money for the mental times that I thought I would be unable to
health charity Mind. I knew I wanted to get to the end of that day, let alone run
help the charity when I read about a New another few marathons! I completed the
York doctor who took her own life after fi rst one in just over six hours, but the
helping to treat COVID-19 patients. It fi nal two runs both took me more than 10
highlighted to me that no-one is immune hours to complete; the pain I was in was
to the pressures that are going on around genuinely indescribable. But the level of
us. Everyone is running their own marathon kindness and generosity that people were
at the moment, but the important thing showing kept me going, and I just aimed to
to remember is, no matter how long your keep putting one foot in front of the other.
marathon may seem, you’re not running Now it’s over, I defi nitely plan on staying
it alone. horizontal for a while.”

I ran my marathons on fi ve consecutive
days, starting on Wednesday 6th May and Mark Gamble (71), whose Two Birds
fi nishing on Sunday 10th May, in between distillery usually produces gin, turned his
fi nishing my coursework and the start of equipment over to making hand sanitiser,
my exams at Exeter University. I said that, after recognising a need for increased
if, by the end of day one, I had raised £100, production due to a national shortage at
I would try and run a second; if I had raised that time.
£200 by the end of day two, I would try
and run a third; if I had raised £400 by
Hollie Stone (07): “It’s been an unusual the end of day three, I would try and run a
year for me and my tea room (Beardsley’s fourth; and if I had raised £600 by the end
in Rearsby), but one that, equally, seems of day four, I would try and run a fi fth. I’ve
to have gone by at a record pace! Having currently raised £10,953 for Mind.
just celebrated our third birthday, it’s fair
to say that we’ve not seen the year out as I ran the same route on all fi ve days, which
we had expected – I’m sure nobody has! consisted of running around the same
That said, there has certainly been a lot 600-metre fi eld (I believe that over 100
learnt from the challenges of 2020, and I miles of the total 131 miles completed were
have been so humbled by our customers’ spent going around that same fi eld) in
support and loyalty during such unknown Loughborough, less than a kilometre away
The Old Ratcliffi an 2020 43