Ed Runs 2025
(AKA Ed learns to run a half marathon)
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I never win lucky dips. I never win competitions.
That was until I entered the ballot for the 2025 Great North Run ... and two weeks later I won a place! D'oh!
The AJ Bell Great North Run is the world’s biggest and best half marathon (21.1km / 13.1 miles), with 60,000 runners taking on the route from Newcastle to South Shields each year. It’s famous for its inclusive atmosphere, unbeatable route-side entertainment and warm Geordie welcome, not to mention the millions of pounds raised each year for worthy causes.
I used to hate running at school and thought that I'd never make a runner (I may still not!) but having beaten multiple 100km walks I needed a new challenge. At the time of writing this paragraph I can't even run 5Km in one go but hey, I've got 12 months to train, right?!
I'm writing a blog - view my training and progress here
This year I'll once again be raising money for three amazing charities...
Willow Foundation
The Willow Foundation is a national charity established in 1999 by Arsenal footballer and BBC sports commentator Bob Wilson and his wife Megs as a lasting memorial to their daughter, Anna, who died of cancer aged 31.
If you're living with a life-threatening illness every day is precious and Willow definitely made one weekend for my late wife Heather really memorable. Whisked off to London on a train we had afternoon tea at the Dorchester, saw a west-end show and stayed in a lovely hotel.
When you're dealing with the day-to-day effects of cancer, chemo, tablets and just getting on with things planning something like that would be unthinkable yet Willow are there to do it and give you a wonderful break from all the rubbish. I cannot thank this charity enough.
Bowel Cancer UK
Bowel Cancer UK is the UK's leading bowel cancer charity. They're determined to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer and hope that one day no one will die of the disease.
My late wife Heather died of Stage 4 bowel cancer having been given the diagnosis just weeks after our wedding in August 2009. It's a horrible disease, often found too late after symptoms are mistaken for something else. If treated early bowel cancer is survivable but sadly all too often it's not and 45 people die of the disease every day.
Please help me help Bowel Cancer UK to fund research, raise awareness and support those dealing with Bowel Cancer.
WAY Widowed and Young
WAY is a UK charity that offers peer-to-peer support network for anyone who's lost a partner before their 51st birthday - married or not, with or without children, inclusive of sexual orientation, gender, race or religion.
Losing Heather was horrible and WAY has been a life-saver for me. Finding people of a similar age who just "get-it" and giving me the ability to "find my tribe" was amazing and worth it's weight in gold.
When I joined WAY it supported roughly 1,500 young widows every year. 10 years on it now supports over 4,700 with peer-to-peer support, events around the country, a free legal and counselling telephone line, plus campaigning and many other services related to being a young widow.
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