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CTS

Help me reach my goal of £1,000

Please help me reach my goal

Raised

£1,144 + £236.93 GiftAid

My Goal

£1,000

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My Progress

I'm running 50 kms this May to leave MS behind

My Progress

70 KMS

My target

50 KMS

MS is rubbish but sponsors = life-changing research.

Isn't it enough that a chubby, 45 year old perimenopausal woman can finally stop wanging on about completing Couch to 5k on social media like she's been trying to cure an incurable disease? Apparently not...

The algorithms clearly spotted a sitting duck, and lo and behold I've somehow committed to run 50km during the month of May to raise money for the MS Society. That's quite a lot when you're very slow and get very tired.

Why?

Because there are over 150,000 people in the UK living with MS, I am one of them, and because I can. Many people with MS cannot. This is a humbling privilege I'm telling myself. And it's thanks to charities like this that new treatments are being discovered and funded all the time. Since my diagnosis in 2013, I've been fortunate to have had a few of them. If I hadn't, would I be doing this now? Rather than speculate, I choose to count my disease modifying blessings  instead, and lace up my stinky size fives.

So here I am, imaginary cap in hand, asking if you have any pennies left over from all the more impressive marathon sponsorships you've just shelled out for, that they might come my way in the name of kicking MS' ass. 

Thank you,

CTS x

My Updates

Run #12 - Going out with a bang

I still cannot believe that in February I started Couch to 5k, and in April decided to try and run 50km in the month of May. Fast forward to the last day of May and I've not only run my first ever 10km I've smashed my original target and run 70km. I cannot express how humbling the support has been, and how privileged I feel to be able to give this challenge a go. 

What. A. Ride.

Strava adjustment

Since this website doesn't allow semi-km, I've just added the 2km extra I have run this month according to Strava. So with two days to go, I have already hit my updated target! This means whatever I manage on Sunday will be a massive bonus. I just hope my clicky ankle and grumbling knee don't hamper progress. But yeah, 60km run in one month. Who does she think she is...!

Run #11 - slow and scorchio

Even at 7.30am the heat was borderline unbearable but I managed to squeeze out a slow but sunny six. 58 down, just 2 to go….

Run #10 - I hate heatwaves

23c and already hating it but I managed to squeeze a slow 5km out. Officially over the 50km mark now, just need to make it to 60km. Saw a nice poppy. 

running up the hill halfway through was an error

Future me

Run #9 - it's getting hot out here

A heatwave. Great. Every MSer's worst nightmare. It was bad enough trying to run in 18 degrees, I'm going to have to go easy over the next week. That said, I still managed a slow 5km today and every run helps.

Respendent old chap

Hanover graffiti

Run #8 - a wee 'un, but every km counts

It's difficult not to think you're not pushing yourself enough doing a little run after a long run. But when I remember how impossible running for half an hour seemed back in February, it makes all the difference. Rome wasn't run in a day.

Run #7 = 8 whole km

On sunday I decided to take myself out for a trundle. after two days at the Great Escape Festival - walking 40,000 steps and drinking countless shandies - I was not expecting much. But to my surprise, my legs were on top form and I notched up my first 8km run in just shy of an hour. Top work legs, keep up the good work!

As a result I decided, perhaps foolishly, to up my target distance to 60km. Because who wants to make something like this easy, right?

Run #6 - Small but Mighty / Miserable

Apparently interval runs are a good idea to factor in when you start running. I’m disinclined to agree. But I did one anyway and chipped off another couple of km off the target. 

Proof of today's distance

Flight of the Langoustine

Soft Machines

The Bandstand sans band

Queens Park looking regal AF

The Pepper Pot

Run #5 - long and slow, like my career progression

After a busy weekend of walking ALL THE STEPS I probably should have taken today easy. Except I'm off work this week, the sun was shininy, and I thought balls to that, I'ma gonna trundle all the way down to Hove Lawn to see some sculptures called Soft Machines by Ivan Morison for the Brighton Fringe. Verdict: I'm not an art critic. However, I did manage my longest time on my little legs - 60 solid minutes which took me 7.79km. but because this silly website won't let me add fractions, I've only logged 7 for this one to be on the conservative side of things. Strava knows the truth. Still, I'm over halfway towards my target now, with 20 days still to go. Starting to wonder how high I might be able to go...

Run #4: good boys and detectorists and tits - oh my!

It was only meant to be a diddy one and I got carried away. But if your legs want to keep going, you gotta let them, right? Definitely would have been faster if I didn't keep taking photos though...but this is the thing, you see such nice things when you're trotting about the world. Not even sorry about that.

Run #3 - my longest ever

After Sunday's wobble I decided to take a couple of days off my feet which was the best thing I could have done. Today, under a big Brighton sky, I managed to trundle about for 50 minutes, beating my PB by ten minutes. Twelve weeks ago, I couldn't even manage to run for 5. This will never cease to amaze me. As a result, I also broke a PB of running 6.76 km (although this website won't let me log fractions of km). Pic below as proof. I think this has been my favourite run to date. It just felt nice. Slow, but nice. What more could you ask for?

Run #2 - dicky ankles

I was hoping to hit 5km again today, the legs were well up for it, my ankle sadly not so I had to pull over after 4.5km. The perils of being an athlete I suppose. At least this guy was waiting to console me when I gave up

Annoyingly this dashboard doesn’t allow demi-kilometres so I had to log a four. Might keep that emergency half up my sleeve for the end when I’m having a panic.

Going to leave my ankle be for a couple of days and will try again in a couple of days. 

Nine down, forty one to go. 

Run #1

Supposedly a momentous one. Three months ago I couldn’t run for more than two minutes at a time. Today I ran 5km to the sea and back. I’m not sure when I will not be amazed by that. Anyway five down, forty five to go. 

Thank you to my Sponsors

£22.80

Sarah Van Heerden

Well done Claire!! Amazing! Love Sarah X

£10

Donna

£11.31

Heather Macleod

A remarkable achievement for a fantastic cause!

£50

Kirsty Jenkins

£11.55

Jo Roberts

Bravo CTS!!

£22.80

Suyina Farmer

£28

Keith Dougherty

Amazing work for a great cause!!

£22.80

Keith Smith

£30

Ed S

Go Claires

£30

Susan Townsend

Fabulous effort CTS! I feel inspired to crack on with couch to 5k!

£30

K-willy

Good luck love your Ant to your Dec xx

£20

Si Tavner

Go Claire!

£11.55

Esme Acton-stewart

Amazing stuff Claire! xx

£22.80

Roy

Go ‘ed Claire! X

£28

Gemma F

Amazing Claire! Xx

£11.55

Rosie Bray

Yes CTS!! Brilliant!

£11.55

Jemma, Charles & Toren Xx

You go girl!

£32.43

Katy Harker

Go CTS! Smashing it. Lots of love xxx

£25

Grant Hanson-vaux

£30

Pepa Shore

You will smash it!

£32.23

Nel Staveley

Go Clairey!! Xx

£20

Francesca De Lacey

Good luck Claire, an important cause to help.

£50

Amber Wainwright

£40

Sophie Rees

Run Bear Bear, run! We are so proud of you 🥳 lots of love from Team Rees xx

£53.32

Luke

Do some excellent runnings xxx

£32.23

Hannah Loach

Not too shabby, CTS.

£10

Rdb

Woo yeah! Go Claire-cakes! Xx

£21.84

Fiona Randall

Amazing, go Claire! You will be stupendous xx

£20

Josie Lloyd-wilson

You rock xx🤘👣

£32.23

Gill Harker

You are amazing CTS xxx

£10

Louise

Go go go super CTS! Cant wait for our first park run together!

£10

Michelle Bromham

£106

Ma Bean

Go for it.xx

£32.23

Anonymous

£21.84

Lis Soldal Jeens

Strong work, you're a legend!

£50

Bobbie

Go Claire, what a great thing to do!

£27.05

Sue Roberts

Great idea! X

£50

Dominique Johns

CTS! What a brilliant challenge for your wee leggies and tootsies! Well done babe - I know you’ll smash it like you do everything. One pounds quid for every km 🙂 Love your face x

£10

Nicola Collier

Go girl!!!!

£53.32

Claire Travers Smith

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