By Claire
My dad passed away on 23rd September 2016 due to complications caused by the effects of alcohol. I decided I wanted to do something to raise awareness of the dangers of alcohol and the impact it has on families. As far back as I can remember my dad was a ‘drinker’. I was always worried when I couldn’t get a hold of him or if he wasn’t answering his phone. I always feared the worst.
Along with raising awareness, I thought it would be great if I could get fit at the same time. I decided to enter the Glasgow Half Marathon which would take place on the 30th of September 2018 and raise money for Scottish Families. I did a lot of research before choosing a charity, but I really like the fact that Scottish Families focuses on helping families.
I entered about 9 months before the half marathon and although I could run (jog) 5k I definitely would not describe myself as a natural runner. I had to train very hard and it took a lot of commitment. There were times I really felt like giving up, but I would think of my dad and how proud he would be of me and it kept me going.
Throughout my training, I received lovely emails of support from the team at Scottish Families. This made me feel like I was doing something really worthwhile and it was lovely that people I didn’t even know were thinking of me and spurring me on.
The 30th of September came around very quickly and on the day I had my family there to support me. The atmosphere was fabulous and the support all the way around the course was amazing. I really struggled from mile 9 miles onwards but the support from the crowd and the thought of all the people who would benefit from the money I’d raised kept me going.
When the end was in sight, I’ve never felt so glad! I couldn’t believe I had actually completed a half marathon and I wore my medal and t-shirt for the rest of the day with pride! In the end, I raised £545 all for a worthy cause.
Are you interested in running a marathon for Scottish Families? Contact Clare at clarem@sfad.org.uk or message us on social media!