To Run Or Not To Run...

...that is the question.

Well, not really a question so much as a general musing. Obviously I have to keep running.

In fact, not only are my waking hours seemingly full of going running, thinking about running, talking about running and writing about running, I'm now dreaming about running. Yes, for the last two nights, I have had dreams about running. I ask you, is that fair?!

But in all honesty I'm taking a short break from the running this week to rest up my left foot. The pain I developed in my instep on Sunday was, I believe, due to a muscle cramping up and then me continuing to run on it, causing bruising across the sole of my foot. Consequently I haven't been able to run this week - I managed a gym session, although I was limping a bit - and instead I've been regularly massaging my foot. I'm hoping that a few days off will put me right for this weekend's long run.

In other developments, I've just passed the £1000 mark in my fundraising, which means I'm more than halfway towards my target. (Hooray! And thank you so much to all my wonderful, generous sponsors.) It feels very aptly timed, just as I turn to face the half marathon next week. 

If I look back a year ago, I could never have seen myself doing this. That all changed with the tragic event of Emily's death. Not long after she'd gone, I wondered if there was something I could do as a tribute to her life. Running the marathon did occur to me, but a quick bit of research convinced me that I just didn't have the strength or reserves of willpower to get through it. Obviously I changed my mind; it's amazing what a difference TEAMwork can make. 

When we're done, we'll have raised thousands of pounds for Em's chosen charity, Diabetes UK. Hopefully we'll have raised some awareness of the risks of diabetes, too. Em wanted to help fund research that worked towards curing diabetes. I hope that the money we raise in her memory will contribute towards that goal. 

Pounds Mean Prizes

I am running the marathon for Diabetes UK and I've promised them quite a lot of money in return for a place in the race (www.justgiving.com/RhianChapman). I need your help to get to my total. 

I know that you are willing to donate to this worthwhile cause out of the goodness of your heart (or possibly because I have badgered you into submission), but it's always nice to get something in return, isn't it?

So, in the style of various crowd funding sites, I'm going to offer rewards for your generosity.

If you donate the following amounts to Diabetes UK through my JustGiving page (not including gift aid contributions), I will give/send you the relevant reward:

• Any amount of money: personal thanks. This may be verbal or, if I don't see you often enough, it might be via email, but I promise it will be a personal thank you and not just a generic thank you email. (You might get that too, from the JustGiving site, but there will be a personal follow-up.)
• £15: written personal thanks. Who doesn't like getting mail? Everybody likes getting mail. For a £15 donation I will write you a thank you card in my best hand-writing (i.e. it will be at least semi-legible) and send it out via Royal Mail. 
• £26.20: I shall exercise my artistic side and create a handmade card for any celebration you'd like (see Exhibit A). Birthday, anniversary, wedding - you name it and I shall make a card for it. All cards will be unique.
• £50: more artistic muscles will be flexed and I will create a hand-painted T-shirt, just for you (see Exhibit B). Give/send me a T-shirt in your chosen size and pick a theme you'd like on it and I shall paint it for you (I'll give any idea a try). Again, all T-shirts will be unique. Just think: you could be the proud owner of a one-of-a-kind piece of clothing. 
• £60: a handmade card and a T-shirt painted to your specifications. Good, eh?
• £75: ...well, I haven't really thought this far. I'll work on it and get back to you. But it will definitely be good. 
• £100: ...I might give you my soul. One careful owner, only slightly tarnished with general wear and tear, nothing too bad.

Exhibit A

Cards (handmade by me) for any occasion. 

Choose your theme, specify your celebration, or just claim a random card.

Exhibit B

Examples of past T-shirts I have decorated. 

Yours will be new, different and very pretty.

Go on. Just give a few more pounds than you were going to and claim a reward for your extra generosity. 

Remember, I'm doing all of this in memory of my friend Em. I wouldn't be running a marathon for any other reason, believe me.