The King's Lynn Race for Life event took place on Tuesday evening. I completed the 5k run in approximately 32 minutes, and have so far raised £85 for Cancer Research UK.
Now, I know that Race for Life is supposed to be a charity 'fun run'; it is aimed at all women, not specifically athletes. It gives you the option to either run or walk. It is designed to give women a sense of elation and achievement when they cross the finish line. It is not a competitive event; there is no prize to be won or reputation to uphold.
However, the uber-competitive streak in me refuses to walk: I am not the best runner, but, quite frankly, if I can't run 5k without stopping, then I must be very out of shape. I feel weak if I give in and walk; I feel like I have failed. Thus, I find it quite demoralilsing and frustrating to get stuck behind women who have claimed that they are going to run the race rather than walk it, yet begin walking after only the first 200 metres! Not only that, they decide to walk in the middle of the track, rather than move to the side so that faster people can get past.
So, I ended up feeling quite cross as I completed the run, which detracts one's focus from the whole point of the event. Besides, at least these women are getting out of the house for the night and doing something proactive for charity. Of course, I don't believe that charity fundraisers should be at all discriminating, but I do think perhaps that there need to be slightly stricter guidelines surrounding these sorts of physical events: for example, perhaps people who know that they are going to end up walking the course should accept this and start after the runners have set off; perhaps there should be a separate track for the walkers.
I know I'm sounding very intolerant and cynical; perhaps I need to lighten up a little.
Showing posts with label Race for Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Race for Life. Show all posts
Friday, 24 July 2009
Thursday, 2 July 2009
Laura
I feel compelled to write a little bit in reaction to a recent sad event.
On Sunday evening, I received a voicemail from Anna claiming to have some news. After a couple of days of missing one another’s phone calls, I eventually got hold of her on Tuesday evening. Expecting to hear something regarding Anna’s potentially glittering vocation as a concert pianist–‘I’ve been signed by Sony’, for example–I was left utterly shocked by the news that she actually did deliver: a friend of ours from King’s, Laura, died of cancer last Tuesday. She was just 23-years-old: younger than myself.
It took several minutes for this information to sink in, particularly since I was not even aware that she had been ill. I had nothing productive to say; the repetition of ‘Oh my God’ was all that seemed to emerge from my lips.
When the call ended, I cried.
Two days have passed, and I am still reeling from Anna’s phone call. Laura’s death seems so unreal; naively, I still can’t quite believe that cancer could have snatched away the life of somebody so young and in good health. As we immerse ourselves in the quotidian, it is so easy to imagine death to be a distant abyss that one will not disappear into for many years. Suddenly, I have been hit by the realisation that graves are not exclusively for the old and frail.
Chris held me as I cried into his shoulder on Tuesday evening. Feeling the warmth radiate from him and inhaling his scent, I felt awash with gratitude for everything I have. It’s a cliché, but occurances such as the death of a peer/friend really make you appreciate all that is good in life.
A few words about Laura: she was a kind-hearted, intelligent and fun young woman. After graduating from King’s three years ago, we began to lose touch; tenuous Facebook messages were all that really connected us. I believe that her teaching experience at a school in Greater London had paved the way for a leadership position within the Teach First organisation; clearly, her confidence had increased and her career was developing well.
To conclude this post, I am making an explicit and shameless plea for sponsorship. On July 21st, I am taking part in the Race for Life at Houghton Hall: an event which seeks to raise money for Cancer Research UK. If you would like to make a donation, please visit my page: http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/lucygrattoni
On Sunday evening, I received a voicemail from Anna claiming to have some news. After a couple of days of missing one another’s phone calls, I eventually got hold of her on Tuesday evening. Expecting to hear something regarding Anna’s potentially glittering vocation as a concert pianist–‘I’ve been signed by Sony’, for example–I was left utterly shocked by the news that she actually did deliver: a friend of ours from King’s, Laura, died of cancer last Tuesday. She was just 23-years-old: younger than myself.
It took several minutes for this information to sink in, particularly since I was not even aware that she had been ill. I had nothing productive to say; the repetition of ‘Oh my God’ was all that seemed to emerge from my lips.
When the call ended, I cried.
Two days have passed, and I am still reeling from Anna’s phone call. Laura’s death seems so unreal; naively, I still can’t quite believe that cancer could have snatched away the life of somebody so young and in good health. As we immerse ourselves in the quotidian, it is so easy to imagine death to be a distant abyss that one will not disappear into for many years. Suddenly, I have been hit by the realisation that graves are not exclusively for the old and frail.
Chris held me as I cried into his shoulder on Tuesday evening. Feeling the warmth radiate from him and inhaling his scent, I felt awash with gratitude for everything I have. It’s a cliché, but occurances such as the death of a peer/friend really make you appreciate all that is good in life.
A few words about Laura: she was a kind-hearted, intelligent and fun young woman. After graduating from King’s three years ago, we began to lose touch; tenuous Facebook messages were all that really connected us. I believe that her teaching experience at a school in Greater London had paved the way for a leadership position within the Teach First organisation; clearly, her confidence had increased and her career was developing well.
To conclude this post, I am making an explicit and shameless plea for sponsorship. On July 21st, I am taking part in the Race for Life at Houghton Hall: an event which seeks to raise money for Cancer Research UK. If you would like to make a donation, please visit my page: http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/lucygrattoni
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