Esther’s Virtual Great North Run: 5 weeks to go

Our Fundraiser in Wales, Esther, is taking part in the #GNRReimagined Virtual Great North Run on 13 September and is sharing her experience as the big day approaches. This week Esther tells us about her motivation for entering the race and her first training session.

When I started working as a fundraiser for Music in Hospitals & Care back in February, I was looking forward to organising and taking part in fundraising challenge events, as well as supporting our wonderful supporters as they did their events.

Of course, COVID-19 had other plans for us all, and the events I would have been involved with or arranging this year have not happened. 

I was delighted when the organisers of the Great North Run announced that they had created the Great North Run Reimagined and were offering a virtual experience for runners and fundraisers this year.

I am no runner, but such was my excitement at this, I signed up. I am a keen hiker and a Yoga teacher, and have been doing lots of walking, Yoga and home workouts as part of my lockdown survival strategy. So I am pretty fit. But I am not a runner! So I have already given myself permission to either do the run over a few days, or walk lots of it as well. We shall see closer to the time.

I did my first official training session this morning using the BBC Couch to 5k Challenge app, with the lovely voice of Sarah Millican and Spotify radio based on my favourites Queens of the Stone Age to help me along. I did a bit more running than was advised, as I was still out at the end of the workout and needed to get back to get to work! I was very hot and sweaty by the end of it, but had actually enjoyed the running far more than I expected to. I used to think I hated running, so this was quite a surprise!

I’m really proud to be doing this challenge to support Music in Hospitals & Care. As a keen live music lover, I know how much joy live music can bring and am delighted to be raising this money to support the delivery of such an important service.

If you’d like to join me for the Virtual Great North Run, visit our webpage to find out more and sign up, or if you’d like to sponsor me you can do so here.

I’ll be updating you on my training and run progress, so do come back next week!