26.2 miles of hills...
Our very own Nikki Gover set out to run an entire marathon of hill reps on Sunday the 25th of April and she absolutely smashed it!
Nikki has been volunteering with us as a Move Mate for a year now and after seeing first-hand how much good the service does, she decided to fundraise for us as a part of our Spring Challenge.
“Just getting out for even a tiny walk makes such a difference, I always feel so much better after my Move Mate walk, and some of the stories of our recipients are nothing short of inspirational.“
Nikki originally set herself the challenge of running a half marathon of hill reps, promising to increase the distance to the full 26.2 miles if she raised over £131. Being renowned for running long distances, she felt she needed to do something to make this fundraising effort even more special:
“I decided on my madcap plan because everyone knows I love running silly distances, and no one would give me money to run yet another half marathon, so I had to up the ante to make it “worth” the donations.”
Friends and supporters of Move the Masses helped Nikki quickly surpass her target – so marathon it was! Unfortunately, before the weekend of the Spring Challenge Nikki picked up an injury and her plans were put on hold, with the marathon taking place on Sunday instead.
Loads of you came out to support her during the run, joining in with the hill reps and keeping Nikki’s spirits high throughout. Surprisingly, Nikki said this was one of the most enjoyable marathons she’s ever run, thanks to all the cheerful and chatty company she had along the way.
“I think I only did half a lap alone once – it makes such a huge difference compared to running alone, and I never really got disheartened, bored or unhappy the whole time – even if my legs started to hate me! Just goes to show what a difference exercising with others makes – whether it’s a Move Mate walk, a run, or a communal fitness session.”
We think Nikki is an absolute hero for this amazing fundraising run and we hope her ambitious idea inspires others to challenge themselves and get outside.
