Three years ago I sent an email
that, at the time, I didn’t realise would change my life. Fuelled by a couple
of glasses of wine (my love of which hasn’t changed) I applied for a charity
place to run the 2017 London Marathon for Sue Ryder and couldn’t believe it
when I was honoured with a place.
With my trusty Chief Fundraiser
Amy, who was subsequently promoted to Campaign Manager, in tow we have all raised
over £11000 for Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court by taking part in the 2017 and 2018
London Marathons.
In 2016 when my much larger and
very unfit self started my Couch to 5K app (complete with a pulled leg muscle
on my first ever session!) Amy mentioned that colleagues, who also had a Fitbit
like me, enjoyed taking part in the Workweek Challenges available on the app
and that some bloke called ‘Kev’ had started a really good group to help
encourage others to join and take part. Over a glass of sugar free squash (I’d
started the diet that would lead to an 8.5 stone weight loss by that point so
no wine for me!) I asked Amy if she thought ‘Kev’ would mind if I joined the
group as I thought it would really help me with my marathon training (I was at
the Couch to 5K point but thankfully limp free!!). Amy fired off a text, ‘Kev’
said yes and so began my participation in Health & Hustle.
The weekly hustle, encouragement,
fun and support has made such a HUGE impact upon my life. The emphasis upon
personal goals, challenging yourself with the support of others and being part
of such a fun group really helped me during those dark winter evenings and the
ever so tough marathon training. H8H has evolved over time and
with the introduction of the Corporate Challenge as well as the Workweek
Challenge even more people have joined. I have made wonderful friends (including
the infamous ‘Kev’) and am very proud to be part of the H8H family.
I still can’t quite believe I’ve
taken part in two London Marathons but perhaps more importantly Health &
Hustle has helped me achieve what I’ve never managed before; I’ve been overweight
and unfit most of my life and for the first time ever I’ve been able to lose
weight, keep it off and perhaps even more astonishingly, get fit and actually
still enjoy it every day. Getting fit and maintaining it
wouldn’t have been possible without H8H. Every day you all help me push myself
to maintain my steps and therefore my fitness levels. If I can do it, anyone
can!
Thank you all, and thank you Kev
xx