Friday night. Yorkshire. I find myself sitting there, round the kitchen table, large slab of chocolate cake in one hand, cup of tea in the other, idly Googling '12 mile running routes round York'. This is not my usual friday night activity.
It's half term and I am up visiting family. Normally that means lots of chatting, tea drinking, cake eating, tv watching and generally doing as little as possible. Not this weekend. I'm planning my running route round the city of York, because, even though I'm away from home, “I can't miss my training run”. At the same time as this family banter all around me, I am aware of an ever increasingly hysterical internal little voice screaming: WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU???!!
Let me introduce myself.
I am Alison. I live in London, am nearly 40, I like cake, sleep, singing, sleep, watching films, and sleep. I have two small children, one of whom does not like sleep anywhere near as much as I do. I am not a runner.
I am not quite sure how I got here, but somehow, I have committed to running the London Marathon 2016. Me. Not a runner. Did I mention that?
I did run a few times in my life. Once for a bus, I think, when I was late for a job interview. Once when I was being chased by a runaway horse. That's a long story. I think I ran for over a minute once, when one of my children decided it'd be a really good idea to make a break for it across a large park, towards the pond. But apart from that, no, not a runner. Not really fit at all. I have a 2 and a half year old that runs a lot, and also still doesn't sleep too well at night. So I manage keep up with him as much as I can, but generally as soon as he goes down to bed, it's either wine or duvet for me. Often both.
So how did this happen? Well, I've known and been a massive fan of the Choir With No Name since the very beginning (when it was 'The Choir With No Name….Yet' and they met at St Patricks Church in Soho.) I sing in a choir myself, and I know first hand the power and benefits of singing in a group, of being part of something, of making a great joyful sound with other people. And I know that life can be tough and unfair and just downright awful sometimes, and we all need a place to escape, and to belong. Choir with No Name does all that, and so much more.
I think I vaguely remember in October (probably in a pub) talking to a good friend about CWNN and how it really needed some funds. I remember thinking well, I don't have any money to give. But I wonder if I could raise some for them. I cannot remember how but I accidentally entered the ballot for the marathon place, (with a slight comedy entry including I think, a rider for needing cake and gin & tonic to get round the course). Never assuming of course I would get chosen.
I did.
I was horrified...what had I done? (In actual fact, I still have that same emotion, any time I am running more than about 5 miles). How on earth could I do a marathon? I barely have time to make sure my kids have clean clothes, and the kitchen floor isn't so filthy it gives everyone in a 5 mile radius e-coli. I'm perpetually knackered after nearly 3 years of constant sleep deprivation, not to mention chronically unfit, and trying to do a part time job that clearly should really be full time, while juggling childcare...and the height of most of my weeks' achievements at the moment seems to be failing to remember my immediate family's birthdays/anniversaries/names.
And yet somehow, here we are.
In October, I faced my fears, and, mixed in with a healthy dose of 'nearly 40-itis' along with a 'sod it, how bad can it be, YOLO etc etc,' I bit the bullet and accepted the place.
In November I bought some new shiny trainers and set up my fundraising page. (Here's the link, actually, thanks for asking!).
In December, I figured I probably should start somewhere, and went for a run (in my still nice shiny pristine trainers) round the block, which nearly killed me. It started to dawn on my that this might need a bit more effort, and it might actually take up quite a bit more time than I'd thought. I drafted an email to the lovely Choir With No Name, explaining that, no, honestly, I think they'd better find someone else. But I never could quite send it.
So, I decided to work on the 'Squash and a Squeeze' principle of time management (an excellent modern classic of a preschool children's book, for those not familiar with it. The basic premise is a quite reasonable little old lady who thinks her house is too small, until a 'wise old man' (debateable) convinces her to fill it with farmyard aninals, only to help her appreciate just how much room she used to have. I thoroughly recommend it). So, the metaphorical farmyard animals became going for three runs a week, and the 'house' of my week's schedule became, well, more squashed.
Just FYI, by the way, for anyone thinking of starting on a crash course of trying to start running marathons, I don't recommend starting in the darkest, wettest, miserablist bit of December when everyone seems to be out drinking and celebrating every night and you just want to sit under a blanket and eat your own bodyweight in mince pies.
Yet somehow, I started to find little bits of room for a run. And, I started to think 'this isn't so bad'. The slippery slope had begun.
I knew something had changed in me when on boxing day (usually a comotose bad-film-fest in our house) I started thinking 'oh, it's about time I put my trainers on and get some fresh air'….
...and then here we are. It's just starting to turn to spring and somehow, through the dark misery of those winter months, from just about being able to puff my way like a beetroot to the lamp-post and back, I find myself emerging, blinking into the spring sun, and able, nay actually almost enjoying (well, maybe that's an exaggeration) 10 mile runs. In fact, tomorrow- I will be attempting a half marathon as a 'warm up' practice for the real thing.
Even a half marathon is a LONG way off the full thing and when I think of it, it still terrifies me that I have committed to lumber round (ahem) miles publically.
But I love Choir with No Name and all they do, and that's the fire in my belly to keep going...and if I have to humiliate myself in Lycra in public, and likely be overtaken by sweaty people in large rhinocerous costumes for them, well, so be it.
What is the moral of this tale? Well, basically a shameless plug for money. If you feel like sponsoring me for the utterly awesome Choir With No Name, then, among many other laudable things, you would be appeasing your own guilt for not doing all the horrendous, miserable pounding of the streets that I have done on your behalf this winter. Therefore you will feel smug without having to do any physical exertion.
You are SO welcome.
Alison will be running the London Marathon for CWNN on Sunday 24th April (possibly crawling the last bit).
You can sponsor her here: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/alisontsang
If you want to come and cheer her across the finish line, get in touch with Rachel on rachel@choirwithnoname.org