Murray McLaren
Eleanor's Page
Fundraising for The Countryside Alliance Foundation
Story
I've thought about running the London Marathon several times before, but it's been just that.... A crazy thought that entered my head when I woke up one morning and by the time I went to bed it had gone. A couple of times I got as far as looking on the website, realised I'd missed the deadline and thought "what a shame, maybe next year".
This year however, was different. I sat in my office after work last Wednesday and found myself looking on the marathon website. Ballot closed, shame, places available via a charity, lets have a look. As I scanned down the list of charities, I tried to find a justifiable reason as to why I would want to put in six months of blood, sweat and I'm sure tears to support them..... Then I spied the Countryside Alliance Foundation. I love the countryside, everything about the countryside and think everyone else should too..... Why not drop them an email, their places have probably already been filled, but it will make me feel better that I'd tried. After receiving an email back with forms to fill in and returning them, I tentatively told my mother. She said I was clearly mad, but that she'd be proud, knowing full well I wasn't guaranteed a place so there was still a get out clause..... Fast forward to yesterday and another email from Countryside Alliance saying if I could raise £2000 I could have a place..... A moment of madness had just got real.
So here I am, beginning my marathon journey, a journey into the unknown. As most of you know, I'm not really built for running, rather prefer to be sitting on a horse. While a lot of you are out hunting this season, think of me pounding the roads on my own two feet instead of four, racking up the miles and getting ever closer to 24th April 2016. I've always said I like a challenge and this is certainly going to be one of the biggest I've taken on...... I survived Tough Guy 2009, this can't be as bad, right??
So please dig deep and help support a wonderful charity which does so much for our countryside, making it accessible to everyone and encouraging them to make the most of the remedial and educational benefits of being involved in the natural environment. Every penny helps.....
xx
This year however, was different. I sat in my office after work last Wednesday and found myself looking on the marathon website. Ballot closed, shame, places available via a charity, lets have a look. As I scanned down the list of charities, I tried to find a justifiable reason as to why I would want to put in six months of blood, sweat and I'm sure tears to support them..... Then I spied the Countryside Alliance Foundation. I love the countryside, everything about the countryside and think everyone else should too..... Why not drop them an email, their places have probably already been filled, but it will make me feel better that I'd tried. After receiving an email back with forms to fill in and returning them, I tentatively told my mother. She said I was clearly mad, but that she'd be proud, knowing full well I wasn't guaranteed a place so there was still a get out clause..... Fast forward to yesterday and another email from Countryside Alliance saying if I could raise £2000 I could have a place..... A moment of madness had just got real.
So here I am, beginning my marathon journey, a journey into the unknown. As most of you know, I'm not really built for running, rather prefer to be sitting on a horse. While a lot of you are out hunting this season, think of me pounding the roads on my own two feet instead of four, racking up the miles and getting ever closer to 24th April 2016. I've always said I like a challenge and this is certainly going to be one of the biggest I've taken on...... I survived Tough Guy 2009, this can't be as bad, right??
So please dig deep and help support a wonderful charity which does so much for our countryside, making it accessible to everyone and encouraging them to make the most of the remedial and educational benefits of being involved in the natural environment. Every penny helps.....
xx