Sams Marathon Testimonal

Sam’s Marathon Testimonial

I wanted to set myself the challenge of running a marathon to push myself, to start doing things that I wasn’t comfortable with, in order to grow. And raising money for Basildon Mind (after a quick chat with my dad who is a Trustee) seemed like a no-brainer as well. 

My motivation was around growing my mindset I also hoped to maybe inspire others too.  

Now it’s safe to say I definitely underestimated running a full marathon! Training hadn’t gone exactly to plan - with some issues with knees and trips away meaning I was unable to clock in the number of miles I would have been happy with. But all in all I felt more than prepped going into the run and was excited to push my limits, aiming for a time around 4 hours. 

Wow was it a hot day! With heat clocking in at 30 degrees on the day and the course being a mix of trail running and up/down steep country lanes, it’s safe to say my legs had never experienced anything like it! But getting around in 5 hours 54, I was more than happy despite the time being off what I’d set myself. 

I overcame adversity and achieved my ultimate goal of extending my limits. I challenged my body and did what I wasn’t sure I could do. I also raised over £1,800 for Basildon Mind to local help people in the Basildon Borough improve their mental health and overcome their own challenges and adversity. This amazing amount is higher than my initial goal – I’m blown away by the generosity of all those who sponsored me. Thank you everyone. 

I hope that reading about my own mission inspires others to find and pursue their own missions, whatever they may be.