Friday, April 01, 2011
Pat’s Marathon Training: 17 Days to Go
Think you’re dedicated to helping improve the lives of refugees in the UK? Our volunteer Pat is battling surly van drivers and the loneliness of long-distance running to raise money for STAR.
With 32 student groups across the UK, STAR members across the country are working hard to make a difference in the lives of asylum seekers, but no one is working harder than our volunteer Pat.
26 Miles
To raise money for STAR, Pat is running the London marathon on 17th April. Having run three half marathons before, he’s not a complete fitness novice, but when we caught up with him to ask how his training is going, he told us he’s still facing plenty of challenges.
Training Runs
Pat is taking long runs two or three times a week, but keeping up a decent pace sometimes proves difficult. “The ‘run’ can descend into a walk, interspersed with pauses to admire countryside views,” he admitted.
And it’s not just weary legs that are causing problems on Pat’s runs. Members of the motoring public are adding to his issues.
“Today, a van driver shouted from his window to speed up, ‘because you’ll never get fit at that pace!’” says Pat, who admitted that the unsolicited advice was actually motivating.
“This really did prompt me to speed up – I am someone who needs a bit of encouragement sometimes.”
A Solitary Sport
For Pat, the loneliness of the open road can be a challenge, so he’s taking measures to keep up his motivation and make his training more social.
“I’m in a local running club, which should help. Any face-to-face human contact really improves my motivation,” he says. “The opportunity to talk with more experienced runners will help me with advice on essentials, such as avoiding injuries.”
Support Pat!
Pat’s fundraising efforts are going well and he has already raised half of the money he pledged. Any amount you can give will help him reach his goal, so please consider sponsoring his amazing efforts on behalf of STAR.
You can sponsor Pat via his Just Giving page and find out more about his run on Facebook.
Are you doing amazing things for STAR?
Pat is just one of many STAR members doing amazing things around the country. Help us share your stories and inspire other groups by writing us and letting us know what you’re up to.
Posted by Communications on 01/04/2011 at 04:51 PM
