So 2017 is nearly at an end and that means so is my husband’s challenge of running a million metres throughout the year.

I say “throughout the year” because this was the original plan. When he started he needed to do 10k about twice a week. This was destined to be a challenge because of the following factors:

• He doesn’t like running.
• He hasn’t run in a very long time.
• That’s a long time to keep doing something you don’t like.

He made a start. A few runs at the beginning of the year and things seemed hopeful but it just seemed to fall away. Fast forward to October and his graph (ever the geek) was looking decidedly dodgy.

Then things changed, He seemed to wake up one morning, see that it was theoretically possible to still complete the challenge, and just commit to it. Since then he’s run 10k almost every day.

(Just a reminder that he still doesn’t like running.)

One of the only ways he could accept the inevitable is if he ran with a purpose. As a consequence he ran to work and back every day. This has meant we saved £250 in bus fares and he’s the cleanest he’s ever been (2 showers a day will do that to a man).

We delivered the kids somewhere and he would run back. We drove to his work to pick up his dirty washing and he ran and met us there. He ran to the post office to pick up parcels then gave up and ran back because no-one wants to queue for forty minutes in the middle of a 10k run.

On Christmas Eve he ran 10k incorporating a trip to the shops for last minute book gifts and a bottle of Night Nurse. He’s run in rain, snow and icy conditions. He even once ran back from a Harry Potter event at the library (and got back before we did in the car).

At one point he even grew a beard because he said it was warmer – oh the sacrifices I’ve had to make in this process…

Lately he has run despite being really quite poorly. He took 2 days off this week because he was coughing so much and it resulted in him having to run 20k yesterday and the same today – New Years Eve – while still coughing.

So why then? Sheer bloody mindedness and being goal driven? Possibly this plays a small part. But he ran to raise money for MIND.

Because he lives with and loves friends and family who suffer from mental health conditions. Because 1 in 4 people will experience mental health problems in their lives and things are getting worse. Because earlier this year he was involved in a life altering experience. Because he is a wonderful man.

I have never been prouder of my daft, focused, loving husband. I told him last night he’s an inspiration. He smiled and ate some more chocolate orange. This morning he said he needed to think about his challenge for 2018. Oh boy.

Help him reach £1,000 for MIND while he runs his first 10k today or his second 10.3k this afternoon. Thank you – lovely people.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/million-metre-mistake