Running The Great North Run

Written by Nicola McBean

I didn’t think it was possible for me to run 13.1 miles, but I did!

My children and so many of the children our charity supports face so many overwhelming challenges just to live an ordinary life. Challenges such as brushing their teeth, getting a haircut or a simple trip to the cinema. So I decided to face an overwhelming challenge of my own.

In March 2023 I could not run, I have never run, ever! I joined a running club and started by doing the couch to 5k, running 1 minute and walking 1 minute. 8 weeks later I ran 5k without stopping which was a huge achievement for me.

A couple of runners who had signed up to do the Great North Run for our charity had dropped out. I had a word with my friend Fiona, who was a bit better at running than me (but not much) and with a lot of persuasion, she agreed we should give it a go.

We spent the next 5 months or so training. Running early mornings, late at night and in all weathers.  We set up our sponsor page and people started sponsoring us.

On the day itself, we both felt underprepared and it was a really hot day, which was not expected. We decided we could only try our best and see what happened.

We ran the whole way, apart from a toilet stop and about ten minutes of walking. We were delighted that we managed to finish with seconds to spare, in just under 3 hours. This was thanks to Fiona’s dad, who said he’d give us an extra £50 sponsor money if we finished in under 3 hours!

It was an unbelievable and overwhelming day. We were so proud to represent Autism Parents Together and be a part of such a memorable day.

In total, Fiona and I raised over £1750 in sponsorship money, which is more than we ever could’ve imagined. We are so grateful to all those who sponsored us.  This money came into the charity to help fund the Christmas activities for families.

So, we decided to sign up again for Great North Run 2024! Lets see if we can beat our time… if anyone would like to sponsor us, here is the link.

Sponsor us – Link to JustGiving

Please contact us, if you are aware of any companies or individuals that could help us with match funding,