"I went from couch to 10k in memory of my sister, Denise"
Tracy completed her first ever 10k a few weeks ago to raise funds for our Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice. Here, she talks about why she ran and what finishing the race meant to her.
My sister Denise spent five weeks at Leckhampton Court during her illness. She was looked after with such warmth and compassion and I know she appreciated it. Sadly, Denise died on 2nd October 2017.
Ten days later, I decided to start running again. On and off I had tried to complete the NHS 'Couch to 5k' training programme for a couple of years, but never quite got there. However, on 23rd December 2017 I completed my first Parkrun at Kingsway in Gloucester. It was a great way to end the year. I even went for a run on Christmas Day!
At the start of 2018 I set myself some goals. One of them was to run 10k in Denise's memory.
Worcester 10k
I decided to run to raise funds for Sue Ryder, as a sign of my appreciation for the wonderful care given to her.
Early into 2018 I suffered an injury which meant it was difficult to run regularly but I decided to keep going. Slowly over time I built up my stamina and in April decided to put myself down to complete the Worcester 10k in September.
I was so blessed to be supported by family, friends and colleagues who have donated generously, keen to support me in running my first ever 10k.
I’ve proved to myself that anything is possible, if you just believe in yourself."
The run was the toughest thing I’ve ever done. I completed the course, running non-stop, in 1hr 23 minutes and 28 seconds. I’ve proved to myself that anything is possible, if you just believe in yourself.
Denise was on my mind throughout the race, in fact some of the less-than flattering photos of myself towards the end show the emotion as I approach the finish line. So far I have raised £635 for Sue Ryder to be there for people when it matters most, like they were there for Denise and I.
Thank you to everyone that supported me, and to my family for being my cheerleaders on the day.
Support Tracy
So far, Tracy has raised over £600 for our Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, the only palliative care inpatient unit in Gloucestershire, allowing us to be there for more people when it matters most.
To support Tracy’s incredible achievement, you can donate and read more about her story on her Justgiving page.
Join us!
If reading about Tracy's journey has inspired you to take on your own challenge, then sign up to be part of Team Sue Ryder – we’d love to have you.
Author
Worcester 10K Runner
Tracy ran the Worcester 10K for Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice in memory of her sister Denise, who was cared for by the team there.