I’m out running around Wexford, my plan tonight is to increase my target to 6 Miles as I have 5 weeks left. As I run down Wexford Marine the stitch from hell hits me (both sides), so now I’m running and my sides feel like something is trying to get out. I continue running and I start imagining the famous alien scene, I imagine that little bugger trying to rip its way out of my sides. I continue running as I have no clue how to get rid of it, as I do I start thinking of the Braveheart scene at the end where they are taking his insides out of him, and just like Mel defiant to the end he screams the famous words, my inner sole screams something similar HOPE & DREAMMMM. In a weird way this spurs me on, I am now 3 miles in and not even out of breath. As I run a few things come into my mind, of the people that have come up and said they could not do 10 miles or worse yet, said they would do it and now starting to back out, this is something that has never entered my mind and I will try to explain why and maybe it might change their minds. When I run, I see faces of people at the launch of H&D 10, I see the faces of the children with no hair, I see the face of the father who is diagnosed with cancer who knows the inevitable is soon. This man speaks to me telling me how great the Hope centre is, what they have done for him. As he says these words I see his sons eyes, loving staring at his father and I remember having that same stare of love and hope many many years ago. A stare unfortunately all of you will see or experience in your life especially when Cancer is involved. I remember the words from Margot Kehoe from Hope and Shay Kinsella from Share a Dream on the night of how the money doesn’t go to buy medical equipment or to find a cure but on the little things, like cushions for chairs when people in the hope centre are painting to make them more comfortable or money for art supplies. Or how Share a dream care & support for the entire family and not just the sick child. And as all these faces come into my mind I find I am running harder, faster and the stitches haven’t even dawned on me and I’m reminded that the money we raise is for people of Wexford, it is for our Fathers, Mothers, Brothers, Sisters, Sons, daughters, friends or loved ones that unfortunately might get this unforgiven sickness, to make their last moments a little more enjoyable. With all this in my head I feel if the people involved asked me to run 100 miles I would do so, as would everyone else there that night. So I am coming to the end of my 6 miles I am barely out of breath, and the stitches are in the background (BTW if any of you know how to get rid of stitch please let me know, they are distracting) and I hope this encourages you all to keep on going. –
