For all my sisters who never made it home

During a hard week of training, Jo contemplates who she is running for and how keeping safe is always a consideration for a woman who runs

Training: Week 3

Distance: 8 miles

Time until marathon: 11 weeks

8 miles is a really long way to run.

I am not sure I needed to know this but I can confirm that yes, it is super far and I felt every step of it! So much so that I had to take a mid-afternoon bath to try and soothe my aching limbs.

I grabbed a book to read to help keep up my motivation - Outrunning the Demons by Phil Hewitt. I have a signed copy from meeting Phil after a talk. It’s a great read even if you don’t like running much, featuring stories of real people who have found running an amazing outlet that has changed their lives.

But today I came straight to the story of Stephanie Foley whose friend Sarah Roberts Hart was murdered by a stranger whilst out running, Stephanie used the outpouring of grief around her dear friend’s death to organise a charity run called ‘Run with all Your Hart’.

This story really hit home as as a woman I am extremely conscious of ‘Running Smart’ as Stephanie calls it. Making sure someone knows your route, running with friends, running with a big dog or 2!

My colleague Anna and I have spent a lot of time ensuring that I do not overshare any details about training to keep me safe, so this week I am putting my trainers on and training for all my sisters who didn’t make it home.

For Zara Aleena, Sarah Everitt, Sarah Roberts Hart and the many thousands of women who are merely going about their daily lives and lose them simply for being female.

Domestic abuse is part of the larger picture of violence against women and girls and I am passionate about ending this violence so that we can walk and run where and when we please without fear for our lives. That we can live without fear of violence in our own homes.

On another note I found the message Phil wrote in my book in 2019. I had just told him that I HAD run a marathon once and that I would definitely NEVER run one again. When I got home and read this I remember thinking ‘yeah right! Whatever Phil!’.

Yet here I am, on marathon number two! (But I am definitely, DEFINITELY not running marathon number three, OK?!)

Love Jo x

How to sponsor me

If you can, please make this all worthwhile and sponsor me! I cannot overstate the motivational impact this has. Literally every penny I raise will be spent supporting women, keeping women safe, helping them to rebuild their lives and thrive not just survive.

Visit my Fundraising page: Jo’s Marathon for MSH (peoplesfundraising.com)