Gemma's Half Marathon

Firstly, I'd like to start off by introducing myself. My name is Gemma Busby and I've worked in the Estimates Department at Constantine Ltd for just over 2 years. I wanted to write a short piece for our newly released blog to thank my colleagues, friends and family for their kind support whilst I trained for my first half marathon (I hesitate over the word first!)

I had the crazy idea of doing this back in January. Basically, I was doing the typical "new year, new healthy start", and I signed up for the Milton Keynes Half Marathon. I had completed a couple of 5K runs and thought ... well ... how hard could it be?! 2 months of hellish (but extremely rewarding!) training later and I completed the whole 13.1 miles in 1:46:48, raising over £600 for the charity CLIC (Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood). A charity that is very close to my heart.

The race day itself was fantastic, with a great atmosphere, which certainly helps when you reach the 10th mile and want to collapse into a ball! Although the race was mainly flat and on roads, the organisers did "kindly" end the run with a steep mile long incline! However, the support from the crowd near the finish line was uplifting, even encouraging me to sprint the last couple of hundred yards. I would definitely recommend anyone with a bit of self-motivation to take on a challenge like this, as it is so rewarding. Also ... if I can do it ... anyone can!

So, I'll finish where I began, by thanking everyone so much for their help and support. The money that we have raised is helping some very poorly children and their families, hopefully making their situation a little easier, as it did my family.