Sara's story: doing the Run26 challenge for my son with diabetes

I’m a 57 year old mother of three, grandmother of four. My middle child, Matt, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of two. One thing I remember being told at diagnosis was how important it was for him to eat a healthy balanced diet to avoid becoming overweight.

So the entire family diet came under scrutiny. I’m pleased to say it was already pretty good, but there were a few things we had to change. So we did.

And I’m a great believer in leading by example. So we became an outdoor family with a pretty healthy lifestyle and diet.

Matt went off to university in due course and there he joined the American football team and continued his own style of fitness.As Matt grew not only did he remain lean and fit but this reflected in his blood sugar control. His paediatrician made my day when we entered the room one day as he said ‘oh it’s Matt, I like seeing you as it’s always good news, you’re always so well’.

I’ve never changed my approach to fitness as I have seen first-hand the benefits it brings.

I’d been a keen swimmer and cyclist for many years and decided about 5/6 years ago that I’d like to take up running. By this time I was over 50 and determined not to succumb to the middle aged spread! So I took on a couch25K programme. It wasn’t easy and I wondered if I’d ever get there.

And I am so thrilled that Matt has also taken up running and cycling having watched my achievements over the years and in his words ‘I’m so proud of you Mum’.

Having a goal is so important. Whatever that goal is, it’s what gets me through the door on days when I could easily just sit. And I’ve never returned from a run regretting going out there! Days when stress takes over, a run clears the mind too.

I’m now a mentor for my local run club and sell the virtues of running to anyone who will listen. I work in an office and over the last two years my joy of running has inspired many others to start and they all come and tell me about their latest event and how they got on. I feel so chuffed to have this positive effect on others. And they all say how much better they feel too!

The Run26 challenge

Run26 is a fantastic initiative. It’s a goal, it’s something to kick start a life of health and fitness. Signing up for the challenge will, I’m sure, have huge health benefits to many people, include myself.

We never know what we can achieve until we try, and inevitably we are capable of far greater things than we ever believed we could be. I know that’s certainly true for me.

If you'd like to get in to running, get fit, or keep up your fitness then join our Run26 team today.

Join in with Run26 today