One girl and her marathon journey #1
Our very own PET CT Manager has started training to run the London Marathon to raise money for Cobalt. You can follow her journey here as she blogs about her challenge.
Running the London Marathon has always been on my bucket list. It’s not quite the same as a bungee jump or a sky dive. They’re instant and don’t require a great deal of training. This event is going to push me to my limits and is one of the greatest challenges I’ve ever set myself. Not least because the charity I’m raising money for I work for and dementia is a cause close to my heart. I’m not aiming for a time, the target for me is about raising awareness of dementia and raising as much money as I can whilst doing it!
Roisin and her daughter Eimear
Cobalt do lots of great work including investing in diagnostic imaging, research and equipment to help diagnose dementia faster. The equipment I use in my department (Positron Emission Tomography/ Computerised Tomography) is used to diagnose dementia at it very earliest stages and Cobalt run a Dementia Conference which in April will bring together leading experts and medical professionals involved in the diagnosis and care of dementia patients.
I know so many people who have been affected by dementia and many more who are currently going through it right now, the economic and social costs of the condition, let alone the devastation it leaves behind which I have experienced first-hand.
I really hope the money I raise can help with the work Cobalt are trying to do.
The furthest I’ve ever run before this was a half marathon. My first couple of months of training are now under my belt but I am by no means ready! The first run was about 2 miles across Cornwall clifftops which was a beautiful start. Unfortunately I got an injury (peroneal tendonitis) which has been tough to run on (even though I was advised not to, the training must carry on) and now I’m up to 10 miles with literally mountains to climb. I’ve been accompanied by my friends and colleagues for a few runs so far with lots of promises stored up for the long runs. My biggest fan is my daughter Eimear who has followed along on her bike and given me the determination I need at times, hearing her tell people how proud she is of me is priceless.
It is difficult to balance family, a full time job and running but with the help of my personal trainer and friend Sam Neades, who when I am not running puts me through my paces doing high interval training either on my lunch breaks at Cobalt or at the gym when we can fit it in.
My next long run will be this weekend and I will hopefully have a new fluffy member of my fan club to share with you!
So I look forward to catching up with you in my next blog. Until then, please visit my Just Giving page https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/cobalt/rsd and give what you can. Thank you.
Roisin Dobbin-Stacey