Week 15 2026 One Daily Positive and Project 365

The negatives

I'm several weeks behind with commenting and it matters to me, so I will be catching up over the weekend. It['s the same with comments left on my social media sites. whilst I've raised over £2000 over the past 6 months since I started training for the marathon, I've found this the hardest part, the fundraising

The positives

I made some time on Friday evening to read and catch up with comments and I feel so much better that it's getting done. I followed advise and waited till Friday before going out for a run and it felt good, despite the rain and I've had no aches or pains or injuries. In fact my body doesn't feel like it ran 26.2 miles just under a week ago.

Saturday 11th April Woke to the birds around 5.30am then back to sleep till 8am. I walked down the road to the East Brighton parkrun for 3 laps round the course and back up the hill to the campsite for a shower and breakfast. I've realised that I need the first 5k as a warm up and I must have breakfast and a coffee at least an hour before I run. we decided we'll stay an extra night rather than having to stress about the parking situation on Sunday and we chilled out and caught the bus into Brighton for the day to spend the kids inheritance on the pier in the 2p slots, wander around the Laines, drink coffee, have a leisurely lunch and catch the bus back to the Marina to pick up last minute food supplies for Sunday. Peter had dinner, but I couldn't eat and spend the evening prepping my clothing  and packing my bum bag and in bed after a shower by 9pm. It was a very wet and windy night, but I had a good sleep.

Sunday 12th April Woke at 7am, had tea and porridge, dressed and headed off to Preston Park. It was cold and windy with some rain and a 3.5 mile walk to the start line. I picked up a coffee on route and on arrival joined a very long queue for the toilets, explored the park, had another wee and the marathon started. I stopped at the first mile to remove my long sleeve running top as the sun came out, then ran non stop to mile 4 for another wee stop and ran again till mile 7 where I met Peter and handed over my running top and jacket. Whilst running through the city I saw my friend Jenny whose son Rob died 4 years ago from Sarcoma and her partners nephew was running for the charity. After seeing Peter the route out the cliff top to the windmill and back to the half way mark was demoralising, it was long, lonely, windy and cold, the toilets was dismal and the road never ending. The road then looped again at the pier, back towards the marina, then I met up with Peter again, but the 6 hour 30 minute pacer was hot on my heals, so I went back into full run mode for 5k into Hove and then it was run/walk lamppost to lamppost till the beach huts and once I composed myself for the finish line as I was getting really emotional, I head Peter yelling my name and I ran for the line. After collecting my medal and meeting up with Peter I spent 20 mins lying on the grass, catching my breath and we had a mile walk back to the City to catch the bus to the camp site, grabbing a coffee and a very hard walk up a steep hill to the camp site. I went straight to bed with a hot water bottle on my hips and apart from a visit to the loo, I didn't move till the morning.

Monday 13th April We packed up and after the drive home getting in at 2pm, putting the hot water on, and having a bath, we unpacked the van and I went for a short walk to post some vinted parcels, we had dinner and I was in bed by 8pm.

Tuesday 14th April Back to work. Several members of staff had tracked my Marathon and the kids already knew how I'd done and asked to see my medal. I drove the van into work to fill it up with diesel as the local garage had been named on Sky TV as the cheapest in the UK. Home, video call with the grandchildren, dinner and bed. I drive by this tank every day to and from work.

Wednesday 15th April Straight into town after work to get my nails redone. Same colours for Bowel Research and when people say they like them I casually mention that fact and shoe horn into every conversation 'I ran a marathon' I did some shopping, home, dinner, bath and bed.

Thursday 16th April Peter went to visit his mum in Keynsham. I went for coffee after work to check on my charity box, there was only a handful of coins in it. I spent some time blogging, watched TV and an early night. 

Friday 17th April Met Peter in town for a coffee. I got changed into my running gear in the car and I walked half way up the hill before running back home. No aches or pains and I enjoyed the run. Peter took the car back and made dinner which was ready not long after I got in. We watched TV for the evening while I did some blogging. After a bath I got everything ready for a full day out on Saturday and in bed around 10.30pm.

On the blog this week:

Post Comment Love - Link up with any post written this week.

Word of the week - Marathoner

http://www.chickenruby.com/2026/04/how-i-ran-my-brighton-marathon-april.html

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Word of the Week - Marathoner

Well I did it. I ran the Brighton Marathon in a time of 6 hours and 28 minutes and 6 seconds.

I am NEVER doing it again.

I will however possibly probably mention it again.

I'm 54 years of age. I'm bloody proud of myself.

The last time I ran was when I was in school. I left school in 1987.

I started with the couch to 5k on October 10th 2025 on World Mental Health Day. I completed my first 5k 4 weeks later at a parkrun in Monmouth, I'll be back there this Saturday.

I often surprise myself with my strength both physically and mentally.

It has been an emotional journey.

At 1 min and 3 sec you'll see me come into view and then cross the line and keep on running because I didn't realise I'd actually finished..

I hit my fundraising target and a big thank you to everyone who donated to Bowel Research UK.

Word of the week - Marathon

I'm running a marathon on Sunday.

I've not run since I was in school.

My training for the Brighton Marathon 2026 for Bowel Research UK has been about Stephanie. Talking about her and keeping her memory alive. Doing something that has put me out of my comfort zone, focusing my grief into something positive. There’s been no support out there since her death, not even in the early days, other than waiting lists or private counselling for trauma.

She didn’t fit into a box when she was alive. There was little understanding of the battles faced with her supported living, with care plans and funding issues despite the fact that we couldn’t have asked for anymore support than we received.

Stephanie’s death in October 2024 hit us out the blue. There was no warning, no expectation of a shorter life expectancy only the constant worry and fear of who would take those battles on when we were gone.
There is a strange sense of relief that we no longer have to worry about that anymore but also a sense of guilt that we feel that way. 

I’m not sure what I’m going to do with myself after Sunday when the marathon is over. I can’t promise I won’t do another one, but we’ll never stop talking about Stephanie. 

She taught us so much about unconditional love, patience and kindness. 

So many of our friends who have supported us through the past 18 months never met Stephanie but talk about her with us and have got to know her through us. 

So with 4 days to go, I’m tapering my runs, carb loading, hydrating, getting in as much sleep and rest as I can and looking forward to do just doing my best on the day. Getting round the 26.2 miles without complaining, having fun, enjoying the atmosphere and taking it all in.

I’m not sure how proud of me Stephanie would be. I’m not sure half the time Stephanie knew who I was. But I do know Stephanie loved to be out, loved her food and drink, loved being with people, loved going for a walk and loved making as much noise as she could and all without a care in the world. 

#BeMoreStephanie

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Running away from 2025 and into 2026 and a Marathon. Bowel Research UK

On October 7th 2024 our 36 year old daughter Stephanie died, the end of 2024 passed in a blur. We went through most of 2025 in shock, in a daze, grieving, going through all the firsts, nothing getting easier, just a little more prepared to handle the bumps in the road, with a network of friends helping us navigate our way.

Marking the first anniversary of Stephanie's death was a turning point. I wanted to do something in Stephanie's memory and the one thing Stephanie could do for herself with total independence was to walk. So I signed up for an Ultra Challenge as close to the anniversary as I could and walked 15 miles across the Chilterns.

I trained whilst we were out in Australia visiting one of Stephanie's brothers who had flew home briefly for her funeral and we'd not seen for almost a year, I delayed starting my new job by 2 months.

Whilst in Australia we visited the MONA Museum in Tasmania to see the Poo Machine and I've used every opportunity I've had to promote Bowel Research UK who I'm raising awareness and fundraising for  as Stephanie died from Bowel Ischaemia. It causes around 3000 deaths a year in the UK and is almost impossible to diagnose.

On World Mental Health Day October 10th 2025, I signed up to the Brighton Marathon and started the Couch to 5k. 4 weeks later on November 8th 2025 I took part in my first parkrun at Chippenham Playing Fields in Monmouth. The following week the town was devastated by flooding but I was back at the parkrun on December 20th and on New Years Day I took part in one at Southsea.

I've joined a gym for endurance training and I run 2-3 times a week. I haven't run more than 5k, but I have been able to run/walk 9k and I've been mostly walking/running the Malvern Hills. On Wednesday I'm going along to my first running club evening.

I'm taking part in another Ultra Challenge in London walking a marathon on January 24th. My aim is to complete the route in under 8 hours, as the Brighton Marathon has a cut off of 8 hours to get a medal and along with raising funds and awareness that is my goal.

Please share my fundraising page

Please share this post

Please share our story to help raise awareness of Bowel Research UK

I'd love it if you'd come running with me, if you have any training tips to share.

If you have any ideas to help me raise funds please let me know.

All help and support is welcome. I'm going to need it.

I’m linking up with Anne from Raisie Bay for Word of the Week.

Post Comment Love 3rd - 5th October 2025 The end of a year.

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

It'll be a year on Tuesday 7th October since Stephanie died and I'll be honest I have struggled. I've written about it lots, because Stephanie was a huge part of me and life without her as we knew it has just stopped. I wouldn't say it has changed, because it hasn't in regards, to the things we do, the places we visit, but the hole that has been left just can't be filled. It's so hard to explain how life can stop but yet go on at the same time.

In so many ways things like telephone calls, conversations, just random chats were never there, so they can't be missed. Stephanie took our time, our worries, our effort and energy. There's no guilt, no wasted time, no what if's. There's just a hole, tears, a pain, a gasp for air and just random staring into space midway through a conversation or mundane activity like doing the washing up.

During this year we've had two new grandchildren who have brought so much joy, we've travelled, I've started a new job. There is so much to be thankful for and we'll always be thankful to Stephanie as she was the one who bought our family together in the first place.

I wanted to do something in Stephanie's memory, we don't have a place to visit. So last weekend I took part in an Ultimate50Challenge in the Chilterns walking 25kms in 6 hours with a 30 min lunch stop raising £850 for Bowel Research.

This Tuesday we'll be taking a walk back in the woods where we used to take Stephanie as a child, just the two of us, a gentle stroll, a cup of tea back in the van and we'll get fish and chips on the way back and eat them by the river.

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