Running4Rwanda

Just a quick update to thank everyone who took part in the 2010 Liverpool Santa Dash in aid of Shyira Trust. And thanks must also go to everyone who sponsored the runners - without your help we wouldn't have been able to raise the magnificent sum of £861. With Gift Aid, that total will increase to over £1000, and will go a long way to supporting midwifery training and safe motherhood projects in Shyira, Rwanda.

Our team now consists of 15 supporters! And we're easy to spot - we have the numbers 1 to 15! If you couldn't join the team, you can always help our cause - Midwifery training and Safe Motherhood in Rwanda. Just make a donation, big or small, and leave the rest to us. Small change can make a big difference, so click on one of the links below, and make it happen. It's back, and it's bigger and better than ever - the Liverpool Santa Dash. What's more, Shyira Trust now has 15 supporters taking part - to raise funds for Midwifery and Maternity projects in Shyira, Rwanda (click here for details). Please support one of our team members, or support the whole team, by clicking the following link: Team Rwanda The whole team .... Jane Morgan Lilian Brignull Judith Hulse Mary O'Brien Liliana Pantoja Peter Morgan Stewart Brignull Steve Hulse Liam O'Brien Mike Clarke Sally Williams Cheryl Moran Martin Baxter (and others) Whether you sup...

News of this year's Liverpool Santa Dash, taking place on 5th December, will appear here soon. If you would like to be one of our runners, supporting Shyira Trust, contact me: pete@running4rwanda.com . Let's see if we can beat last year's team of 12! In the meantime, to see why we are doing it, see www.bmycharity.com/Shocking (Flash required) Please visit again - news will start to appear in late October. Thanks, and please come back

Keeping my fingers crossed seems to have worked - I've been OK this year. No illness, no injuries, and I've managed to build up the mileage again, even managing a couple of long runs, and a couple of interval sessions. No races yet, but I'll get started next week, and then try to do a race every month. People have been generous, and have still come forward with sponsorship money, but as we're a month on, I'm going to close the Chester Marathon fund. The final total was £160 - £105 cash and cheques, and another £55 through my online sponsorship page at bmycharity . By the time Gift Aid is added, the total amount will be over £200, so I'm happy. Thanks to everyone who sponsored me - all money raised goes to Shyira Trust, and every penny is used for Safe Motherhood projects, including the sponsorship of a student midwife.

This time last year - a week after the Windermere Marathon - I was laid low with a chest infection. Fingers crossed, I'm OK this year. I've started running again, albeit very slowly, and will gradually build up over the coming weeks. More importantly, people are still coming forward with sponsorship money. Mostly cash and cheques, but also some through my online sponsorship page at bmycharity . I don't expect to get as much as last year's £400, but if I can get to about £200, I'll be happy. Thanks to everyone who has already sponsored me. As usual, all money raised goes to Shyira Trust, to help sponsor the training of a midwife, and other Safe Motherhood projects.

To say it didn't hurt would be a lie, but I got round OK. A few blisters, a few aches and pains, but overall, feeling quite comfortable. Of course, I could have done it better, but there's always next time. I set off with the aim of breaking 3hrs 30min, meaning I had to aim for fairly consistent 8 minute miles. Sadly, my pace judgement is not what it used to be, and I ran the first mile in about 7:15. I felt so comfortable, but should have run slower than target pace for the first couple of miles. I did deliberately slow down, but was still going too quickly, and suffered for it in the closing stages. All's well that ends well though - I did beat my target. Just! I actually finished in 3:29:21, so had a whole 39 seconds to spare, and still had enough energy to smile for the camera. Or grimace, it's hard to tell!

It's May, so it must be marathon time! Last year it was the hills of the Lake District, this year the flatlands of Chester. I'll be using the event to raise funds for Shyira Trust, to help train a midwife. To see why, please play the short presentation below - press the 'Play' button to load it, then press 'Play' again to step through it step-by-step. When you have finished, please make a donation - no matter how big or small. Every penny goes to the projects supported in Rwanda, and a little goes a long way -  small change can make a big difference. To make a donation, safely and securely, please click here Thank you

http://www.flickr.com/photos/john_kennan/4173031598/ Actually, modesty forbids me claiming to be the winner, but someone thought I was ! I was in the top 20 (of about 6000), and I could see the leading runner for most of the run, but he ended up way ahead of me. On a more newsworthy note, the final sponsorship is in, and the final figure raised is a magnificent £2407, including on-line donations. This is way in excess of our original target, and will go a long way to paying the University fees for Fidele, the student midwife, for a full year. Many thanks to everyone who took part and raised funds, but more importantly, thanks to everyone who donated so generously.