Run Clown Run!

3 months ago I signed up to take on what seemed like the challenge of a life time, to run 6 miles in aid of Sports Relief. My main aim for doing so was to improve on my health in time for the summer, whilst raising money for a good cause.

The past 3 months have been fall of temptations and procrastinations to do anything but the gym and there have been times when, let’s say, I have let the odd one get the better of me. However with the motivation of helping others, as well as the thought of letting all my sponsors down, I would head down to the gym.

On a gorgeous Sunday 25th March, dressed as a clown and deprived of an hours sleep thanks to the clocks going forward, I joined the first leg of runners at 10:15 to take the challenge on. It was a great atmosphere, with people of all ages running/walking/hopping/skipping for 1, 3 or 6 miles around The Mall – Buckingham Palace. Now in my leg, there were not many people dressed up and being the only clown it was very easy to spot me, so much so I gained a lot of attention from the supporters including the children, one of which asked for my photo as I run past him. I managed to run most of the way and probably could have completed the run a lot quicker if I wasn’t too busy looking at the celebs; I didn’t even stop to talk to my family or fellow runners. The run its self was the best run I have had, and without all the practice I would not have managed to complete the run within my target of 1 hour, or to be a head of my personal target ready for the summer holidays.

I have learnt a lot the past few months, with the biggest being if you want to achieve a goal which looks unachievable set yourself smaller goals which will help you to go beyond your target.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my supporters for their support and motivation over the past 3 months.

Stephanie Fletcher

Wheres The Motivation?

It was two weeks ago, on a wet and cold Thursday evening (a bit like today), and I had just fought my way through rush hour, and I sat on the sofa, with a cup of tea watching Come Dine With With Me, for what was suppose to be a 5 minute rest, before I went to the gym.



5 minutes slowly turned into 10 then into 20 minutes, and before long I had lost all motivation to go. I sat there an hour later, regretting not going straight from work, as then I would not have had the temptation of saying “I will make up for it tomorrow” or “it’s too cold to go back outside”. My mother didn’t help by convincing me that it is too cold outside, and that I had had a long day either.


We were watching BBC Ones The One Show, when Fern Cotton and Gary Lineker did an advert for run 1 mile for Sports Relief on 25th March. It was then, I got my motivation! Seeing and hearing how my contribution to running a mile would help raise money for charities all over the UK and the World, and how it has bought families, communities the young and the old together has inspired me. I instantly logged on on-line to sign up, where I then had the dilemma of running, 1, 3 or 6 miles. I thought to myself that 1 mile would be a “walk in the park”, 3 miles would be achievable, but 6 miles would be a challenge for someone who was at her peak 10 years ago, and whom needs to reach her target by May.


2 weeks on, I am training 4/5 times a week to complete my first ever charity run, and finish the 6 miles in an hour. So far, it’s going well, I have inspired another fellow “Get Fit” lady, who has seen me on numerous occasions in the gym to enter, as well as the men of Dale Carnegie London, and I have even broken my record by 2 minutes, but it hasn’t been easy. I am a very sociable person, and I can easily be persuaded into activities which are not fit related, but my motivation is at an all time high so I have actually said no, on the odd occasion. I have been inspired to not only reach my own personal goals, but hopefully help to achieve others along my way too. It’s not always about reaching your targets, but how you achieve them, and trying to keep motivated as you do so. To achieve my target, I will be doing a range of events, including one which will be a big test to me……..a day’s silence!! If I can achieve that, then I can achieve anything, and so can you.





Stephanie Fletcher