First Run of February: One Step Towards 100km

Back to Headstone Manor

Sunday, 1st February arrived with that classic London mood: light rain, grey skies, and the kind of damp air that makes you question your life choices—right up until you start moving. And honestly? It felt great.

Not fast. Not heroic. Just… good to be back out there.

I started the month with a steady 5.71 km run, taking 46:50 at an average pace of 8:12/km. Nothing fancy, but it was a proper “back in the saddle” kind of effort—heart rate averaging 147 bpm, gentle elevation, and that quiet satisfaction you only get from showing up. 

A familiar track, a local gem

There’s something comforting about returning to a familiar loop, and for me that place is Headstone Manor—our local gem.

It’s not just a park. It’s one of those rare pockets of calm where history, greenery, and community all seem to overlap. It’s where the paths feel familiar, where you can switch your brain off and just move.

And in summer, it’s where we play cricket.

I couldn’t help thinking about that while running—how different the place feels when the sun is out, the grass is dry, and the cricket season is in full swing. I genuinely can’t wait for summer… 

But first—February.

The goal: 100km

This month isn’t about one run. It’s about the commitment.

I’ve signed up to run 100km in February to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity). Childhood should be full of play, joy, and possibility—but serious illness can steal that away far too early. This challenge is my way of doing something small but consistent to help children and families who need it most.

So this was Run #1: light rain, steady effort, familiar place, good mindset.

I’m running 100km in February for GOSH Charity! 

Childhood is special. It should be filled with joy, wonder, curiosity and fun — a time of learning, play, friendships, and growing into the adults we become. But childhood is also fragile, and for some children and families, serious illness can interrupt it far too soon.

That’s why I’m taking on this challenge. GOSH Charity helps support the work behind Great Ormond Street Hospital, funding vital resources, innovation and support that can help give seriously ill children the best chance — and the best childhood possible.

This is personal for me. I’m deeply grateful to my parents for the childhood they gave me, and now my daughter is allowing me to experience that magic again in a whole new way. Watching her grow reminds me how precious childhood is — and how important it is to help children who are fighting battles they never chose.

With every kilometre I run and every pound raised, we’ll be helping children and families who need it most.
If you can donate or share my page, I’d be incredibly grateful — no amount is too small to make a difference.