Mud, Miles and Misplaced Garmin: Marathon 1

The first marathon of the challenge is officially done – and what a way to get off the mark in Leicestershire. More than anything, it felt great simply to have started. Months of thinking, planning and talking suddenly became action, one muddy step at a time.

The build-up was a mix of excitement and apprehension. Physically, I felt good and reasonably confident, but there was a brief wobble when my Garmin watch went missing the night before. With that crisis averted, I was keen to get going. We drove over from Christmas in Norfolk to Leicestershire, knowing we were heading somewhere pretty and looking forward to seeing a new part of the country on foot.

Conditions were kind to us for December. It wasn’t too cold for running (although spectators might disagree), and while it was very wet underfoot, there was no rain on the day or in the lead-up. All things considered, we couldn’t have asked for much better.

The day began with the Huncote Hash 10k, which was… calm and low-key (not). ITV Central News turned up to interview Lyni, Amy and me, which was brilliant coverage and added to the buzz. We were dressed as Colin the Caterpillar, thanks to the heroic efforts of Lyni and her gang – a genuinely fantastic costume. We were also joined by Charlotte from the Lancashire leg, who happened to be visiting family in Leicestershire over Christmas.

The 10k itself was a proper cross-country route: deep mud, a river crossing, a couple of hills and plenty of laughs. It took longer than expected thanks to a few “re-caking” stops to rearrange the caterpillar and take photos, all in good humour.

After that, Lyni and I set off for the remaining 20 miles. The ground was heavy, navigation wasn’t always straightforward, and it turned into a long day out. But we finished – and we finished together – meeting family with torches in the dark at Wykin Park.

Alongside the miles, the fundraising progress was seriously motivating. As a team, the Marathons for Miracles group raised over £9,000 after week one, with a huge flurry of support over the past few days. That's around 23% of the overall target reached already – and an incredible boost so early in the challenge.

A cuppa and several real slices of Colin at Lyni’s followed, before heading home to Shropshire. All in, a success.

The biggest learning? Time on feet will make or break this challenge.

Huge thanks to Lyni – and the whole group – for stepping up for the first one. What a start. On to the next in Kent on Sunday 4th January.