One Marathon, One Mum, One Amazing Cause

✨ A Little Intro

At the ripe old age of 63, I’ve signed up for my first ever marathon. Some call it inspirational, I call it questionable decision-making with expensive trainers 👟😂. On 14th September, I’ll be running the Richmond Marathon (26.2 miles… voluntarily!) to raise money for Reclaim Life, an incredible local charity that’s changing lives.

✨ Full Story

Here’s the truth: I am not chasing Olympic qualifying times. But I am clocking up some serious miles — my longest training run so far is 22 miles (yes, I’m still walking afterwards, just a little more slowly than usual). At 63, this is my first ever marathon, and I’m determined to run it with grit, a smile, and maybe a few muttered words when I see another hill.
So why put myself through this? Because I want to raise funds for Reclaim Life, a small but mighty local charity that supports people through some of life’s toughest struggles: depression, trauma, addiction, anger – even suicidal thoughts. They’re often referred patients by the NHS, but get no NHS funding. They survive purely on donations.
This is especially close to my heart because my wonderful mum-in-law Diana (who I just call Mum, because she’s wonderful 💖) is a counsellor and trainer with Reclaim Life. She lost her husband of 63 years earlier this year, yet continues to dedicate herself to helping others. She’s literally saved lives and inspires me every single day.
So on September 14th, I’ll be lining up at Richmond Runfest, fuelled by determination, decent playlists, and the thought of a very well-earned glass of wine at the finish line 🍷.
If you’d like to support me – and more importantly, help Mum and Reclaim Life continue their incredible work – I’d be so grateful. Every donation, big or small, makes a real difference.
👉 Donate here: donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/step-by-step-saving-lives-sheenas-marathon-journey
Thank you from me, my legs (who are still speaking to me… just), and from everyone whose life Reclaim Life helps reclaim. 💖
Sheena x
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🌟 Why Reclaim Life?

Reclaim Life helps people take back control of their lives through therapeutic life coaching. They support those struggling with:
💙 Depression and anxiety
💙 Psychological trauma
💙 Anger management
💙 Addictive behaviours
💙 And even people who feel so low they are considering suicide.
The NHS often refers people to Reclaim Life – but provides no funding. The charity is completely self-funded and relies entirely on donations and fundraising to keep going.

💖 Why it’s Personal

My wonderful mum-in-law, Diana (who I just call Mum because she’s wonderful 💖), is a counsellor and coach at Reclaim Life, as well as training new counsellors.
Earlier this year, she lost her husband of 63 years. Despite her own grief, she continues her work at Reclaim Life with incredible compassion. Recently, she’s helped prevent a suicide and supported several people who felt their situation was impossible.
Her strength, resilience, and kindness inspire me every day – and running this marathon is my way of supporting her and this amazing charity.

🙏 How You Can Help

Every penny you donate goes directly to Reclaim Life to fund life-changing (and life-saving) coaching.
👉 £10 could provide resources for someone starting their journey to recovery.
👉 £25 could support a counselling session for someone in crisis.
👉 £50 could help train new counsellors to reach even more people.
I’ll be running every mile with my mum-in-law in my heart, fuelled by your support (and possibly jelly babies 😅). Please donate if you can – together, we can help more people reclaim their lives.
Thank you so much 💖
Sheena x