Steph Runs for Progress!

Anyone who knows me will know how much I LOVE Progress Theatre... You may also know how much I HATE running...
So of course, the logical thing is for me to set myself the ridiculous challenge of running 5km non-stop to raise funds for Progress Theatre!

As I write this, I have just completed the first week of the "Couch to 5km" challenge... my feet hurt, my legs hurt, my lungs are in shock... I have just about managed to jog like a snail for 60 seconds, and the thought of running for over half an hour is, frankly laughable...

So why am I doing this? It's a personal challenge - running is something I've always said I can't do, so naturally, I want to prove myself wrong... Running (well, exercise in general) is good for physical and mental health, it gives me something to focus on, and a sense of achievement at the end (hopefully!)
Raising money for a cause I love is a very good way of achieving something I otherwise would probably otherwise never succeed at - some of you will remember that I did a skydive for Progress a couple of years back - that was TERRIFYING, but required one moment of bravery to accomplish... This challenge will require months of hard work, focus, and probably blisters... In many ways this is going to be a lot harder than being dragged out of a plane by a burly man like a little upside-down turtle...

Progress Theatre is SO special - to me, and to so many other people - it is more than a theatre, it is a community. A space where anything is possible, and everyone is celebrated and supported. It is a family, and in many ways is my home. In addition to a full season of 11 professional standard productions, Progress runs a youth theatre, providing a safe and nurturing space for young people to grow, an outreach programme to take theatre to those who cannot access it themselves, countless workshops & socials for members, and has won local and regional awards. In 2020, Progress was awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service - an accolade which truly shows how much love and passion is poured into the theatre by it's members.
But, like many other arts organisations, our stage has been dark now since March... Progress is entirely self-funded - meaning we are completely dependent on our income from shows & membership fees in order to keep going. The lockdown has shown me how strong the community of Progress is - the spirit of the theatre is very much still alive, and we will continue to support each other and create theatre in whatever sense we can until we are able to get back on the stage.

SO - I'm writing it down so it's definitely real now...! To raise some funds for Progress, I WILL run 5km without stopping by the end of the year. There. Said it!
It might not seem like a massive challenge to some, but I assure you, for me this is like a marathon!
If you can spare any pennies, I would greatly appreciate it - it will help Progress, and it will help me while jogging away in these cold winter months.

Thank you! :)