I only went and did it!!!…..

Bucket list….run a marathon….tick complete!

It was on the Bucket List, I’ve always wanted to run a marathon!

The night before I can’t deny I was nervous, I doubted my fitness and my will power! Moral of the story is I shouldn’t have….

Up at 5am on Friday morning to get in a taxi and make my way to the start line of the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, I was feeling a mix of nerves, excitement and dedication. Bags dropped off and there I was at the start line with hundreds of others, some looking more scared than me and others talking about running a PB – I was just aiming to cross the finish line.

Me at the start…

The course was not the most interesting, a pretty straight road and sole destroying when you could see on the opposite side of the road the markers you were so far from but yet so close. I ran the entire way other than a bathroom break (run into a cafe-toilet-out) at 18K. At 31K I hit a wall, my legs were stiff, tired and even with regular energy shots, my energy was low….but there was no way I was stopping running!

I spoke to a man at 37K, his words of encouragement and my “Do you know what…I think we can do this!!” made me smile and spurred me to continue. I saw him again at about 40K and we were both still going!

How on earth I had the energy to pick my pace up in the ‘home straight’ I’ll never know but I did.

Marathon complete in 3 hours 50 minutes and 28 seconds.

The girl did good, I totally underestimated my fitness and my capabilities, I cannot tell you how great it was when I saw Sophie and Stewart and had a big hug of congratulations….so bloody proud of myself!

Celebrated with lunch and then an evening of wine!

A day to go down in history for me, great memories, great friends and a great acheivment!

Love my life!

Rosa’s Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon Mission 2014

In an world where unfortunately image counts for a lot, we are all far too aware of our appearance. We sometimes forget that the most important thing is to be happy and healthy…..all too young I was affected by anorexia and now it’s time to give something back….

MY STORY

Some of you may know and others perhaps not, however about 13 years ago I suffered very badly with anorexia, I was hospitalised and put into a clinic, at my lowest I was about 6 stone from what I remember, and considering I’m now nearly 6ft this was really not the best.

I spent nearly 4 months in Parkview Clinic in Moseley and received the best support. I can’t think how different my life would be now without that, if a life at all. I returned to my normal life after leaving the clinic albeit my illness wasn’t a spoken about subject for a while.

In the last few years I’ve been able to openly talk about in conversation and now I feel ready to be incredibly open about it, promote a charity which may not have directly helped me at the time but certainly helps a lot of people these days. It is now my time to finally give something back….so many people helped ME along the way (and probably continue to do so, because it will always be there somewhere in the back of my mind, however happy I am now!)

I want to help to ensure others are surrounded by the same support….so help me to help them…and please dig deep when supporting such a great charity!

http://www.justgiving.com/Rosa-Bullock1