This Sunday Nick Sandall and a group of eight of his family and friends are taking to the streets of Paris in the city’s famous half marathon, the ‘Semi de Paris’.
Taking in a fabulous route around the iconic French capital from Île de la Cité and the Sorbonne, out east, across the Seine, through the Ois de Vincennes and finishing at the Place de la Bastille, it sounds like one of the most interesting half marathons out there – and we’re thrilled that Nick’s team of nine have decided to run the race to raise funds for The Not Forgotten.
We caught up with Nick in his final week of training to ask about why he signed up for the race, how he talked his family into joining him, and what has inspired his support for the veteran community.
“I used to be a very good 800m runner when I was 14”, Nick explains, “Then I stopped to concentrate on more fun things as a teenager! I was becoming a full-time athlete whilst at school, which I didn’t want to do with my life. I then didn’t really run again until three years ago when I turned 60. For my 60th I said I would run a half marathon – and now this is my third in a row”. He ran Hampton Court half marathon, followed by Paris last year after his daughter moved to the city.
“I put months of training in, giving me a focus, and it’s now become a habit, doing something for a charity at this time of year”. Next year he even has his sights set on a midnight marathon in Iceland!
Following a “first career” in professional services, Nick’s “second career” as he describes it is as “facilitator, executive coach and fishing guide” taking him all over Europe. Since last year Nick has also served on the Board of The Not Forgotten, having come across us after we approached him about taking veterans on fishing trips.
His respect for the military and veterans came well before that however. Nick has been deeply moved, he says, by the experiences of family members serving in the military.
“I have seen what it is like when they come back. The complexities of what service people and veterans go through. I think there is a growing realisation in my generation that so many of our children and friends’ children are serving in our military and that they need our support in return for their sacrifices.”
Tomorrow will see the whole of the centre of Paris shut for the race, with 50,000 runners plus their supporters filling the city. “There are no cars allowed, there are bands playing every kilometre, the atmosphere is amazing, it’s really nice.”
Nick's group of nine runners range in age from their sixties through to their forties and twenties and is a real family affair including Nicks’ daughter, two sons, their friends and girlfriends. “We won’t all run together” explains Nick, “But we’ll start together and gather afterwards to share our stories.”
Nick’s final weeks of training have been made even more tough by him developing sciatica – but he is battling through, determined not to let that hold him back. “My body is having to work a bit harder - one leg won’t move properly but I won’t let that stop me! I did the race in 1 hour 52 minutes last time but because of my legs I will keep pace with my daughter (who has never run before and is doing incredibly) and aim for 2 hours 20.”
He certainly sounds all prepared. “I’m ready, I’ve got my gels and very sort of ointment you can buy. I just need to book the restaurant for afterwards!”
We ask what Nick’s advice would be to anyone else considering running a half marathon or any other physical fundraising challenge.
“Follow a training plan, but be realistic and flexible with that plan. Don’t hurt yourself. Do some slow running as well as interval running, that’s very important. And concentrate on stretching properly! It really does make a big difference, otherwise you just create injuries for yourself. Also keep hydrated and fuelled – and do that properly, work out when to eat and drink when in training.”
The most important thing however is to prepare yourself mentally. “It’s a mental challenge more than a physical one. It’s about grit. This morning, I was late out of bed and went out for a run in the pouring rain, got drenched by a car going through a puddle, but I just had to grit my teeth and keep going.”
But anyone can do it, if you want to. “If you take it little by little, step by step, anyone can achieve it, even if they’ve never run before.”
He reflects finally, “If I’m struggling at any point, I just remember what I’m raising money for. Oh, it hurts? Just think what it’s like for people coming back from active service. We're doing this for people who have given in a way most of us will never give.”
Please help Nick and his team raise as much as they possibly can to support our injured veterans and service people.
Sponsor them at
https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/tnfparishalfmarathon
