Team Seriously Unfit Finishes (and in record time!)

Well, we've done it. After weeks of training, days of sponsorship collecting and hours of preparation we've completed the Sports Relief 3 mile challenge...and in less time than we expected.

As a couple of kebab loving, beer drinking, computer game playing kinda guys we were pretty exercise shy before the idea entered our heads of running 5 km for charity. But after a bit of practise (and remembering that we were stuck behind all kinds of fruit, smurfs, wizards and other costumed walkers on a pretty tight course) we managed to complete the run in little over half an hour. Not bad for Team Seriously Unfit.

Before the event started at 3pm we were ushered into a fenced off area to warm up to some 'inspirational' trance music led by the fitness instructors from our very own gym. Being naturally shy I'll admit I wasn't the first to savour a chance at dancing about, wiggling my hips and clapping my hands whilst shouting 'oggy oggy oggy' in front of a thousand or so strangers but with a little improvisation my running partner and I managed to survive long enough to start the run.

With a few starting words from 'actor' Richard Fleishman (however spelt) and some terribly misplaced and ungrateful comments about how we the runners should give a big thanks to all the 'celebrities' who had taken time out of their lives to run the 1 mile part of the course, we were off.

Taking an age to pass the starting line and crawling at a snails pace it took a while for the runners to even out as those intending to sprint made their way to the front, those just out for the jog (with us amongst them) ended up somewhere around the middle and those with children or dressed to the nines for charity found themselves towards the back of the human snake, collecting money from onlookers as they went.

Running a one mile course three times (and collecting a red sports relief band on each lap to show how many miles you had already run) I have to say, my three red bands did give me a huge sense of pride. I didn't take them off after finishing and I doubt I'll take them after until bed. In fact, I honestly believe they'll probably go back on before work tomorrow as well.

In all it was a great day. The atmosphere was good, we completed the course in much less time than we thought we would and we raised a lot of money in the process.

A massive thanks to everybody that has sponsored us so far both on and offline, we're slowly edging towards the £600 mark as I type and with a million and one more exciting events to come before the end of 2008 (including the St. Anns Hospice Midnight Walk and a sky dive!) it shows no signs of stopping.

If you know any or all people involved with us so far in our 'Charity Year' project and want to get involved then let us know. Otherwise check back soon for more information. I'm running the BUPA Great Manchester Run 2008 next and at double the distance I'm going to have some fun training between now and May. Check back soon!