Get out there in a good cause
The coming of summer (I know it's technically still spring but don't tell the weather) awakens the urge to get outdoors, to breathe deeply, enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, and to get more active.
All of the above make us feel good - and here's something else that engenders a similar state: helping others.
This year's Race for Life (a widespread programme of fun runs to help beat cancer) is apparently running (sorry) a bit low on the number of entrants - and it's the UK's largest women-only fundraising event. So why not give it a go? It doesn't matter if you're not a habitual jogger, not very fit, or don't even own a pair of trainers. You can walk, stroll or stagger the five kilometres - about three miles, or around 7,000 steps if you're partial to a pedometer. As the Race for Life website says, you can run (jog) 5k in 30 to 45 minutes, and walk it in an hour.
There are 5k (and 10k too) runs nationwide - 48 in the Southeast alone (pardon my regional bias). I've done a couple in the past, with friends, fellow footballers, and even my mum. So I can tell you from personal experience that it's a very jolly occasion. There are touches of poignancy too, with women using their race number labels to dedicate their run to friends or family members who've had cancer. I'm putting my name down for my nearest Race for Life in July. (I've never enjoyed running, am not in what you'd call peak fitness condition, and my trainers have recently fallen apart!)
Entry costs £14.99, which covers the cost of running the events, and every pound you raise in sponsorship will help Cancer Research UK find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. Find out more about Race for Life here - with details of runs, training plans, and all the info you need.
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