Running the Fun Run Remotely from Birmingham

by Anna Lockley-Scott

This Bank Holiday weekend, I chose to run the Interfaith Fun Run 10k. As I live in Birmingham, it was not easy to get to the Fun Run in Barnet before it started, so I decided to run the 10k remotely in my local area.  

Since lockdown, like many others, I started running again and in doing so have discovered much about my local area that I would not otherwise know. Although I was very determined in the initial lockdown of spring 2020 and went out running regularly, I lost that motivation and drive in the dark and cold winter lockdown of 2021. Therefore, when I heard about the Faith and Belief Forum and Maccabi GB’s Fun Run happening this August, it gave me the focus this summer to once again work towards a 10k.  

Having been an asthmatic since I was a small child, running for me is not easy. I fear getting out of breath just in case I struggle to breathe, so I try to evenly pace my breath throughout and therefore keep my running pace slow and steady, just below the level of getting out of breath.  

 As I built myself up to 7 or 8k, my husband decided to join me. Generously, despite being much taller than me, he is happy to go at my pace which is nice. Until he joined me, I used to wear earphones and listen to podcasts as I ran, but when he joined me, I wanted to share the run with him and not shut myself off with my earphones, so I tried to run without them. It is much harder though running without earphones as you can hear your own heartbeat which makes running a bit more intense . But again, keeping my run at a steady manageable pace really helped. Running together though is really motivational and really nice to share the experience.  

Over the last few weeks, we have worked towards our goal of 10k together. On the day of the Fun Run, we chose a nice route from our house , along the Harborne Walkway, a greenway near our house and then round Edgbaston Reservoir and back. It was mostly an off-road route which, for the city of Birmingham was quite peaceful and green.  

I chose to fundraise for Faith and Belief Forum because I have experienced their work both as a teacher and as an employee. As a workplace, it is a positive and inspirational place to work. Furthermore, the goal of building relationships between people, particularly young people, of different backgrounds, cultures and faiths is a crucial necessity and encouraging interfaith discussion and interaction is such a powerful tool for building a better society. I have been very glad to work and fundraise as part of such an aim.