Running fundraiser hits NY for friend who had stroke

Sunday 14 October 2018

An inexperienced long distance runner will next month hit the streets of New York in a marathon fundraising effort for a charity that supported her once "fit and healthy" friend after he was struck by a stroke.

32-year-old islander Emily Le Beuvant will take on the mammoth challenge - her first ever long distance run - in three weeks' time for the Stroke Association.

"I used to run, But it was more for fun. It was never serious and never more than 10k," Emily told Express, later adding: "Running a marathon had always been on my bucket list but I had never taken the leap."

Emily's boyfriend, keen runner Wayne English, signed up to the New York Marathon earlier this year to raise funds for the Alzheimer's Association. She had originally planned on travelling simply to support him, but finally decided to take the leap and join him, raising money instead for the Stroke Association.

The choice was a deeply personal one: earlier this year, one of her friends had a stroke while on holiday with his family. 

Pictured: Emily has never run a marathon before.

"It really hit home that a stroke can happen at any age, and at any time," she explained. "My friend was fit and healthy, I couldn’t believe it could happen to him. I’ve chosen to support the Stroke Association as I think we are all too quick to take the simple things in life for granted. However, when these things are no longer simple it makes you realise how important it is to have that choice – to able to run for example."

Since his stroke, Emily's friend has been receiving the support of the charity and attending weekly meetings. Impressed to see the work they do, Emily has so far raised £700 for them on her Justgiving page as well as another £50 offline.

"The Association is so small," she said. "When you look at the statistics and how many people have strokes, it seems so high compared to how many people work there. Families suffer too when a relative has a stroke and the charity supports them too."

Emily's charity choice makes her even more motivated to complete the course especially since her friend previously ran the New York Marathon too. "Raising money for a charity is something really personal," she explained. "It gives you this extra boost, the motivation to do it."

Pictured: Emily is looking forward to running in New York.

"It's been emotional," she confesses, speaking of her 16-week training journey beginning in July. "There have been some tears!"

The furthest she has run so far is 20 miles, but she admits that it can get tough after mile 14, with the running often proving "more challenging mentally than physically." Describing her target time as a "secret", she adds: "I would like to make but I just want to do it without a time pressure. Finishing the course is an accomplishment and I don't want to be disappointed."

So how does she feel just three weeks ahead of the race? "I am looking forward to it now. I have been to New York before but it will be it nice to see it from a different perspective. My friend told me that the atmosphere is incredible and keeps you going. There are bands everywhere and there is always something going on. I tend to panic when I run long distances because I suddenly realise how much my back or my legs are hurting. I think with everything going around you during the marathon you get distracted from how much pain you are in."