A geologist taking up 30 marathons for 30 charities earlier than her thirtieth birthday has reached the halfway level of the inspiring and “barely loopy” feat.
Lucinda Layfield, who splits her time between London and Aberdeen, did her first marathon on January 1 for Alcohol Change UK, with the final one to happen on November 26 – the day of her thirtieth birthday.
On finishing her fifteenth marathon for the LGBT Basis on June 20, the 29-year-old advised the PA information company: “It doesn’t really feel that far to go now.”
“I’ve gained confidence and perception in myself”, she added.
“Typically I feel it’s fairly tough and most of us can relate to having imposter syndrome, however while you take the time to replicate, you suppose, I’ve achieved nicely and I do know I’m going to get there.”
Ms Layfield has balanced the operating challenge alongside her full-time job as a geologist for an power firm and learning for a PhD on the geology of the realm between the Faroe Islands and the Shetland Islands.
The thought behind the marathons endeavour was sparked halfway by means of final yr.
“I believed, what can I do for my thirtieth birthday to recollect this milestone in my life?” Ms Layfield stated.
“I wished to do one thing that will probably be good for different individuals and will encourage them and likewise carry collectively heaps of totally different charities inside one occasion.”
Ms Layfield has tried to run every marathon on a day which is linked to the charity she is elevating cash for, which regularly entails meticulous planning and making a calendar of occasions.
“I researched when Crimson Nostril Day was, Armed Forces Day, Satisfaction and I believed, OK, why don’t I simply run on nowadays or as shut as I presumably can”, she stated.
“I ended up emailing heaps of totally different charities, telling them what I used to be doing and asking them if they may ship me a T-shirt.
“Some of the charities’ focuses are related to me – I did a 100km ultra-marathon from London to Brighton – [which was the equivalent of a little over two marathons] – to help Motion Assist and The Nationwide Affiliation for Premenstrual Syndromes (NAPS) in help of Menstrual Hygiene Day as a result of I’ve suffered with premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
“Different charities are related to household and associates and others are charities that I believed have been unbelievable.”
The Leeds Marathon (marathon 12), which raised cash for Thoughts, was chosen as her favorite, since she is initially from Leeds.
“I principally ran the marathon round my residence city the place I grew up and the ambiance was wonderful,” she stated.
“That was the marathon the place Kevin Sinfield carried Rob Burrow over the end line and it was extraordinarily emotional and my family and friends got here as much as see me.
“I additionally really noticed some old skool associates lined up, cheering me on, in order that was an actual spotlight.”
She additionally “pounded the pavements” and even some water whereas on vacation in Chile for one of her runs.
“I ended up making an attempt to run by means of enormous areas of river, so I had very moist toes for components of it and that was for a Ukrainian charity at a time which marked one yr since Russia invaded Ukraine.”
She added that the majority of her coaching occurred final yr, which might contain lengthy runs, usually on weekends, and operating on the treadmill and doing higher physique exercises on the health club.
With donations near the 25% mark – having raised over £7,000 out of the £30,000 goal – Ms Layfield has mirrored on how “completely unbelievable” it has been to have obtained a lot help.
“There’s a cost-of-living disaster occurring and I discover it wonderful that individuals have donated cash, despite the fact that they could have little or no cash themselves”, she stated.
“I get fairly emotional interested by it to be sincere and I’ve had messages from operating teams over England asking me to hitch their operating group for a run.
“So many have reached out saying, ‘can we share your story?’ and my work has additionally been actually supportive, in addition to my associate Jamie who offers up heaps of time to be there with me for the runs and all through the entire course of.”
She added: “There are in all probability some who might imagine the concept is barely loopy or I’m having a quarter-life disaster, however that’s superb as I’m elevating cash for charity and consciousness for his or her work.”
As Ms Layfield dons her trainers to tackle her sixteenth marathon over the weekend in Scotland for SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity, she stated she is most wanting ahead to “operating in cooler temperatures”.
“I sound like a typical British particular person whinging in regards to the climate,” she joked.
“My step-mum works for SSAFA and I see the completely unbelievable work they do for our veterans, and I’m wanting ahead to digging deep and seeing what I’ve within the tank.”
Ms Layfield’s JustGiving web page may be discovered right here, with cash raised to be cut up between the totally different charities:
