Joe Powell is offering to take dogs on training runs for donations as he trains for the Brighton Marathon
Tess came into my life a little more than a year ago. She is a rescue dog, a Jack Russell cross Whippet who, at a year old, became part of our family with little known of her past. What we did know was that she was easily frightened, untrained and bearing a large burn-like scar. When I think of the life she might have had it makes me smile doubly to now see her running through the woods at top speed, tail up and ears back.
Tess and I have been running together since the day I brought her home and it has since become the cornerstone of our relationship. Despite an inauspicious start (on our fist run I was brought to the asphalt as she ran across my path to chase a pigeon) it is rare now that I will run without Tess by my side.
When I returned from holiday last year, feeling rested, healthier than usual and irrationally ambitious, I signed up for the 2014 Brighton Marathon. I knew straight away that running with Tess would be a big part of my training. We started running together most days. We ran in the woods, on the beach and across the hills of the South Downs. It wasn’t long before the suggestion came from a neighbour:
“I’ll sponsor you if you take my dog on a run with you.”
And so our pack grew by one. It all started to grow from there, I advertised my wares online and more people made the same offer. A small but regular group of dogs have started coming on my training runs with me and it’s all been terrific fun. There’s something about running with dogs that reminds me why I run in the first place, a sense that running is what we have evolved to do.
The dogs and their owners have helped me raise £320 so far for Scope and absolutely amazing charity which makes an enormous difference to a lot of people’s lives. As the Assistant Manager of a care home for people with learning disabilities I see first hand how difficult life can be. Some people are born facing inconceivable challenges from day one, but with the support of organisations like Scope they are able to turn those challenges into outstanding achievements. It is a huge charity and £300 may not seem like much in the grand scheme of things, but every penny of every pound counts.
If running the marathon can make any money for this cause then Tess, Buster, Meryl, Heffner and I are happy to do it.
To find out more you can contact Joe via Facebook
To sponsor Joe go to uk.virgin moneygiving.com/josephpowell1
