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RUNNING ON POSITIVITY ... VETERAN RAISES THOUSANDS FOR CLAIRE HOUSE
While most of us were home schooling and working from home during the first lockdown in 2020 ( what ’ s changed ?) Company Director of MD Fitout , Matt Tomlinson from Wirral put on his running shoes and has raised nearly £ 5,500 for Claire House by competing in 11 half marathons and a triathlon without any training .
Wirral Life caught up with him to find out why he put himself to the test .
How did this come about ? Back in December 2019 I was asked to take part in a golf tournament at Bromborough Golf Course where we all dressed up as superheroes and played golf to raise money for Claire House . There were 16 of us and I was astounded afterwards when I found out they had raised £ 960 in an hour .
That gave me the inspiration really . That ’ s how it started . My New Year ’ s resolution going into 2020 was to give back ; and seeing how much we raised in such a short time , how much it helped Claire House and what they did with the funding ; I was so touched by their work for children at their end of life that I just thought I could be doing more here .
Where did you start ? I decided that half marathons would be the way forward . I ’ m a rubbish runner , I always have been even during my army career ! I was in the army for eight years , I was a Full Corporal then when I left , I worked my way up through the construction industry and now I own my own business , but I still can ’ t run !
In saying that , I believe the mind is stronger than any muscle - if you put your mind to it you can do anything . I didn ’ t bother with any training for it I just got stuck in , I didn ’ t even go out and buy a new pair of trainers ! I ran everything in an old pair of Reebok classics that I found in the bottom of the wardrobe and used a bike for the triathlon that my friend had given me 10 years ago . This was to prove that you don ’ t have to go out and buy expensive equipment . If you want to accomplish something you can .
You completed some of them in a bit of a unique way as well didn ’ t you ? I was so grateful that there were virtual runs available . It was lockdown and there weren ’ t any events taking place , so I was delighted to find a company – Run Through - that allows you to do your run at home and then upload all your data and details via their app and then they give you a medal !
I think it was 6 half marathons I did that way along with the triathlon , which meant I didn ’ t have to delay fundraising , and the rest were actual events in Aintree , Cheshire , Oulton Park and Helsby amongst others . I ’ ve got 12 medals hanging on my curtain pole now that jingle every morning when I open the curtains . This reminds me that if you truly believe you can , you will .
What was your fundraising target ? I originally wanted to raise a thousand pounds . I thought that if we , as a group of golfers , could raise £ 960 in an hour then it was feasible that I would be able to raise £ 100 a month by completing a half marathon every single month .
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