The Santa Run

The Glen's Life Santa Crew

I did it!!

No.

We did it!

On Sunday, we ran 2 miles through Oxford dressed as Santa Claus in aid of Helen & Douglas House. 2 miles may not sound so very far to you but I for one found it challenging. My wife, who is used to doing 5K runs, ran it easily enough but it is my boys I want to talk about.

Helen & Douglas House is a Hospice for children and young folk and a pretty damned amazing place. I am just in awe of the people who work in these places; they are true heroes as far as I’m concerned. This is why we immediately signed up for the Santa run when we saw it advertised. Raising cash for a cause that good, while running about surrounded by over 1200 Santas, was an opportunity too good to miss! I didn’t try and sponge off you lot because I’d only just taken the Movember link down and I was embarrassed enough about hassling my own family.

Santa in need of Weight Watchers

So we took the time to talk to the boys about what a hospice is and why we need them, before finding ourselves standing in the middle of Oxford dressed as Father Christmas on a cold December morning, looking a throng of identically dressed clones. I guess, as I walked up to the starting point, I felt a little like a Stormtrooper must feel on that first day on the Death Star. On arrival you are all proud of yourself and keep checking out your uniform in windows, only to walk down the ramp of the shuttle craft into a hangar and realise that absolutely everyone looks the same (except for one particularly bad apple).

What I actually looked like was the ‘before’ photo for the Lapland Gazette’s Slimmer of the Year competition. Especially as the super large 'one size fits all' outfit trousers were so tight that they split in the crotch before I made it to the car. Mental note: when I make my New Year’s declaration that I’m going to get fit and slim, I really must try and mean it this time.

Any way…

We warmed up to Santa Zumba which was basically just the four of us dancing our own thing, because we couldn’t see the stage and the Zumba Leader – or whatever you call them – so we couldn’t quite keep up with the actual dance.

And then we were go!

May The Force be with you

Jo and Daniel went ahead, because they can run and we knew they would be the fastest. Jamie (my seven year old) and I followed on behind. We knew Jamie would struggle, not because he is unfit but because his legs are so little. What I hadn’t given him credit for, was just how determined he was! He ran and ran and ran, bless him. He nearly stopped a couple of times and was certainly finding it hard, he struggled with stitch as his little legs pumped along but he did it. He ran the whole 2 miles, as did his brother.

I love being part of this family; they never cease to impress me. I would never have even run 1 mile when I was 7 or even Daniel’s 10, yet they go and run 2.

Daniel was beginning to struggle towards the end, mainly due the ankle injury he had picked up the week before at rugby, and was beginning to moan about it but Jo told him to think about the kids who needed the Hospice. She said how much they would love to be able to run this race and what how much they are suffering instead. To his credit, and to my utter pride, Jo tells me that he really did understand and the moaning stopped. His head went down and he finished the race with a complete determination. 

2 Miles later - just about alive

For me, I just call that ‘job done’.

I think my kids are going to be pretty cool.

I think my wife is pretty cool too, for coming up with these crazy ideas in the first place. She brings these things into our lives; all I do is go along with them.

Now, if you don’t mind I need to lie down.