We did it! Jan, 5 of our friends and I completed the 5K Santa Fun Run around Dorney Lake last Sunday. We arrived at 10.30 am and pulled on our Santa suits. The day started out quite cold and foggy so we were grateful for the extra layer and the white fluffy beard.

At 11.30 we moved into the starting lane with all the other Santas for the warm up which consisted of a short dance routine and lots of shouts of “Ho, Ho, Ho” and then we were off!

Our friends Michael and Andy went off very quickly and finished ahead of us in around 22 minutes. There was a great atmosphere as we jogged around the mostly flat course. On the lake itself, teams of rowers dressed as reindeer raced alongside us. We passed some members of the public out for a nice Sunday morning stroll and some looked quite bemused as 200 or so Santas puffed passed them.

The weather started to improve and the sun came out. About half way around the lake I was getting quite warm so did take off the beard and the Santa hat! Once around the top of the lake we started to head back towards the finish line, which involved running over 3 short bridges before turning the final corner to the home straight.

With a final surge, I sped towards the finishing line and crossed it just as the clock ticked to…………

I was very pleased with my time but you will have to wait until 13th December before we reveal it.

We have already raised over £350 for Alzheimers Dementia Support (ADS) – thank you to everyone who made a donation.

There’s still time to enter our competition

There is still time to enter our competition to guess the time it took me to complete the 5K Santa Dash. The closest time will receive a £50 John Lewis voucher. To enter call Jan or Gilly on 0345 222 0579, drop into the office or go to our Just Giving page and provide your name and your guess in minutes and seconds. Guesses cost £1 and all proceeds will go to Alzheimers Dementia Support. 

Wendy x

One week to go! On Friday I collected our race packs and Santa suits from the Alzheimers Dementia Support (ADS) team, who have organised the run to raise funds and awareness of the support they offer. ADS is a charity which offers constructive practical guidance and a wide range of services to help people in the local community whose lives are directly or indirectly affected by Dementia. You can visit the ADS website here.

The Santa suits are great but I’m not sure about the bushy white beard! Watch this space for photos….

Santa Fun Run at Eton Dorney Lake 24th November

The cold, dark evenings are less inviting to get out and train but I have completed around 9 miles of running over the week, including a couple of very steep hills. The Santa Dash, which is being held at the Eton Dorney Lake on 24th November, will be a nice flat course.

Raising funds for ADS

Jan and I will be joined by 6 friends on Sunday and we are aiming to raise £250 for ADS.

Thank you to everyone who has made a donation on our Just Giving page or at our clinic.

We have received donations from some of the hearing aid companies – Sivantos, Starkey and Oticon – whose support is very much appreciated.

Win a £50 John Lewis voucher

There is still time to enter the competition to win a £50 John Lewis voucher. Just guess my run time in minutes and seconds when you are in the clinic, by phone or online on the Just Giving page and donate £1. The closest time will win the voucher.

Wendy x

Just a little over 2 weeks now until the Santa Fun Run on 24^th November for Alzheimers Dementia Support.

One of the Alzheimer’s Society’s top tips for reducing the risk of developing dementia is to stay socially active by joining a club, so with this in mind I have joined my local running club The Blackwater Valley Runners.

Running with a group helps me to run longer distances and build some stamina and the company helps the miles go by more enjoyably.

The club meets at 7pm and we set off into the cold evening for what I thought would be a gentle 4 mile run. There were 15 other runners in my group and I was able to have a chat with most of them during the run – except when we were running uphill when I needed to save my breath!

6.5 miles later, I arrived back at the club house, having run further than I was expecting but very pleased that I had kept up with the group.

Guess the time competition

To support ADS and have the chance to win a £50 John Lewis voucher, please visit our Just Giving page.  Donate £1 and include your name and the time, in minutes and seconds, that you think it will take me to complete the 5K Santa Fun Run.

With 4 weeks to go before the Santa Dash at Dorney Lake for Alzheimers Dementia Support (ADS), I decided that my training on Saturday would be a long walk rather than a run. I set off from Farnham (Surrey) Station to walk along the North Downs Way national trail to Guildford, covering ten miles. The walk is mostly on woodland paths and is far enough from the road to be unpolluted by noises from traffic.

The path initially runs alongside farmland and I wished a cheery “good morning” to some sheep and cows before passing through a field of corn.

There is no definite way to prevent dementia and research continues to investigate how the disease develops. However, there is good evidence that leading a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of developing dementia (source: NHS Website).

My walk not only provided good exercise but was an opportunity to exercise my senses; looking for seasonal changes, listening to bird song and learning about the local nature reserve from information boards.

To support ADS and have the chance to win a £50 John Lewis voucher, please visit our Just Giving page.  Donate £1 and include your name and the time, in minutes and seconds, that you think it will take me to complete the 5K Santa Dash.

Dashing Through the Snow…..

…..Guess my time to complete the 5K Santa Dash and win a £50 John Lewis Voucher

Well I’m hoping there won’t be snow but on 24th November I will be donning my Santa Suit and taking part in the annual Santa Fun Run in support of Alzheimers Dementia Support (ADS) and the work they do for the local area. Follow this link to learn more about the service and support Alzhemimers Dementia Support provide. 

The Santa Fun Run is a 5K fun run around Dorney Lake and I will be joined by Jan Gosling, our secretary at Help in Hearing, and a small group of friends.

I would like to invite you to support ADS by taking part in a competition to guess the time it will take me to complete the 5K circuit.

Entries for the competition cost £1, with all proceeds being passed to ADS. To enter, either make a £1 donation on my Just Giving Page, adding your name and how long you think I will take in minutes and seconds or call into the office on 0345 222 0579 and we will record your guess at reception.

Over the next few weeks I will be keeping you up to date with my training schedule for the Santa Fun Run and will be providing a few clues as to my expected finish time.

Wendy x