Introducing 12 days of Uplift: #1
This amazing woman is running 24 half marathons this December
Hello and a happy Tuesday to you,
I’ve noticed on social media and in my WhatsApp groups that a lot of people are feeling a bit stressed out or ‘meh’ this week. The news cycle and Covid anxiety is pretty relentless isn’t it?
So, to counter all the stressful news, I’ve decided to bring you #12DaysOfUplift - a good news story written by me every day, for 12 days right up until Christmas Day. (Wish me luck and thanks for the name inspiration Amy Packham!)
Today, I’ve spoken to the amazing Charlie Smith, who caught my attention earlier this year when she began tweeting openly about her mental health journey.
This December, Charlie has decided to run 24 half marathons, every day from December 1 to Christmas Eve to raise money for the brilliant mental health charity Mind.
When Charlie Smith found herself on a psych ward after being sectioned earlier this year, she was confined to her room during a Covid outbreak.
During that time, she felt extremely isolated. She also turned to the charity Mind and spent hours on its website learning about her rights and what she could expect going forward.
“I read the stories of others and it instantly made me less alone,” the 28-year-old tells me. “They helped me massively - so I wanted to give back to them.”
Fast forward several months, and the radio producer who lives in Leeds with her wife Vicky and Staffie Colin, is more than halfway through running 24 half marathons in 24 days. She had only run one half-marathon before taking on this challenge.
“The idea came about at the end of November, when I realised I hadn’t got an advent calendar yet,” she says.
“It got me thinking about different ways I could mark the countdown to Christmas. From experience, I know this time of year can be extra challenging when you’re already struggling with your mental health, so I knew I wanted to do something to help others with mental health issues.
“I decided on half marathons as I wanted something that would push me mentally and physically. I figured it’d be a way of testing myself, whilst raising money for a great cause in the countdown to Christmas.”
Charlie, who tweets openly about her bipolar and mental health journey, has been sharing her progress online too.
“So far, it’s gone okay,” she tells me.
“There have been some really hard days - times where everything has ached, and anxiety has made leaving the house really difficult. But I’ve pushed through.
“Some days have been slower than I’d hoped for, but I’m trying not to focus on times, as the challenge is hard enough without this added pressure. The support I’ve received on and off social media has made the world of difference. I’ve had so many lovely messages from people - and the amount raised so far has completely blown me away. Every time I feel like giving up, I remind myself how many people are behind me - and what a difference the funds will make to people like me.”
You can sponsor Charlie and support Mind here and follow her mental health and half marathon journey on Twitter.
This is the first of 12 days of Uplift. Please forward it to anyone who might need an uplift this December so they can sign up too.
BB x
This is The Uplift, a weekly newsletter by me, journalist Becky Barnes. If you enjoyed it, feel free to buy me a coffee sponsor Charlie.
The Uplift will arrive in your inbox every Friday, featuring good news and self care. I also have a podcast about life advice.
A bit about me: I’m a journalist living in London. You can find me on Twitter and Instagram.